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First off thanks for the kudos but I gotta say I think overinflating tires is a seriously bad idea. Granted the manufacturers build in a bit of leeway but road damage/wear can eat that up with one pothole or just the little dings/nicks/wear of driving.
Some things to consider.
1. Contact patch, tires are designed to run with a certain amount of rubber on the road. Overinflating reduces this leading to less friction (and a bit better mileage) This reduces braking and cornering, could be the difference between a safe panic stop and meeting a new friend over the exchange of insurance information.
2. Control, the shocks only take care of the large bumps, the whole idea of pneumatic tires is keeping the rubber on the road. Overinflated tires can't absorb small bumps as well leading to less control. When my F250 is at max pressure (75psi) for hauling, but I'm running empty it skitters all over the road on the washboard roads up here. I have to adjust from 45-50 for normal/empty running to max for hauling hay/dirt/heavy trailers. Small imperfections in pavement will have the same effect to a lesser degree.
3. Wear and tear on other parts. What the overinflated tires transfer to the suspension will hasten wear and tear on shocks/bushings etc.
4. Sudden impacts. If you're at 50 when sitting still, just imagine what the pressures go to when you hit that pothole you didn't see in time to slow down for.
The bottom line is do yo think the payoff/risk is worth it. On one of the Jeep forums I'm on someone did the math to prove it's cheaper to run at max pressure because the shorter life of the tires was more than paid for by the fuel savings, I'm not arguing that, I completely agree. However the general consensus was it just wasn't worth it when the other factors were thrown in. The control loss and ride are the deciding factor for me.
As an aside, for Jeeps we run the "chalk test" draw a line across the tread and drive 100' or so, if the line wears off evenly you're OK. Even wear is usually found at quite a bit lower pressure than max pressure, I run a bit between the 2 for a balance between wear and ride/fuel mileage. For my Volvos I adjust for handling.
Overinflation = false economy and dangerous IMHO.
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Dave Shannon
Durango, CO
'63 P-210
'67 1800s
'88-240
'01 Wrangler
'06 F250 Diesel 4X4
my pages
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