New member looking for tyre pressure advice

[Amanda1979]

Hi all
I am new to this forum and was hoping to get some advice.
I have an 1999 mgf and am having problems with correct tyre pressure.
I previously owned a mgf a few years ago and had problems with the back end slipping and it being an awful drive in the wet.
Anyway I have tonight checked my tyre pressure on my 1999 mgf and all 4 tyres were at 21 psi, so having read that the average be 26 front 28 rear, I inflated them to this however on my drive back home I noticed the back end starting to slip (it never did this before when they were at 21)
I feel uneasy driving now and am tempted to put them back to 21 psi but surely that is not the correct inflation??
I did read somewhere that it is recommended to have 26 front and 36 rear I'm not sure if I'd like to try this if it feel slippy set at 26 f 28 r.
Does anyone else have any experience of the back end slipping and any advice they can give??
I did 360 my old mgf due to the back end slipping (luckily without hitting anything) which always made me very cautious how I drove it and not such a pleasant drive.

Thanks in advance
Amanda

[RobboMC]

Hi Amada,

I think it would be helpful if you advised the brand and type of your tyres.
The issue could be caused by the tyres themselves and not the pressure.

These cars can be quite slippery at the back on a wet road. I got the back end out just coming to work the other day in the wet.

[Steffi]

Hi Amanda,
As Rob already said, give us a clue what tyres and also what size of tyres and rims you have on the car.

[Rob Bell]

Hi Amanda, the MGF is very sensitive to the tyres fitted - and it may be for the brand and model of tyre fitted that the pressure you're using is more appropriate.

For example, my track car, Project Shed, uses Federal 595RSRs all round. At "correct" factory pressures (e.g. 28psi), it is like driving on ice. Drop the pressures down to 21 psi, and the car corners with massive grip.

[talkingcars]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Personally I like 28 f and 30 r in my F.

The 28 f and 36 r is for a TF.

Try dropping your pressures bit by bit until you reach the optimum.

James

[Paul Storey]

and just to confuse things I've got budget tyres all around on my F, set at 26 / 28 as per the handbook and it goes around corners as if glued to the road.

[stubby44]

Can be lots to do with wheel alignment issues and settings. Car needs to be set up very carefully with a laser on all four wheels by someone who knows what they are doing. Many tyre fitting shops have the correct gear but the numpties cant work it. Search about for somewhere that sets up race cars and you wont go far wrong.
And less right boot coming out of corners !!

[Rob Bell]

and just to confuse things I've got budget tyres all around on my F, set at 26 / 28 as per the handbook and it goes around corners as if glued to the road.

Not necessarily Paul. Probably a function of the tyres construction. Have you tried them on track? You can really explore the limits of the tyre's performance in a way you'd never consider doing on the road.

[adrianclifford]

Amanda, there's a massive amount of experience from the ladies and gents on here. To be honest, tyres are one of the biggest topics on the forum.

As has been said tyres may be the issue more than your pressures.

I run, on my TF 28F/34R. With 36 at the back at high speeds the rear feels a little uneasy especially if fully loaded with two up, fuel and a boot full of luggage.

F's handle differently but are slightly less fussy than the TF so you can get there providing there's nothing amiss on the suspension to give you a bad feel.

If you are on budget tyres please get rid of them, these cars do not handle well with them especially in the wet.

Start with the Toyo T1-R or the slightly better Falken ZIEX 914 set at 28F and 32R then go for a ride and see how it feels. Experiment with pressures when the tyres are bedded in, say up or down by a couple every time.

Don't forget, these cars are not "normal" they have a mid mounted engine with rear wheel drive so the weight balance is different to other cars you may drive.

I can't understand how a lower pressure at the rear would work, there's so little weight at the front.

Don't forget 15" and 16" wheels have different side walls so will need different set ups. You have 50 series on the 15's and 40 series on the 16's so a much lower profile and side wall so you need "extra load" to experience the car at it's best.

So many people on here rubbish their car's performance and handling, often it's just tyres and pressures they really are that fussy.

[adrianclifford]

Looking at the thread in the general section about the tyre pressure sticker, you will see MG state 28F/36R but that does not mention a particular tyre.

I have seen as factory fit, the Goodyear Eagle GSD2, the Goodyear NCT3, and a Continental (can't remember which one). So do all perform the best with the same pressure ?