Front wheel tire pressure

Thanks for all the great information. My first step is going to get front and rear axle weights and go from there.

Thanks again to all who took the time to offer help.

4x4van wrote:
I weighed it, and adjusted the tire pressure based on the actual axle weights... The difference in handling was night & day; I just kick myself for not doing it years earlier.

AMEN BROTHER!!!

The chassis labels, whether Ford, Chevy, Winnebago, are for a fully loaded vehicle, both axles at GAWR putting the coach at GVWR.

Playing "outsmart the engineer" rarely wins. I've fought this handling dragon for years. Tried to estimate (that means guess) the axle weights. Once I had actual weights and started adjusting, I found that you want to be within about FIVE POUNDS of what the chart specifies, cold tires before the sun hits the tires and the tires hit the road.

That and NEVER 80-PSI in the Front Tires of a Ford E-Series.

My older (1988) Jamboree 27' handled horribly for years, running 60 lbs front and rear. Finally, I weighed it, and adjusted the tire pressure based on the actual axle weights, 55 rear, 45 front. The difference in handling was night & day; I just kick myself for not doing it years earlier.

Small C, only 20 feet long but full width.
Front: 770, 760 kg. Rear: 1350, 1160 kg
Michelin chart says 45 psi front, 40 rear duals.
Ford sticker says 65 psi front, 60 rear
Tried 55, 50 but I think 60, 55 is the sweet spot for steering.

My 32 foot class C has 80 in the rear duals, and 65 in the front. That is per Winnebago's recommendations.

In my 30 footer I carry 80 all the way around including the suspension air bags. I assume a much smaller or larger Class C would have different size tires?

We also run 80 PSI in the rear and vary the front a little on our 31' C. If towing we run 75-76, in not towing it seems to be better at 78 on the front. Rear is always at 80 since we're always close to max weight on the rear axle. We run 65-70 lbs. in the air bags.

Dave

What Sfla2 and DocP said, represents the required pressure for the maximum axle load for an E450. The GAWR-F... For 2007 and earlier the 4600-lb axle works out to 65-PSI, that's Sfla2. DocP's coach falls into the 2008 and later, 5000-lb and 75-PSI.
All those door jamb labels do is repeat those ratings from Ford, stating tire pressure for max GAWR-F.
You really want to do what IAMICHABOD said: Weigh it, loaded for travel, people and all, and adjust pressure accordingly. His Chevy chassis is FAR less sensitive to front tire pressure than a Ford is. You will not be disappointed if you set front tire pressure to actual loaded weight.
Rear tire pressure should be at least what the load calls for. You can run them at the 80-PSI sidewall/door jamb rating if you want, even if load calls for it. That will worsen the ride just a tad, but NOT handling. The FRONT end is the touchy one.

The sticker on my door says 75 in the front and 80 in the rear, so that's what I go with (and 65 in my air bags). I've experimented with different psi's, but the ride feels best at the recommended settings.

countrykids wrote:
New to the class c world, what pressure do you have in the front tires? My experience is with truck campers where the rears would be at 80 psi and fronts 65, 70 psi. Is it similar with a class.c?

most "C" 06 or older should be 65 max based on ford weight which is 4600 frt