Forum Discussion

Goldencrazy's avatar
Goldencrazy
Explorer
Oct 05, 2017

I’m a believer- tire pressure

I have always adusted air to coach for improved ride and handling and within general limits of weight and tire charts. On my current rig a 2016 38 ft gas winnebago Q i relied on service to set the tires according to my direction. It has not been riding well and I assumed the tires were set as directed. Not so. Twice they were set at max. I checked them myself last week and reduced them about 10 lbs to upper normal range. What a difference in ride and handling. Most dramatic of any motorhome I have had. I still can go lower by at least 5 lbs but the way it feels I will leave it here. Just saying if you have ride and handling don’t forget the tires and certainly don’t rely on someone else to tell you the setting.
  • I had a length discussion with a technical rep for Goodyear a while back and the bottom line was that they recommended going with what was on the builder's sticker and they do not publish pressure versus weight capacity for car tires. truck tires are a different story. The new high pressure fuel saving tires? Well, go with what is on the door even though that does not let you take advantage of the fuel savings ability of the tire is their official opinion.

    I did have people at a tire store tell me once that they were not allowed to inflate any tire over 40 PSI for safety reasons, regardless of what was on the sticker or the tire. They put me back on the road with load range E tires only half inflated. That did not sit well with me at all.
  • dougrainer wrote:
    Dennis12 wrote:
    I can never figure out why they put the recommended tire pressure on the tires. You don't know either do ya. Silly tire people.


    Never seen recommended tire pressure on any tire. That is the MAX tire pressure for that tire. The correct tire pressure is listed on the VIN sticker on Trailers and Motorhomes. That is the pressure that the OEM recommends for your weight RV. Unless a customer tells me different, I put the pressure based on the OEM VIN sticker for that RV. ANYBODY installing the Max listed on a tire has no business filling tires. Doug


    Pretty much correct. The first thing any one of us needs to realize is, when ANYONE other than ourselves even touches our coaches, WE need to re-check the work or, areas in question. The second thing WE all need to realize is, you don't have to be college educated to work at a tire store or, even a dealership. So, by DOT, local, state and federal ordinances, quite some time ago, a directive was handed out, almost nationwide that all techs, in just about any credited repair facility, including dealerships, MUST check all tire pressures and inflate to mfg recommended psi. It has to do with SAFETY and, an attempt to potentially increase fuel mileage.

    But, again, the super intelligent people at many tire places, simply look on the tire and see a max pressure. They interpret that as the RECOMMENDED pressure. I've had it done way more than once. While it is a great practice to make sure your customer leaves your facility with at least the correct pressure in their tires, as we've seen and read here, it may not always be right.
    Scott
  • Dennis12 wrote:
    I can never figure out why they put the recommended tire pressure on the tires. You don't know either do ya. Silly tire people.


    Never seen recommended tire pressure on any tire. That is the MAX tire pressure for that tire. The correct tire pressure is listed on the VIN sticker on Trailers and Motorhomes. That is the pressure that the OEM recommends for your weight RV. Unless a customer tells me different, I put the pressure based on the OEM VIN sticker for that RV. ANYBODY installing the Max listed on a tire has no business filling tires. Doug
  • I can never figure out why they put the recommended tire pressure on the tires. You don't know either do ya. Silly tire people.
  • I always check and do my own. Had my truck in recently, they rotated tires, their doing, not my request at all....another story... so I asked if they set the tire pressure correctly... of course. NOT. Found 82 lbs in front tires and 60 in rear. I run 80 in rear and 60 in front. Bump it up 5 in rear when towing the fiver. Strange how that was all checked by tech when rotated.
  • “ i relied on service to set the tires according to my direction. It has not been riding well and I assumed the tires...”

    Reliance and assuming. My my.
  • I have same issue when truck is in for oil change.

    Tech does a 'safety' check.

    Always end up with front tires at 60 psi and rear tires at 75 psi.
    EVEN when I tell them.......leave tire pressures as is

    I run 55 psi fronts ALL the time and 45 psi rear tires when NOT towing---80 psi when towing my 5th wheel

    Trailer tires.........110 psi MAX COLD pressure
    Tire guys want to crank them up to 110#
    I run 100 psi


    Truck/trailer tire pressure set BASED on ACTUAL Scale weights.

    LEAVE them alone OR put what I ask for in them....is it that dang hard :S
  • Avoid going to low, especially in hot weather! Increases chances for a blowout. I learned the hard way!