[Digital]

Do these tires appear flat? The door specs for the front are 32psi, but even at 36 psi these look flat to me.
Does anyone else have this issue?

 

[Miker]

Nope

Are all of the tires similar?

Is the car parked on a level pad?

If the car is parked with the drivers front tire lower than the rest the weight distribution will make the tire look "flatter" than the rest. Goes for any tire really.

 

[jackpine]

I don't think they look low, but my opinion is probably worth what you're paying for it.

- Jack

 

[200366HFP]

Its called side wall flex - taller profile tires do it better than low profile tires which usually equates to a smoother ride, if that's your thing.

 

[mtts60]

Don't go by what they look like. Go with what the gauge tells you.

 

[Digital]

The front tires both look like this. The rear ones don't. I think you're right since the front end of the car is heavier than the back.

 

[t-rd]

Those tires will appear that way even if you pump it to 50psi. I know, because a body shop during a repair last year pumped my front 16" snow tires to 50psi and it looked the same. I had to let air out to avoid a blowout. The weight of the engine compresses the tires. Always use a gauge to determine tire pressure.

 

[emeron]

Those tires look like they have some weight on them. For the tires to look round when there is weight on the them, the pressure inside has to be infinite.

Speaking for the FF layout, the typical 60/40 weight distribution means front tires have 50% more weight on them than those in the rear. Front tires are also responsible for all of the acceleration, almost all of the steering and most of the braking, so yea front tires work hard.

Pressure gauges, unlike tape measures, can easily be off. If in doubt, use a second gauge to confirm the reading.

 

[mclasser]

Some tires tend to bulge out more than others. My old Kumho's always looked underinflated, while the current General Altimax's don't have that problem.

 

[The_K_Man]

Do these tires appear flat? The door specs for the front are
32psi, but even at 36 psi these look flat to me.
Does anyone else have this issue?

They're radials - they're supposed to have a little bulge around the contact area with the pavement. Even at vehicle recommended cold pressure.

Radial tires have softer sidewalls than do the bias-ply tires installed on cars from WW1 until the early 1970s. They hejave more like the caterpillar treads on an Army tank or yellow excavator. It's that compliance that keeps you more connected to the road than with bias tires, even in high-speed turns.

Overinflate more than 5psi over what the vehicle maker specifies on that sticker on your door frame, and your radials will perform less effectively.

 

[enne]

Holy necropost, Batman.