Help me with choosing tire size! 2001 XJ

[goodburbon]

Q: Could you air down the tires to get an even wear?

A: It's possible, but I'm not sure how to calculate the optimal pressure to do that.

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Answer: Draw a thick chalk line across the tread and roll around the block slowly, adjust pressure as necessary until chalk disappears evenly across the tread as you drive.

 

[RTicUL8]

Answer: Draw a thick chalk line across the tread and roll around the block slowly, adjust pressure as necessary until chalk disappears evenly across the tread as you drive.

Cool!

Makes sense. :thumbup:

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I wonder though how variables like speed and heat might change the shape of the tire.

 

[goodburbon]

As temperature increases, so will air pressure. Heck, I've aired down to 12 to go wheeling on a cool morning and when I got back to camp that afternoon. been up to 20psi. As for centrifugal and centripital forces, it would seem that the tire would want to bow out in the center, but the contact pressure between the tire and the ground would be the primary force acting on the bottom of the tire as it rotates. We're not talking about racing slicks on the back of a dragster, we're talking about steel belted multi-ply radial tires.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

I ended up ordering the 245/75/R16 Duratracs. They'll be plenty beefy and they'll fit properly. Should have a set of 5 by monday with an out the door price of $822.