Tyres

[brumster]

A couple is probably barely noticeable on a tin-top but more relevant on cars like ours with such little weight. There is no magic number but generally people go with a ballpark number that most people like, without questioning it. It generally aligns with vehicle weight but there are obviously points where, when the numbers go too high or too low, you get a massive drop-off in characteristics. Too low, the sidewall deforms, the contact patch goes to pot and the tyre most likely overheats - but here you see my point, factors such as tyre construction can make a massive difference - soft sidewalls; more pressure. Stiff sidewalls; you can get away with less. So blanket saying "18 psi" doesn't factor in anything about your car weight or tyres. Likewise too high a number and the opposite happens, the sidewall/squish will be reduced, the car will be too stiff, the contact patch will deform the opposite way, and the car will feel taught to a point, skittish past that. But, again, softly sprung cars could get away with it more, or cars with softer tyres. And we've not discussed tyre temperatures, compound, etc...

Short answer : fiddle. Go out repeatedly over a known favourite road, adjusting pressures by 2psi at a time (check HOT temperatures, not cold) and see which you prefer

 

[agent_zed]

many years ago when i first built my 2b i put 26-27psi in and it felt like i was on a bouncy castle. I run at about 20psi now on the rainsport 3's although haven't driven it in such a long time i couldnt tell you much at the moment. I did have cheap V treads when i got the alloys and they were rubbish compared to the rainsports. Once drove home in the rain on the V's and was so unstable on standing water. I don't drive particularly fast (1.6 pinto here too ) but with such light cars i want to be able to cut through any standing water without aquaplaning.

I've been looking on blackcircles and mytyres recently for 14's for my GFs polo, they have a fair few. Just musing here but i wonder if an all season would fair well on a seven as the compound is likely to be softer and a larger contact patch. I guess the tread pattern probably doesn't work as well for cornering as they are separate blocks. https://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?dsco=110&cart_id=nhxnTDusaoulxsV2.110.826415530&Cookie=nl_rd_uk_na_2005a_cta&Breite=185&Quer=60&Felge=14&m_s=3&Ang_pro_Seite=10&weiter=10&sort_by=preis&rsmFahrzeugart=ALL&Label=C-C-70-2&details=Ordern&typ=R-371049