Tire shops don’t like 26 psi

[SoCalGlide]

Required by law in California… for any service.

On September 1, 2010, the California Air Resources Board’s (ARB’s) Tire Pressure Regulation took effect. The purpose of this regulation is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles operating with under inflated tires by inflating them to the recommended tire pressure rating. The regulation applies to vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,000 pounds or less. Automotive service providers must meet the regulation’s following requirements:

• Check and inflate each vehicle’s tires to the recommended tire pressure rating, with air or nitrogen, as appropriate, at the time of performing any automotive maintenance or repair service.
• Indicate on the vehicle service invoice that a tire inflation service was completed and the tire pressure measurements after the service were performed.
• Perform the tire pressure service using a tire pressure gauge with a total permissible error no greater than + two (2) pounds per square inch (psi).
• Have access to a tire inflation reference that is current within three years of publication.
• Keep a copy of the service invoice for a minimum of three years, and make the vehicle service invoice available to the ARB, or its authorized representative upon request.

This is misleading. It's not saying that a tire shop must inflate the tires to whatever is on the sidewall, which is maximum pressure at maximum load, or even to what is on the door sticker of the vehicle since few of us have the OEM tires any longer. All tire manufacturers have inflation recommendations based upon load (weight). For example here's a chart for my tires:

There's no way I have 1575 pounds on each of my tires, yet Cooper recommends 25psi at that load. That may be the minimum psi they recommend. If the tire shop is inflating these tires to 50psi, or even 35 psi, they're doing it wrong, and they're in violation of the quoted California law.

 

[qslim]

This is misleading. It's not saying that a tire shop must inflate the tires to whatever is on the sidewall, which is maximum pressure at maximum load, or even to what is on the door sticker of the vehicle since few of us have the OEM tires any longer. All tire manufacturers have inflation recommendations based upon load (weight). For example here's a chart for my tires:
View attachment 279398
There's no way I have 1575 pounds on each of my tires, yet Cooper recommends 25psi at that load. That may be the minimum psi they recommend. If the tire shop is inflating these tires to 50psi, or even 35 psi, they're doing it wrong, and they're in violation of the quoted California law.

When I picked up my TJ with new shoes they had the KO2s at 45 psi. The short ride home felt like I was on skateboard wheels.

That being said I'm glad my state's employees don't sit around coming up with laws concerning tire pressure. The dudes at the tire shop were all in their early 20s just grinding out tire mounts all day, I figure I paid 'em to mount the things & balance them.

 

[Neal]

26 PSI is what works best with my 35" Goodyear MTR's. Every time I run over to the Discount Tire shop here in Albuquerque the first question they ask is "What PSI do you want us to fill them to?", and that is the pressure they balance them at. Works for them, works for me.

 

[GASnBRASS]

Why the hell are you guys even letting the tire and oil jockeys anywhere near your vehicle?

If I need a rotation or an oil change, I do it myself.
If I need new shoes or a re-balance, I take them off the vehicle at home and roll it in their front door.

Go work in an auto/tire/lube shop for awhile. You'll see what kind of stupid shit happens to vehicles in the back that the customer is never aware of.

 

[Viking Jeeper]

I recently had my truck in for a warranty repair on a relatively new tire. Had a nail in one tire and it was leaking. The other three tires had 32 psi in them as I wanted. Told Discount Tire to ONLY repair the one tire, no rotation, no anything else, dont touch the other tires. When I picked the truck up they had rotated the tires (I had just done that) and the 4 tires were between 29 and 35 psi.

 

[rancholago]

Gas and Brass
I agree, and I have worked in a tire store, many many years ago. I did take the wheels and tires off the jeep and brought the new tires along to have mounted.
The American Tire Store recently opened in our area and it was the first time I have ever been there. I was suprised by a few things at this store.
When I bought the tires and wheels in, they were somewhat busy, however they were manned up enough to jump right on my tires, they had two tire machines working with two men to a machine. It took hardly any time at all. * we have a Les Schwab tires in our area, sure they get your tire in the shop, but its my experience that it just sits there, it takes them hours to do a 10 minute job. There is always a couple guys just standing around .*
Every man at the American Tire store, had a uniform, was clean, and looked it. Every guy was neat looking, the shop was clean and things looked to be in order, nothing laying around. Now looking good does not get the job done but in this case, they were on their job, and I would go back. I only mention this because in our area this is a rare site, usually it is the opposite in the extreme.

 

[williambmac]

I would change tire stores if they didn't inflate your tires to the correct pressure and or ask you what you want for pressure.
I dont believe its a CA thing, I think its a going to the right place thing.

It's a liability thing, not a CA thing.
This all goes back to the late 90's early 2k and the Firestone recall. I was working in the tire industry at the tire, and if my memory serves me correctly.... there were actually two recalls involving Firestone Wilderness A/T tires.
The first recall was all Firestone, but the second recall had to do with Ford.
Ford was running the tire pressures on the Exploders @ 26psi in an attempt to "soften" up the ride. Exploder owners were complaining that the truck , rode like a truck and not like a car.
The reduced tire pressures were causing the tires to heat up and blow.
Ford wanted Firestone to accept total responsibilty for the issue, Firestone told Ford to piss off.
Ford issued a recall and removed Firestone tires from their trucks.
There were numerous deaths cause by this and a huge lawsuit.
There were also findings that in several deaths, the Ford vehicles also had Goodyear and Michelin tires on some of the vehicles.
I think it came down to the vehicle tires being under pressurized and causing the tires to heat up.

Shortly after that we received notification from all major tire manufactures and corporate the tire pressures must be set to the vehicle manufacturers spec on the door sticker.

Now 20 years later, working for a Chevy dealer. We are required to set tire pressures to the door sticker. I get customers coming in wanting 50psi in the passenger car tires because its less rolling resistance.
I get truck owners with e-load tires wanting them set at 32psi, so their truck doesn't ride like a truck.
Sorry, no can do... it's a liability issue.

A few years ago there was a suit in NJ/NY involving a customer that had their vehicle serviced and asked to have their tire pressures set at a higher pressure than the vehicle called for. He had a blowout/accident and burned to death.
The family sued and the dealer was found liable. I think it was a toyota dealer.

It's all about liability.

 

[mrblaine]

Go work in an auto/tire/lube shop for awhile. You'll see what kind of stupid shit happens to vehicles in the back that the customer is never aware of.

Or, you don't let them work on your tires unless you can watch.

 

[AndyG]

The above post hits close to home-

This is off topic , but not entirely- I own a construction business (or it owns me) - I have no idea where we will be in 20 years in the trades once the older experienced trades people are gone. This goes for most trades I suspect - when we no longer have a seasoned guy or 2 around to keep an eye the younger generation, it is going to be scary.

 

[paulscooter]

The above post hits close to home-

This is off topic , but not entirely- I own a construction business (or it owns me) - I have no idea where we will be in 20 years in the trades once the older experienced trades people are gone. This goes for most trades I suspect - when we no longer have a seasoned guy or 2 around to keep an eye the younger generation, it is going to be scary.

I'm 75 and have been out of the work place many years. Why don't you think the young people will start taking over and learning the trades? I know all of my grandkids are working and learning trades.

 

[williambmac]

The above post hits close to home-

This is off topic , but not entirely- I own a construction business (or it owns me) - I have no idea where we will be in 20 years in the trades once the older experienced trades people are gone. This goes for most trades I suspect - when we no longer have a seasoned guy or 2 around to keep an eye the younger generation, it is going to be scary.

All the younger techs at my dealership want to do is tires,brakes and services. They want nothing to do with diagnostics or heavy work. They don't want to learn motor or transmission work.