Would like some help with tyre pressures on a LWB Vitara....

[RickUK]

Would it be possible to have a 2nd opinion on tyre pressure's on a 1998 5 door 2ltr V6 Vitara,in the handbook its showing the pressure as 23lbs which i am amazed at how low they are,of course they are the experts and not me but can someone just clarify that is the correct pressures.

The Tyre size are 215/65R16 on the normal steel rims and not after market or bigger than normal size tyres.

A rather confused.com new Vitara owner

[donkeychomp]

Run 30psi all round. I do and so do many others.

[RickUK]

I felt that 23ps was too low so untill i find what feels right i settled for 26ps and will run it at that setting for a week or so to give it a decent amount of time over various ground conditions road and when i go on a few local farms.

If i am happy with it at 26ps i will try it at say another 2ps up at a time till i hit 30 or i am happy with it.

[RickUK]

Well finally after trying various combinations of tyre pressure 28psi seems to be the best all round,i found running it at 30psi just a little harsh especially when going over say manhole or deep holes after the ice has lifted the tarmac.

I am finding that running at the slightly higher pressure has improved the mpg that i am getting at the moment on a long run at about a steady 60mph i am getting about 32mpg which for a 2ltr V6 i thought was reasonable.

[donkeychomp]

Glad you got it sorted.

[RickUK]

A further update,well the tyre pressures on the Vitara are ultra critical,in my last update although the handbook mention 23psi i though i knew better so i experimented in the high 20s and it just does not like them being that high.

Its fine upto say 50mph but after that it starts getting a little wild and hairy,not dangerous or anything like that but the wheels are perfectly balanced so i thought last night dropping them down to Suzuki recommended pressures of 23psi all round and 'Bingo' all the problems have gone.

I can sit on the motorway at of course the legal 70mph i never break the speed limit ever and its perfectly fine,it just shows you that Suzuki do know better than me

Must admit i have never had a car that is so critical regarding tyre pressures,i am thinking it must be the fact that the LWB version of the Vitara is not only narrower than other 4x4s but also much lighter,i had a Izusu Trooper Diesel for about 18 years and that was a heavy old bus but i always was able too run it at higher psi in the tyres and this gave me better mpg.

Anyway problem is all sorted