Just wondering with our low profile tires on the MP5 (and others)is tire pressure a major concern?

Would 0.5psi diff on one tire cause the car to pull to that side under hard acceleration or braking?

 

The side with less pressure will always pull. .5psi may be dead on depending on some gauges. Always try to match your sides unless you have some crazy race setup that requires off pressures.

 

0.5 psi difference should NOT be enough to cause a noticeable pull. If your car pulls to one side under acceleration, it's most likely caused by wheel alignment, some other tire problem, or road crown. Easy way to tell: if the tires aren't directional (some P5 tires are), swap the front tires from side to side and see if the car pulls the other way.

p.s. I assume that you're talking a strong, constant pull that doesn't vary with traction or road surface. P5's (and almost all other FWD strut cars) will briefly tug from side-to-side under mixed-traction conditions. This is called torque steer, it is normal, and it can only be eliminated completely by buying a RWD car.

 

Thanks for the input.

Ill swap tires today and see if it pulls the other way.

 

Well a Quafie LSD will improve torque steer, and it's almost the price of a used RWD car...

but to answer the question, tire pressure is very important, not only for control issues, but the life of the tire. too much pressure and the tire's center will wear more than the edges, too little pressure and the opposite happens. Tire pressure also has a relationship with fuel mileage, being that if your running soft tires, then you'll use more gas, as the tires produce more friction requiring more go pedal.

keep a tire guage in the glove box and check them regularly, like each time you gas up, only takes a minute, what else you gonna do while the gas is pumping, besides stare at the cute blonde at the next island....

 

Maybe that´s why my tires are usually underinflated. I never get to check them.