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Proper tire pressure for Firestone Indy 500 FireHawk - 74 Vette - Can anyone read?



 
 
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Old August 10th 04, 05:30 PM
Tom in Missouri
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Default Proper tire pressure for Firestone Indy 500 FireHawk - 74 Vette - Can anyone read?

Look people, this is a 1974 Corvette. No one updates the sticker on the
door. when that sticker was put on 30 years ago, American radial tires were
in their infancy for commercial sales. Yes, GR70-15 tires were RADIAL, not
bias-belted. The first letter is size, the second is construction
(R=Radial).

Back then, radial tires ran lower pressures. Much lower. Some of the early
radials used 20 psi as MAX. To inflate higher defeated the properties of
the radial tire.

BUT

American drivers being stupid, inflated the early radial tires like a plain
old 7.75-15 Sear Roebuck nylon tire, just as hard as they could get it,
because those sidewalls sticking out on a radial made it look like a flat
tire. (tire gauge, what's a tire gauge? I don't need no stinkin' tire
gauge, just air it up 'til it feels right!)

As a result, tire manufacturers changed their strategies.

They know American drivers are stupid, so they made the tires fool proof.
When you figure how many change their oil once a year maybe and transmission
fluid once a lifetime, if that, how can you expect this sort of person to
think that a 1973 high tech Michelin or early Goodyear radial tire would
work on 20 to 25 psi MAX while the typical nylon bias-ply worked on 32 psi?
those bulging (they look like a flat tire) sidewalls were intentional.

They redesigned the radial tires to work on higher pressures. Look at the
sidewall of any radial today. Most have something like 35 psi to 40 psi
listed as MAXIMUM. Back in 1974, they didn't.



So the correct answer is, NO, you do not air up modern, built-in-2004 radial
tires to 1974 radial tire standards.



You air them up like you do most passenger tires TODAY, roughly 30 to 35
psi, depending on loads, conditions, usage, and any CURRENT manufacturing
information that is different.

The pressure obviously changes for tires depending on their application. My
1 ton truck with Load Range E use 85 psi max and recommended 65 psi normal
(unloaded) operation. You air yours to 85 psi and you'll need a flatbed. I
air mine to your 35 psi and I'll need new tires in 10 miles.

As to EXACT pressure, you have to determine based on many factors: load,
wear, conditions, traction, use, and so on.

You can mark your tires and check wear. If wear is in the center, lower
pressure a couple of pounds as you have overinflated. If wear is only on
the sides (both sides, not one only), then increase pressure a couple of
pounds.

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