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TR2/3/3A Tire pressure and ride comfort?

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K

karls59tr

Obi Wan
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What tire pressure do you guys run on your 3 front and rear. I realize this is up to the individual owner and how hard he drives the car but I would like to find the best compromise for everyday street driving so it's less bumpy. What did the factory recommend (different tires back then)? I have been running 28 psi front and rear but am wondering about having less tire pressure in the rear tires....how would that affect handling?:smile-new: What is the best compromise tire pressure you run?
 
I shoot for 32 psi front and rear. Less than 28 psi and she gets hard to steer in parking lots. I haven't tried more pressure.
 
There is a table at page 23 of Practical Hints for the Maintenance of the triumph TR3. This is the Owners Manual and can be found on Google (and I think Randall Young -TR3 Driver- posted it on this forum)

Bob
 
Though it is the opposite of what the factory recommends for most old MGs and Triumphs, I will run a higher pressure on the front than the back on old live axle LBCs. usually about 28 on the rears and 32 on the fronts. Theoretically a little higher in front to reduce understeer, and lower in the back for better ride and less wheel hop. Have not tried this one TR3, but have done it in a live axle TR4A, MGBs and Sprites.
 
I presume those pressures in that table would be for the old bias ply tires. Would they be different to modern tires regarding pressure?

I run about 32 front and back.

David

bobhustead said:
There is a table at page 23 of Practical Hints for the Maintenance of the triumph TR3. This is the Owners Manual and can be found on Google (and I think Randall Young -TR3 Driver- posted it on this forum)

Bob
Click to expand...
 
Owners manual says for Dunlop tyres (assume these are bias ply) Front 22 psi and rear 24 psi.
For Michelin X tyres 24 psi front and 28 psi rear. Increase by 5 psi if car is driven consistently hard and fast.
 

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Well the books call for this or that but that was in the 50's-60's-70's Todays tires have a rating that should be a starting point and that is a cold tire. Because of the foot print the high end number of the tire rating would be best but you may find it to be a hard ride. If you drive solo about town not a big deal. Summer with two people and luggage and highway speed add a pound or two to not over heat tire. Your spare should have the top pressure and tires over six years old come into question also. Todays tires come with not only the size but speed rating and date it was made and a DOT strip these are the factors of todays tires. And your life is on them. At a SCCA event I saw a driver say drop a 1/2 pond here and add a pound to the left side there that is fine tuning and you will need to do the same. Madflyer
 
Modern tires generally take higher pressures than the old cross-bias and even older radials. Dunno why that is, but it is generally true, based on recommended pressures listed in owners' manuals. So, the numbers in the TR manual don't mean very much. This is just one of those things you'll have to experiment with, but the responses above should give you guidance on where to start.
 
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