[ds968]

So I've never had an overly sensitive feel-of-the-pants gauge, and the latest experience is even more proof of that ailment . As a preface, aftet I installed the strut towers brace on my car, I did not sense even the slightest bit of difference . Then I installed the lower / caster blocks connecting brace and maybe, just maybe, with the combination of the two, I detected a change in the tightness of the car - it felt a bit more solid on rough surfaces and in turns . And now to the latest : As my car was sitting for the better part of eight months waiting for the engine rebuild the tire pressure dropped to about 19 psi ( cold ). Since that's not really visible I think the mechanic simply overlooked checking that aspect and I, never one to check anything either , drove the car for the last couple of thousand miles on 19 psi . Actually one tire was at about 23 , two were around 19 , and one at 20 . You'd think I would sense something was out of whack while braking, or turning ( though this is not the car I push very hard on corners ..that honor is reserved for the six speed which also has a modified suspension ) so perhaps that's part of the excuse , but sheesh , I'm never going to get that job as a Road & Track test drive reviewer .. " I have just completed my comparison of the Amish buggy vs. the new Bentley Continental R , and whilst I was able to determine that the Bentley is definitely quicker than the carriage , the handling and ride appeared to be par between the two " .

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[flash]

so, it turns out your wife was right all along.  you are an insensitive ass

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[Rap]

Perhaps you should learn to drive on the ice, do a track day in the rain or Porsche has a cold climate driving clinic which would probably get your butt's attention! Just saying. I never got the seat of the pants thing until a track day in the rain and it was like the old light turned on. Once you get it it's analogous to riding a bike. Do you ride a bike?

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[ds968]

What is this thing which you call " rain " ? Or, " ice " ?! Huh ?


Flash : parrrump pum .

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[az968]

Perhaps your head is getting in the way of your butt sensors, hee hee hee!

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[flash]

could be.  weird stuff happens when 2 things try to occupy the same space at the same time

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[ds968]

Ok, yuk yuk and hardee har har ( that's the LOL equivalent...for you old clowns ! ..)


On a less humorous note however, if 19 psi has neither the appearance not the feel of a flat ( the latter under very mild driving conditions ) , I wonder how low of a pressure you can drop to and still drive without damaging the tires's interior or exterior walls.

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[az968]

So with a low profile tire on a reasonably light car 19 psi probably wouldn't look visually much different from the other tires, but I would think that corner of the car would feel much different when cornering or going over bumpbs. But, I can't say for certainty since I've not driven my 968 with such low tire pressure. I have this manual instrumentation device that I apply to the part of the tire into which air is inserted to ascertain with some degree of certainty just what air pressure exists within my cars tires. I calibrate my tires fairly regularly to assure a reasonable amount of psis exist in all four tires.


So how low can you go? I'm not a tire expert but I would think prolonged driving at speed and higher temperatures would break down the sidewalls fairly quickly. Maybe different for different brands of tires. You might query the supplier of your tires for specifics.

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[94SilverCab]

You didn't hear the squeal going around corners?

 

Jay

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[flash]

lowering the pressure can cause a couple of bad things.  

 

first, it will increase the temperatures of the tires, due to the added friction caused by the increased contact patch area, as the tire "flattens out" across the ground.  this will reduce fuel economy, reduce tire life, and if it gets too low, can cause rim damage on pot holes.

 

second, in a corner, it will allow more of the cars weight to push down on the outside tires, thereby further increasing the above.  this is where is gets bad.  tires can really heat up under load in the corners like that.  this can cause all sorts of dangerous handling.

 

a common mistake made by many is to apply track thinking to the street.  people will commonly lower tire pressures, thinking that's what track guys do, so it must be good for them.  they don't realize that the reason they lower pressures is so that they don't have too much when the tires get hot.  on the street you never see the increase though, so they stay under-inflated.

 

these guys will also "think" that the car is cornering better, but in reality it is only wallowing.  the "goosh" of the deflated tire "feels" like it is holding better, but they aren't going fast enough to see what is really going on.  the deadened steering wheel feel, and the extra effort to return to center, fools them.  if they put a g-meter on it, they would see that they are actually losing cornering.

 

exactly how far you can go depends on the particular brand and model of tire, and the car on which it is used.

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[ds968]

You didn't hear the squeal going around corners?

 

Jay

Not a peep.  But, I never pushed that car at all while cornering, all turns were taken softly ( remember, post engine rebuild I had to drive the first 500 + miles with much caution ..never let the rpm above 4 k, etc.. so it would have been odd to drive in such a sedate manner but then throw the car into a hard turn, lol.. )  And even now at nearly 2 K miles I'm still a bit apprehensive to really push it, but getting there soon .   B)             

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[94SilverCab]

When my butt-o-meter is defective, I just borrow my neighbor's

 

 

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[az968]

Now that's another tool I need!

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[flash]

i volunteer to regularly check the calibration

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[MCL968]

The odometer is a concern. There are 5280 feet in a mile, right?

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