18” Pilot Alpin Tyre Pressures

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I have recently bought a set of winter wheels & tyres (235/40 R18 91V ,255/40 R18 95V) from my OPC as last winter I had more than a few scary moments when my MPS2s couldn’t cope – and I’m not talking driving at light-speeds either! – At times I was reduced to driving at <15mph in an effort to keep it in a straight line during snowy conditions.

With the new tyres fitted driving doesn’t feel right. Tyre pressures are F 26psi / R 34psi. This doesn’t fit with the door sticker or driver’s handbook – which contradict each other incidently. I’ve tried running at F30psi / R37psi (per door sticker) but at 60mph it feels like driving on marbles and not at all planted. I guess I should be somewhere in between!

Can any of you good folks who run 18” Alpins advise me what pressures you run?

[Trev450]

If you have not driven on winter tyres previously, they do take a bit of adapting to due to the tread blocks moving around. The releasing agent will also take a few hundred miles to scrubb off. Can't help with the pressures, sorry as I run a CS.

[anonymous-user]

The tread does move (squirrel) and feel a bit strange - particularly on turn in - but your quickly get used to the feel, and handling is pretty good (albeit not as good as proper performance tyre). Can't help on pressures - mine are on a BMW.

[CharlesW]

I run them at the same pressure as my summer tyres, which is 30psi front and 37 psi rear. This is on a CS. And yes they are not as sharp as the summer tyres, but they do let you keep driving all winter whatever the weather. I live in NE Scotland and I am quite happy to drive up to Glenshee with 6" of snow on the road.

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Thanks Charles - I'll give it a go at those pressures.

[stevod]

I'm on 19" PA4s and they felt scary when they were first put on. Seemed to take 500 miles to get going. They do start to feel more like normal tyres when the temp drops below 5 degrees though, and especially towards zero.

I put mine on mid Nov and temps were still around 10 degrees - I'd describe them as floaty at this temp - next year I'll be putting them on later. I've adapted though, and I'm sure I'll be in for a pleasant surprise when the summers go back on.

Back to the original question.... I'm running the pressures from inside the driver's door, but then my tyre size is unchanged.

S


Edited to add... interesting revelation (for me anyway) in this article that was printed in the Telegraph yesterday:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/motoringvideo/...

"Winter tyres feature more “sipes” (or grooves) within the tread blocks (Michelin’s winter tyres feature about 1,500 sipes, compared with 200 for a normal tyre) to provide traction and stability. In snow these sipes actually fill with snow, which then grips to the snow on the road (imagine rolling a snowball) to provide traction."

Edited by stevod on Sunday 9th December 08:12