For years I've been inflating the tyres of Beetles to the 18 psi front and 28 psi rear that is specified in all of the manuals. I've never had a problem until now.
Over the Easter weekend I loaned my Beetle to some Eastern States visitors to the Bug-in in Toodyay to compete in the motorkhana. FYI One of them won a trophy. It's the Army drab green one.
Yesterday one of the tyres went flat and the tyre fitter told me that the leak was caused by sand getting in the bead area.
He said that the tyre pressures that I used caused the problem as the pressures were for cross ply tyres only, not 165 x 15 radials and that were much too low
He recommended 35 psi on all tyres.
That seems a bit high.
What do you have to say about this?
Volkswagen would know more about Beetle tyre pressures than your tyre fitter. Stick to the pressures specified in the owner's manual!
I'd rather wear a Beetle out by racing it than by polishing it!
i would think radial vs cross play pressures would be quite different.
keen to hear pressures for both.
put 25psi in front and back on old cross plys the other day?
1954 Beetle
2003 Beetle 2.0
2004 Turbo Beetle 1.8
2007 Touareg tdi (retired)
2009 Pajero Tdi Shorty (retired)
2011 FJ Crusier
1973 P76
Wish list:
Porsche 550
zooey deschanel
You should have told him to stick to putting tyres on Falcons and Commodores tyre fitters always know better than VW
Radials are not a new invention and were around back then too.
Sand getting in the bead would have happened regardless.
You could always stick a few PSI more in them for those kind of events but on the road it will just make the car dangerous.
The reason the front is run so low is due to the lack of weight.
Even with the low profile fanbelts I run on mine I still stick with 20F and 30R.
Braking and cornering becomes very unpredictable when the fronts are over inflated.
shaihulud wrote:For years I've been inflating the tyres of Beetles to the 18 psi front and 28 psi rear that is specified in all of the manuals. I've never had a problem until now.
Yesterday one of the tyres went flat and the tyre fitter told me that the leak was caused by sand getting in the bead area.
He said that the tyre pressures that I used caused the problem as the pressures were for cross ply tyres only, not 165 x 15 radials and that were much too low
He recommended 35 psi on all tyres.
That seems a bit high.
What do you have to say about this?
He is an idiot...
but there are many tyre fitters like Him...
Many people will find 35PSI in their tyres , no matter what vehicle they own... theses guys set and forget..??
18 psi and 28 psi were for radial ply tyres
and I use 20psi and 30psi on My beetle...
as Joel says, its the lack of weight in the front of a beetle..
so putting 35 in the front and You are liable to lock the front wheels very easily... I know mine would..
and that is dangerous..
so, keep Your 18 & 28 psi...
cheers
LEE- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
good info thanks 😎
1954 Beetle
2003 Beetle 2.0
2004 Turbo Beetle 1.8
2007 Touareg tdi (retired)
2009 Pajero Tdi Shorty (retired)
2011 FJ Crusier
1973 P76
Wish list:
Porsche 550
zooey deschanel
I had a pair of 31" ATs put on the back of my Baja last time I was in Brisbane. I happened to be in the shop with them giving them a bit of a hand to fit them cause I know the manager of the store. The guy pumped the tyres up once they were fitted. I asked him what pressure he put in and he said 40PSI ❗❗
I told him I normally run about 25, he told me I was wrong because these are 4WD tyres and that's the pressure they should be run at.
I couldn't be bothered starting the "my car weighs 800kg not 3t argument"
So once I left I let them down to the correct pressure. On my Baja I have found 18 in the front and 22 in the back is about perfect.
Smiley 😎
If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.
Interesting discussion. I have been running 26psi in front and 30 in rear for about 20 years with no problems. Have 195/60/15's on 5 1/2" rims. I have small amount of negative on the front, a shimmed Z bar and Koni's. Never have more than 1/2 a tank of fuel and minimal stuff in the boot. If the fronts lose pressure when the car has been sitting for a while, steering feels heavy. Nevertheless, there's heaps of folks on here that know far more than I about Beetles, so I will drop the fronts to 20psi and give it a try.
Cheers....Wayne
It is important to always check tyre pressures COLD. This obviously need not apply to racing pressures.
I'd rather wear a Beetle out by racing it than by polishing it!
For a 1302S with new radial tyres.
I have found rear 34psi rear and front 22 psi to be the top end of the scale based on dozens of trips. Roadfeel, economy, braking, steering etc.
Every time I've had new tyres fitted over the years they come back with some ridiculous pressure in them (ALWAYS way,way over inflated), it's just common sense to check them. My son just had his tracking done last week and the local dealer we took his car to decided to put a bit of air in as 'they were a bit low'! 35 psi he put in! Do all modern cars have 35 all round? I don't think so🤪
That just reminded me 😂
Going back a few months ago I pulled into the woolies servo behind this old duck who was checking her tyre pressures.... well attempting to.
After me sitting there several minutes watching her look rather confused at the digital display I went to see if I could help
She looked at me and said "the tyre shop told me to run 32 in them but this doesnt go lower than 35"
When I looked closer it was set on KPA.
Sorry darl, you wont be going real far with only 5psi in your tyres 🤪
haha
yep of course he would say that as he wants to sell u more tyres 🤪
those pressures look good to me as I've run those numbers for the last 15 years or so n no dramas
it's not just me but others around here seem to think alike
no brainer really
🤓
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I can't ever remember having tires fitted that weren't over inflated - usually about 35psi. Damn thing feels like it's got solid steel wheels, and bounces all over the road. Fronts lock up very easy too.
I always let them down at the first opportunity - I run about 22 in the fronts and 28 in the rear - I do usually have some sort of tools in the front.
After reading above, I might try a little more in the back though.
From your ole' mate Jeff
I can't ever remember having tires fitted that weren't over inflated - usually about 35psi. Damn thing feels like it's got solid steel wheels, and bounces all over the road. Fronts lock up very easy too.
I always let them down at the first opportunity - I run about 22 in the fronts and 28 in the rear - I do usually have some sort of tools in the front.
After reading above, I might try a little more in the back though.
From your ole' mate Jeff
Thank you. That's what I thought. You've been very helpful.
Ill stay with the old pressures.
Thanks again.
Joel wrote:That just reminded me 😂
Going back a few months ago I pulled into the woolies servo behind this old duck who was checking her tyre pressures.... well attempting to.
After me sitting there several minutes watching her look rather confused at the digital display I went to see if I could help
She looked at me and said "the tyre shop told me to run 32 in them but this doesnt go lower than 35"
When I looked closer it was set on KPA.
Sorry darl, you wont be going real far with only 5psi in your tyres 🤪
Yes, most car owners don't know anything about tyre pressures and most don't know how to pump their tyres up or just check them..
actually, last night I pulled up behind a Barina with a rear flat tyre [train crossing] so, I tapped on her window and told Her
She had a quick look out the door.. and drove away..
I thought if She had pulled into the servo I would pump it up for her... but She drove on by... lol
and I also came upon a young girl at the woolies servo and She had just pumped her tyres up to the 45psi on the digital readout... lol someone had left it set on 45 psi..
I showed her how to lower the pressures down to 28 psi...
LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
I've got 5.5 mangel rims and 195/65 tyres - what sort of air pressure should I have on them?
______________________
Owner of a 1964 VW Beetle, 1641cc engine, etc..
How would a tyre fitter know?
They fit tyres and usually not very well.
It's like asking the chemist for medical advice instead of the doctor.
I read it on samba, so it must be correct.
Sometimes Volkswagen dealers sell spare parts. Amazing isn't it!😂
Whenever I've had tyres fitted both here and in the UK over the last 40 years the tyrefitters have always inflated them to some ridiculous pressure (maybe to get them to seat properly?) and I've always then let them down to 17 psi front and 28psi rear. Front engine rear drive, front engine front drive and rear engine rear drive would all have different handling characteristics and the tyre pressures would reflect this surely.
Blue65 wrote:I've got 5.5 mangel rims and 195/65 tyres - what sort of air pressure should I have on them?
I would try 16 psi front and 26 psi at the rear and see how they go... the tyre pressure should be similar regardless of the size of the tyre, as once its filled with air...
You then get the pressure..
I usually have 18 Front and 28 Rear but found 16 and 26 much better... after they had deflated over months of little use..
two pounds can make a lot of difference in hardness of ride..
as beetles have very little weight in the front compared to other cars... You really notice the difference..
Tyre fitters should look at the tyre pressure sticker on every vehicle... and use it as a guide instead of 35+ psi for every car.. have found some at 40 psi..
the sticker on beetles 1968> is on the inside of the fuel flap..
earlier cars is more difficult..
so YOU do need to check them after having tyres fitted...
its recommended to put an extra 2 psi if going on a long trip on the highway...
I see many parked cars these days with very low tyre pressures ... when they look nearly flat they usually are...
LEE
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
68AutoBug wrote:Tyre fitters should look at the tyre pressure sticker on every vehicle... and use it as a guide instead of 35+ psi for every car.. have found some at 40 psi..
LEE
They would have to learn to read first!
I read it on samba, so it must be correct.
Sometimes Volkswagen dealers sell spare parts. Amazing isn't it!😂
Tyres are pumped up to higher pressures to make sure the bead seats properly.
Then they should be let down to the correct pressure.
A step often (usually) neglected by tyre fitters.
I have just had yet another run in with my local tyre store.
They are a bunch of ignorant fools.
I would change, except I think this is typical of the species.
I remember 18 psi on fronts and 24 on back. But this was on the cross-ply 5.60x15's and that is what is printed on the door placards.Or thereabouts.
Pressure ratings for 2 ply radials should be higher, but again the purpose of the air pressure is to make sure the flex of the tyre is compensated for by the weight, so that the tyre tread sits flat on the road.
When your car is only half the weight of a Commodore, I don't think you need to have too much pressure in those tyres.
recently had a puncture repaired, and apart form them having trouble with finding reverse. they inflated to 36 and when i picked up the car they told me they had done this.
i mentioned that i dont run more than 30 in them as the car gets too bouncy around corners, the guy looked at me and then asked if id like it dropped down to 30. he was more than happy to do this for me.
i think i found a good one
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shaihulud wrote:For years I've been inflating the tyres of Beetles to the 18 psi front and 28 psi rear that is specified in all of the manuals. I've never had a problem until now.
Over the Easter weekend I loaned my Beetle to some Eastern States visitors to the Bug-in in Toodyay to compete in the motorkhana. FYI One of them won a trophy. It's the Army drab green one.
Yesterday one of the tyres went flat and the tyre fitter told me that the leak was caused by sand getting in the bead area.
He said that the tyre pressures that I used caused the problem as the pressures were for cross ply tyres only, not 165 x 15 radials and that were much too low
He recommended 35 psi on all tyres.
That seems a bit high.
What do you have to say about this?
thats bull crap. 18 and 28 is as it should be.
I have 185 R65 on mine and I can tell you right now that anything above about 20-24 (depends ont he brand i guess?) causes some serious under steer. I like to run at 20 if I can.
running higher in the back should be ok with radials but not too much. at a stab I would say the max is 34 for shockish size for the rear.
really tyre places should have formulas to calculate the tire pressure depending on axle load and weight distribution.
I don't know any tire place who does this so there is your problem right there.
71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE
viiking wrote:I remember 18 psi on fronts and 24 on back. But this was on the cross-ply 5.60x15's and that is what is printed on the door placards.Or thereabouts.
Pressure ratings for 2 ply radials should be higher, but again the purpose of the air pressure is to make sure the flex of the tyre is compensated for by the weight, so that the tyre tread sits flat on the road.
When your car is only half the weight of a Commodore, I don't think you need to have too much pressure in those tyres.
they can't even get the pressure right on those either.
god damn 45psi I had put in my bomb, the car went sideways overtaking a car at highway speeds
🤪 was like driving on ice.
I run 34 F and 32 R even on car thats double as heavy as a bug. placard says 26 all round.
45psi !!! OMG! that got me by complete surprise.
71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE
^^ bloody typical isn't it, I mean it's not that hard !!!!!
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vlad01 wrote:shaihulud wrote:For years I've been inflating the tyres of Beetles to the 18 psi front and 28 psi rear that is specified in all of the manuals. I've never had a problem until now.
Over the Easter weekend I loaned my Beetle to some Eastern States visitors to the Bug-in in Toodyay to compete in the motorkhana. FYI One of them won a trophy. It's the Army drab green one.
Yesterday one of the tyres went flat and the tyre fitter told me that the leak was caused by sand getting in the bead area.
He said that the tyre pressures that I used caused the problem as the pressures were for cross ply tyres only, not 165 x 15 radials and that were much too low
He recommended 35 psi on all tyres.
That seems a bit high.
What do you have to say about this?
thats bull crap. 18 and 28 is as it should be.
I have 185 R65 on mine and I can tell you right now that anything above about 20-24 (depends ont he brand i guess?) causes some serious under steer. I like to run at 20 if I can.
running higher in the back should be ok with radials but not too much. at a stab I would say the max is 34 for shockish size for the rear.
really tyre places should have formulas to calculate the tire pressure depending on axle load and weight distribution.
I don't know any tire place who does this so there is your problem right there.
An Oz tyre place having technical data for working out tyre pressures
😂😂😂 That's classic
😂😂madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍
Hi
I think most people have experienced driving any type car on the road with low tyre pressures. The car squirms about and the tyres squeal.
I have had no such issues running VW recommended tyre pressures.
Steve
