VWT6.1 Tyre Pressures - 235/55/r17

g0cew · Feb 24, 2024

kibondo22 said:
Im confused about tyre pressures....!

Im have 235 / 55 / r17 size tyres

I have direct pressure monitoring on my t6.1 - and have always been keeping to the recommended pressures as indicated on the sticker on the b-pillar / in numbers in brackets in the cockpit (i.e. 3.0 bar / 44 psi front and 2.8 bar / 41 psi when unloaded).

However, this lead to severe wear especially on the shoulders of the front tyres and i just had them replaced.

the garage that fitted them set the pressure at 4.0 bar / 58 psi! - which ive seen other websites also recommending for the same size tyres (e.g. CamperKing)
and searching again for what people use on here - im seeing in many threads recommending as high as 50 psi for the same size 235/55/r17

So are most people finding that the VW recommended pressures on the b-pillar are too low - and its better to err on the higher side...!??!

50 psi all round seems about right to me 41psi is too soft and causes resistance to rd premature outer edge wear and heavy fuel consumption

Ernest Driveaway · Sunday at 3:42 PM

Sat in the van at the beach this morning, checked the TPMS for the first time. Bridgestone Weather Control 235/55/17 4.1 on both fronts and 3.5 and 3.7 on the rears. Outside the recommended level for the van and the tyre. I should have checked it before now tbf, 50 psi is the max for that tyre if I'm reading the sidewall correctly. Only done 600 miles , half of that was getting the van home or I would have checked that before now.

WelshGas · Sunday at 4:30 PM

Ernest Driveaway said:
Sat in the van at the beach this morning, checked the TPMS for the first time. Bridgestone Weather Control 235/55/17 4.1 on both fronts and 3.5 and 3.7 on the rears. Outside the recommended level for the van and the tyre. I should have checked it before now tbf, 50 psi is the max for that tyre if I'm reading the sidewall correctly. Only done 600 miles , half of that was getting the van home or I would have checked that before now.

Was that the " Cold" pressure ?

Tyre Sidewall pressure is maximum when " Cold ". Tyre pressure will rise when driven due to friction, by a good few psi.

Ernest Driveaway · Sunday at 4:41 PM

WelshGas said:
Was that the " Cold" pressure ?

Tyre Sidewall pressure is maximum when " Cold ". Tyre pressure will rise when driven due to friction, by a good few psi.

Not sure, even with my specs on I was struggling. Can you clarify the point on cold please? I get that it will rise, driving, air temp.

TripleBee · Sunday at 7:26 PM

Different tyre size, but I think for the 215/65/16 it says 3.0 bar unloaded, and 3.5 loaded. The tyres say maximum pressure is 3.95 (or at least my previous Bridgestones said so).
I put them on 3.5, and it looks reasonable.

WelshGas · Sunday at 8:17 PM

Ernest Driveaway said:
Not sure, even with my specs on I was struggling. Can you clarify the point on cold please? I get that it will rise, driving, air temp.

Tyre pressure should be set “ cold “ ie; Ampient Temperature.
Likewise the Maximum Pressure on the Tyre Sidewall is set at Ambient temperature, otherwise there would be a set temperature to measure it at.

Ernest Driveaway · Monday at 8:10 AM

Checked again this morning, not driven overnight, cold pressure as it was yesterday. I'll adjust these down, over inflated for the van guidelines and tyre from new.

Californication69 · Monday at 8:52 AM

That’s nearly 60psi cold !
And should be 45psi when cold.
Who did that, the garage ?

GrahamB · Monday at 11:59 AM

Ernest Driveaway said:
Checked again this morning, not driven overnight, cold pressure as it was yesterday. I'll adjust these down, over inflated for the van guidelines and tyre from new. View attachment 122316

I agree that is stupidly high. You might as well be driving around with rocks for wheels like Fred Flintstone

. When you set them to standard - 3.0 fronts and 2.9 rears (not ‘fully loaded’ unless you really are) you should notice a big difference in ride quality and comfort.

Ernest Driveaway · Monday at 12:15 PM

Californication69 said:
That’s nearly 60psi cold !
And should be 45psi when cold.
Who did that, the garage ?

Hamburg or Liverpool, who knows? Should have checked this. That's what happens when you rely on tech to tell you there's a problem.

Ernest Driveaway · Monday at 12:16 PM

GrahamB said:
I agree that is stupidly high. You might as well be driving around with rocks for wheels like Fred Flintstone . When you set them to standard - 3.0 fronts and 2.9 rears (not ‘fully loaded’ unless you really are) you should notice a big difference in ride quality and comfort.

Hi I'm Fred, this is my wife Wilma....