Michelin Pilot Sport 4S Tire Pressure

[Junkyard Dog]

I wanted to ask those of you who have used Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires what you set for tire pressure. I have had these tires wear in the middle first (in the center of the tread rather than at the edges on either side). My Trofeo RS tires did the same. Accordingly, I have been experimenting with setting my tire pressures based on hot pressure, rather than cold, aiming for 32-34 psi.

This meant that they were at 29 psi this morning when I started the engine for my 5:30 a.m. gym excursion.

The tires seem to grip better at this lower hot tire pressure range, too.

Have any of you experimented with lower cold pressures, targeting a certain hot temperature, rather than just setting the cold pressure for the door jamb recommendation of 33 psi (Dark Horse with HP)? The regular GT cold tire pressure recommendation on the door jamb is ridiculously high.

How has your tire wear been and based on what tire pressure? Answer especially if you can answer for the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, but I would be interested in your experience with other tires, too.

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[Gregs24]

I wanted to ask those of you who have used Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires what you set for tire pressure. I have had these tires wear in the middle first (in the center of the tread rather than at the edges on either side). My Trofeo RS tires did the same. Accordingly, I have been experimenting with setting my tire pressures based on hot pressure, rather than cold, aiming for 32-34 psi.

This meant that they were at 29 psi this morning when I started the engine for my 5:30 a.m. gym excursion.

The tires seem to grip better at this lower hot tire pressure range, too.

Have any of you experimented with lower cold pressures, targeting a certain hot temperature, rather than just setting the cold pressure for the door jamb recommendation of 33 psi (Dark Horse with HP)? The regular GT cold tire pressure recommendation on the door jamb is ridiculously high.

How has your tire wear been and based on what tire pressure? Answer especially if you can answer for the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, but I would be interested in your experience with other tires, too.

I have always run 30psi cold all around on my S550 and S650 with nice even wear. The fronts especially seem happier at this pressure with good grip even from cold. That is with PS4S, Continental Sport Contact 7 on the S550 and now PZ4 on the S650

Ride was much improved too.

After 8k miles I have even wear on S650 across the tread both front and back

 

[CRC123]

Mine is on Dollie’s until April. I plan on 30 psi cold for the Pzero’s. She only has 26.5 miles on her so we shall see

 

[CRC123]

Could always do the sidewalk chalk on the tires and drive in a straight line to check for even wear at a set temp.

 

[Bob M.]

Is there a reason the comments above don't agree with the recommended tire pressures on the door jam decal. Or did the Ford engineers just arbitrarily pick 32psi for front and rear pressures?

 

[smurfslayer]

Is there a reason the comments above don't agree with the recommended tire pressures on the door jam decal. Or did the Ford engineers just arbitrarily pick 32psi for front and rear pressures?

First, the handling package Mustangs have much more aggressive and sticky tires stock. For the Dark Horse, the Pirelli Trofeo with a tread wear rating of about 180, whereas the Pilot Sport 4S have a 300 tread wear and they're a bit chunkier.

So, we're now campaigning a completely different tire, which they use at the Dark Horse Track Attack - at about the same 33-ish psi FWIW. Obviously, they're not wearing out the center first.

However, we throw in a bunch if highway miles, or short / back road trips that barely tax the tire's capability and we can easily see wear patterns develop unexpectedly.
I've been keeping mine at around 32 psi, and haven't noticed any unusual wear, nor have I had the micrometer out to check them.

I very much did notice my Raptor wore the BFG KO2's center significantly more than the edges at the recommended 38psi. I've mostly been keeping the fronts of the Rap at 33-35 and the rears at 31-33, unless I'm hauling stuff or doing a long trip. That seems to have evened out the tire wear.
I'm pretty sure I'm taking a hit on economy, but I prefer the even wear and better traction.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

Is there a reason the comments above don't agree with the recommended tire pressures on the door jam decal. Or did the Ford engineers just arbitrarily pick 32psi for front and rear pressures?

My Trofeo RS recommended setting on the door jamb was 33psi cold. Two things. (1) they shot up to 46-48psi after 20 minutes on track, so I had to let a bunch of air out of them to get the best performance. (2) setting them to around 33 psi cold (I actually drifted lower cold as time went by) resulted in most of the wear being in the center of the tread, which told me that the recommended 33 psi was way too high.


I do not know whether the Ford Engineers arbitrarily picked 32psi on your car, but I would guess the answer to your question is "No, that was not an arbitrary choice." BUT, their choice may have been based on some factor other than even wear across the tread and maximum traction, like, oh, rolling resistance and mpg figures.

Me and some others have had better results running lower pressures with respect to traction, that is, looking for hot tire pressures at the cold recommendation, approximately. Others posting here have had more even wear across the tread surface doing the same, which is what I am asking about. We'll see over time if others have had different experiences. It's only been a few hours since I asked.

So, yes, there is a reason. Results.

But I am welcoming all experiences (with tire pressures and tread wear) here so we have a small database of information based on the real world.

Blindly following a sticker on the door jamb is ok for some. I won't criticize if you choose to do that. I want to discover, however, if there is a better way to spread the wear more evenly across the tread face. I already seem to have my answer with respect to traction.

 

[LouG]

I like that you're testing cold pressures v pressure at running temps. Damn good idea even for street use.
I'm running 32psi cold for street use and haven't seen abnormal wear yet.

 

[smurfslayer]

My Trofeo RS recommended setting on the door jamb was 33psi cold. Two things. (1) they shot up to 46-48psi after 20 minutes on track, so I had to let a bunch of air out of them to get the best performance.

Zoinks.

FWIW, for track attack I saw hot pressures of about 37-38psi on the center cluster; this was back in May of '25 and they were sitting about 32-33 cold. It rained both days, but both days were in the 80s for highs.

 

[Paul's stable]

I wanted to ask those of you who have used Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires what you set for tire pressure. I have had these tires wear in the middle first (in the center of the tread rather than at the edges on either side). My Trofeo RS tires did the same. Accordingly, I have been experimenting with setting my tire pressures based on hot pressure, rather than cold, aiming for 32-34 psi.

This meant that they were at 29 psi this morning when I started the engine for my 5:30 a.m. gym excursion.

The tires seem to grip better at this lower hot tire pressure range, too.

Have any of you experimented with lower cold pressures, targeting a certain hot temperature, rather than just setting the cold pressure for the door jamb recommendation of 33 psi (Dark Horse with HP)? The regular GT cold tire pressure recommendation on the door jamb is ridiculously high.

How has your tire wear been and based on what tire pressure? Answer especially if you can answer for the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, but I would be interested in your experience with other tires, too.

My Dark Horse HP the door jamb sticker says 30 psi is the right pressure. Tires wear in the middle means you are over inflating.

 

[COBill]

Wear or not I always set tire pressures when cold to the value indicated on the door jamb.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

My Dark Horse HP the door jamb sticker says 30 psi is the right pressure. Tires wear in the middle means you are over inflating.

Yours says 30 psi? You are sure of this?


Also, just some additional information, the Track Use manual
https://www.fordservicecontent.com/...N&div=f&vFilteringEnabled=False&buildtype=web
says to lower them to 28 psi cold for track, shooting for 36 psi hot (Trofeo). The regular Pirelli tires are 30 and 38.

So your post motivated me to get up, go out, open my driver's side door, and look.

My door jamb sticker says 33 psi, not 30.

Tires wear in the middle means you are over inflating.

Yes! This is my entire reason for making this thread.

If we get enough persons posting with real experiences regarding pressure and tire wear, we might get a useful reference thread.

 

[BimmerDriver]

Typically my tires wear out from track use long before they wear from normal street use, so I don't worry about the latter.

With PS4S I usually run around 30-31 cold shooting for no more than 38 hot on the track. 36 seems about optimal, and on a hot track day I'll lower the cold pressure a bit.

 

[Paul's stable]

Yours says 30 psi? You are sure of this?


Also, just some additional information, the Track Use manual
https://www.fordservicecontent.com/...N&div=f&vFilteringEnabled=False&buildtype=web
says to lower them to 28 psi cold for track, shooting for 36 psi hot (Trofeo). The regular Pirelli tires are 30 and 38.

So your post motivated me to get up, go out, open my driver's side door, and look.

My door jamb sticker says 33 psi, not 30.





Yes! This is my entire reason for making this thread.

If we get enough persons posting with real experiences regarding pressure and tire wear, we might get a useful reference thread.

Well it seems I miss read my door jamb and it say 33 psi not 30 dam I needed to put on my reading glasses. Mine have been set at 30 cold then it would rise to 34-35 when hot. Tires are wearing nice though. Just what I do I'm just an old man so don't pay much attention to me.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

Well it seems I miss read my door jamb and it say 33 psi not 30 dam I needed to put on my reading glasses. Mine have been set at 30 cold then it would rise to 34-35 when hot. Tires are wearing nice though. Just what I do I'm just an old man so don't pay much attention to me.

If they are wearing evenly and driving well and getting good traction . . . wait. It is December, and you are in Canada . . .

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