winter tire psi

[CigaR007]

Originally Posted by brucepick

That higher pressure gives better traction. And that is why autocross drivers run their cars at higher tire pressures.

Autocross drivers, if my memory serves me well, bump their tire pressure considerably in order to reduce sidewall flexing, thus improving traction and steering response, especially while cornering. That's a given, except that the surface on which they drive is free of snow and ice, which changes the game, traction-wise.

I have no problem bumping my tires to 40 psi in the Summer, but Winter is a totally different scenario that requires, in my opinion, a certain caution regarding tire inflation.

Overinflation diminishes the ability of the tire to respond to road irregularities, such as snow and ice debris, which in turn will reduce the overall contact of the tire to the road. Now, it is obvious that road conditions, in Winter, can vary greatly in a short span of time. I prefer to adopt a less aggressive Winter tire inflation as a way to get the best grip as possible no matter what the road conditions will be.

Any other time of the year I would agree with you, but during Winter is a different story.