Pagoda SL Group

W113 Pagoda SL Group => Drive train, fuel, suspension, steering & brakes => Topic started by: J. Huber on April 13, 2008, 13:44:35

Title: Tire pressure
Post by: J. Huber on April 13, 2008, 13:44:35

Very basic poll here. Who puts how much in (cold)? Same front and back? I am running 195/70/14s...

James
63 230SL

Title: Re: Tire pressure
Post by: mdsalemi on April 13, 2008, 13:49:04

James,

I follow the tag on the trunk deck--I think it is 31F and 34R cold?

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red 568G w/Black Leather (Restored)
President, International Stars Section
Mercedes-Benz Club of America

Title: Re: Tire pressure
Post by: 66andBlue on April 13, 2008, 14:24:46

James,
the tag on my car reads:
"Cold tires: 25F - 31R
After prolonged city driving or moderate overland trip: 28F - 34 R
After fast overland trip: 31F - 38R"
I assume "fast" means Autobahn speeds, or way more the the legal limit here.  :)
My tires are the same dimensions as yours and I have set mine at 28F - 34R, feels OK to me.

Alfred
1966 blue 230SL automatic

Title: Re: Tire pressure
Post by: Garry on April 13, 2008, 15:36:14

I run mine at 32psi and they ride beautifully and also do not appear to be that affected by cross winds as commented in another thread.  At 28psi they did.

Garry Marks
Australia
69 280SL Manual
02 320ML
05 A200

Title: Re: Tire pressure
Post by: gugel on April 13, 2008, 17:57:56

The (original) trunk tag in my Euro 230SL specifies cold pressures of 1.8 atü front, and 2.2 atü rear, which translates to 26 and 32 psi respectively.  I do carry 32 psi rear, but have never understood why the front pressure should be so low, so carry 28 - 30 psi front.  The tires are 205/70-14, and these pressures seem to work fine.

Chris

Title: Re: Tire pressure
Post by: J. Huber on April 13, 2008, 21:59:26

Danke Fellers. Like Chris, my tag is auf Deutsch ( really glad you had the conversion handy -- my math is worse than my German...and that's not saying much!)

Anyway, I believe I had gone with 28F and 30R before -- but since they were all a little uneven after the winter -- thought I'd ask the group. I went with 31F and 34R -- semi-cold. (drove a bit to the gas station and it was mid-70s today). Seemed like good numbers.

James
63 230SL

Title: Re: Tire pressure
Post by: Mike Hughes on April 14, 2008, 14:10:44

I've always worried about excessive tire wear with the recommended 27 psi front / 32 psi rear tire pressures.  BUT the car DOES seem to track better with the fronts at 27 psi - it tends to wander and be a little skittish on uneven surfaces with higher front pressures.  So I just keep a close eye on the pressures and rotate, rotate, rotate!

- Mike Hughes  -ô¿ô-
  1966 230SL Auto P/S
  Havanna Brown (408)
  Light Beige (181)
  Cream M-B Tex (121)

Title: Re: Tire pressure
Post by: Longtooth on April 17, 2008, 00:13:37

I was running 32F 32R on my new tires (Yokahama Avid T4's 205/70 14's) but they felt too soft and cornering was a lot poorer (than on my Michelin XVS's) so I bumped them to 36F 36R and though stiffer on the corners, it was far more skittish on the straight's at speed. I'm dropping them back to 30 - 32F will stay at 36R for awhile to see if the skittishness improves.

Longtooth
67 250SL US #113-043-10-002163
The 6% Club - Best of the Best
'02 SL500 Sport