Pssst. Let’s get you caught up on the highs and lows of tire air pressure.
Before we get into it, do you know what air pressure or PSI (pounds per square inch) you are running in your tires right now? How long has it been since you checked? If you are like most people it’s probably been a while since you’ve checked.
More than likely your air pressure is lower than you think and it’s probably quite a bit lower than the recommended air pressure stated in your vehicles owner’s manual or the recommended PSI stated on the sidewall of the tires (which by the way, can be two completely different recommendations).
So which one do you go with: the owner’s manual recommendation or what’s stamped on the sidewall of the tire? And what air pressure is the best for different riding terrains? Can you run the same tire air pressure in the desert as you would mountain trail riding or even rock crawling? Let’s explore that.
Before we talk about what air pressure to use for different terrains and riding styles let’s address the differences between the PSI recommended in your vehicles owner’s manual and the recommendations on the sidewall of your tires. The PSI recommendations from your vehicles owner’s manual are based on the specific tires your vehicle came with from the factory. The PSI stated in the vehicles owner’s manual is suggested for general use and will need to be adjusted depending on your specific riding needs.
TIRE TECHNOLOGY
