Tires

I have had a pair of Dunlop 402's mounted on an 81 FLT and it has created a question. I'm sure some one here can enlighten me. The fellow that mounted them says they should have 38 PSI, front and rear. The shop manual, owners manual and the stickers on the bike say 24 PSI in the front and 26 PSI in the rear except when loaded then a maximum of 32 PSI.
What is the correct tire pressure?
Thanks,
Bill

I'd go with the 38PSI. Running 24 in the front on an FLT could make that front wheel mushy and unstable on turns. 38 is what I run on my FLHR, and the bikes' weights (FLT v FLHR) can't be too different.

Another way to look at it - runnning 38 PSI first to see how it handles is a whole lot safer than running in the 20's. If the ride is too stiff, you can adjust down. Hard to adjust up on a test ride.

My opinion is based on the manufacturer recommendations. We hear this all the time fro cars, the automobile manufacturer usually recommends a lower pressure for a softer ride. But the tire guys know best.

Ha! I know what your really saying.
My OL and I have owned a '93, 2x'94's, '96, and '97 "exploders" and my favorite tire was the dreaded Firestone! I used the Firestones on all of 'em. Usually got about 45,000 miles out of the Firestones, but I never run tires more than 50,000 no mater how good they look (tread seperation can happen just from the miles). Three "exploders" had over 225,000 miles when myself or children sold them. I rotated every 5,000 and always maintained tire manufacturer's air pressure. I used the trucks hard. My Dad (life long mechanic and shop owner) always said, "it only takes a couple of hp to get a vehicle moving up to speed, but it takes tires and brakes to stop it safely". Because most people are lazy and /or think vehicles can run and run without doing basic routine checks, we now have to buy the expensive tire monitoring systems. But then again, I can drive and drive until the little light tells me to put air in my tires, or, change the oil etc. I had two buds who actually spent a bunch of dough on special valves for their Harleys that send the tire pressure to a key Fob! Holy radio frequencies Batman!
Like I said earlier, follow the tire manufacturer's recommendation.

Thanks for the replies and advice. I did a little more digging and found the original tires were Goodyear and very likely not constructed nearly as well as the newer Dunlops.

Bill

Set the pressure where you think it should be. Go for a ride after 15 minutes of highway speeds pull over and check the pressure.
If the hot pressure is less than 3 psi higher than the cold pressure the cold pressure is to high.
If the hot pressure is more than 3 psi higher, the cold pressure is to low.
If it's at 3 psi higher then your cold psi is right.
A tire flexes in the side walls. This flex heats the tire. To low a cold psi = to much flex = to much heat = to much psi change.
To high a cold psi = less flex = less heat = not enough psi change.
The tires need a small amount of flex to absorb road shock. To much psi makes the tire too hard and not get enough contact patch. Harsh ride too.
To soft and the tire can roll under in corners. Soft tires build to much heat and can blow out.
The pressues on the tire sidewall are max psi to carry a max load. The chart FLHTbiker posted lists the same thing.
If you run the same tire as stock then you can run stock psi. Most other tires may not like that psi.
This procedure works on any tire.