2012 F-250 Gasser tire PSI

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm running 62 cold on all corners, and with the Bilsteins its surely better. I was just curious what others were doing and if the TPMS could be retrained. Guess I know now!
Thanks again.

Resetting tire pressure and lights on Fords is something I do a few times a day, as a shop over 30 times. If the light is on and does NOT say "fault" it's quite simple, set pressures and drive it! By the time I drive around the lot the light is off. There is no need for a tool and turning the key 5 times, brake 5 times and jumping on your left foot while scratching your right elbow. I only use the tool when there is an issue.

Now for a rant. If you are too stupid or lazy to set your own pressures when it's 9 degrees out at least throw the guy who sets it a few dollars. Chances are the guy who does it gets paid by the job. In the cold snap in January and February it was endless, 5-10 cars/trucks a day.

Rant off

AlmostAnOldGuy wrote:
Yak,

Per prior post do you see any reason why dropping the sensors in a capped PVC pipe would not work? I made a water rocket launcher out of PVC for my son when he was a kid which we would pressurize. It would be easy to cap it off a short pipe, drill a hole and put in a valve stem.

Thanks,
Stu

I think all current Fords have the sensor attached to the valve. If done this way one would need a TPMS training tool every time the pressure drops below the threshold. From what I remember of the theory I read years ago the system wants to see tire revolutions to reset the sensors without the tool. I take it you would have these tubes somewhere in the truck other than in the tires?

Yak,

Per prior post do you see any reason why dropping the sensors in a capped PVC pipe would not work? I made a water rocket launcher out of PVC for my son when he was a kid which we would pressurize. It would be easy to cap it off a short pipe, drill a hole and put in a valve stem.

Thanks,
Stu

I am a Ford dealer tech and have never found a way to change the limit

I am I a similar situation with my 2011 F250 CC LB gas. I searched the alarm program level and dealers either say it is not technically possible, or they just will not do it for liability reasons. No one at the Ford Super Duty Forums had a viable solution either. Although one poster says he put the sensors in a pressurized pvc capped pipe, other replies indicated that the sensors must rotate. Anyway, that was further than I was willing to go.
I am able to keep my tires at 58 psi without setting off the tpms, but no lower. It really irritates me that I cannot match my tire pressure to the load using the inflation tables because Ford requires the tires to be inflated for gvwr.

Gdetrailer wrote:

AlmostAnOldGuy wrote:
Gdetrailer,

Thanks for your information. I thought the 'training tool' would allow a change to the psi as well. And your note that an owner cannot lower the psi makes sense as I believe they are trying to reduce under-inflation related accidents (Ford Explorer / Firestone finger pointing when owners did not maintain proper pressure).

The only remaining options I can think of (without changing wheels) would be to pursue a tire that rides a little softer. I know my Cooper Discovery tires rode more comfortably than my Michelin's, however they were also less firm when towing and did not wear as well.

For my own purposes I am able to run closer to 50psi on my F-150 (max payload option with LT tires) without triggering the TPMS and the ride is fine. I inflate up to 65 when towing per the door sticker which shows the psi required when loaded. As a reference the Michelin chart shows 65psi supporting over 5k on the axle so that seems right on since my rear axle is good for 4850 (again, this is for the max payload option).

Green728, let us know if you are able to come up with something that helps you out.

Good luck,
Stu

Yeah, I kind of thought that folks may think that that tool might adjust pressure alarm.. Thats why I pointed it out that it doesn't.

From what I have read some folks have had limited success with getting a few dealers to adjust but most will not touch it..

If you can get 50 PSI to work for you then go with that for unloaded pressure (provided it it isn't too little pressure), I would opt a bit higher just so you don't get random TPMS warnings on cold days..

For towing you might want to air up close to the sidewall pressure on the tires..

In my case, our 2013 F250 I run about 68 lbs-70 lbs empty and towing I air up to the 78 lbs- 80 lbs (sidewall pressure is 80 lbs) depending on the load.

Towing I will keep a few lbs less in the front, seems to handle better that way for me.

Non towing I keep a few more lbs in the front than the rear seems to give me the best handling for empty..

When will people learn a tire is over inflated if inflated for more then the weight it is carrying!

A max payload F150 only has a 4,800# rear axle running an E tire at 80 psi in that case is OVER INFLATED!

AlmostAnOldGuy wrote:
Gdetrailer,

Thanks for your information. I thought the 'training tool' would allow a change to the psi as well. And your note that an owner cannot lower the psi makes sense as I believe they are trying to reduce under-inflation related accidents (Ford Explorer / Firestone finger pointing when owners did not maintain proper pressure).

The only remaining options I can think of (without changing wheels) would be to pursue a tire that rides a little softer. I know my Cooper Discovery tires rode more comfortably than my Michelin's, however they were also less firm when towing and did not wear as well.

For my own purposes I am able to run closer to 50psi on my F-150 (max payload option with LT tires) without triggering the TPMS and the ride is fine. I inflate up to 65 when towing per the door sticker which shows the psi required when loaded. As a reference the Michelin chart shows 65psi supporting over 5k on the axle so that seems right on since my rear axle is good for 4850 (again, this is for the max payload option).

Green728, let us know if you are able to come up with something that helps you out.

Good luck,
Stu

Yeah, I kind of thought that folks may think that that tool might adjust pressure alarm.. Thats why I pointed it out that it doesn't.

From what I have read some folks have had limited success with getting a few dealers to adjust but most will not touch it..

If you can get 50 PSI to work for you then go with that for unloaded pressure (provided it it isn't too little pressure), I would opt a bit higher just so you don't get random TPMS warnings on cold days..

For towing you might want to air up close to the sidewall pressure on the tires..

In my case, our 2013 F250 I run about 68 lbs-70 lbs empty and towing I air up to the 78 lbs- 80 lbs (sidewall pressure is 80 lbs) depending on the load.

Towing I will keep a few lbs less in the front, seems to handle better that way for me.

Non towing I keep a few more lbs in the front than the rear seems to give me the best handling for empty..

Gdetrailer,

Thanks for your information. I thought the 'training tool' would allow a change to the psi as well. And your note that an owner cannot lower the psi makes sense as I believe they are trying to reduce under-inflation related accidents (Ford Explorer / Firestone finger pointing when owners did not maintain proper pressure).

The only remaining options I can think of (without changing wheels) would be to pursue a tire that rides a little softer. I know my Cooper Discovery tires rode more comfortably than my Michelin's, however they were also less firm when towing and did not wear as well.

For my own purposes I am able to run closer to 50psi on my F-150 (max payload option with LT tires) without triggering the TPMS and the ride is fine. I inflate up to 65 when towing per the door sticker which shows the psi required when loaded. As a reference the Michelin chart shows 65psi supporting over 5k on the axle so that seems right on since my rear axle is good for 4850 (again, this is for the max payload option).

Green728, let us know if you are able to come up with something that helps you out.

Good luck,
Stu

AlmostAnOldGuy wrote:
A good place to start is to reference the appropriate tire inflation chart to ensure your tire pressure is safe for the load.

Sample Michelin Inflation Chart

I have not run through the procedure myself on my F-150, but here is the procedure I found referenced. I believe you will find this in the manual, but the manual neglects to mention you need a tool to identify each tire. Here is a link with the procedure.

2012 F-250 TPMS Training

And lastly, here is the tool required to help train the tires.

ATEQ Tire Training Tool

As stated above I have not done this procedure myself on my truck, I had just done similar research. Please do your own homework to satisfy yourself that this will work for you. You may want to check with a local tire shop and they may help you out.

They make inflation charts for a reason. Seems to me you inflate to the load you are carrying. A buddy of mine was a fleet manager for 30 years and did the same thing on their rigs.

Good luck to you,
Stu

No tool needed, provided you drive the vehicle for a few miles above 20 or so MPH..

The tool is only used to "wake up" the sensors in the tire and is not required if you follow the procedures as outlined in your owners manual on waking up the sensors.

I have retrained my 2013 F250, the procedures are not hard to follow once you get past all the silliness with the ignition key/buttons and such.. Once you get the horn signal you simply start at the driverside front tire and rotate to passenger side front to panssenger rear then drivers rear. You have to let out the air in each tire until the horn sounds which indicates the low pressure alarm level.

Once complete add in some air so you are not always triggering the alarm on cold days.

As far as lowing the low pressure alarm.. No, the owner can not do that.. Only the dealer has the tools to lower the low pressure alarm.. Most dealers will not touch it since they are putting themselves into a possible lawsuit position and not to mention tampering with a Fed law..

I find my 2013 F250 rides no worse at 70lbs than my older 2006 F250 at 62 lbs.. Even my coworker who rides with me thinks my 2013 rides better than my older truck.

Now if you have switched to oversized tires (IE not running the tire sizes LISTED on your door sticker) your are pretty much out of luck and will just have to inflate above the factory set point or ignore the light and messages..

On edit..

I wanted to add that that "training" tool ONLY is for training the tire "positions", it has nothing in connection with PSI levels.. It is used for tire Rotations.. But still not needed if you use the procedures in the owners manual.