[Stoofpilot]

Checked my new 2013 OB and found the dealer had all tires at 40 psi even though the door jam says 32 and 30. I decided to run all four at 34 psi.

What do most of you use for tire pressure?

 

[ob2011]

36F/34R summer; 2 psi less in the winter.

 

[OBnube]

They ship at 40psi. Some dealers forget to air down on delivery. I like 35 all around.

 

[GLwagon]

They ship at 40psi. Some dealers forget to air down on delivery.

I have 40 front, 38 rear... yeah it came off the lot at 40.

 

[mopartodd]

34 psi

 

[AWD Flyer]

I keep mine at 37 front 36 rear.

 

[4wheeldog]

I run either 34/32 or 36/34, depending if I am going to lower elevation or not. (Tire pressure readings go down with less elevation, and I live at 7200'.)

 

[GasGuzz]

I run either 34/32 or 36/34, depending if I am going to lower elevation or not. (Tire pressure readings go down with less elevation, and I live at 7200'.)

2011 34psi x4 all year.
I live at mean 6200’, interestingly TPMS came on at this season’s first cold spell (at 31.5 x4 on my dial gauge).

 

[catric69]

Funny, mine were set at 46PSI. I set the pressure to 38F/36R.

 

[jogosub]

Tire pressure

Mine came with Nitrogen gas filled Conti Tires. You can tell by the green valve cap that it is filled with nitrogen. In my opinion, it's an overkill. I am going to purge the nitrogen out and put regular air. Even in many aviation applications nowadays (e.g. Air Force) they are now scaling down on nitrogen-filled aviation tires because nitrogen somehow affects the rubber compound and vulcanization, when they re-thread those tires. I've read a technical bulletin on that issue not long ago.
I use pressure shown on the door jam.

 

[Looby]

...nitrogen somehow affects the rubber compound and vulcanization

Even worse, nitrogen is extremely hazardous. Anyone who breathes it DIES!

 

[subiesailor]

I found roads play a big role in how you inflate them. Also I found that of the 5 gauges I own they were all off by a sizable margin you might think you have 40psi and be running 47 or you might think your at 32 and be running 40. Just beware regarding the gauge your using. Took me a while to figure that one out

Also I just replaced our continentals at 40K they were nearly bald just past the wear bars. The outside shoulders wore fast for the first 25K at which point I started fooling with the pressure ie downward. Once I was 85-90% sure I was actually getting 32psi readings the tires seemed to wear more even across the entire tire and they stopped squealing like a stuck pig even at very slow speeds on the canyon road we often use.

Higher pressures might work for freeway use or around town use - but I found higher pressures in the canyon had a dramatic negative impact on handling and tires protesting turns even at slow speeds.


The higher pressure vs outside shoulder wear is an odd one generally over inflated tires wear down the center faster vs shoulders - under inflated wear on the shoulders vs the center but from everything I can tell it seems the outside shoulder was impacted by the higher tire pressure inside shoulders were wearing fairly normal vs the tread - once I sorted out I was on the high end and dropped the pressure the outside shoulder seemed to wear at the same rate the rest of the tire was wearing.

 

[jogosub]

Mine came with Nitrogen gas filled Conti Tires. You can tell by the green valve cap that it is filled with nitrogen. In my opinion, it's an overkill. I am going to purge the nitrogen out and put regular air. Even in many aviation applications nowadays (e.g. Air Force) they are now scaling down on nitrogen-filled aviation tires because nitrogen somehow affects the rubber compound and vulcanization, when they re-thread those tires. I've read a technical bulletin on that issue not long ago.
I use pressure shown on the door jam.

I also suggest wheel alignment every time you rotate tires! You can align all 4 wheels on Subaru - at least that what the case on my 2010 Forester. Not sure if 2013 OB has 4 wheel alignment as well...

 

[Saint J VT]

I base tire pressure strictly on how the tread is wearing. If the center is wearing, I let more out, if the sides are wearing, I inflate them.:17:

I have gotten to the point where, on both my truck and our OBW, and every other vehicle I have owned over the past 30 years - the tread is nearly perfectly-worn across the entire width of the tire.:17: In the OB, it has meant having to run them several pounds below what the door says (I run about 28F and about 26R).

In my work truck, that tells me to put 60 in (the tire sidewall states 80 PSI Max with full load), however that is with a 3/4 ton full load (the truck is a 2500). Lately, I have been running 38 pounds all around. The truck handles perfectly on sharp turns, no tire noise at all, and the ride is much more comfortable as I am not feeling every tiny bump in my bad back!:17:

 

[subiesailor]

I also suggest wheel alignment every time you rotate tires! You can align all 4 wheels on Subaru - at least that what the case on my 2010 Forester. Not sure if 2013 OB has 4 wheel alignment as well...

Don't forget changing the blinker fluid that really helps balance out the tire weight left to right. Muffler bearings can also impact tire wear if one starts to pull one way vs the other etc.

 

[jogosub]

Don't forget changing the blinker fluid that really helps balance out the tire weight left to right. Muffler bearings can also impact tire wear if one starts to pull one way vs the other etc.

funny, eh?

 

[foxrider68]

funny, eh?

I think it would be cheaper to let a tire wear a little uneven than to pay for an alignment when you rotate your tires. Your suggestion was excessive.

 

[subiesailor]

I think it would be cheaper to let a tire wear a little uneven than to pay for an alignment when you rotate your tires. Your suggestion was excessive.

Not to mention if your alignment is working for you already and there are not any issues with it - why have a shop monkey with it? I rarely ever need to do alignments on my cars and when I do - its because something has changed and they need it.

I had my prior subaru go in for an alignment once over 180,000 miles and the shop had to rack it three times to get it sorted out. The cause? Old car 140K on it and having hit the most wicked pot hole EVER! Actually surprised I didn't break a wheel.

 

[jogosub]

I think it would be cheaper to let a tire wear a little uneven than to pay for an alignment when you rotate your tires. Your suggestion was excessive.

If teenagers and wife(s) drive your car, the frequent alignment is in order! If you wish, I can show you before and after alignment data/printouts (each and every 10K) on my old 2005 and 2010 Foresters so see, how off they always were....those numbers speak for itself! Excessive, hmmmm - not in my case!

 

[Ali_pine]

If teenagers and wife(s) drive your car, the frequent alignment is in order! If you wish, I can show you before and after alignment data/printouts (each and every 10K) on my old 2005 and 2010 Foresters so see, how off they always were....those numbers speak for itself! Excessive, hmmmm - not in my case!

Might be cheaper to get rid of teen/wife drivers.