Tire air pressure recommended for Michelin Sport 245 ZR 18's

Sep 25, 2007 | 09:50 PM

Scambo

Thread Starter

Senior Member

Joined: Apr 2005

Posts: 293

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From: Austin, TX

'13 E550 W4

Tire air pressure recommended for Michelin Sport 245 ZR 18's

Does anyone have a preference for recommended air pressure in the Michelin tires, 245 ZR 18?? The max pressure says 51 on the tire. What are you guys running?? Thanks for your guidance on this.

Sep 26, 2007 | 02:23 AM

georgedaman

Senior Member

Joined: Jun 2006

Posts: 375

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From: Toronto Ont Canada

GL350

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scambo

Does anyone have a preference for recommended air pressure in the Michelin tires, 245 ZR 18?? The max pressure says 51 on the tire. What are you guys running?? Thanks for your guidance on this.

Excellent question.Can't wait to read the inputs.
I am running mine 26 front and 32 rear(CLS specs for the front,CLS rears are 29 but the tires are 275s)....but after a short trip to the beautiful city of Montreal..i was driving home like an Amish carriage..all wheels bent.

Sep 26, 2007 | 02:28 AM

AndrewAZ

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Joined: Apr 2006

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From: Arizona

BMW FTW

32 Front 39 rear. Any higher in the rear the tires break lose to easily. 32 in the front gives enough crisp handling without having to worry about the side wall bending to much under hard stress. But I recommend 32-34 PSI front and no more than 39 rear and no less than 36 in the back.

Sep 26, 2007 | 10:26 AM

mtnbenzer

Member

Joined: Jul 2007

Posts: 165

Likes: 1

From: KS

08 E-550 4-matic Sport; '15 RAM, '15 X3, '15 Charger SRT

Tire pressure

Don't have my 550 4-matic yet to see what MB recommends but some years ago when I had my 01 430 I was told that MB makes tire pressure recommendations based on the fact they want the car to understeer in all circumstances as that is safer for non-professional drivers.

I would like to know what pressure is best front and rear for a professional driver who drives out west with some mountain roads and open stretches common and seeks a firmer ride and still maintain reasonable tire wear.

I am not clear on what pressures would make the car (4-matic) more prone to oversteer than understeer. Can anyone make these recommendations or name sources of discussion. I'm real particular about my pressures but want to know exactly what I'm trying to achieve. I usually just add 2-4 lbs to what the mfg. recommends for f/r but prefer an oversteer bias.

Sep 26, 2007 | 10:28 AM

seahonu

Member

Joined: Apr 2007

Posts: 213

Likes: 4

From: SF Bay Area

2015 GLK 250 BT

Whoa, why so high PSI for the rears, vs fronts? Is that to compensate for more understeer? Higher rear pressures sets up the car for increased understeer.

Sep 27, 2007 | 02:08 AM

Jakarta Expat

Member

Joined: Sep 2006

Posts: 198

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From: Jakarta, Indonesia The Land of Milk & Honey

W211 / E280

Quote:

Originally Posted by georgedaman

I as well run the CLS 18" on my E, 245's on the front with a tire pressure of 34 and 275's on the rear with a tire pressure of 38.

Sep 27, 2007 | 04:40 AM

georgedaman

Senior Member

Joined: Jun 2006

Posts: 375

Likes: 0

From: Toronto Ont Canada

GL350

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jakarta Expat

I as well run the CLS 18" on my E, 245's on the front with a tire pressure of 34 and 275's on the rear with a tire pressure of 38.

I assume they are staggered.What are the offsets of the fronts?
Thanks

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Sep 27, 2007 | 03:37 PM

AndrewAZ

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Joined: Apr 2006

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From: Arizona

BMW FTW

Quote:

Originally Posted by seahonu

Whoa, why so high PSI for the rears, vs fronts? Is that to compensate for more understeer? Higher rear pressures sets up the car for increased understeer.

I do this on all my RWD cars and its usually recommended to stagger. Reason being the rears dont need as much flex as the front tires since they are not turning the car. Basically to a point the lower the PSI in the "turning" tires the more grip you have since you have more friction. Now if your drag racing you want the front tires pumped up and the rears lower so you get less resistance from the front tires. But on the road running a flat 32 or 34 all around will just cause a little less MPG.

As far as handling and understeer and oversteer every car (almost a few sports cars are not set up this way) from the factory by way of the camber of the car will understeer. Having higher in the rear and lower in the front will kind of sort of cancel this out but not really.

Most of my driving is highway each day (40 miles highway about 4 surface street) and its nice a firm.