Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Tyre pressure query, new owner

Hi All, Just got my first Morgan, 1997 4/4 1800.
It has 4 brand new Continental contact 165/80 R15's fitted.
First drive out both the boss and I thought it was very hard and a bit skitish over bumps.
I checked the original owners handbook supplied with the car where the pressure is stated as 18psi all round. My gauge shows them as 25/26psi which seems hard. I see on this forum that 22psi seems quite common. Should I go down to 18 as the owners manual suggests or is that to low for modern tyres.
Regards Huddie

As you have found out there are many views on this. Personally I runn 22psi all round (same tyres as yours).

Morgans are harder than modern cars....

I normally run my 1988 4/4 (on the same tyres) at about 20-22psi which seems to be about the optimum for me. I did accidentally left my tyres at 28 after a track session once, it was way too hard for day to day use.

You might also want to consider the front spings - I swapped overto rutherford spings with adjustable AVO shocks (available from Tim Ayres, and Mike Duncan) which transformed the car, I need to think about a rear upgrade at some point too!

Theres also the new set up that folks have been talking about, which could be a bigger improvement.

Welcome to the mogness by the way

I'd echo the comments about the AVO shocks.

Hi Richard, Quick response much appreciated. Any particular reason why 22 as apposed to softer or harder.
Regards Huddie

Huddie, the 4/4 is so light and the std springs so stiff the tyres have to have enough 'give' to soften the ride and get their contact patch the right shape.
I run 24 psi rears to stop the rear end squirming and 22 psi fronts - 1986 4/4.
https://sites.google.com/site/morganatica/suspension/springs-progressive-rising-rate might be interesting. Regards PJB.

18psi for road 24psi for track I have tubes in so run them at 21psi all the time stop the tubes rubbing against the inner wall of the tyres.

I ran my 94 4/4 at 22 psi.
I run my 97 +4 at 25, mainly to help it over the speedbumps in my road.

Firstly, welcome to TM
After trying various pressures, I've settled for 20 front 22 rear, on Continentals
This seems to provide the best compromise of ride and grip.

Bud
__________
2003 - 4/4

My friend with the '99 4/4 has just been persuaded to fit his first new set of tyres and has found them much better. He fitted Vredestein and found them a great improvement. He was still running the original tyres with a higher front pressure, as advised by a dealer in Brussels, in an effort to lighten the steering. The result, with original springs and shocks, was an unbelievably harsh ride.

They have done quite a few long trips but now his wife is reluctant to go in his car. After they went for a run in my car, fitted with GAZ adjustable shocks and the roller bearings under the springs and found it so much better he momentarily considered buying a new car. After I have fitted the new Suplex Front suspension ‘Refinement System’ kit (in 10 day's time), I will give him another run in my car. He is not very technical but if they like it I am hoping, for his and his wife's sake, that he decides to fit some himself. He really needs new springs and shocks anyway so the extra expense of the Suplex kit would be minor in relation to the benefits.