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becker's avatar
becker
Explorer
May 30, 2017

Tire Pressure

Question: Presently in Albuquerque.... came in from Houston, tx....getting ready to proceed to St.George,Az.... all tires are about 5 lbs low.... how does temperature and altitude affect tire pressure as I proceed North.... do I need to fill the tires back to normal traveling pressure every morning before I get on the road? Thanks
  • What I concluded by adminstrative research in time, is that advice pressure is determined for 18/20degr C./ 65/68 degr F.
    And its all done to not overheat the tires.

    Cold pressure is when inside tire temp = outside tire temp, that simple.

    when outside tire temp (Ambiënt)is colder then the temp I gave above, the pressure drops in tire, so more deflection of tire> more heatproduction.
    But also more cooling down of tire, because temperature differences are higher.
    for fuel saving you can then give tire a same deflection as for that 65 degr F , by giving it the advice pressure at that colder temp.
    But for savety its not needed.

    The other way around, when its hotter then 65 degr F, pressure rises> lesser deflection > lesser heatproduction, but also cooling down is lesser because of the lesser temperature differences.
    so when hotter outside dont lower your cold pressure to adviced, you then will get more deflection so more heatproduction, so hotter rubber when driving.

    My idea is that between about 20 degr F and 100 degr F outside tire temp, the cooling down of tire and warming up is in balance so not any part of the rubber of tire goes above the temp at wich it hardens and crackes in next bendings/deflections.

    so when you measure your morning pressure, also see what ambiënt temp it is at that moment.
    There are rules of tumb , of every 10 degrees different 1 psi diferent, but this only goes in a sertain range of temp and pressure, better would be a percentage rising of lowering for every 10 degrees, wich would go for high and low pressure.

    Will give a list I made with spreadsheet, for the higher pressures, because this is the Clas A motorhome part so high pressures used.
  • becker wrote:
    Question: Presently in Albuquerque.... came in from Houston, tx....getting ready to proceed to St.George,Az.... all tires are about 5 lbs low.... how does temperature and altitude affect tire pressure as I proceed North.... do I need to fill the tires back to normal traveling pressure every morning before I get on the road? Thanks

    Do it now and always air them up cold, no matter the ambient temp. for where you might be.
    Add 10 - 15 psi over the load inflation chart, to take care of all the variables and variations that one will encounter for any extended trip.
    Also, checking them is a good idea before starting out each day. Being over a bit is not a problem, but won't go 2ft. if they're under inflated.
  • becker wrote:
    Question: Presently in Albuquerque.... came in from Houston, tx....getting ready to proceed to St.George,Az.... all tires are about 5 lbs low.... how does temperature and altitude affect tire pressure as I proceed North.... do I need to fill the tires back to normal traveling pressure every morning before I get on the road? Thanks


    5 pounds low..... lower than what?

    Here is a second method of determining the correct pressure for the tire vs the load being carried.

    at each stop during the day check each tire for being hot. if you find a tire hotter than the others, raise the pressure 10 pounds. when they are all hot raise them all.
  • Nobody mentioned - Get it weighed. Pay the money at a truck stop and then look up what the tires should be for that weight. This can be found with a short web search. Same size tires by different manufactures only vary slightly. I have no clue how to include the tag, I have never had one.

    Matt
  • In the high desert you will have 30-40 degrees difference between morning and evening. It is better IMO to check and obtain the "cold" pressure a couple of hours after you stop. Then the ambient is till relatively high and will be closer to the daytime average temperature. If you rely on the morning temp. the ambient will be low and in a couple of hours it will shoot up when the sun gets to working on the road surface.

    An evening reading will give you a closer to daytime good running temperature.
  • Start the travel day with the recommended pressures for the weight you are carrying, obtained from the tire manufacturer's load chart. Temperature will greatly affect the pressures in the tires. Cold pressure is measured when the tire hasn't been traveled on for several hours or is cold from the trip. But, if ambient temps are high during the day, the pressure will increase. I'd recommend that the cold pressure be obtained in the morning when it's coolest based on your location, and the tire has not been run for several hours and allowed to cool to ambient temperature. The pressure will increase as the tire temperature increases either due to ambient temps and/or due to friction from running. If you set the proper pressure at ambient temperature BEFORE you start your trip, your pressures will be fine throughout the trip.
  • Follow your RV manufacturer's guidelines. See owner's manual.
  • Temperature has a significant affect on PSI. Altitude, very little.

    Air them up!