What's an unsafe tyre pressure on a new 3 series touring?
Discussion
Long story short, we have 330d x-drive toruings at work.
They carry a fair amount of kit in the boot, but in my opinion, no more than 2 heavy blokes in terms of weight.
Work are insisting the tyre pressures are blown up to the 5 persons +luggage plate weight, which is about 49psi at the rear and 44 at the front iirc.
Watching the idrive, i always have the tyre pressures displayed. At high speed or in hot weather, the pressures obviously increase.
The car feels skittish at high speeds, and yesterday the rear tyre pressures were showing a staggering 54psi. I've tried to argue that this is just stupid, but work are insistent that we inflate to the top pressures. I've ignored them often and deflated down to the 3 person weight which is about 36 front 41 rear. The car feels much more stable and comfortable like this.
Anyway, how dangerous is a tyre at 54psi. Im sure if you hit anything sharp, under that much pressure, it'd explode like a bomb. Is it really safe for work to be suggesting this?
They carry a fair amount of kit in the boot, but in my opinion, no more than 2 heavy blokes in terms of weight.
Work are insisting the tyre pressures are blown up to the 5 persons +luggage plate weight, which is about 49psi at the rear and 44 at the front iirc.
Watching the idrive, i always have the tyre pressures displayed. At high speed or in hot weather, the pressures obviously increase.
The car feels skittish at high speeds, and yesterday the rear tyre pressures were showing a staggering 54psi. I've tried to argue that this is just stupid, but work are insistent that we inflate to the top pressures. I've ignored them often and deflated down to the 3 person weight which is about 36 front 41 rear. The car feels much more stable and comfortable like this.
Anyway, how dangerous is a tyre at 54psi. Im sure if you hit anything sharp, under that much pressure, it'd explode like a bomb. Is it really safe for work to be suggesting this?
Edited by un1corn on Friday 28th June 16:43
un1corn said:
Long story short, we have 330d x-drive toruings at work.
They carry a fair amount of kit in the boot, but in my opinion, no more than 2 heavy blokes in terms of weight.
Work are insisting the tyre pressures are blown up to the 5 persons +luggage plate weight, which is about 49psi at the rear and 44 at the front iirc.
Watching the idrive, i always have the tyre pressures displayed. At high speed or in hot weather, the pressures obviously increase.
The car feels skittish at high speeds, and yesterday the rear tyre pressures were showing a staggering 54psi. I've tried to argue that this is just stupid, but work are insistent that we inflate to the top pressures. I've ignored them often and deflated down to the 3 person weight which is about 36 front 41 rear. The car feels much more stable and comfortable like this.
Anyway, how dangerous is a tyre at 54psi. Im sure if you hit anything sharp, under that much pressure, it'd explode like a bomb. Is it really safe for work to be suggesting this?
Your tyre pressures should be on a plate, on the drivers side door jam.. Check there; it will give you pressures for a normal car and a laden carThey carry a fair amount of kit in the boot, but in my opinion, no more than 2 heavy blokes in terms of weight.
Work are insisting the tyre pressures are blown up to the 5 persons +luggage plate weight, which is about 49psi at the rear and 44 at the front iirc.
Watching the idrive, i always have the tyre pressures displayed. At high speed or in hot weather, the pressures obviously increase.
The car feels skittish at high speeds, and yesterday the rear tyre pressures were showing a staggering 54psi. I've tried to argue that this is just stupid, but work are insistent that we inflate to the top pressures. I've ignored them often and deflated down to the 3 person weight which is about 36 front 41 rear. The car feels much more stable and comfortable like this.
Anyway, how dangerous is a tyre at 54psi. Im sure if you hit anything sharp, under that much pressure, it'd explode like a bomb. Is it really safe for work to be suggesting this?
Edited by un1corn on Friday 28th June 16:43
54PSI is STUPIDLY high; that's the max pressure the tyre can take and in the heat we're having currently, it'll only get higher with the car being used and hot air exapands etc...
FWIW; I run an E39 530i touring and my rear tyres (275/35/18s) are at 40PSI and that'll be with it fairly loaded for tomorrows run down to Anglesey too!
Pica-Pica said:
This is my F30 335d door plate, I have previously edited out silly sizes. I imagine 330d will not be far off.
Mine read up to 40 psi when fully warmed up. I have the 19” (labelled as NOW).
Ours are running on 18's, and I think it's top left that work want them pressuring too. There's a couple of psi difference but i've had enough. Theyre getting an e-mail tomorrow. 54 psi in hot weather at motorway speeds is fMine read up to 40 psi when fully warmed up. I have the 19” (labelled as NOW).
Edited by Pica-Pica on Friday 28th June 18:52
king deadly.Don't worry about it!
Inflate the tyres to the plate spec cold.
The tyres will get hotter if you load it up more and that is what they are designed for, so a relatively light loading at 54psi is fine.
My caravan tyres have a maximum speed rating of 83mph. They are (not so cheap) Indonesian things as that is the only tyre available in the correct size and weight rating.
Cold tyre pressures are 65psi or 4.4 bar
I've seen them regularly quite happy at a sustained high speed 5.5 bar. Frightening when you first get that information, but the realise thats its quite normal.
Good argument with equivalent weight though.
Anecdotes say that Plod can do you for incorrect tyre pressures, but I struggle to see how they'd check it properly at the roadside.
Inflate the tyres to the plate spec cold.
The tyres will get hotter if you load it up more and that is what they are designed for, so a relatively light loading at 54psi is fine.
My caravan tyres have a maximum speed rating of 83mph. They are (not so cheap) Indonesian things as that is the only tyre available in the correct size and weight rating.
Cold tyre pressures are 65psi or 4.4 bar
I've seen them regularly quite happy at a sustained high speed 5.5 bar. Frightening when you first get that information, but the realise thats its quite normal.
Good argument with equivalent weight though.
Anecdotes say that Plod can do you for incorrect tyre pressures, but I struggle to see how they'd check it properly at the roadside.
AlwynMike said:
Don't worry about it!
Inflate the tyres to the plate spec cold.
The tyres will get hotter if you load it up more and that is what they are designed for, so a relatively light loading at 54psi is fine.
Absolute cobblers!Inflate the tyres to the plate spec cold.
The tyres will get hotter if you load it up more and that is what they are designed for, so a relatively light loading at 54psi is fine.
At 54 psi the car will feel all over the place.
Just look at the tyre size on your plate, and put it at the 5 person loading when cold.
Best read what is written on the tyre sidewall as to the max pressure allowed - as long as you're within the limits you should be fine. I understand XL tyres have higher rating. Obviously with such a high pressure you will get very high wear in the middle of the thread. But also a bit lower consumption.
But have they clarified as to why they want to go well beyond manufacturer's specifications? They know something we don't?
But have they clarified as to why they want to go well beyond manufacturer's specifications? They know something we don't?
Pica-Pica said:
AlwynMike said:
Don't worry about it!
Inflate the tyres to the plate spec cold.
The tyres will get hotter if you load it up more and that is what they are designed for, so a relatively light loading at 54psi is fine.
Absolute cobblers!Inflate the tyres to the plate spec cold.
The tyres will get hotter if you load it up more and that is what they are designed for, so a relatively light loading at 54psi is fine.
At 54 psi the car will feel all over the place.
Just look at the tyre size on your plate, and put it at the 5 person loading when cold.
Not absolute cobblers.
54psi when hot is well within limits.
Agreed, don't inflate to 54psi, but neither the OP nor myself said we would do that.
Yes, it may well be skittish, but dangerous? I doubt it, unless the OP was driving beyond the car's limits.
You said to inflate to the 5 person loading cold. The OP was questioning that this is too much for his relatively lightly loaded car. He is right to question it.
AlwynMike said:
Sorry Chap
Not absolute cobblers.
54psi when hot is well within limits.
Agreed, don't inflate to 54psi, but neither the OP nor myself said we would do that.
Yes, it may well be skittish, but dangerous? I doubt it, unless the OP was driving beyond the car's limits.
You said to inflate to the 5 person loading cold. The OP was questioning that this is too much for his relatively lightly loaded car. He is right to question it.
The OP was questioning the work’s instruction to go to 54psi.Not absolute cobblers.
54psi when hot is well within limits.
Agreed, don't inflate to 54psi, but neither the OP nor myself said we would do that.
Yes, it may well be skittish, but dangerous? I doubt it, unless the OP was driving beyond the car's limits.
You said to inflate to the 5 person loading cold. The OP was questioning that this is too much for his relatively lightly loaded car. He is right to question it.
I have said go by what the plate says, and setting the pressure to a 5 person loading will not affect a single person loading. It will however feel skittish, and frankly awful at 54 psi (cold). I have never said dangerous, only the driver can make that so. Warmed tyres only increase by 2-3 psi from a cold setting.
Summary: go by what the plate says.
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