I have just returned from caravanning at Thetford Forest (3 hr drive from home in Sheffield). The car was fully loaded, therefore, I re-read the cars handbook and as a result increased the tyre pressure for the car by 10psi in the back and 5 psi in the front.
The car is a Mondeo and the Caravan is a Bailey Ranger. The difference was incredible. The car towed better and struggled less on hills. Previously the car has struggled in 5th gear on any slight inclines. On this trip it was not an issue at all.
Does everyone else already increase the tow car tyre pressure and am I a little behind the door? If not it's definetly worth doing.
tyre pressue is so often overlooked, most tyres on most cars are around 28-30 psi, for normal town driving and speeds around 30-50 is OK. If you are motorway driving or towing it is reccomended that you increse the pressure by 5-6 psi at the rear and 2-3 at the front end, depending weather you have a transversly mounted engine.
I have a Honda CRV Mk1 , and i put 40psi in my tyres all around , all the time , its more stable and the MPG is alot better ..... Just check what your tyres max presure is..... Mine is 50psi max , ....... They say Max presure Minus 10%
The car is a Mondeo and the Caravan is a Bailey Ranger. The difference was incredible. The car towed better and struggled less on hills. Previously the car has struggled in 5th gear on any slight inclines. On this trip it was not an issue at all.
Changing tyre pressures will affect the car's handling, which I suspect is the desired outcome where the owners handbook recommends an increase for towing. It will reduce the tyre temperature under load at speed a little too.
It won't do anything that will make your Mondeo into a Ferrari - any effect on performance of the reduction in rolling resistance will be very slight. Are you sure that you didn't just put a little less weight in the caravan or in the car?
I have a Honda CRV Mk1 , and i put 40psi in my tyres all around , all the time , its more stable and the MPG is alot better
There is a downside too. If you have your tyre pressures higher than your car handbook says you should then they'll wear a lot in the middle and less at the edges - and you'll end up having to change them early, which could negate all your fuel savings.
i run my mondeo at 32 psi front and 36 psi in the rear when towing and reduce to 30 psi front & rear solo.important to alter pressure to stop excess wear in middle of tyre and restore handling on the twisty bits, a bit bouncy on poorer roads with too much air in the tyres
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Topic: Towcar Tyre Pressure
