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HowTo: Setting the front tire pressures equally each side.

mecsw500

mecsw500

Member
I use the following Amazon purchased product to set tire pressures:

AVID POWER Tire Inflator Portable Air Compressor, 12V DC / 120V AC Car Tire Pump, Air Mattress Pump with Inflation and Deflation Modes, Dual Powerful Motors, Digital Pressure Gauge

You dial in the tire pressure you want, press start and it inflates to the desired pressure and stops. Makes it easy to set both tires to the same pressure. I run 20 psi in the front Kendas.

I measured it against a calibrated gauge and it was less than 1/2 psi out. The connection hose has one of the better valve connections I've used and the whole unit seems pretty rugged, certainly for Spyder kind of pressures.

This one is 110 VAC powered as well which makes it easy to use in the garage, includes a battery backup for USB power storage in case the power goes out, you can't have too many of those battery backups.

So far so good, its lasted the season and seems to be still working fine. For the price it makes setting pressures on the Spyder really simple. A bit bulky to carry on the bike though.

It beats trying to get the fronts really balanced by hand with a pump and a gauge.
 
Now that's clever.

BTW, I used the air compressor I quoted in the original thread to pump up an SUV tire to 40 psi and it worked fine. Took a few minutes but it worked OK, no problems. It was less than 0.5 psi out at that pressure from my graduated gauge.

I like the T-piece dual air-hose system though. I never thought about that idea. That's clever that is.
 
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One thing to remember when using a balancing rig like this is pressure equalization between tires is not instantaneous. It takes more than a few seconds due to the typical small pressure differences between the 2 or 3 or 4 tires and the small size of the tubing connecting them. Also, the longer the tubing, the longer it takes.

On the Spyder I use 3 leads at once and go for 18 PSI all around.

On my Mazda Miata I use 4 and go for 29 PSI all around. I typically go do something else for a couple minutes to allow plenty of time.
 
I’ve battled this tire pressure setting (TPS) thing for almost 10 years now and have finally come to one conclusion. You are never going to win. TP's are always changing and you can’t stop it, you can only control it to a small degree. If you are anal about your TP's like I am you’ll have to accept that. Whatever TP's you run at, and no one agrees on what that should be, outside ambient influences will always override your favorite settings. For example (only) I run 18 psi all the way around, and I used to use a three-way octopus to set them at 18 psi. Well, I found out that’s pretty much a waste of time. Now, I start with the rear tire because I only want to get up and down once. I will fill it to 20 psi and use a small digital air gauge to bleed it down to 18 psi. Then I do the same with the front tires to make them all match, and I am good to go. I’ll always keep monitoring my psi with my FOBOs which don’t always agree with my digital gauge. But I know just how much they differ. During a 100+ mile ride, my psi’s will change as much as 4 psi or more depending on which way I'm going, the time of day it is, and what elevation I'm riding at. But the thing is, as some will say, "Ride more worry less".
 
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Tire pressure no matter how it’s measured by digital gauge or TPMS will seldom match. If you are within a couple of tenths of 1PSI you are good to go. Tire pressure equalization is stretching it. This is a motorcycle and not a Space Shuttle.
 
2dogs said:
I’ve battled this tire pressure setting (TPS) thing for almost 10 years now and have finally come to one conclusion. You are never going to win. TP's are always changing and you can’t stop it, you can only control it to a small degree. If you are anal about your TP's like I am you’ll have to accept that. Whatever TP's you run at, and no one agrees on what that should be, outside ambient influences will always override your favorite settings. For example (only) I run 18 psi all the way around, and I used to use a three-way octopus to set them at 18 psi. Well, I found out that’s pretty much a waste of time. Now, I start with the rear tire because I only want to get up and down once. I will fill it to 20 psi and use a small digital air gauge to bleed it down to 18 psi. Then I do the same with the front tires to make them all match, and I am good to go. I’ll always keep monitoring my psi with my FOBOs which don’t always agree with my digital gauge. But I know just how much they differ. During a 100+ mile ride, my psi’s will change as much as 4 psi or more depending on which way I'm going, the time of day it is, and what elevation I'm riding at. But the thing is, as some will say, "Ride more worry less".
Click to expand...

THAT's ^ EXACTLY what you want to see after an hour's ride! ;) An increase of 4psi means your tires have heated up enough to bring them to operating temperature, but not so much that they're over-heating and at an increased risk of failure; or so little that they are at an increased risk of failure!! nojoke

If they DON'T go up by (about, or close too... ;) ) 4psi, then your tires are OVER-inflated for your load/your current riding style &/or the conditions etc. and you have reduced traction, a harsher ride, less suspension compliance, a greater risk of punctures if you run over any road debris &/or potholes, excessive tread wear in the centre of the tread, yada, yada, yada! And if they go up by any more than (about, or close to... ;) ) 4psi, then your tires are UNDER-inflated for your load/your current riding speed/style &/or the conditions etc. and you are risking catastrophic tire failure due to over-heating, excessive tread wear on the sides of the tread, poor handling, breaking the bead during hard cornering, yada, yada, yada! And if you get NO pressure change after riding for about an hour or so (and this goes for your car &/or your trailer tires too!) your tires are GROSSLY Over-inflated and apart from the significant loss of traction and the very harsh ride you'll be subjecting yourself to, you are also likely to be pounding the crap out of your vehicle, excessively damaging the road surface itself, and I'm surprised you've got any fillings left! :shocked:

But riding for about an hour & finding your tire pressures are increasing their pressure by 4psi (+/- no more than about 1 psi on most reasonable quality but not necessarily perfectly exactly accurate tire gauges ;) ) from your cold start pressures is pretty much spot on for the vast majority of pneumatic radial tire users! 😁


Sure, changing ambient temperatures, the load on your bike, the surface you're riding on, the speed you're riding at, how hard you're pushing it etc. etc. are all things likely to change the temperature increase of your tires and the air in them, so therefore the change of pressure, but if you're getting ABOUT a 4 psi increase (+/- as above) after an hour's ride (or however long your ride is over 30 or so minutes ;) ) then you are running tire pressures that are close enough to 'right' for some one riding a Spyder with all if its inherent 'features' and capability - cos as someone mentioned (Thanks Woodenfish! :)) your Spyder is a motorcycle and not a Space Shuttle... And it's not a race bike or ultra high performance machine either! (y)
 
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Woodenfish said:
Tire pressure no matter how it’s measured by digital gauge or TPMS will seldom match. If you are within a couple of tenths of 1PSI you are good to go. Tire pressure equalization is stretching it. This is a motorcycle and not a Space Shuttle.
Click to expand...

If you are within a couple of tenths of 1PSI you are pretty much golden.
 
That's well and good to try to be precise. However, if one tire is setting in the sun, guaranteed they will not be at the same pressure as soon as you turn it in the shady side. I'll wager that there isn't a rider on this forum that can tell the difference in 5% in differential pressure. Corollary: if you can, then riding East, switching direction to West, or vice versa, on a sunny day would drive you insane.

Ride more, worry less.
 
Peter Aawen said:
THAT's ^ EXACTLY what you want to see after an hour's ride! :ohyea: An increase of 4psi means your tires have heated up enough to bring them to operating temperature, but not so much that they're over-heating and at an increased risk of failure; or so little that they are at an increased risk of failure!! nojoke

If they DON'T go up by (about, or close too... ;) ) 4psi, then your tires are OVER-inflated for your load/your current riding style &/or the conditions etc. and you have reduced traction, a harsher ride, less suspension compliance, a greater risk of punctures if you run over any road debris &/or potholes, excessive tread wear in the centre of the tread, yada, yada, yada! And if they go up by any more than (about, or close to... ;) ) 4psi, then your tires are UNDER-inflated for your load/your current riding speed/style &/or the conditions etc. and you are risking catastrophic tire failure due to over-heating, excessive tread wear on the sides of the tread, poor handling, breaking the bead during hard cornering, yada, yada, yada! And if you get NO pressure change after riding for about an hour or so (and this goes for your car &/or your trailer tires too!) your tires are GROSSLY Over-inflated and apart from the significant loss of traction and the very harsh ride you'll be subjecting yourself to, you are also likely to be pounding the crap out of your vehicle, excessively damaging the road surface itself, and I'm surprised you've got any fillings left! :shocked:

But riding for about an hour & finding your tire pressures are increasing their pressure by 4psi (+/- no more than about 1 psi on most reasonable quality but not necessarily perfectly exactly accurate tire gauges ;) ) from your cold start pressures is pretty much spot on for the vast majority of pneumatic radial tire users! :ohyea:


Sure, changing ambient temperatures, the load on your bike, the surface you're riding on, the speed you're riding at, how hard you're pushing it etc. etc. are all things likely to change the temperature increase of your tires and the air in them, so therefore the change of pressure, but if you're getting ABOUT a 4 psi increase (+/- as above) after an hour's ride (or however long your ride is over 30 or so minutes ;) ) then you are running tire pressures that are close enough to 'right' for some one riding a Spyder with all if it's inherent 'features' and capability - cos as someone mentioned (Thanks Woodenfish! 👍) your Spyder is a motorcycle and not a Space Shuttle... And it's not a race bike or ultra high performance machine either! :2thumbs:
Click to expand...
I have a 2024 Spyder RT LTD bought new last August. I've been used to 2 wheels and tyre pressure monitors. Now I have asked what the tyre pressures should be? Nobody seems to be able to give me a straight answer, a bit like potations here in the UK...
 
I get wanting to be precise! I'm all about it with setting the pressures in any of my tires, anal in fact.

I see how the T setup with the air hoses might work but when you're removing the air hoses from the tire valves, some air escapes, right? A small amount to be sure but there goes your precision. Some might say that they add a bit more pressure to compensate for this but how is that different than the below?

How is this different than carefully using a good tire pressure gauge and taking care to make sure that both tires have equal PSI? I can do this in a snap, and it would most certainly take more time for me to get the T setup in place, air up, and then remove.
 
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flapjackandbeans said:
I have a 2024 Spyder RT LTD bought new last August. I've been used to 2 wheels and tyre pressure monitors. Now I have asked what the tyre pressures should be? Nobody seems to be able to give me a straight answer, a bit like potations here in the UK...
Click to expand...

There are several stickers on a Spyder where the tire pressures are stated, also in the owner's manual. Check the frunk, check the book, check under the seat.
 
You are both right in a lot of ways! If flapjack is still on stock tires use the stickers, if not and he has car tires on well he can come down a bit! God knows if he uses the search engine to research the subject, he will get enough info to make his eye's bleed for sure!!! The best way in my book to air up your tires are get a GOOD air chuck and take your time and get it within a lb, or two, and call it a day! You can really beat a horse to death in my book!
 
flapjackandbeans said:
I have a 2024 Spyder RT LTD bought new last August. I've been used to 2 wheels and tyre pressure monitors. Now I have asked what the tyre pressures should be? Nobody seems to be able to give me a straight answer, a bit like potations here in the UK...
Click to expand...
As many of us have said, both in this thread and the numerous others on the subject, if you're still running the OEM Kendas, I'm sorry for you, but go by the pressure indicated on the tire placard or in the manual, those tires are so lightly constructed that they need that much air in them to carry the (lightweight) load of you'n the Spyder, and altho they will tend to wear out quickly in way that suggests over-inflation, especially on the rear, they aren't and running anything much less in the way of pressure and you'll be risking catastrophic failure thru under-inflation and over-heating! So for OEM tires, use the pressures indicated on the placard!

However, if you are running A/mkt 'normal' car tires that are constructed well & strongly enough to carry a car & a load that's generally something around 3 times heavier than a Spyder's load at the pressures indicated on your Spyder's tire placard for the lightweight OEM tires, you really don't need so much air pressure in your A/mkt tires; and in fact, running that much air in a 'normal' car tire under your Spyder's load will significantly reduce their traction and increase the risk of catastrophic failure thru over-inflation, just like a balloon that's been blown up too much!!

If you search for 'tire pressures' here, there's a LOT of discussion and detail that you could read (probably should read at least some of it!) but as a quick start for you and the majority of those who've tossed the OEM Kendas for 'normal' car tires, you won't be far wrong if you set your tire pressures to about 18 psi all round. I've yet to find anyone who truly warrants running anything much higher, and there are some (me included) who quite successfully run a bit less, around 16 psi, at least at times, generally to maximise traction in the wet.

Even if you don't actually 'search' for any of the other multitude of threads on whatever the subject might be in any particular thread, just scroll down a little below the text of the last post in the thread, to where it says 'Similar threads' and have a look to see if anything in there might help you. You could even click on one of them occasionally and spend some time reading - on this subject alone, there's a whole lot to learn about tire pressures that's already been posted here on the Forum! (y)
 
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