[newInsight]

I wanted to check my tire air yesterday and realized those skirts are kinda in the way.

I still haven't figured out how I want to approach this and I'm just wondering what techniques other drivers use.

The threads mentioning the skirts flying away leave me a little hesitant to take them off regularly. I'm also a little apprehensive about rolling back and forth to align the valve to where it's accessible - but right now that seems like my best option.

But I'm thinking, there's gotta be a better way. Is there?

(I haven't found a thread on this yet, but please direct me to it if it's already been covered.)

 

[HafNHaf]

i check the front ones, then look to see if either rear stem is in view. for some reason, one usually is. so i check that one and roll the car to check the last. if any are low its time to pump 'em up to 50. after about a month they are down to 45 or so.

andy g.

 

[Insightful Trekker]

<snip>

The threads mentioning the skirts flying away leave me a little hesitant to take them off regularly. I'm also a little apprehensive about rolling back and forth to align the valve to where it's accessible - but right now that seems like my best option.

But I'm thinking, there's gotta be a better way. Is there?

<snip>

I don't understand your hesitation in simply rolling the car a bit. I too wouldn't go to the trouble of skirt removal for a simple pressure check. Not beacuse of any fears in regard to the fasteners, but because its just too much trouble :!:

The only thing easier is if your car is on an automotive lift (e.g. for an oil change). Still too much trouble for a pressure check though.

Sorry, I don't see any rocket science that is gonna make it any easier in the future either.

HTH!

 

[jbrasure]

i check the front ones, then look to see if either rear stem is in view. for some reason, one usually is. so i check that one and roll the car to check the last. if any are low its time to pump 'em up to 50. after about a month they are down to 45 or so.

andy g.

Is it really safe to pump the tires up to 50? I believe the max pressure rating of the stock tires is 44.

 

[Insightful Trekker]

Asked and answered at length in many posts before. Try the forum search feature.

Basically, no its not safe. You are _using_ some of the margin of safety that's built into the tires and if your in the wrong place at the wrong time...

With that said I inflate mine to 50 psi too.

HTH!

 

[Rick]

IMHO it's best to remove them from time to time. The trick is to learn how to put them back on properly and you won't ever have any problems with them. The only time I ever had an issue with them was when I first got my Insight and didn't get one side properly fastened and I lost two of the fasteners (and luckily not the skirt). Mine come off about every week when I give the car a bath so I can clean the wheels and I've never had a problem since. The trick is to fasten then pull down and out to make sure they're fastened properly.

 

[Resist]

Is it really safe to pump the tires up to 50? I believe the max pressure rating of the stock tires is 44.

The rated pressure and safety rated pressure are two different things. But with that in mind if you ever had problem related to pressure the no one would cover it. The main thing is quality of ride and how the car grips the road.

But I filled mine up to 50 psi and traveled cross country west coast to east and back with no problems.

 

[HafNHaf]

i'm using sumitomos rated at 51 psi. no worries there. and i have hit some very bad sharp-edged holes in the concrete slabs on the interstate at speeds up to 65 mph without any issues.

andy g.

 

[newInsight]

I don't understand your hesitation in simply rolling the car a bit.

yeah, i guess i didn't want to go that route without asking around first. still seems a little awkward, but i'm ok with it.

i'm glad i got around to checking the pressure - it was low.

again, thanks for the feedback!

 

[Hegel]

Funny you should mention

Well, how appropriate.

I went to check my tire pressure today and as usual, the rear skirts were in the way (are they ever not?) :roll:

I've got a manual transmission, so I just put the car in neutral and rolled it forward a few feet. You should give it a shot just so you can feel how light the Insight is!

-H[/b]

 

[HafNHaf]

yep, its light alright! i have pushed my 88 jeep grand wagoneer a few times. almost not possible. 2-1/2 tons of steel on a/t tires. no wonder it gets about 12mpg!

andy g.

 

[Wayne M]

Super pressurized tires

'Back in the days' when I was a Volvo master auto tech, I'd occaisionally be checking the tire pressure of a customer's car (yeah, I really did do that) on an oil service and find the clown had been using his lookwright tire guage to fill the tires. That's basically when the goof slaps an air line onto the tire a pumps until the tire 'look right' :roll: . I remember one day, I was called over to another tech's area 'cause his guage kept pegging out at 60 psi, and he was curious (as we had a running bet as to how high Michellin's would go) to the psi on these. My truck tire guage was used to confirm that these had 110 psi all around!! :shock:

I'll take it on faith that if you have tires that are rated at 44psi like mine, you can likely take them up to 50 (use at your own risk disclaimer added here) particularly since the Insight is so light and that's only about a 12% margin. Probably designed into the tire for safety / liability / human error factors. But as usual, there's tradeoffs with handeling and ride comfort / control, so find your 'fit' and go for it.