Cold temps and tire pressure

[jasper60103]

With the temperature down in the teens today, the DIC

reported 3 out 4 tires were low.

I added a few pounds at the service station on my way home, but mann, it was

cold. Hopefully I'm good thru the winter.

-jasper

[JasonA]

If you're REALLY diligent about tire pressure, you'll be checking often. They say that tires will "lose" about 1 psi for every 10*F in temperature change. If they were 32 psi at 60*F, and it's now down to 20*F, those tires probably have less than 28 psi in them. I think it's more than that in the real world though -- tires seem to lose air faster than that in the cold. I don't know if it's true air volume loss, or just a change in density due to temperature. But it does seem to be more dramatic than 1 psi/10 *F.

[SIXXDOGG]

I run 32 / 33 in mine.....the other day it dropped to -4c and I checked and they were at 27....

Nick

[Ranger]

If you're REALLY diligent about tire pressure, you'll be checking often. They say that tires will "lose" about 1 psi for every 10*F in temperature change. If they were 32 psi at 60*F, and it's now down to 20*F, those tires probably have less than 28 psi in them. I think it's more than that in the real world though -- tires seem to lose air faster than that in the cold. I don't know if it's true air volume loss, or just a change in density due to temperature. But it does seem to be more dramatic than 1 psi/10 *F.

Air expands with increased temperatures and contracts with decreased temperature.

[JIMDTS]

It makes you more aware of low tires with the tpms. I hate the days when big temp swings maybe 40 deg or more. You air the tires during the heat of the day & in the morning you are LOW It’s been about 20f this morning I checked the tires & I had 29psi cold which is great with some driving they go up a couple pounds The tpms on my 07dts is accurate to my tire gauge which makes it easier to air the tires on some other cars the tpms does not agree with the tire . On my old dts I had a 2lb split between the tire gauge & the tpms sys. So I had to add an extra 2lbs to the reading in the car. I like to run my car at 30psi all the way around makes for a nice comfortable ride If you air your tires with nitrogen you don’t have these issues with the temp swings. On the newer cadillacs you really notice a few pounds in the tires one way or the other. I can feel a difference when they get about 3 or 4lbs high or low. I have one tire that is about 1lb low that’s the way I aired them. Next time I get some gas I’ll add a pound When I use the tpms I like them all to be the same it does not work that way. Best tire gauges are the digital one that you can read tenths of a pound. With the analog gauge I have if you go to 30psi if you are a hair over on my gauge the tpms rounds it out the the next pound. All in all I like the tmps. Now the part that REALY sucks is finding a gas station that has a good air hose not one of those BS deals that you have to put 25 cents in the small compressor can’t even keep up to air a tire Those tick me off.

[JasonA]

Air expands with increased temperatures and contracts with decreased temperature.

Correct... Which is why the PSI will increase with higher temperatures and decrease with lower temperatures -- since the volume of the chamber (tire) is constant.