Tyre Pressure 195/50/15

[Australia-Mx5]

Hi there,

I recently fitted 195/50/15 tyres to my 1990 mx5. What pressure should I be using? I have been using 32psi, and it just doesn't feel right.

[GravelBen]

How does it feel? Try lower pressure and see if it helps, if not try higher pressure and see if that helps.

Also new tyres can be a bit slippery with release compound for the first few hundred km until they scrub in properly so that could be a factor too.

[skinny]

it sounds high for normal conditions. correct tyre pressure depends on a fair few things like the type of roads you drive and how hard you drive them, the tyre itself, ambient temps etc.

try 28psi - it may feel a touch less responsive initially but will give you more sure-footedness and grip. use that as a base and go up or down from there depending on how it feels, wouldn't go much more than 2psi either way tho.

[MazDave]

I'd sart with 28psi cold pressure. That would probably equate to 32psi hot. That's what I run on track.

[MX-5 Lazza]

MazDave said:

I'd sart with 28psi cold pressure. That would probably equate to 32psi hot. That's what I run on track.

You don't want track pressures on the road though.
Mazda recommends 26psi regardless of tyre/wheel size. In reality it depends on how firm the tyre side-walls are. I use 26psi on Goodyear F1 but if I was using Toyo T1S/R I'd probably put it up to about 28psi.
That's hot pressures, not cold

[Australia-Mx5]

Thanks for the advice, I will try 28 and work from there.

[maz8062]

It depends on the tyre.

26psi is the recommended psi and should be used as your base point. If you have tyres with softer sidewalls then you can start off with a higher PSI. Toyo T1-s & T1-R are normally inflated at higher pressure for this reason.

I ride on Toyo R888 (stiffer sidewalls) and inflate them at 26 psi cold