[FlaMed]

Hey guys, sorry for a stupid question. I already bought my non RFTs. I'll have them installed in a local shop. Do I inflate them with same pressure as RFTs (as stated on the sticker on the driver side door)?

My style of driving, I guess they call it "spirited". My car is a 335i sedan. Stock rims and suspension.

I appreciate any inputs.

[michaelalex17]

based on my research the conti's have a sidewall that isnt that stiff and therefore should be pumped up a bit to compensate. i would do like 38 up front and 40 in the rear.

[FlaMed]

Ok. Higher pressure to make it stiffer. One thing I've also noticed, the pressure doesnt change much even with weather change or long distance travel. Might be the stiffer walls. I guess Ill just have it filled with nitro.


Thanks.

[Single335i]

Use the Tire pressure on the inside of the door.

[10splaya22]

Originally Posted by michaelalex17

based on my research the conti's have a sidewall that isnt that stiff and therefore should be pumped up a bit to compensate. i would do like 38 up front and 40 in the rear.

Don't do this. Follow whats on the door. Increasing the pressure could cause the tire to wear toward the center.

Originally Posted by FlaMed

Ok. Higher pressure to make it stiffer. One thing I've also noticed, the pressure doesnt change much even with weather change or long distance travel. Might be the stiffer walls. I guess Ill just have it filled with nitro.

Nitrogen doesn't do anything. Just fill them with normal air unless nitrogen is free

[michaelalex17]

[QUOTE=10splaya22;322403]Don't do this. Follow whats on the door. Increasing the pressure could cause the tire to wear toward the center.


I have to dissagree with this statement. the OP said

"My style of driving, I guess they call it "spirited"

if he inflates the tires to what it says on the inside of the door they will be a lot more mushy feeling then the RFT's he previously had on the car. I had the same tires the OP has for like 25,000 miles inflated to what I previously mentioned and the wear was pretty even

[Kongen71]

First of all BMW always have standard negative camber so they always wear out on the inside first. I changed the rft to continental sport contact 5p and adding a little extra pressure seems right IMHO. Great tyre btw but only last for 10k miles (with my "spirited" driving style ) often sideways.....haha

[LessIsMore]

If the tire is the same size as stock, it should use the BMW pressures on the door jamb. Does not matter whether it's RFT or not.

As for discussion above about over-inflation, both are correct. The higher pressure will make the tire more "stiff" i.e. feel more like a RFT, *and* cause increased tire wear in the middle. How much depends on how much you over-inflate.

No non-RFT tire will ever have the "stiffness" or the initial turn-in bite feel of an RFT. No way around it. RFT's just have a much stiffer of a sidewall by nature, and the sidewall stiffness is a huge factor in a "sharp" feel when you turn the wheel. Since there is no non-RFT with sidewalls as stiff as a RFT, just accept that as part of the deal if you are going the non-RFT route.

I did, and want to switch back to RFT's now. The straight-line cushy comfort of the non-RFT's just doesn't outweight less-sharp turn-in.