The X-One is another good all-seaon tire from Michellin, but I think "best" is a subjective term based on one's needs. Compared to the XGT, the X-One is a more general-purpose all-season that trades off high-speed performance for ride comfort and tread life.
Guys, the air filter change interval is in the manual on the regular service schedule. 30k is way too long, going by memory the book shows 10k-15k under normal conditions, less if you're in dusty conditions.
I changed mine once at 10k and then after that bought an AMSOil filter which I tended to clean and reoil about every 12k.
juice- My previous post advising Doug that the offsets on the Legacy/Impreza, except Forester, were +55mm is accurate, however, I omitted to say that it is true for all Legacy/Outback upto MY1999 and all Impreza to current year. For the Legacy/Outback from MY2000 on, their offset moved from +55mm to +48mm. I know I've seen that change to +48mm in print but I can't remember where. Anyhow, that's how they got the 225/60/16 onto the Outback.
It's been quite a while since I checked in on this board (as witnessed by the 1800+ new messages since I was last here.) But now when I'm having a problem I check in and what do I find... Some one else with a very similar problem.
Something very similar toPGH4's stalling problem has been occuring on my 2000 Legacy GT wagon. For 10K I have been telling my dealer that I have had an intermittant very rough (near stalling) idle. It showed no error codes so they (Bill Kolb Jr Subaru) said there was no problem. In the last few weeks there have been several stalls while standing still or moving very slowly. The car always starts right back up no problem. When I called the dealer I was told that the first thing they'll do is new plugs and filters(air+fuel) since I haven't done them in the 25K miles I've had the car. When I explained that I have been doing the maintinance as called for in the owners manual I was told "Nope, Subaru says plugs and filters should have been done at 15K" I hung up and checked my manual which calls for 30K not 15K. The dealer was going by the "Extreme conditions" specs. Now that I have lost trust in them, I'll do the plugs and filters my self.
Here's my question where is the fuel filter located, Engine bay, gas tank or between the two? And is it a problem to change in a very well equipped home garage?
It's located in the engine bay, on the driver's side between the windshield washer resevoir and brake fluid resevoir. The filter is a shiny metal cylinder about 3 inches in diameter and about 4 inches long. There will be two curved metal hoses coming out the top. Connected to the metal hoses with clamps are rubber hoses.
All you need to do is loosen the clamps and pull off the rubber hoses, swap out the filter, replace the hoses, and tighten the clamps. Use a Phillips screwdriver or something similar to temporarily plug the input rubber hose to prevent gas from pumping out all over the place while you work. Clean off any spilled fuel before starting the engine.
One caution: When you install the new filter, just be sure to NOT confuse the input and output hoses :-)
The first time you start the engine after replacing the filter, you will have to crank the engine a bit to prime the filter. Check the hose connections for any leaks once it starts.
Regarding the spark plugs, the owner's manual for my 2000 Legacy GT Limited sedan states that they don't have to be replaced for 30,000 miles, even in extreme conditions.
Generally spark plugs are functional for at least 30k miles even if they are copper. Platinum may be advertised to last up to 100k.
But in both cases, you'll get the best performance by switching every 15,000 miles or so. Justifying these frequent changes depends on how difficult the engine is to work on and if you notice any improvement. Many times you will observe an idle quality improvement.
Copper plugs conduct better than platinum and being cheaper are best for short change intervals. Iridium work the best and actually may be helpful in high output engines. Modern sportbikes come with them but they're heinously expensive and of no real help to most stock cars.
At my 30k service, the Subie dealer said they didn't need replacement until 60k. (MY2000) I'm not sure what type of plug (material) it is.
I just remember my old '83 VW GTI (purchased new)specified Bosch SILVER plugs. I think I paid about $5 each for them. When I pulled the existing OE plugs out...they weren't silver!!!
You're correct that the XG is designated all season. For some reason they don't list it in the Michelin website as all season but the tire description and tread pattern sure do state it. Don't know how I missed it as I regularly cruise the Michelin site and had been drooling about which Michelins to get until I settled on the X1s.
Also agree that 'best' is a misnomer as it depends on use. My use is long highway business trips from N. Idaho to LA or to Detroit and I wanted good all season traction first, then comfort and quiet second. The long tread life is simply a bonus as any tire will last a very long time in constant freeway use.
On air filters, I'm new to the Subaru world but the local independent mechanic and the dealer both advised me to use factory filters. My used Subaru came with a Fram which I swapped out and they showed me that it does not have metal in the ends to prevent deforming. The Fram was not very dirty yet, but had begun deforming around the ends where the metal should be. They both explained that this deformation is due to air flow and that it will leak unfiltered air past to trash the $$$ airflow metering sensors. The price for the original Subaru filter wasn't bad, so that's my choice from now on.
I've got a 98 Legacy GT Limited, auto. trans...recent 60K service, good all around car. I plan to run it until the wheels fall off!
Two things:
1 - As part of the 60K service, I had the transmission fluid changed. Still having the same problem...harsh shifting, particularly when I slow down to an almost complete stop, and press on the gas, I get a thunking noise, and a jolt. Any suggestions? It's been doing this for some time.
2 - I'll need new tires in the next year or so. I have Michelin Pilot XGH4 tires... 205-55R16 89H currently on the car. Any suggestions on something less expensive, but won't sacrifice the performance/handling of the car?
1)Did you have the dealer check out your transmission problem? Whenever you have something not right, the first thing to do is get the dealer to document the problem. I'd go back and have them look at it.
2)Try the Dunlop Sport A2. They're reasonably priced H-rated all-season performance tires. I think they offer a good cost/performance balance.
Been catching up reading old messages and saw one asking about a post that described a jack pad that works like the OEM scissors jack. It can be found at Eastwood:
It's great to have a resource and be able to get such quick help.
I stopped by a dealer (a different one, I won't be going back to the place that tried to cut the service intervals in half) on the way home and the fuel filter does look like a snap to replace. I also stopped elsewhere and picked up a set of Bosch Platinums. Of interest, the box has a little statement on it saying that Bosch will refund the difference in price if you cant feel the difference, I'm interested in reading the details on such a subjective claim. Let's see if this cures my stalling issue, I have a suspicion it won't but I'm game to try.
The saga continues..... Last night I did the ECU reset procedure. Let the car cool for several hours, disconnected the neg battery terminal for about 45 minutes, reconnected, started, warmed up, & drove. All seemed well. This morning, at idle, engine cycled back and forth between 800 & 1200 rpm every second or so. Then, after letting off the brake and hitting the accelerator, hesitated and nearly stalled.
Please understand I'm grateful to Mike, Juice and all others for the suggestions, just very frustrated with my realatively new car, and 2 dealerships who act clueless. Still need to check with SOA about possible recall of the ECU on my car..... Also thinking I'll change the fuel filter, and I'll post the results.
John, I'm very curious to see what your outcome is also...... Thanks to all.
Good Morning! Please call one of our Customer Service Representatives (1-800-SUBARU3). They can start a case and contact the dealer to see what we can do. The Representative can make sure that the dealer has checked all available technical resources and get to the bottom of the situation. It's not a lost cause. I haven't seen one that we can't fix yet.
I'm sorry for the problem and look forward to your case being resolved. When you talk to the Rep., please let them know that I would like to review the case with them to make sure we use every resource. (They will work directly with you - I'll just help if they need it - our Reps. have a lot of good experience).
I sent an email to your subaru.com address further detailing my issue, along with another question.... Wasn't sure if you'll have a chance to respond.... If not, I'll follow the instructions you gave on this AM's posting, during the course of my dealer appt next week. Thanks, pgh4 (Paul)
My friend with an 01 Legacy GT just went in for the ECM reprogramming. They ended up replacing her entire ECM. She didn't really get into details with them, but said this was on her receipt: Replaced ECU Shorted and Program - 2797 WSUB - 22611AG73B Unit AY-EGI Cont.
Does that make any sense? Did they likely replace it because they found other problems? Anyone else get the entire computer replaced? Just curious.
we have the same problem! I have a 98 GT which will need replacements for its XGTH4 too! I was thinking of the Potenza RE950 - good reviews at Tirerack, cheaper but directional.Costco carry them too. Sumitomo HTR+ is cheaper but new and is W rated. If you don't drive too aggressively get the Michelin X one. I had it on my 92 and its grip was almost as good as the XGTH4. Cheaper than the XGTH4 but only T rated.Sold as X Radial plus at most retailers/discount places. I probably will end up using the stock RE92s I had on my new WRX on the GT for at least a season or two but then it definitely has to go. Those things are worthless after losing a little tread.
For the future, I'd like to recommend some steps for our customers.
If you have a problem that is not easily recitified by your dealer, make sure you work with the Service Manager for service issues, the Sales Manager for sales issues and, if you are not successful, send a letter to the dealer principle. They want you to be satisfied.
If you situation still is not resolved to your satisfaction, please contact us at 1-800-SUBARU3 or via Subaru.com (contact us section). Please have your vehicle identification number and the names of the folks you've been working with. Our Representatives are highly trained and ready to assist you. We are not just a "call center". We are a customer service center. That means that our Representatives are empowered to find solutions. They also track and report on every customer concern. That gives us the opportunity to make changes in our products and our procedures.
We all know how impotant tires. To keep them in good shape, what do you all use to check the air pressure? I would like to get a really good gauge. Any suggestions?
I use a dial indicator Accugage. It has a length of hose attached to the dial for ease of use and a bleed valve on the dial. Super easy to use and fairly accurate, I got it at Pep Boys for around $10 IIRC.
The worst units are the old standbys, the plastic stick that protrudes with increasing pressure. Not very accurate. Next on the list to avoid are very cheap digital gauges, also not accurate.
I would recommend using something that has a bit of hose on it, because it's far easier to attach properly and read.
Consumer Rports rated tire guages in the May 2002 issue. All the digital guages they tested were very accurate. Both the dial guages they tested were knocked out of calibration when they were dropped. I had the same problem with a dial guage that I bought,although I don't think I dropped it. It was off by 5 - 10 pounds and I cound't find any way to adjust it. I replaced it with a "Pressure Inc." digital guage for about $10 and it has been working great. It is harder to find than the Accutire brand guages, but it has a user-replaceable battery.
My preference is for a good analog gauge. Digitals are nice, but it's easier for me to read a dial vs. a display, especially when the digital guages don't have a hose. Also, the refresh time for digital gauges can be slow.
Someone in Town Hall did a test on various gauges and found the digital ones to be very accurate.
I got the Sears Accutire digital on sale for around $10. It rated very well against gauges costing much more. I find it very easy to use and worth the cost. However, I think oregonman is correct that the batteries cannot be user replaced, but it's good for thousands of readings.
I use a cheap $10 NAPA digital gauge that is accurate to tenths of pounds. I need it to set the pressures on my towing air spring system, but also get anal about tire pressures. Pressures are incredibly important to not only wear, but getting maximum traction. Many think higher pressures equate to better handling and better wear. Not true. Sticking close to the mfr's door sticker pressures will give you a nice even wear pattern, and the proper pressures on the contact patch for maximum braking and emergency handling traction. Yes, higher pressures will get better initial turn in (crisper response to the steering wheel) feel, but you may actually be getting greater slip angles, blah, blah. Ride also suffers, and braking grip on rough surfaces will likely.
On speed ratings. Don't chase down higher speed ratings unless you're intending to race. It only benefits you if you're running at these speeds, or doing some type of autocross or other competitive event. For the typical driver, higher speed ratings often mean nothing more than a harsher ride.
IdahoDoug- I agree with most of what you said except for the part about "Sticking close to the mfr's door sticker pressures will give you a nice even wear pattern". It's been my experience that manufacturers are more than willing to sacrifice tread wear for a better ride (the Ford Exploder debacle is an excellent example).
Over the years I've used 'em all (pencil-type, dial-type, straight chuck, offset chuck, with and without hoses, lots of brands).
I purchased an Accutire digital gauge about a year ago. It has a large bright red digital display that's (apparently) accurate to the tenth of a pound. Very easy to read without glasses, even in the dark. I wouldn't trade it for anything on the market. It's a no-brainer. Use one and you'll never go back to your old favorite.
I agree there are examples of poor judgement by mfrs, but keep in mind the problems with the Explorer losing tires to catastrophic failure were due to chronic underinflation. The stock recommended pressures would not have created a problem according to the information released to the public. In this case, they'd apparently also chosen a tire that was itself marginal in construction and capacity for this application. As a result, the tire's inflation became even more critical to reliable operation.
I won't for a second defend the Explorer's tire situation, nor any manufacturer that chooses cost over safety in the important tire area. But given that these occur, there's no reason to conclude that the research that went into those numbers is anything but your best guide for optimal traction, wear and comfort.
I've personally taken part in these decisions, using special race tracks with glass sections that had scales that could measure the load of each tire as it ran at 60mph, take photographs of the contact patch, etc, etc in the pursuit of these numbers.
I guess it's worth pointing out the fallacy of the substitute for these pressures, which would be an average consumer making a random choice of tire size and pressure and expecting it to provide a better package of handling, ride and wear using nothing more than intuition.
Don't misunderstand me, you make a good point. It's just that the conclusion that would follow that line of thinking is not correct. Your comment is a good observation that sometimes people don't do all the homework in product development. Whether it be a grass trimmer that constantly breaks the trimmer string because they skimped on machining the grommet it protrudes through, or a suspension that does well everywhere but develops an annoying oscillation over freeway expansion joints, these exist in every part of our lives.
IdaohoDoug- You make some good points. However, I still think that if the manufacturer has to make a compromise, tread wear is the first to take a hit. Of course you can certainly argue that the additional cost from replacing your tires more often is more than offset by the added margin of safety provided. Unfortunately, there's no way for your avg owner to know what compromises might have been made by the manufacturer and for what reasons. I just know from personal experience that the recommended tire pressure frequently leads to uneven tread wear with the outside tread wearing significantly faster than the center. This is typically a sign of under inflation. Now whether the intention is to provide a better ride or a larger contact patch, I can't say. In any case, I usually add 3-4 PSI to whatever the manufacturer recommends. That way, I get more even tread wear while not sacrificing (not noticeably at least) ride comfort or handling.
Years ago, I noticed that auto makers and tire mfrs recommended different tire pressures.
Auto makers generally lower for improved ride, tire mfrs slightly higher for improved handling and wear. The usual difference is only 2-4 psi. Since then, I've followed Frank's policy of running a few psi higher.
It is very important not to get the pressures too high. Otherwise, you're bouncing around like a basketball after a bump!
'02 Forester moonroof missing in action. Rear went down last night, and luckily back up, but didn't go back at all.
I'll give the dealer a call late tomorrow morning after they have a chance to get all coffeed up and see what they say. Maybe I'll kill two or three birds with one stone and get the front and back skid plates put on and buy the redesigned rubber mats, too. Carpeted mats are a grassclipping-, leaf-, and gravel-trap pain for me to keep clean.
Again all good points - particularly that wear would be the first aspect to go if they have to make a compromise. Been there.
Also, here's a fun fact that in many ways makes my entire point moot (I love marginalizing myself...?). The original tires that come from the factory on your vehicle are usually unavailable on the replacement market. Yes, they'll say 'PumaPaw HP' on the side, but the 380,000 Lincoln (or whomever) had built for their factories to install used a softer durometer, slight variation in the carcass, or other alteration to help the vehicle be quieter or corner better, etc. They're often calibrated specifically for the vehicle's exact weight and spring rates. When you go get another set of PumaPaws 2 years later they'll be normal production run tires and designed for a generic vehicle.
When I was with Lexus, we struck a deal with Goodyear to actually keep a special supply on hand of tires originally calibrated for our products. I don't know how long that was in effect or if it still is to this day, but that series of meetings was a real eye opener for me on tire design.
So in many ways new tires are kind of a crapshoot anyhow, eh?
I'm having a local shop do my 30k maint .. fuel filter, oil and filter, air filter, etc. Had them call nearest Sub dealer (60 miles away) for advice on autotrans fluid (change, change spin-on filter, etc). Dealer advised not to do anything to trans ... and gave no indication of interval for trans fluid replacement or maint other than check fluid level. Anyone have any info on auto transmission scheduled maint and filter change. Manual just says to 'inspect' ?? NOTE= 1999 Forester Thanks .. Larry
I have 3 gauges. Two are analog dial-type, one is a pencil. One of the dial-type ones is inaccurate, but since I know how far off it is, I can still use it.
Better yet, the gas station closest to my house has free air, and it's one of those dial-a-pressure types. And yes, it's accurate. It matches the PSI on my two good gauges. So I'm home free.
According to the maintenance schedule on subaru.com for the 1999 Forester, the manual and auto tranny fluid should be inspected at 30K for normal duty service or changed at 15K for severe duty service. Most everyone falls under severe duty service in some way.
Personally, I think flushing a transmission is an inexpensive way to prevent an expensive transmission overhaul. Tranny fluid breaks down just like every other fluid, so it should be replaced at regular intervals. Now would be a good time to replace yours. If you want to play it safe, have your local shop purchase the fluid and filter from the dealer so you know you have an exact replacement.
The same advice applies to the differential gear oil, which identical Subaru service recommendations as the tranny.
Comments
-juice
FYI, the Pilot XGT is an all-season tire:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/michelin/mi_pilotxgth4.jsp
The X-One is another good all-seaon tire from Michellin, but I think "best" is a subjective term based on one's needs. Compared to the XGT, the X-One is a more general-purpose all-season that trades off high-speed performance for ride comfort and tread life.
Ken
I changed mine once at 10k and then after that bought an AMSOil filter which I tended to clean and reoil about every 12k.
-Colin
juice-
My previous post advising Doug that the offsets on the Legacy/Impreza, except Forester, were +55mm is accurate, however, I omitted to say that it is true for all Legacy/Outback upto MY1999 and all Impreza to current year. For the Legacy/Outback from MY2000 on, their offset moved from +55mm to +48mm. I know I've seen that change to +48mm in print but I can't remember where. Anyhow, that's how they got the 225/60/16 onto the Outback.
-Dave
-Dave
I posted the details about 'Lunch w/ Lyn' in the "OB Problems & Solutions". It went well, but we missed you!
Steve
-juice
Car had approx 24,000 miles at that point and none of the problems I'm having now.
Something very similar toPGH4's stalling problem has been occuring on my 2000 Legacy GT wagon. For 10K I have been telling my dealer that I have had an intermittant very rough (near stalling) idle. It showed no error codes so they (Bill Kolb Jr Subaru) said there was no problem. In the last few weeks there have been several stalls while standing still or moving very slowly. The car always starts right back up no problem. When I called the dealer I was told that the first thing they'll do is new plugs and filters(air+fuel) since I haven't done them in the 25K miles I've had the car. When I explained that I have been doing the maintinance as called for in the owners manual I was told "Nope, Subaru says plugs and filters should have been done at 15K"
I hung up and checked my manual which calls for 30K not 15K. The dealer was going by the "Extreme conditions" specs. Now that I have lost trust in them, I'll do the plugs and filters my self.
Here's my question where is the fuel filter located, Engine bay, gas tank or between the two? And is it a problem to change in a very well equipped home garage?
Any help is appreciated. Thanks,
John
It's located in the engine bay, on the driver's side between the windshield washer resevoir and brake fluid resevoir. The filter is a shiny metal cylinder about 3 inches in diameter and about 4 inches long. There will be two curved metal hoses coming out the top. Connected to the metal hoses with clamps are rubber hoses.
All you need to do is loosen the clamps and pull off the rubber hoses, swap out the filter, replace the hoses, and tighten the clamps. Use a Phillips screwdriver or something similar to temporarily plug the input rubber hose to prevent gas from pumping out all over the place while you work. Clean off any spilled fuel before starting the engine.
One caution: When you install the new filter, just be sure to NOT confuse the input and output hoses :-)
The first time you start the engine after replacing the filter, you will have to crank the engine a bit to prime the filter. Check the hose connections for any leaks once it starts.
Regarding the spark plugs, the owner's manual for my 2000 Legacy GT Limited sedan states that they don't have to be replaced for 30,000 miles, even in extreme conditions.
Ty
Generally spark plugs are functional for at least 30k miles even if they are copper. Platinum may be advertised to last up to 100k.
But in both cases, you'll get the best performance by switching every 15,000 miles or so. Justifying these frequent changes depends on how difficult the engine is to work on and if you notice any improvement. Many times you will observe an idle quality improvement.
Copper plugs conduct better than platinum and being cheaper are best for short change intervals. Iridium work the best and actually may be helpful in high output engines. Modern sportbikes come with them but they're heinously expensive and of no real help to most stock cars.
-Colin
I just remember my old '83 VW GTI (purchased new)specified Bosch SILVER plugs. I think I paid about $5 each for them. When I pulled the existing OE plugs out...they weren't silver!!!
You're correct that the XG is designated all season. For some reason they don't list it in the Michelin website as all season but the tire description and tread pattern sure do state it. Don't know how I missed it as I regularly cruise the Michelin site and had been drooling about which Michelins to get until I settled on the X1s.
Also agree that 'best' is a misnomer as it depends on use. My use is long highway business trips from N. Idaho to LA or to Detroit and I wanted good all season traction first, then comfort and quiet second. The long tread life is simply a bonus as any tire will last a very long time in constant freeway use.
On air filters, I'm new to the Subaru world but the local independent mechanic and the dealer both advised me to use factory filters. My used Subaru came with a Fram which I swapped out and they showed me that it does not have metal in the ends to prevent deforming. The Fram was not very dirty yet, but had begun deforming around the ends where the metal should be. They both explained that this deformation is due to air flow and that it will leak unfiltered air past to trash the $$$ airflow metering sensors. The price for the original Subaru filter wasn't bad, so that's my choice from now on.
Sounds like you chose the best tire for your needs with the X-One.
The OE filter is made quite well. I've switched to a reusable Amsoil filter, however, and I've had no issues with it for over 40K miles.
Ken
I've got a 98 Legacy GT Limited, auto. trans...recent 60K service, good all around car. I plan to run it until the wheels fall off!
Two things:
1 - As part of the 60K service, I had the transmission fluid changed. Still having the same problem...harsh shifting, particularly when I slow down to an almost complete stop, and press on the gas, I get a thunking noise, and a jolt. Any suggestions? It's been doing this for some time.
2 - I'll need new tires in the next year or so. I have Michelin Pilot XGH4 tires... 205-55R16 89H currently on the car. Any suggestions on something less expensive, but won't sacrifice the performance/handling of the car?
1)Did you have the dealer check out your transmission problem? Whenever you have something not right, the first thing to do is get the dealer to document the problem. I'd go back and have them look at it.
2)Try the Dunlop Sport A2. They're reasonably priced H-rated all-season performance tires. I think they offer a good cost/performance balance.
Ken
http://www.eastwoodco.com/cgi-bin/sgsh0101.exe?PGN=1&SKW=DIV_00%20jack&!UID=2002061322572714&FNM=20
I've got on and it works great.
bit
I stopped by a dealer (a different one, I won't be going back to the place that tried to cut the service intervals in half) on the way home and the fuel filter does look like a snap to replace. I also stopped elsewhere and picked up a set of Bosch Platinums. Of interest, the box has a little statement on it saying that Bosch will refund the difference in price if you cant feel the difference, I'm interested in reading the details on such a subjective claim. Let's see if this cures my stalling issue, I have a suspicion it won't but I'm game to try.
Please understand I'm grateful to Mike, Juice and all others for the suggestions, just very frustrated with my realatively new car, and 2 dealerships who act clueless. Still need to check with SOA about possible recall of the ECU on my car..... Also thinking I'll change the fuel filter, and I'll post the results.
John, I'm very curious to see what your outcome is also...... Thanks to all.
I'm sorry for the problem and look forward to your case being resolved. When you talk to the Rep., please let them know that I would like to review the case with them to make sure we use every resource. (They will work directly with you - I'll just help if they need it - our Reps. have a lot of good experience).
Patti
Goodbye.
[Whoosh] She's quick!
-Dennis
Thanks, pgh4 (Paul)
Replaced ECU Shorted and Program - 2797 WSUB -
22611AG73B Unit AY-EGI Cont.
Does that make any sense? Did they likely replace it because they found other problems? Anyone else get the entire computer replaced?
Just curious.
TIA,
Dennis
Patti
Greg
If you have a problem that is not easily recitified by your dealer, make sure you work with the Service Manager for service issues, the Sales Manager for sales issues and, if you are not successful, send a letter to the dealer principle. They want you to be satisfied.
If you situation still is not resolved to your satisfaction, please contact us at 1-800-SUBARU3 or via Subaru.com (contact us section). Please have your vehicle identification number and the names of the folks you've been working with. Our Representatives are highly trained and ready to assist you. We are not just a "call center". We are a customer service center. That means that our Representatives are empowered to find solutions. They also track and report on every customer concern. That gives us the opportunity to make changes in our products and our procedures.
Thanks!
Patti
Thanks,
Jimmy
Bob
The worst units are the old standbys, the plastic stick that protrudes with increasing pressure. Not very accurate. Next on the list to avoid are very cheap digital gauges, also not accurate.
I would recommend using something that has a bit of hose on it, because it's far easier to attach properly and read.
-Colin
Ken
that's CR for ya. any instrument with a dial gauge is probably going to break if you drop it enough.
when bleeding air pressure it is far easier for me to read a dial quickly just as Ken commented on.
-Colin
I got the Sears Accutire digital on sale for around $10. It rated very well against gauges costing much more. I find it very easy to use and worth the cost. However, I think oregonman is correct that the batteries cannot be user replaced, but it's good for thousands of readings.
Jim
On speed ratings. Don't chase down higher speed ratings unless you're intending to race. It only benefits you if you're running at these speeds, or doing some type of autocross or other competitive event. For the typical driver, higher speed ratings often mean nothing more than a harsher ride.
IdahoDoug
-Frank P.
Chuck
I purchased an Accutire digital gauge about a year ago. It has a large bright red digital display that's (apparently) accurate to the tenth of a pound. Very easy to read without glasses, even in the dark. I wouldn't trade it for anything on the market. It's a no-brainer. Use one and you'll never go back to your old favorite.
I won't for a second defend the Explorer's tire situation, nor any manufacturer that chooses cost over safety in the important tire area. But given that these occur, there's no reason to conclude that the research that went into those numbers is anything but your best guide for optimal traction, wear and comfort.
I've personally taken part in these decisions, using special race tracks with glass sections that had scales that could measure the load of each tire as it ran at 60mph, take photographs of the contact patch, etc, etc in the pursuit of these numbers.
I guess it's worth pointing out the fallacy of the substitute for these pressures, which would be an average consumer making a random choice of tire size and pressure and expecting it to provide a better package of handling, ride and wear using nothing more than intuition.
Don't misunderstand me, you make a good point. It's just that the conclusion that would follow that line of thinking is not correct. Your comment is a good observation that sometimes people don't do all the homework in product development. Whether it be a grass trimmer that constantly breaks the trimmer string because they skimped on machining the grommet it protrudes through, or a suspension that does well everywhere but develops an annoying oscillation over freeway expansion joints, these exist in every part of our lives.
-Frank P.
Auto makers generally lower for improved ride, tire mfrs slightly higher for improved handling and wear. The usual difference is only 2-4 psi. Since then, I've followed Frank's policy of running a few psi higher.
It is very important not to get the pressures too high. Otherwise, you're bouncing around like a basketball after a bump!
I'll give the dealer a call late tomorrow morning after they have a chance to get all coffeed up and see what they say. Maybe I'll kill two or three birds with one stone and get the front and back skid plates put on and buy the redesigned rubber mats, too. Carpeted mats are a grassclipping-, leaf-, and gravel-trap pain for me to keep clean.
Just what I want to do - drive to the suburbs.
Think they'll loan me a car?
John
Geeze. Get a refund on the software.
I'd read that it was bad, but I didn't know it was THAT bad. I'll never try it again.
John
Also, here's a fun fact that in many ways makes my entire point moot (I love marginalizing myself...?). The original tires that come from the factory on your vehicle are usually unavailable on the replacement market. Yes, they'll say 'PumaPaw HP' on the side, but the 380,000 Lincoln (or whomever) had built for their factories to install used a softer durometer, slight variation in the carcass, or other alteration to help the vehicle be quieter or corner better, etc. They're often calibrated specifically for the vehicle's exact weight and spring rates. When you go get another set of PumaPaws 2 years later they'll be normal production run tires and designed for a generic vehicle.
When I was with Lexus, we struck a deal with Goodyear to actually keep a special supply on hand of tires originally calibrated for our products. I don't know how long that was in effect or if it still is to this day, but that series of meetings was a real eye opener for me on tire design.
So in many ways new tires are kind of a crapshoot anyhow, eh?
IdahoDoug
IIRC, Ford recommended ~26 psi's in the Exploder.
-Dennis
call nearest Sub dealer (60 miles away) for advice on autotrans fluid (change, change spin-on
filter, etc). Dealer advised not to do anything to trans ... and gave no indication of interval
for trans fluid replacement or maint other than check fluid level.
Anyone have any info on auto transmission scheduled maint and filter change.
Manual just says to 'inspect' ?? NOTE= 1999 Forester
Thanks ..
Larry
Better yet, the gas station closest to my house has free air, and it's one of those dial-a-pressure types. And yes, it's accurate. It matches the PSI on my two good gauges. So I'm home free.
-juice
Personally, I think flushing a transmission is an inexpensive way to prevent an expensive transmission overhaul. Tranny fluid breaks down just like every other fluid, so it should be replaced at regular intervals. Now would be a good time to replace yours. If you want to play it safe, have your local shop purchase the fluid and filter from the dealer so you know you have an exact replacement.
The same advice applies to the differential gear oil, which identical Subaru service recommendations as the tranny.
Ty