Really though - I thought it was supposed to be 30 PSI.  I think they
were recommending 26 PSI all the way up to the 2000 model year, then
they had the Firestone Wilderness tire debacle.  So I guess I'd say 30
PSI and check the pressure every couple of weeks.

I assume the OP is not riding around on the sub-standard Firestone tires, so
setting the pressure at the correct level is the proper thing to do. For a
2000 Explorer I believe it is either 30 or 32 psi all around.

For all those that think the Explorer debacle wasn't due to the tires, go
check out the injury loss rating for Explorer from that era - it is much
lower than average and far better than other similar 4 door SUVs in its
class. The whole "Explorers are death traps" was a media event that had very
little basis in fact. I can't let Ford completely off the hook since they
were stupid enough to install Firestone tires in the first place, but once
those tires were on the junk heap where they belonged, the problems largely
disappeared. Unfortunately the press never bothers to go back and apologize
for bad reporting....

Ed

With all due respect to your mechanic - he is an idiot. He needs to check
the load/inflation pressure tables for your tires. Even at 26 psi, the tires
are rated to carry a greater load than the vehicles axles. If you have the
original size and type of tires listed on the tire placard, then you should
go with the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation (as amended to 30 psi).
Adding a few extra psi is OK if you are going for a firmer ride, but adding
an extra 10 psi is ridiculous (assuming you have the OE size and type of
tire). The original 26 psi recommendation for Explorers with the optional
size tire was done for SAFETY reasons, not to improve the ride. Ford found
that with higher inflation pressures, the original style of Explorer reacted
to quickly to steering inputs and was relatively easy to get sideways when
making violent maneuvers, which could lead to a rollover. By dropping the
tire pressures to 26 psi, the response to steering inputs was dampened.
Unfortunately, Firestone sold Ford tires that were not up to industry
standards and had a tendency to fail dramatically. Raising the pressure to
30 psi reduced the heat build up and lessened the chances of a tire failure.
However, it didn't fix the tires, it just masked the defect. In 1996 half of
the Explorers got Goodyear tires. These tires had the same pressure
recommendation and there was no problem with dramatic failure (I actually
owned a 1996 Explorer with Goodyears - never had a problem). My Father had a
Ranger with the crappy Firestone tries (same as on an Explorer). Rangers had
a slightly higher pressure recommendation. In less than 15,000 miles, my
Father had 3 of the 4 OE Firestone tires fail. They did not have the belts
separate. In his case the tread literally split in the center. We drove the
truck on gravel roads regularly, and the tires were so crummy they couldn't
stand rock bruising.

Do you have "P" series or "LT" series tires installed on your vehicle? If
they are "P"series extra load tires then the tires are not actually rated to
carry any more at 50 psi than at 36 psi. The higher pressure limit is
intended to allow for higher pressure recommendation by the vehicle
manufacturer for high speed driving.  If you are running "LT" tires, you are
doing something Ford specifically warns against. LT tires need to have
higher pressures to achieve the same load carrying capacity as "P" series
tires. This is because "LT" tires have thicker sidewalls and carcasses.
Because of the thicker sidewalls, "LT" tires suffer from greater heat build
up at high speed. The higher pressure is needed to reduce flexing and reduce
heat build up.

Ed

If you're towing a trailer, I'd not worry about comfort so much and
worry about stability instead.

nate

I need it to tow a trailer -- however Im trying to make it as

One of the best things I did to make my 3/4 ton Dodge custom van driveable
was to install
Bilstein shocks.  That plus antisway bars turned an evil handling bitch into
a rather comfortable
ride.

Dont know if the same would apply to you.

Masospaghetti <no@mail.gatech.edu> wrote in article
<eoha1n$fek$1@news-int.gatech.edu>...

Here's a thought......

Why not buy a new Crown Victoria????

Then you can complain about its inability to handle the same load as the
Exploder  instead of the Exploder's inability to ride like a Crown
Vickie!!!!

You either run the Explorer for its load capacity and tolerate the unloaded
ride....

OR

You use the Crown Vickie for its ride, and tolerate its inability to handle
the load as it wallows down the road.

Any compromise is sure to decrease the load capacity of the
Exploder.....making it dangerous.....

....or change the ride characteristics of the Crown Vickie.....also making
it dangerous.

Better still....BUY BOTH!!!

Your problem is that you only have a hammer.....which makes every problem
look like a nail.