My 2001 Corolla 1.4 has a recommended tyre pressure of 32 all round. However I find the ride a little bouncy (even though the motorway pressure is supposed to be 36 which would be even worse).
My questions are :
1. Would reducing the pressure improve the ride
2. What would/should it do to the handling
3. Would the tyres wear quicker
4. Would it make a difference on the economy
The Manufacturers seem to be pretty exact on what pressure they specify ? Does it really make all the difference, especially once the tyres are worn and the shockers, brakes etc are no longer new.
Any advice/experiences received with thanks !
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1. Would reducing the pressure improve the ride
It would probably feel lessy bouncy
2. What would/should it do to the handling
It would make handling sloppy, it may make it unsafe, it will alter braking distances, and lots of other undesirable things.
It will make the steering heavier.
3. Would the tyres wear quicker
Yes, and annoyingly they will wear on the outside shoulders, leaving tread in the middle and none on the outside.
4. Would it make a difference on the economy
It will increase.
Tyre pressure are all about maintaining the largest contact patch between tyre and road. Decreasing or increasing the pressures changes this patch size with possibly fatal consequences, especially in the wet.
"The Manufacturers seem to be pretty exact on what pressure they specify ? Does it really make all the difference, especially once the tyres are worn and the shockers, brakes etc are no longer new."
There is some tolerance built in to recomended pressures (to cope with heat/cold car empty/car full) Do not stray too far from the specified pressure
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The manufacturer has tested the car and found 32psi to be the optimum tyre pressure for everyday driving, 36psi for motorway is probably with a heavier load.
In answer to your questions:
1. Ride might be marginally improved by reducing pressure, I would get an accurate pressure reading first though - some garage air gauges are very inaccurate.
2. Handling would not be improved - higher pressure would give
dramatically reduced grip in wet conditions, would make steering lighter though.
3. Tyres would wear quicker, tend to wear in the centre if over-inflated and sidewalls if under-inflated, plus tendency to overheat if pressure is too low.
4.Higher pressures will give better economy, however at the expense of grip and roadholding.
Are these the original tyres, some tyres are better than others for comfort. There's bound to be a thread somewhere on this site about best tyres for the job.
Best of luck
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So are we saying that the best way to improve ride, economy, handling etc is to get the right tyres for the car ... and to leave the pressures as recommended by Toyota ?
If so, these are my priorities 1) ride quality 2) minimum road noise 3) handling 4) economy 5) value
Any recommendations on tyre make/model for a Corolla ?
Thanks again
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You forgot 1) safety
Trust the manufacturer on this. Admittedly Corollas don't ride or handle especially well, but you are unlikely to be a better chassis engineer than one employed by Toyota.
As for specific recommendations - I'm afraid I don't have any. There was another thread on this a while back and the outcome seemed to be that you just have to live with it and enjoy the car's er... other qualities.
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