# Audi S3 w/ 19 tire pressure info



## M this 2! (Feb 8, 2012)

After finally having some time to play with some setting of psi, I have initial good news. I couldn't believe the door 44psi would be for anything other than tire/rim protection and best mpg. I could be wrong, but it was NOT for best handling. In L.A. we have many very fun on ramps and on my local favorite coming off Hawthorne onto the 405 N, the thing would not bite in the front. felt actually worse after spring install and alignment. It just wanted to gently understeer. even drop throttle did not fix. So I lowered just the fronts to 40 even and BAM! massively different car. The best thing with this post and tire pressure advise is it's free! You can play with it all day long and find out what works for you. But just go try this and nothing else first. It gives SO, SO much more bite up front! Of course I worry I'll hit a pothole and hurt something so I stopped at my store (Audi dealer) and looked on our wall in service where the Comfort Rating is posted. 

S3: 225 40 18 39 front 36 rear
225 40 18 AS 38 front 35 rear
235 35 19 39 front 36 rear

So you can go down to 5 psi less up front and 8 psi in rear til you find your happy spot for your driving and your roads. As you get to high psi, the tire rounds out and you basically stop running on its edges. This of course gives you a smaller contact patch and less grip. You can also go lower and lower until only the edges are hitting the pavement as the tire gets concave. I will next start lowering the rear just to see how it responds but am guessing will keep it at 44 as I'd prefer some rotation back there at the limit and I might as well have tire protection. We'll see.......... This may be all redone as soon as I get the rear sway bar on there as well. go check it out.


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## trueunion (Apr 15, 2008)

Nice info Thanks BTW your BIO does not say S3 yet? What color did you get and what springs did you buy?


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## M this 2! (Feb 8, 2012)

I ordered Panther Black and have the H&R Sport springs. Color is crazy in the sun


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## rabbitgtibbar (Apr 29, 2002)

M this 2! said:


> I ordered Panther Black and have the H&R Sport springs. Color is crazy in the sun


It's got bits of real panther in it.


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## graphicsworks (Jul 11, 2000)

rabbitgtibbar said:


> It's got bits of real panther in it.


I thought they had switched to water-based paints, not animal based...hmmm, not so eco-friendly...

Thank you for all the tire pressure info!


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## M this 2! (Feb 8, 2012)

I just know that the color works. Actually 60% of the time, it works everytime


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## ProjectA3 (Aug 12, 2005)

I have all of mine currently set at 46. I do 98% highway driving at 70-80mph and has sensed this has helped smooth out the ride and better MPG.

However i just went through a rear set of Pilot Super Sports in 9k miles due to an aggressive suspension drop and found that running the PSI listed on the door wasn't advised and my technician friend recommend to go much higher because of my commute. Now I'll be rotating my wheels more frequently and keeping the PSI high unless I do a track or autoX day. but in that case i would most likely have a 2nd set of wheels and tires.


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## gtitx1 (Oct 6, 2014)

ProjectA3 said:


> I have all of mine currently set at 46. I do 98% highway driving at 70-80mph and has sensed this has helped smooth out the ride and better MPG.
> 
> However i just went through a rear set of Pilot Super Sports in 9k miles due to an aggressive suspension drop and found that running the PSI listed on the door wasn't advised and my technician friend recommend to go much higher because of my commute. Now I'll be rotating my wheels more frequently and keeping the PSI high unless I do a track or autoX day. but in that case i would most likely have a 2nd set of wheels and tires.


I run 39 front 36 rear as specified in the manual. I went up over 40 and found the ride way too harsh over bumps and the handling suffered.


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## rabbitgtibbar (Apr 29, 2002)

M this 2! said:


> I just know that the color works. Actually 60% of the time, it works everytime



:laugh:


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## M this 2! (Feb 8, 2012)

The door listed 44 is recommended max for a loaded car. The 39ft/36rr is the lowest recommended you can go for comfort needs.

At 46, the tire will be quickly wearing out in the middle and I doubt help any on mpg. It also gives the car a skatey feel.


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## M this 2! (Feb 8, 2012)

I just played around with the car at the same 40psi front. But instead of the maxed out 44 in the rear, went to the min recommend of 36. granted I've not gotten the car to the limit yet at this setting, but it feels very, very balanced and I've gotten basically ALL the odd wallow out of the car and rid it of tons of understeer! It is worth a try people!


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## Mr Gee (Jan 30, 2006)

Yeah, I'm running the placarded pressure as per the label on my door for a light load as well. The car with the higher pressure set by the PDI team and the steering was so numb.


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## JFNovae (Nov 2, 2004)

405 Hawthorne is my ramp too! Blue R and just added a white s3 to the household. Front left tpms went on. Tire was in the 20s. I must have a nail. Oh and 19s. I put 44 all around as per door jam and the car felt skaty and harsher firmer but smootber maybe on why. Havent pushed too hard. But from what yall say I will try 41 all around. Mostly hwy driving.


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## PbanyS3 (Jun 13, 2015)

Anybody else?:beer::beer:opcorn:


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## 05LGT (Mar 24, 2013)

With just about any front heavy fwd biased vehicle (understeer tendency) it makes sense to start out with higher psi in the front and play around adjusting each end a couple psi at a time till you get the feel you like for your driving style/conditions. Factory recommendations factor in a wide range of conditions and driving styles and I'm sure they err on the side of caution/safety/understeer.


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## will13k7 (Aug 30, 2015)

40 all around since I got it, been too lazy to play with rear PSI. it's been pretty good at 40. dealer deflated them to 35 once, don't know what they were thinking, maybe they wanted 45 but did 35. :screwy: TPMS went crazy on the freeway. :facepalm:


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## GBH (Sep 13, 2004)

Great info all, I will have to check mine and play with the pressures. Thx for the feedback.


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## TornadoR32 (May 18, 2006)

Been at 44 on my pirelli snow tires. Harsher ride but like it that way. :thumbup:


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