I have been to quite a few different tire shops, some local but mostly Discount Tire, which I really like. Discount seems to be great about using a lower torque torque stick on their guns and then doing a final tightening with a good ol torque wrench. The other shops I've been to hit the lugs with sometimes up to 130 ft lbs!
But on to tire pressure, these places NEVER get it right. It's usually grossly overinflated. However, just got a rotate and balance on my moms Olds 88 because my folks are high tailing it out of town on a family emergency tomorrow. I let the tires cool to ambient and checked them. All at 25 psi or below
I have never been to a tire shop that correctly set the tire pressure to anywhere near what the door placard says. It's not hard, even if the tires are not cool. Compensate for engine heat in the front: + 1 or 2 psi, (depending on ambient temps) and bump all of them by about 3 psi or so (also depending on ambient). I always try and check/adjust when the tires are stone cold, but in a pinch when the vehicle/tires are warmed up and driven on, I use that above technique. Usually comes out that the tires are all even by + or - 1 psi stone cold (which isn't enough to lose sleep over)
I'm anal about tire pressure, especially after getting them worked on, but 95% of people are not. It's kinda scary really that people leave these places with tire pressures ranging from dangerously underinflated to knock your teeth out overinflated.
Bottom line; never trust em. Always check em.
But on to tire pressure, these places NEVER get it right. It's usually grossly overinflated. However, just got a rotate and balance on my moms Olds 88 because my folks are high tailing it out of town on a family emergency tomorrow. I let the tires cool to ambient and checked them. All at 25 psi or below
I have never been to a tire shop that correctly set the tire pressure to anywhere near what the door placard says. It's not hard, even if the tires are not cool. Compensate for engine heat in the front: + 1 or 2 psi, (depending on ambient temps) and bump all of them by about 3 psi or so (also depending on ambient). I always try and check/adjust when the tires are stone cold, but in a pinch when the vehicle/tires are warmed up and driven on, I use that above technique. Usually comes out that the tires are all even by + or - 1 psi stone cold (which isn't enough to lose sleep over)
I'm anal about tire pressure, especially after getting them worked on, but 95% of people are not. It's kinda scary really that people leave these places with tire pressures ranging from dangerously underinflated to knock your teeth out overinflated.
Bottom line; never trust em. Always check em.