what is the right Sequoia tire pressure?

I have been following the recommended tire pressure of 32PSI for the 2004
Sequoia and just realized it was too low.
The tire ,especially the rear, always looks low at 32 PSI and all four tires
totally lost the outer edge tire marks. Toyota technician specially
reminded me to watch the tire pressure at twice a month.

All four tires pressure measured 34 PSI after I drove home and they looks
inflated and more normal to me.
What exactly is the pressure I should follow? I am very confused with what
to follow. The tires I have are the original Dunlop AT20 Grandtrax.

Look at the sidewall and it will tell you what pressure to use. The tire
manfacture knows more about the tires on your car than the auto manfacture
does.

Propert inflation will give even tread wear and there for more tire milage.

The low tire pressure as recomended by some will give better (softer) ride
but causes the tire to cup in the center and roll creating more heat than
if the tire was inflated properly allowing it to roll smothly.

Excess heat is an enemy of your tires.

C.


In article <JnBde.6511$iU.6041@lakeread05>, "harry" <harry_liu@lcc.com> wrote:

> I have been following the recommended tire pressure of 32PSI for the 2004
> Sequoia and just realized it was too low.
> The tire ,especially the rear, always looks low at 32 PSI and all four tires
> totally lost the outer edge tire marks. Toyota technician specially
> reminded me to watch the tire pressure at twice a month.
>
> All four tires pressure measured 34 PSI after I drove home and they looks
> inflated and more normal to me.
> What exactly is the pressure I should follow? I am very confused with what
> to follow. The tires I have are the original Dunlop AT20 Grandtrax.

The "sidewall" label says 32 PSI.
My question is who do I follow? I imagine that 32 PSI was posted by Toyota
based on the tire they put on the new car. What if I change to other brand
name/type of tires? That new tire may have different pressure suggestion.
The label is no longer useful in that situation...?

harry wrote:
> The "sidewall" label says 32 PSI.
> My question is who do I follow? I imagine that 32 PSI was posted by Toyota
> based on the tire they put on the new car. What if I change to other brand
> name/type of tires? That new tire may have different pressure suggestion.
> The label is no longer useful in that situation...?
>
>
The sidewall number is not from Toyota - it's the max psi by the tire
manufacturer. There is also treadware and load ratings - there's info
on that over at www.tirerack.com.

The pressures listed in your user manual are the recommended pressures
by Toyota (and are the best place to start).

Rule of thumb as I understand is to follow vehicle mfg specs. Tires
specs are simply max pressures/loads. There is a whole science on how
engineers match a tire and pressure to chassis settings on a vehicle.
They are for the most part a lot of compromises that work best for a
larger variety of situations.

When you start playing with different tire sizes/profiles, then you get
to start experimenting slightly with different pressures - I used to run
a few lbs over vehicle mfg specs on a small sedan that was lowered,
etc., however I kept the pressure difference between front and back the
same.

Tall high profile tires are usually squatty looking - it's those 30
series 'rubber band' tires on the Civics that have so little side wall
there's nothing to squat in the first place.

There's probably some dialog at www.tundrasolutions.com too (I haven't
looked)...

When I used the term "Sidewall" I am refering to the sidewall of the tire.
You can change tires and that tire may have a different pressure rtating
than the tires that came on the car from the factory.

Remember Ford Explorer and their tire problems? Underinflated tires can
heat up excessivly.

go this website and read the first paragraph about tire pressure

http://www.rvadvice.com/rvarticles/4tires.html

C.


In article <wXCde.6519$iU.1717@lakeread05>, "harry" <harry_liu@lcc.com> wrote:

> The "sidewall" label says 32 PSI.
> My question is who do I follow? I imagine that 32 PSI was posted by Toyota
> based on the tire they put on the new car. What if I change to other brand
> name/type of tires? That new tire may have different pressure suggestion.
> The label is no longer useful in that situation...?

C. wrote:
> When I used the term "Sidewall" I am refering to the sidewall of the tire.
> You can change tires and that tire may have a different pressure rtating
> than the tires that came on the car from the factory.
>
> Remember Ford Explorer and their tire problems? Underinflated tires can
> heat up excessivly.
>
> go this website and read the first paragraph about tire pressure
>
> http://www.rvadvice.com/rvarticles/4tires.html
>
> C.
>
>
> In article <wXCde.6519$iU.1717@lakeread05>, "harry" <harry_liu@lcc.com> wrote:
>
>
>>The "sidewall" label says 32 PSI.
>>My question is who do I follow? I imagine that 32 PSI was posted by Toyota
>>based on the tire they put on the new car. What if I change to other brand
>>name/type of tires? That new tire may have different pressure suggestion.
>>The label is no longer useful in that situation...?

Just my 2 cents (I'm not a tech, just an enthusiast). None of my
comments are meant to be argumentative...

Sidewall numbers are only max pressure when the tires are cold. The
vehicle oem tire pressure specs should be for an empty vehicle (well,
add a driver and a single passenger). If you were hauling a load of
bricks, then 1. you shouldn't exceed total hauling capacity, and 2.
raise rear tire pressure to max tire rating (sidewall number).

I'm preaching starting with vehicle mfg tire pressure specs, which also
means when replacing tires to not use load ratings that are lower than
factory ratings - you could, but you would be on your own for doing the
math on tire pressure and carrying capacities.

Based on the assumption the original poster mentions different sized
tires, I'm assuming he's talking a slight difference and he's not
running either extreme of ultra low profile (lowered vehicle) or super
balloon tires on a lifted truck.

IMHO Ford's choice with the Exploder (Explorer) to use lower tire
pressures to make the truck ride smoother (car like) was a major goof.
It was just cheaper than re-engineering the chassis. And the general
public continues to drive SUV's and pickups like cars - they don't seem
to understand the difference in the characteristics of cars and trucks.
Trucks (and I still refer to SUV's as trucks) are bricks with wheels -
they don't accelerate, turn or stop like a car.

You probably see as many examples of poor driving in your area as I do -
in the first few years of the SUV craze I lost count of how many of them
I saw on their roof's because of driver error.

"harry" <harry_liu@lcc.com> wrote in message
news:wXCde.6519$iU.1717@lakeread05...
> The "sidewall" label says 32 PSI.
> My question is who do I follow? I imagine that 32 PSI was posted by
> Toyota
> based on the tire they put on the new car. What if I change to other
> brand
> name/type of tires? That new tire may have different pressure suggestion.
> The label is no longer useful in that situation...?
>
>

You said "sidewall label". There is usually no label on tires, except for
the one that they have when they're new, to help the mechanic spot the right
ones on the shelf.. Are you looking at a sticker inside your door or
elsewhere, or at the side of the tire itself?

Let's use some real numbers so we're not comparing apples to squid. I just
looked at the Nokian 265-70/R16 tires on my Tacoma. It says max cold
pressure is 51 lbs. I'm not clairvoyant and I don't know what size tires you
have, but I'd be real surprised if they said max pressure was 32. I run mine
at 35 in the summer, and they reach around 39 lbs after driving lots of
miles on a real hot day. In the winter, I tweak them up to 36-37 depending
on the kind of snow we're having.

If possible, be sure to check & fill your tires when they're cold, after
driving maybe a mile or two. If you're too far from a gas station to do
that, then you have to observe how much they change between home and the gas
station, and adjust accordingly.

"Jonnie Santos" <iohuni2005-newsgroups@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:PoLde.14113$_K.3338@fed1read03...

>
> You probably see as many examples of poor driving in your area as I do -
> in the first few years of the SUV craze I lost count of how many of them I
> saw on their roof's because of driver error.

Here (Rochester NY), we see the roofs of lots of SUVs because they seem to
be attracted to ditches in snowy weather. "Better in snow". Yeah...right.
:-)

"Jonnie Santos" <iohuni2005-newsgroups@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:PoLde.14113$_K.3338@fed1read03...
> C. wrote:
>> When I used the term "Sidewall" I am refering to the sidewall of the
>> tire.
>> You can change tires and that tire may have a different pressure rtating
>> than the tires that came on the car from the factory.
>>
>> Remember Ford Explorer and their tire problems? Underinflated tires can
>> heat up excessivly.
>>
>> go this website and read the first paragraph about tire pressure
>> http://www.rvadvice.com/rvarticles/4tires.html
>>
>> C.
>>
>>
>> In article <wXCde.6519$iU.1717@lakeread05>, "harry" <harry_liu@lcc.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>The "sidewall" label says 32 PSI.
>>>My question is who do I follow? I imagine that 32 PSI was posted by
>>>Toyota
>>>based on the tire they put on the new car. What if I change to other
>>>brand
>>>name/type of tires? That new tire may have different pressure
>>>suggestion.
>>>The label is no longer useful in that situation...?
>
> Just my 2 cents (I'm not a tech, just an enthusiast). None of my comments
> are meant to be argumentative...
>
> Sidewall numbers are only max pressure when the tires are cold. The
> vehicle oem tire pressure specs should be for an empty vehicle (well, add
> a driver and a single passenger). If you were hauling a load of bricks,
> then 1. you shouldn't exceed total hauling capacity, and 2. raise rear
> tire pressure to max tire rating (sidewall number).
>
> I'm preaching starting with vehicle mfg tire pressure specs, which also
> means when replacing tires to not use load ratings that are lower than
> factory ratings - you could, but you would be on your own for doing the
> math on tire pressure and carrying capacities.
>
> Based on the assumption the original poster mentions different sized
> tires, I'm assuming he's talking a slight difference and he's not running
> either extreme of ultra low profile (lowered vehicle) or super balloon
> tires on a lifted truck.
>
> IMHO Ford's choice with the Exploder (Explorer) to use lower tire
> pressures to make the truck ride smoother (car like) was a major goof. It
> was just cheaper than re-engineering the chassis. And the general public
> continues to drive SUV's and pickups like cars - they don't seem to
> understand the difference in the characteristics of cars and trucks.
> Trucks (and I still refer to SUV's as trucks) are bricks with wheels -
> they don't accelerate, turn or stop like a car.
>
> You probably see as many examples of poor driving in your area as I do -
> in the first few years of the SUV craze I lost count of how many of them I
> saw on their roof's because of driver error.

Just as an FYI - the PSI rating on the sidewall of the tire is actually the
right one and more accurate than the MFG recommended one. That PSI takes
into consideration heavy load, cold or warm. This is the result of the
firestone/ford issues. Manufacturers are now really careful what rating they
put down and the tire is tested with over 40% margin. So going with the
sidewall PSI is your best bet, you can even go a few PSI above that.

Unfortunately, there is never a "right" pressure for a given model. MFG
recommendations are based on safety concerns, comfort, and other things.
There's only one way to determine the optimal pressure for a given tire on a
given model.

You need a flat, level paved area that is at least 2 car-lengths long. Make
a puddle of water, (or even paint), in front of each tire that is long
enough to wet the tire all the way around. Then roll the car forward through
the puddle and continue forward for a bit, but not so far that the rear
tracks over-write the front ones.
When properly inflated, the tread should lift from the pavement at the
edges, for about 1/4 -1/2" in from the tread shoulder. This pressure will
always be higher than the recommendations, and will make for a slightly
harder ride, but will increase tread life considerably and give you the best
handling.

Rear pressure recommendations are always set for an assumed full load, so
more or less adjustment is needed depending on your usual load. Front
recommendations are always too low.


"harry" <harry_liu@lcc.com> wrote in message
news:JnBde.6511$iU.6041@lakeread05...
> I have been following the recommended tire pressure of 32PSI for the 2004
> Sequoia and just realized it was too low.
> The tire ,especially the rear, always looks low at 32 PSI and all four
tires
> totally lost the outer edge tire marks. Toyota technician specially
> reminded me to watch the tire pressure at twice a month.
>
> All four tires pressure measured 34 PSI after I drove home and they looks
> inflated and more normal to me.
> What exactly is the pressure I should follow? I am very confused with
what
> to follow. The tires I have are the original Dunlop AT20 Grandtrax.
>
>

How many miles do you have on your Sequoia? Are you sure you don't have
Grandtrek? That's what came with my 2001 LC. They were junk. I ended up
replacing them with Yokohama Geolander HTS. I would have gone with
Bridgestone Dueler H/T Alenza, but they did not have that size in stock.
LCs have a very weird size, 265/75R16, 265/70R16 is a more common size.

Check your pressure, cold and hot. The recommended PSI is when the tire is
cold. Also read the recommended PSI on the sidewall of the tire. It's
usually located near the rim of the wheel. Get rid of those Grandtreks as
soon as you can, once you get to 1/8" of tread height it starts to get
slippery on wet surfaces. The edges wear out first on these tires, that's
why I asked "how many miles."

Good Luck and Drive Safe!

JW

"harry" <harry_liu@lcc.com> wrote in message
news:JnBde.6511$iU.6041@lakeread05...
> I have been following the recommended tire pressure of 32PSI for the 2004
> Sequoia and just realized it was too low.
> The tire ,especially the rear, always looks low at 32 PSI and all four
tires
> totally lost the outer edge tire marks. Toyota technician specially
> reminded me to watch the tire pressure at twice a month.
>
> All four tires pressure measured 34 PSI after I drove home and they looks
> inflated and more normal to me.
> What exactly is the pressure I should follow? I am very confused with
what
> to follow. The tires I have are the original Dunlop AT20 Grandtrax.
>
>

It's now 36,000 miles. The edge is so flat looks like those broken truck
tires on highway. Except that, the rest still look reasonable.
I do have the Grandtrek which came with my 2004 Sequoia.
It started to make squeaking sound while turning or wet when I am driving
faster. Dealer says that my tire is still in "good: shape at my 35,000
miles maintenance...

"Joseph Wind" <jw@neoplastic.ph.invalid> wrote in message
news:zUPde.6171$7K.5689@trnddc06...
> How many miles do you have on your Sequoia? Are you sure you don't have
> Grandtrek? That's what came with my 2001 LC. They were junk. I ended up
> replacing them with Yokohama Geolander HTS. I would have gone with
> Bridgestone Dueler H/T Alenza, but they did not have that size in stock.
> LCs have a very weird size, 265/75R16, 265/70R16 is a more common size.
>
> Check your pressure, cold and hot. The recommended PSI is when the tire is
> cold. Also read the recommended PSI on the sidewall of the tire. It's
> usually located near the rim of the wheel. Get rid of those Grandtreks as
> soon as you can, once you get to 1/8" of tread height it starts to get
> slippery on wet surfaces. The edges wear out first on these tires, that's
> why I asked "how many miles."
>
> Good Luck and Drive Safe!
>
> JW
>
> "harry" <harry_liu@lcc.com> wrote in message
> news:JnBde.6511$iU.6041@lakeread05...
> > I have been following the recommended tire pressure of 32PSI for the
2004
> > Sequoia and just realized it was too low.
> > The tire ,especially the rear, always looks low at 32 PSI and all four
> tires
> > totally lost the outer edge tire marks. Toyota technician specially
> > reminded me to watch the tire pressure at twice a month.
> >
> > All four tires pressure measured 34 PSI after I drove home and they
looks
> > inflated and more normal to me.
> > What exactly is the pressure I should follow? I am very confused with
> what
> > to follow. The tires I have are the original Dunlop AT20 Grandtrax.
> >
> >
>
>

Required pressure differs on tire brands and on different vehicles of the
same make model - due to weight etc. To best determine the pressure you
need, perform this simple test. Take a peice of chalk and draw a line across
the tread of each tire. Drive about 100 yards on a dry straight road.
Examine the chalk lines on the tire. If the middle of the chalk line is more
worn off then the edges, let some air out of the tire. If the edges of the
chalk line are more worn off then the middle, add some air to the tire.


"harry" <harry_liu@lcc.com> wrote in message
news:JnBde.6511$iU.6041@lakeread05...
>I have been following the recommended tire pressure of 32PSI for the 2004
> Sequoia and just realized it was too low.
> The tire ,especially the rear, always looks low at 32 PSI and all four
> tires
> totally lost the outer edge tire marks. Toyota technician specially
> reminded me to watch the tire pressure at twice a month.
>
> All four tires pressure measured 34 PSI after I drove home and they looks
> inflated and more normal to me.
> What exactly is the pressure I should follow? I am very confused with
> what
> to follow. The tires I have are the original Dunlop AT20 Grandtrax.
>
>