TheSamba.com :: View topic - Kumho Crugen HT51

Tue May 28, 2024 8:47 pm

I have a 2003 Weekender with new 235/60/16 HT51 tires, what tire pressure are people running?

Tue May 28, 2024 9:02 pm

The factory recommended pressures are 38 Front, 29 Rear.

So, I wouldn't go lower than these numbers. And just because the tire can take, say 50, I wouldn't run something like 45 front and rear.

I typically run 2 psi more than factory recommendations for front and rear when it's just 1-2 people around town. I go +5 more than factory recommendations when loaded up or towing a [very] small trailer.

Just curious, what did the tire guys set the pressure at?

Tue May 28, 2024 10:07 pm

spacetiger wrote: The factory recommended pressures are 38 Front, 29 Rear.

So, I wouldn't go lower than these numbers. And just because the tire can take, say 50, I wouldn't run something like 45 front and rear.

I typically run 2 psi more than factory recommendations for front and rear when it's just 1-2 people around town. I go +5 more than factory recommendations when loaded up or towing a [very] small trailer.

Just curious, what did the tire guys set the pressure at?

I picking up the van tomorrow and it has about 1K mles on tires and just wantred to know what to set them at.

Thanks

Wed May 29, 2024 6:36 am

The factory pressures are for different tires, of a different size and brand, so those values are irrelevant in this case.

When I bought these same Kumho Krugen HT51 tires, 235/60/16 at Discount Tire last year, the Discount Tire folks provided me with a recommended pressure from their tire database. That database factors the tire and the vehicle. Considering Discount Tire is a national chain that is in the business of putting alternative tires on cars, I am more apt to trust their recommendations.

The pressures recommended by Discount Tire were 44 PSI front, 39 PSI rear. These values were printed on my receipt. This is for a 2001 Eurovan EVC Winnebago camper.

I made a label and placed it in the door jamb that denotes these new pressures, so that I don't refer to the original (and now incorrect) factory tire pressure sticker in the jamb.

I have run those pressures and they are giving good results. Tire wear is even and performance is predictably good. Most of my driving is highway miles at high speed.

kourt

Wed May 29, 2024 9:00 pm

OP,

Look on your driver side B pillar. On my 02 MV/WKR this is the sticker you'd find:

I'm guessing it may be the same as your 01 sticker. You can see for 225/60-R16 tires the factory recommends:
for light loads 38 FT 29 RR
for full loads 44 FT 39 RR

So, I'm not surprised for the 2001 Eurovan EVC Winnebago camper, a longer heaver vehicle than the MV/WKR, an established tire company would recommend the higher tire pressure as standard for the Eurovan EVC Winnebago camper. I would not be surprised to find an even higher-pressure recommendation for the camper if fully loaded. That information should be on the B pillar of the camper.

In any case, I am sure your tire is rated to be able to handle much higher pressures.

What did the tire installer set your pressures to be? Do you have a good gauge? What kind of loads are you running?

And don't forget to tell us what you set them at, your part of the family now after all.

Thu May 30, 2024 7:51 am

^This is a good analysis. And some good questions as well.

Forgive me if my post sounded glib--it wasn't meant to be.

OP, let's hear your answers. Thanks.

kourt

Thu May 30, 2024 10:01 am

No worries kourt.

A side note as this might be too long ago for some owners to know.

There was a big separation between Ford and Firestone post 2000 over an issue arising over the factory tires supplied to the 1990 Ford Explorer. From 1990-2000, about 200 people were killed in rollover crashes, many more were injured. This open up a lot of litigation of who was at fault. In all of the court activity, it came out there were some handling challenges with the initial Ford Explorer front suspension. Those challenges could be addressed by maintaining a specific (low) tire pressure (29 psi I think) in the front tires. If you ran higher pressures, it set up the possibility the 19990 Explorer could roll under certain dynamic conditions. Obviously, the factory tires could handle much more pressure than the recommended pressure. There were a lot of court cases trying to affix who was at fault.

One of the key aftermaths of these cases is that major tire suppliers are careful to stay within vehicle manufacture recommendations (size, pressure and in some cases, torquing the wheel on the vehicle). These cautions keep them safe from legal actions (the Ford and Firestone experience).

As owners, we obviously can choose to deviate from factory recommendations. With limited tire options, some of us will make decisions to mount different tires and or run different pressures. I am surprised some places will even put tires that fall outside factory recommendations. When my Michelins wear out, I will probably go this route too as I don't use the MV/WKR heavily loaded so I'm probably not going to go with Krugen HT51 tires. I'm not sure if you have a Camper version, you get a choice because of the weight difference)

I'm rambling.