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?