Tires: tires, tire placard, copywrite laws

Question
just bought a used 99 ford escort zx2, it has 215/35/18 nexen tires ,what should the tire pressure be set at?

Answer
Pamela,

On every vehicle sold in the US, there is a sticker – commonly called the tire placard - that lists the original tire size and the proper pressure for that size.  The placard is usually located on a doorpost or in the glove box – but sometimes it is located in the trunk or on the fuel filler door.

If you are using a tire size that is different than what is listed on the placard, then the pressure has to be recalculated.  The calculation is not difficult, but it requires tire load tables which are not allowed to be published in the Internet because of copywrite laws.  However, I have a copy and would be glad to do the calculation.

Tire Guides says that a 1999 Escort ought to have P185/65R14 84S's inflated to 32 psi.  If this is not correct, then what I am about to post will also not be correct.

If that is true, then a 215/35R18 ...... well.... it comes in 2 flavors:  Standard Load with an 80 Load Index and an Extra Load with an 84 Load Index.

But it doesn't matter as the inflation pressure comes out the same: 40 psi.