Michelin Tires

[jonnie]

Will,

Are you sure you are doing the correct thing by checking your pressures hot. Tire pressures are indicated in max pressure cold.

John

[MangoMike]

Will,

It was my understanding from the tire guy that you checked them cold and if they expanded due to heat after motoring down the road, not to mess with them.

mm

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

It has also been my understanding that tire pressure is a cold pressure.

Any increase due to elevated temperature is to be expected and maintained!

Do not let air out of a tire when checked hot and found to be higher than specifications.

It is OK for a tire to be over specified pressure by a reasonable amount, and that would be the pressure increase due to a temperature rise.

It is not OK for a tire to be under inflated, and if air is let out hot in a likelihood the tire will be under specified pressure when the temperature drops, such as at night or in the morning.

[Ray Davis]

Agreed on that point.

Perhaps one thing that wasn't clear (not sure if it's this same thread or not). It's perfectly valid to take an IR gun to check your temperatures at a stop. As long as ALL the tires are getting hotter together, then you are fine. It's when you find one that is a significantly higher temp, then this might be indicative of being under inflated (perhaps losing air), or a problem with the wheel and/or bearing.

Ray

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Scientific or not when I shoot the temps on my tires I look for consistency. I am presuming the tire pressure charts (which I follow) have pressures listed that are proportional to the load carried and thus the amount of tire flex is constant between all tires.

Again, assuming that is the case I can expect uniform temps. If I have a tire out of the norm then further checking is necessary. I have learned the tires on the sunny side of the coach will be slightly warmer, but if I check them almost immediately after stopping the differences are only a couple of degrees.

If I have a failure of a tire on the drive axle I presume it will show up. I am not able to shoot the temperatures of the sidewalls on the inner dual, so I shoot the center of the tread on all tires to be consistent.

I agree strongly with a cold temperature check and then not adjusting pressures on warm or hot tires. That has been emphasized consistently by all tire companies. The cold inflation pressures are established knowing the pressures after driving are going to increase.

[lewpopp]

I wnt and found the difference between the XZE &XZ2.. Only the derailer grouve on the "2". Jon, you told me to ge the XZ2s, right. Same price as the XZEs The current price is $548 + balance. Trade in are worth up to $150. I may get 4 drive tires. I thought the XZ2s were for the front.

[lewpopp]

I forgot to mention that they had 2 tires in stock with the date code of 4507. That would be Nov 07. the 2 tires in stock were $510 + balance. I cannot be too wrong getting them if Michelin guarantees the tires for 5 years from installation, right?

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Lew,

Both are recommended and both are rated for 75 MPH. Either will work.

I think the Michelin warranty was 6 years from date of installation.

[Will Garner]

Yes, I agree that tire pressures should be checked cold. Did that every morning. Also oil and water.

One thing I found out was you better check them before the sun comes up. The sunny side will be a few pounds higher than the shady side.

My concern in checking the tires after driving was that they not exceed the maximum rated air pressure embossed on the sidewall of the tire. I did not reduce the air pressure back to what I look for when checking it cold. I did reduce it to just less than the maximum rated air pressure printed on the sidewall since there should be no reason for the tire temperature to increase further.

My initial reason for checking the tire pressures after driving (300-400 hundred miles between checks) was to make certain there were no slow leaks - since my oldie but goodie does not have a high tech tire pressure monitoring system. Most of the time the pressures were under the maximum rated pressure and uniform numbers. The time they were not was in that really sandy area in southern Arizona (can we all say Sonoran Dessert?).

By the way, I also checked the tire pressures on my toad at the same time. I've always had one factory installed Michelin that just kept slowly leaking down (65 psi fronts; 70 psi rears). Local dealers could not find a puncture or reason for the leakage. That problem should now be solved as two of them had to be replaced in Phoenix - my bad - and the other two got replaced once I was back home. That reminds me, better go check the tire pressures this morning - fortunately we are awaiting rain so I can sleep in. I'm also going to the bus this morning and will check them again just for the practice. The bus is inside so the sun factor does not come into play. I have not driven it since the big trip - 2nd July arrival home - so it will be interesting to see where the pressures are this morning.



Is there a tire manufacture's representative out there to pose this question to?

[phorner]

I've been having a hard time finding a small, portable compressor that has the capability of maintaining the pressure in my tires. Seems that most struggle to get the tires to just over 100 psi.

Any recommendations on a compressor that will do a better job and be capable of raising the pressures to 115 psi or better?