With 205/50/16 what would be a good tire pressure? I know if you track the car you can check temps, but on a street car? I'm running about 33PSI right now, what are others setting at?

There is no one good setting. Way too many variables. Every tire brand and model is different.
Usually, tires come with a manufacturer recommended setting. I'd look for that.

33psi is in the normal range for a street tire and will probably work OK.

You should check tire wear frequently. You can tell if your pressure is too high or low by the way the tread wears down.

Andy

....Full to the gill's at all 4 corner's....that's me!
(depends on what you are using your car for!)
P.S.this has been discussed!

i have 205 65 and run 'bout 26psi

tire size shouldn't factor the pressure at all from anything i've ever heard.

manufacture, wear and use has always been my guide. myself, i max. the tires recommended pressure (within a couple lbs.'s for expansion). on my dd i see a realistic couple mpg's differance (factory digital onboard readout).

just a rant... recently i've battled both americas tires and the ford dealership. they would only put 30psi because (they claim) they have to go with what the factory door tag says. not the acually tire spec.'s of the tires on the car (44 psi max.)

44psi is the recomended psi to acheive the tires rated max load.

the psi to acheive the best wear and performance would depend on the weight of the car and the size of the tire.

if you inflate the tire to max psi and only have 1/4 of the max weight loading the tires you will be riding on a very small contact patch of the tire.

with the proper psi and contact patch you will have the safest braking [main reason that the dealers won't over inflate your tires] and the best tire wear and the best ride.

over inflating the tires gives you the "feeling" that the tires turn in quicker and better, it kinda does by making them twitchy. but best overall performance is not at max psi.

don't believe me? google it....

no, i wasn't at all saying max pressure=max performance, what you said all sounds right for max. tire performance.

i was adressing the initial question and adding my own twisted views of what i found on pressure vrs. mpg. i've also never seen bad wear patterns within the recomended max. range.

Very true re. each tire is different, I am running 205/60 15's, Bridgestone Potenzas and I have found 32 PSI works best for what I do, nice day driving and a bit spirited at times. If you live in a much warmer climate than me (Moncton Canada), your pressures are gonna be higher when your tires warm up, try experimenting, say run 30 PSI for a day and see how it feels, then try 34 PSI, the type of tire you have and the weight of your car etc.etc. ect. are all factors, bottom line find the PSI you like. I used 2lb. increments as 1lb is more difficult to tell the difference.

Ian Stott
Moncton
Canada

Isn't there a Gas Tank sticker that say 28-28 fr/r? I'm going out to look in the AM.

Tire pressures according to the Haynes 914 manual are 23 psi front and 26 psi rear for pre-75 models and 26 psi front and 29 psi rear for 75 and later models. But that was for 155 and 165 tires that were original equipment.

How do these recommendations relate to a contemporary tire that may be wider with a lower aspect ratio?

I have used 26 psi/29 psi for 205/60-15 for normal street driving, but was never completely sure that was the best setting.

I agree with Andy. You are about in the ballpark. Lot's of variables. If your alignment is spot on, you can drive the car normally and then get out and check the tread face with a pyrometer at three places across the face. If you find you are hot in the middle by greater than 10% you are over inflated. If you are hot on the inside you have too much - camber, hot on the outside, too much + camber. Lots of work to find out that you are really pretty much right in the ballpark...

Perfect world, you would be equal temperatures across the treadface meaning your tire is flat and all the tread is working at giving you traction. Not likely to achieve that.