Originally posted by PA 3L SVT:
FWIW, I just put 1200 highway miles on my car last week. 32 psi cold all around (just like the door sticker says). Almost all of those miles were in excess of 80 MPH (with the exception of a short stretch in Ohio where a patrol unit decided to follow me after I spotted his laser trap before he could hit me). [b]No blowouts. Even tire wear (I checked at every gas stop). On a set of Potenza RE-730s. On a 95 degree day. (IIRC the max sidewall pressure on those is 44 psi.)
Kind of blows the "if it isn't at max pressure, the tire will overheat and blow on the highway" theory. I did see quite a few blown tires littering the highway that day. Mostly from boat trailers, where the owners obviously did not check the pressure in the trailer tires before leaving and were underinflated. I'd say I saw a dozen over a 9 hour drive, easy. I was dodging tire remnant at every turn it seemed. Underinflation + highway speed + hot HOT day = blammo![/b]
I'm sorry for another omission of info on my part. What I meant to say is if you are at the weight load rating and driving 70 or faster. The Contour is NOT at the weight load rating it is lighter, thats why 38 lbs. works well for me. Sometimes if I'm taking a long trip I run 40 lbs. I'm pleased to learn that you run 32 lbs. and drive fast and havent had a blowout.[yet anyway] But we all know about the tire blowout problem that has been around for a while now and I sure dont want to hear that that has happned to someone here. Running low tire pressures and driving fast causes tread seperation and very shortly after that KaBloom!! Then who knows whats going to happen. There is alot more info from my talks with the engineers that I have not posted, But it sounds pretty much like your mind is made up. Good luck to you PA.
