Hi Folks
Looking for feedback on tire pressure.My stock Dunlops call for 4.5 in the rear, but if I put in 10 pounds I get way more ground clearance.Like to hear the pro's and con's and what pressure to run under different conditions. Thanks Jeepersmitty

 

Higher pressure will give you a stiffer ride, abnormal tire wear in the center of the tire but more ground clearance and slightly easier steering(front tires).

Some say running too high a pressure will give you less puncture resistance due to the tire not giving when the tire hit an obstacle.

 

I always stick with the manual. Just like car tires, too low and it's hard on the tires and too high is hard on the shocks. You could blow a shock with that high a pressure. Also, the handling characteristics will be much different. I wouldn't think you would gain more than 1/2 an inch, maybe an inch, with that high a pressure. That's my 2 cents worth.

 

All tires act differently as do riders, I always add to my air pressure. Adding to the pressure is not something for every rider, although I usually recomend adding to the stock Yamaha utility tires. I feel this will help with side wall pinchs as well as cuts from rocks.. For me as a very agressive rider the higher air pressure gives me better fell for the machine. I need a machine that feels like it is part of my body, low air pressure makes the machine feel sloppy under my body. Again these are just my thoughts...

 

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]I aked a trusted mechanic friend of mine about tire pressure(why so low?). He told me that some manufacturers recommend the low pressure because the compounds used to make the rubber is very soft and if it is too high even briars or thorns will go right through. In other words, if you've got two-ply tires,run lower pressure. He did say if you had 4 or 6-ply tires, you could run the higher pressures because of the higher puncture resistance provided by the additional plys.

Not an expert but it makes sense to me.

Rancher 4x4
Bone stock and staying that way(maybe)