T’other day, young Bill.(P)..commented that the tread on one of my tyres was getting down…a mob of us had gone for a pot luck get-together down Thornlands way. I got him to comment on the rest of my  tyres..I was already concerned about a couple of them.  Yep yep yep..probably wouldn’t pass a roadworthy check.  Um.
Blasted things..they all seemed to scrub out before their use by ..not date, but projected mileage.  On the outsides…but only the front two, on account of them being steers..trucking vernacular, heh,..in other words, the tyres that turn left and right, on the front, being the steering tyres. The servicing lot rotate them..to equalise out the wear overall.  Yaas..if I kept them on the back, the back ones would last a looong time, but I’d need to replace the front ones regularly.  Six of one, and half a dozen of the other.
So, The Man..young Craig..recommended 32 psi all around. (that’s tyre pressure, now superseded..its kilopascals or something similar now, and it’d be 200 something in that range..instead.) Was a year or so ago, mind you. He’d looked after my wheels/car for ages, and I’d bought two cars from him. He did a good job, and it was beneficial to both of us..he organised all the repairs for my little go-machine, and  charged me mates rates.  Awesome! New radiator, a couple of batteries, a tyre or three or four, fixed a dreadful oil leak..was rocker cover gasket, and was renown in these Camrys.  On occasion, a free tyre.  Cant get much better than that!  Aaand i could always drop in for a natter and a cuppa.
I digress.
Some of you might think that my tyre pressure could have been a bit on the low side, being that’s what low tyre pressure does to the wear, especially since they didn’t last the full distance. And, indeed, I’ve been guilty of upping tyre pressure, once the side tread was getting down…
Anyhow, up to now, there was recommended tyre pressure documented in various places..service manuals, and inside the petrol cap lid..which swings back/opens, to allow access to the petrol cap. 32 front, 30 rear, sort of thing.  Every time you filled up with petrol, you get reminded of these tyre pressures.
Fast forward to..a day or so ago.  The HoneyBun wanted to descend on the Salvos, to check out..a lot of things, really..books, jigsaws, and anything else that looked ok, and would enhance Her loungeroom/rest of the house.  Salvos being the shortened form of the Salvation Army, being lots of stores around Australia, collecting and selling used..stuff.  Usually fairly cheaply, but not always.  CDs for a dollar! DVDs the same.  Yes!
So..not that far from this particular Salvos store, there was a stack of tyres, of the new variety, stuck outside a crowd calling themselves Mycar. Hmm!  They probably sell the blessed things.  Sure enough, amongst other car orientated stuff.  Servicing cars, selling and fitting tyres included. I have to say, that in the previous day or so, I had been trolling the internet, looking for a tyre mob, to supply and fit new tyres, preferably fairly cheaply..I needn’t have added!  My size tyre..185-75-14R wasn’t the most popular tyre around.  Craig had had trouble last time finding tyres for myVeryGoodSelf. Sure enough, BobJane didn’t have them.  Sigh! Oh, Craig has gone out of business, dammit.  I had managed to wangle a car service out of his old caryard..new owners..but not mates rates.  Grrr!
So..in I go. Mycar. Your tyres..probably last six more months..two need replacing now..and the other two then.  Ah, B%^&( it..the spare wasn’t much chop either.  Stuffit..get four newies now, best tyre as spare. Never bought four tyres in the one hit..ever.
$500 odd dollars later..included wheel alignment..was way out..and wheel balance..standard.  New tyres!  Hoooie! But..the kicker, as some of you..northern hemisphere lot..would say, was when I asked..spur of the moment, ..32 all around?  We’re talking psi here…
The answer floored me.
Nope..40..38 at a pinch.
Huh?  what’s this I hear?!!!
New technology tyres these days. most running is straight ahead, so elevated pressure.  Side wall tread comes into play in corners..the tyre rolls to accommodate corners.
Well I’m blessed!  The things you find out.
I got them to stick my dodgy hubcaps back on with..they said cable ties. Later on, I repositioned them..they weren’t overly fussed about valve stems sticking out ..unimpeded like.

Last but not least..the Honeybun..you didn’t tell me about the stripes!..Yaas, stripes!  Um, picture taken a day later, when the stripes had faded somewhat..they were in-your-face-before.