My 1977 owners manual on page 5-17 says tire presure front 20 rear 26. Is that correct?

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Paul

I looked at the sticker on the driver door of my '78.
it say
Max load 28 ft 32 rr
min load 20 ft 26 rr
never noted the minimum before.

Thanks for the quick reply Jeff.  What pressure do you run in your tires?

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Paul

I usually run 32 to 36 psi in "The Toy".  I like the responsiveness of the firmer setting and it helps a tad with the gas mileage.

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Jim Olson 

"The Toys"...!!!  Save the Wave!

Where I've been in a Corvette...!!!

I run 28 to 30. 20 seems kind of low in the front. Maybe that is based on driver only and nothing in the back.  I would think it would ride more like a Cadillac at the lower PSI. Does your ZZ4 add extra weight compared to a stock 350?

If you look on the placard on the door, you will find the correct tire pressure recommendations. They may seem low by today's standards, but they are that way for a reason. That's the pressure that the car handles BEST(ie: safest) at. Never go by the numbers on the tire itself...those are Max pressures@temp.
The pressures on the door sticker are best for the car, depending on the load. More weight in the car(luggage, etc) would require more tire pressure.

This subject has been debated to death, since most folks just can't believe that GM would recommend such "low" tire pressures....
I run what Zora suggested....never had an issue at all. I do add a few pounds when loading it up for a trip, but never over 28psi front or rear. Gm spent millions of development dollars to determine these settings....I ain't smart enough to argue anything different.
Thass my story, and I'm stickin wid it....


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Ah, the great tire pressure debate!  For my two cents worth....The tire pressures in the door are generally set to give the best compromise between ride and handling. I tend to think that slightly higher pressures will give the car a better handling characteristics but the resulting ride will be a bit more harsh. My C3 seemed to handle best around 26 to 30 psi. The darn thing wants to understeer anyway and at 20 psi in the front, it would not turn. I have always thought that 20 psi was too low and a compromise for a better ride. Don't forget what happened to the Ford Explorer a while back when the recommended tire pressures were used.

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There is no substitute for low end torque!

OK, thanks guys, I just checked my tire pressure and all four of them was 34 psi.

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Paul

Jeff, the zz4 has aluminum head, but its still close to a stock engine. It a good running enging.

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Paul

I just checked mine the other day and set all four at 28. I think it rides and handles pretty good for a 31 year old car.

Kevin

Hi Paul,
Here is a link to a previous banging around on the subject from last September.  http://209.200.117.236/forum/topic80769.html
My baby is a 82 and has a higher pressure listed on the door label than most of the earlier years.
I experimented with my new Indy 500s and came up with 34 psi for my combination of ride, handling and looks (20 they look flat).  So, have fun!

Keith


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Nobody ever waves when I'm driving the Explorer.
K Woody

"Up To Vehicle Capacity"

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The Firestone tire deal wasn't just because of the recommended pressures..it was more of a piece of crap tire than anything(imho). Firestone 500 tires were recalled in '73-'74 because they were exploding...and they've been exploding ever since. One of those tires on my '74(ds front) exploded when the car was still NEW, taking part of the fender with it. The recall replacement tires(NOT the 500) were fine...my car still had those on it when I bought it, and I still use them when doing the NCRS thing, and I get full credit for them.

Funny thing is, the Goodyear tires on the '73-'74 cars weren't having any troubles running 20 psi. Go figure...


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

I have 255-60R-15's on my 81.  Run with 32 lbs.  Firm Ride!! dskopp2011-04-04 19:47:49

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I have never been a fan of Firestone tires or Goodyears for what it is worth. My preference for my C3 was B.F. Goodrich Comp T/A's set at 26 psi, cold. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

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There is no substitute for low end torque!

Comp T/As were great tires! Had them on the '72 back in the day, and they rode, and drag raced very well!

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

And if yer runnin' LARGER  OR W  I  D  E  R  skins ?????

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You would need to put larger or wider air in them....

Tire sizes will absolutely come into play here, no question about it. The larger the tire, the more the volume of air it needs, however....the pressure will be the same. 30psi is 30 psi, no matter how large the tire is. The tires on my '85 run more pressure, but they're also larger diameter, and wider, which normally requires more air pressure to start with.
Drag slicks run about 5psi in a huge tire, but most dragsters ain't making no turns(intentionally), or doing much heavy braking.

This debate/discussin will never end, which is fine....everyone has their own comfort zone with tires and such. As Norsky said, more pressure also helps with fuel mileage, since you have less rolling resistance, and that's a good, solid, valid point.
The air pressures recommended at the time were also a result of the tire technology of the time. Tires have come a loooong way since the '70s.
It's a "6 one way, 1/2 dozen the other", "glass half empty, half full", tomato, termater.....


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

I'm a 28 pound man mah-seff!! 

I would not like it ether if one or more of my Indy 500 blew up.  Only been near one tire that exploded.  That was on a F-15C.  It was really frigging loud. We were running dry Nitrogen and after a landing with excessive brake usage it just blew.  Well, we knew something was sup - the brakes were smokin'.  No one hurt.

Keith


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Nobody ever waves when I'm driving the Explorer.
K Woody