Tire pressure and pot holes

[MME1122]

I just replaced a tire after hitting a pothole and getting a bubble in the sidewall. I had to replace one last winter as well, NJ roads can get tough. Here's my question: the manual states 41 psi front, 38 rear for a fully loaded car on the factory 18s. It also recommends 38/32 for up to 2 passengers, which is how I use the car 95% of the time so I've been filling the tires to that. Does this help or hurt at all if I hit a pothole? Would the higher pressure be better?
I was also thinking of going for a higher load rating when I need new tires, the factory tires are 93 but there's plenty of options for 97. Would this help? Also, are winter or all season tires better suited to survive potholes? I've been wanting to put 19" or 20" rotors on but I'm afraid of the potholes lol. I was thinking of keeping my 18s as a winter set but having already lost two tires on them I'm not sure how much that would help. I probably need to adjust my driving habits a bit, but it seems the occasional pothole is inevitable.

[yxri]

I just replaced a tire after hitting a pothole and getting a bubble in the sidewall. I had to replace one last winter as well, NJ roads can get tough. Here's my question: the manual states 41 psi front, 38 rear for a fully loaded car on the factory 18s. It also recommends 38/32 for up to 2 passengers, which is how I use the car 95% of the time so I've been filling the tires to that. Does this help or hurt at all if I hit a pothole? Would the higher pressure be better?
I was also thinking of going for a higher load rating when I need new tires, the factory tires are 93 but there's plenty of options for 97. Would this help? Also, are winter or all season tires better suited to survive potholes? I've been wanting to put 19" or 20" rotors on but I'm afraid of the potholes lol. I was thinking of keeping my 18s as a winter set but having already lost two tires on them I'm not sure how much that would help. I probably need to adjust my driving habits a bit, but it seems the occasional pothole is inevitable.

What size sidewall do you have? the bigger the side wall the stronger the tire is to big pot hole.

[Vanimal]

I live in PA now used to NJ. Similar roads and I run 20" wheels on my S5. I've usually run maybe 40f/38r. For whatever reason I've been running 38/38. No flats yet, this includes my precious stock 19" tires.

Crazy you're having problems with 18" tires. There's so much meat compared to my previous 255/35/19 and now 275/30/20.


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[MME1122]

What size sidewall do you have? the bigger the side wall the stronger the tire is to big pot hole.

245/40/18. That's why I'm thinking maybe different tires will help.

I live in PA now used to NJ. Similar roads and I run 20" wheels on my S5. I've usually run maybe 40f/38r. For whatever reason I've been running 38/38. No flats yet, this includes my precious stock 19" tires.

Crazy you're having problems with 18" tires. There's so much meat compared to my previous 255/35/19 and now 275/30/20.


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Yeah, that's what scares me about going to 19s or 20s.

[PEM]

I feel like higher pressure would be better in regards to avoiding bubbling, but you should still either avoid potholes or if you can't, go over them as slow as you can. Lower pressure means the pothole will be able to pinch your tires easier thus creating the bubble. Though seeing as how you're on 18in and still having these issues, do you even try to avoid potholes or just plow through them? lol

[MME1122]

Lol I do try to avoid them but I didn't see the one I hit recently, I hit it at about 25 mph. It was the road I take to work, Friday it was fine Saturday there was a crater three feet across and I was coming home late at night.

[PEM]

Damn.. Ninja potholes at night are the worst. I don't know about the load thing but I agree with the more sidewall route at least during the winter time if you're having issues with potholes. If the 40 you have isn't enough, maybe step up to a 50 or something.

[Vanimal]

I hated the look of the stock 19" wheels on my S5, they seemed small on the car. There's gotta be give and take somewhere :) I could never go back to a 19" wheel. My friend runs 20x10 wheels on his S5. He lives in South NJ and his car is WAY lower than mine. No problems with tires on his end.

See how good 20" wheels look. :) Do IT! :)









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[Blackabi]

What kinda wheelsare those

[MME1122]

Ugh those look so good. I'm hooked on the rotors myself, I keep debating on 19 vs 20. I'm wondering if I can get away with running 19s all year round. 20s, I'm not so sure.

[Vanimal]

@MME1122 so far so good for me! Obviously a set of quality wheels help like forged or flow forged. Rotors were my first choice as well for a OEM+ look. But I couldn't pass up the deal on these via Mops. You should have no problems running 19" year round, there still is plenty of tire meat. My S5 came with 19" wheels stock and ran them year round for years without problem.

@Blackabi They are Vorsteiner VFF-103, I got them through Mops. He has a KILLER deal on a set right now in silver and carbon for I think $1800? Normal msrp is $2700 I believe.


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[paulxxwall]

Hey vanimal is the color of your car black or what seems to me is the dark blue ? Either way I love the wheels as I have a dark blue b8 that I'm looking to put some wheels on. And was looking around for ideas and yours is really nice.


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[bknewtype]

18s's, 19's, 20's, it doesn't matter as long as you watch how you drive over potholes. I think even the biggest of potholes can damage 18's, not just 19's and 20's. I had 19's stretched on 245 and 20's on 275 ( both 10.5 wide ) and never had an issue. my pops g35 has 18" tires with a 45 profile. that shit is meaty and he had already replaced his tires 3 times due to potholes. its all a matter of how you drive. and I live in NYC which is way worst than your nj roads.

just take it easy and avoid when you can. wont make much of a difference. if u like 20's, go for em.

[JoshDub]

What tires are you running? I've heard Contis are more susceptible to sidewall damage than others, but I've never experienced that first hand.

[PEM]

I can confirm NYC streets have craters lol.

[bknewtype]

I can confirm NYC streets have craters lol.

and I survived all of them! being low with stretch tires, never an issue. g35, 4x4 height and 18's with a thick ass side walls, nothing but problems because pops don't care for potholes

iv seen some craters the size of china

[Feryunda]

Have you used Nitrogen?. I think there is no place in the world with more potholes that in my home country Colombia... over there a lot of the people including most of the taxi drivers in big cities like Bogota use nitrogen, and it suppose to help.... don't ask me why, but a lot of people believe it...

[Vanimal]

Hey vanimal is the color of your car black or what seems to me is the dark blue ? Either way I love the wheels as I have a dark blue b8 that I'm looking to put some wheels on. And was looking around for ideas and yours is really nice.


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It's Deep Sea Blue Pearl. Very hard color to capture via a photo. In person it's a phenomenal color. Here's what it looks like in the sun. It looks black at night or even in low lighting.

I like my combo now as it's OEM-ish. But I debating on doing my wheels a similar color to this B8. Along with getting my aluminum window trim wrapped and carbon fiber mirror caps. Change it up a bit maybe.






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[paulxxwall]

It's Deep Sea Blue Pearl. Very hard color to capture via a photo. In person it's a phenomenal color. Here's what it looks like in the sun. It looks black at night or even in low lighting.

I like my combo now as it's OEM-ish. But I debating on doing my wheels a similar color to this B8. Along with getting my aluminum window trim wrapped and carbon fiber mirror caps. Change it up a bit maybe.






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Yes same color as my b8 and looking for the same look as yours! Maybe not as low but very similar


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[shonseb]

18s's, 19's, 20's, it doesn't matter as long as you watch how you drive over potholes. its all a matter of how you drive. and I live in NYC which is way worst than your nj roads.

It really is, but sometimes there are those new potholes like the OP described that appear out nowhere and take out a tire, and worse a wheel:



This was on Stock 19" rotors in NYC with Dunlop sport max (load rating 96). This is the front tire which was blown and the wheel bent, and this was at normal pressure. The rear ended up with a bubble in the sidewall but the wheel was good.

I tend to drive with higher pressures now and I don't even bother following the label on the door jamb except for bias. Instead I follow a general rule: 20% less than max tire pressure, then add 2-3 psi depending on the way the bias is on the doorjamb (Eg. if door jamb pressures read 38f 39R, and max PSI is 50, I would run 42F - 43R). I've been running my tires like this for years with no issues of premature wear from over inflation. I've hit some bad potholes and come out thinking I have at least a bubble but instead come out unscathed. The downside to running higher pressures is you lose some comfort and feel every bump in the road multiplied. And always make sure your tire pressures are checked when they are cold. I've seen too many people check pressures after driving 10 minutes or more and then think their pressures are correct.

I honestly feel that 18's would get damaged much easier because those usually run with lower pressures when compared to lower profile, higher PSI tires, like 19" or higher.