Volvo RWD 444-544 Forum

INDEX FOR 10/2025(CURRENT) INDEX FOR 10/2019 444-544 INDEX

[<<]  [>>]


THREADED THREADED EXPANDED FLAT PRINT ALL
MESSAGES IN THIS THREAD




  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

recommended tire pressure 444-544

Any recommended tire pressure for 165R15 RADIALS on standard 544 rims








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    recommended tire pressure 444-544

    I have the "modern" 165x15 tires from Cooper set at 26 psi up front and 28 psi out back. I only putt around town though, but find these pressures to be just right for my 444. Plus, the tires "look right" with these pressures with regards to the 2" whitewalls.

    Matter of preference really, but as noted, there's no need to load the tires to their max psi.








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    recommended tire pressure 444-544

    You can fine tune the firmness of the tire and the resulting steering feel with tire pressure. Generally speaking, a modern radial tire will have a wider range of pressure you can use without it resulting in weird wear patterns.

    I do generally run the front tires a little lower than the rears. It helps with stability in sudden transitions to have the front end's 'bite' be a little sifter than the back end's. This seems to suit the RWD Vovo's typical weight distribution. If you make the front a little stiffer than the rear, when you yank the steering hard, the back end will step out just a tiny bit more than the front, near the limit this can lead to a continuation of that movement into oversteer. Although really, most of the real under/neutral/over steer tuning is accomplishes through the shock compression damping/spring rates/sway bars. But the tire pressure is a slight addition on top of all of that.

    Another consideration is the steering effort at low speeds. I guess you really won't have much of a problem with some skinny 165's, but with wider tires, high pressures are noticeably easier to turn at very low speeds.
    --
    '63 PV544 rat rod, '93 Classic #1141 245 (now w/16V turbo)








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE Replies to this message will be emailed.    PRINT   SAVE 

    recommended tire pressure 444-544

    Probably the closest thing you're going to find to a recommended pressure might be those recommended by Volvo for the 1800 in the 60's, when it had the same size and type of tire. Those recommended pressures were 26 front and 29 rear. Having said that, I always ran 30 front and rear on my 544's when running 165's.

    As has been said, the tp recommendations for the 544 in the owner's manual are totally moot, as they were for bias ply tires... 20 front, 23 rear!
    --

    Gary L - 142E ITB race car, 73 1800ES
    YouTube Racing Videos








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    recommended tire pressure 444-544

    This is what the Tire Rack says -

    http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=196

    The best tire pressure for your car and a set of tires is one that allows even wear - if your tires are over or under inflated they will not contact the road evenly and thus will not give best performance.

    Most dealers like 35 psi. - it works well and is easy to remember - this is when standard size tires are used.

    I suggest that you ask a real tire shop - they should look up your situation in a book.

    During storage I inflate the tires on my 544 to 35 psi to allow for some losses (I inflate the spare to max for the same reason) - when I take her out and during the summer, I check her and use 28.

    Sorry if this is a non-answer.








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    recommended tire pressure 444-544

    I'd just go max what the tire says. Probably 32-35psi.

    Modern tires are so different than the original bias ply tires, the original manufacturer recommended pressure specification is rather moot.

    --
    -Matt I ♥ my ♂








    •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

      recommended tire pressure 444-544

      Unless you are putting a large load in the car, you shouldn't set a tire to it's maximum pressure.

      I suggest 30-32 psi. IIRC, Volvo recommended something under 30 psi for the old bias ply tires.
      --
      Eric
      Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
      Torrance, CA 90502







<< < > >>



©Jarrod Stenberg 1997-2022. All material except where indicated.


All participants agree to these terms.

Brickboard.com is not affiliated with nor sponsored by AB Volvo, Volvo Car Corporation, Volvo Cars of North America, Inc. or Ford Motor Company. Brickboard.com is a Volvo owner/enthusiast site, similar to a club, and does not intend to pose as an official Volvo site. The official Volvo site can be found here.