Tire Pressure

I searched the forums, didn't see a main post for tire pressure so i'm starting a new one. i can delete this and post to a more appropriate thread if someone finds it.

Anyways, had my t1n 5 months now and of all the things i've done to it; i haven't messed with or even checked tire pressure!

The fronts were at like 35 and the rears were at 50...yeah i know really sad! Its crazy cause ive still been getting 24mpg since i've got the thing.

I went to the gas station down the street that lets you set the pressure, and it checks itself and beeps when it reaches the desired pressure.

Took over a few minutes to SLOWLY raise the pressure from 35 to 45, and when i set the psi for 70 (max for this machine) for the rears it gave me a couple pumps until an error message popped up on the machine.

Whats going on with this thing? Am i supposed to go to a more industrial/trucking gas station with some sorta hi-pressure air pump? Needless to say, the $60 stanley battery jumper/air compressor is absolutely and completely useless as i gave it a try before i headed to the gas station.

And as far as pressure goes, i live in baltimore city, and my alley might as well be an off-road excursion as I have to slowly roll through monstrous potholes, rocks, tight turns where i roll over curbs, and all other kinds of garbage. At 50psi my rear wheels spin out when trying to backup into my parking pad. I feel like in this specific situation...lower pressure wouldn't hurt; in addition to driving on all of the appalling roads that are all over the city. Discuss.

Also, the tires have some weather cracking, about 20k left on the tread....is it stressful to an old tire to increase the pressure so much all at once? dumb question i know, but i am dealing with a sprinter.....

You might read this
https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11969

Chad

What the offroad guys do for even wear is to run a line of chalk across the tread and adjust pressure down from max until it rubs off evenly. Look at the max PSI on your tire sidewall for an upper limit. If it's lower than the pressure on the door sticker, guess what?

On the weather checking, I'm not the expert but there was a bit of traffic (no pun intended) regarding the service life of tires in terms of age as well as tread depth. Find the date of manufacture on the sidewall (usually a code the oem website can help you decipher). There are some general guidelines and the oem may supply service life info as well.

Most good tire stores will give you "free air" and a pressure check. A lot of small compressors. Or gas station fill stations either can't go high enough to get 80psi, or they at limited to some lower pressure to keep moron car owners from lowing up thier tires by not paying attention.

Icarus

I run 70 rear and 60 front. I fill at the local Holiday station - no problem. If it were nicer out I would use my compressor with the gauged tire chuck, but too cold out in the driveway right now.

Chris

Here's a good resource