Tow vehicle tire pressure question

Some food for thought for the Loaded vs unloaded that think the Max on the sidewall is the correct pressure for all conditions.
I currently pass a state scale house on the way to the office, this morning I stopped and weighed my axles empty with 3/4 of a tank of fuel (down about 10 gals).
Front 4,500#
Rear 2,950#

Tires Michelin LTX 265/75-16 E's Rated at 3,415# each @ 80psi. Do you really think I need to run anywhere near 80psi empty??
My unloaded weight could easily be supported by a single tire, therefor I run empty at 45 to 50 psi.

just want to subscribe as i was thinking about this the other day

My OEM sticker states: 80 psi for rear tires and 65 psi for front.. I run the rears at 80 psi at when towing, but around town and unloaded, I drop them back to 60 psi for a much smoother ride. I don't mess with the front tires.

I run mine at 70 rear and 65 front. The 65 is from the door sticker. The 70 is from measuring the length of contact with the ground at 45 unloaded cold as per the sticker. Loaded, 65 brings it back to that measurement and I add 5# for cushion. It handles and rides good. Pulling 9500# with 1200 TW.

Stay inside the door placard rating. The OEMs did a lot of testing after the Explorer/Firestone tire debacle according to tire engineer "CapriRacer". 2009 and later should reflect this. Latest recommendations are that having weighed the TV with trailer in tow and WD sorted,(individual wheel positions weighed and corrected cross axle to reflect heaviest loading) travel steady state one hour and check pressure. 5-7% tire air pressure rise expected from cold overnight reading. 10% or greater means more pressure is needed. After first stop travel same way another hour and check again. In both instances use minimal braking to full stop. If good, then proceed.

IMO, I'd like to know the range of pressure for given travel. I'd test for lowest. Same as with WD. I'd prefer to know the beginning and ending of the RANGE of adjustments.

Too high, as noted above, is not acceptable. Don't expect the rig to handle as solo or as with a load in the TV solo. Takes longer to react, for the rig to start to come around. Mess with built in understeer to your detriment, IMO. Some of us upgrade antiroll bars and add Panhard Rods, but it is caveat emptor as to "improvement".

Trailer tires are always to tire sidewall stated maximum. Use this and above as default.

Don't like the feeling? Upgrade the trailer suspension. Greater wheel travel and shocks on a leaf sprung trailer are givens for better performance. Best TT tires, not cheap ones.

Tankcar wrote:
Hi.
Question: What is the recommendation on the side of the tire wall of the tires you currently running when loaded? When unloaded I would follow the same requirement again as seen on side tire wall.

The pressure listed on the sidewall is the Maximum pressure and the weight that the tire will carry at that pressure. It is not the best pressure for all loads. The same goes for the pressure on the loading sticker the pressure listed on that sticker is to carry the payload listed on the label.
If you are carrying less than the tire is overinflated for the load and results in loss of traction!
In winter I don't need to add weight to my bed just run the correct pressure for the load.

Hi.
Question: What is the recommendation on the side of the tire wall of the tires you currently running when loaded? When unloaded I would follow the same requirement again as seen on side tire wall.

gcloss wrote:
The sticker on the door of my 2012 Ram 2500 with 10-ply E Michelin tires calls for 70 psi in rear and 60 psi in front when cold. I have a TPMS and see the temps rise about 10 psi when the tires heat up.

I would with what the sticker states for your truck.

So you honestly believe that one single pressure setting covers all your carrying needs??:h

Do you really believe that your tires have the same contact patch with 6,500# on the rear axle as it does at the about 2,900# empty.
I adjust for load, run 45 to 50 psi empty, leaning towards 45 psi for traction and ride, and even fully loade with 5er attached run 65 to 70 psi. I weigh about 5,500 to 5,700 on the rear axle loaded, tires can carry 6,830# at 80 psi, that is why I only run 65 to 70 loaded.

BurbMan wrote:
Only way to tell for sure is to run your rear axle over a scale with the TT hooked up and see what you're carrying with the rear tires.

Then go to these Michelin Load Inflation Tables, look up your tire size, then the scales weight, and see what psi you need to safely carry that weight.

100% Correct, weigh loaded and unloaded and inflate based n those loads. Tire wear is one thing it will improve, but far more important is traction and braking!! Even with anti-lock the chance exist for the tires to lock up momentary and the trailer push you sideways.

Many don't think a tire is overinflated as long as you stay under the Max pressure on the sidewall, but if not carrying that Max load, or a large percentage of it , you are overinflated for the load. This means less tread contact with the road.

Have to know more about truck and trailer before I can give an advice.

And those are ; from truck and trailer , best weighed tire-loads , second best weighed axle loads, otherwise we have to with GAWR's and GVWR , empty weight .
Also need maximum speed you wont go over for a minute.

From tires and so seperate for truck and trailer.
maximum load or loadindex, speedcode or ST, kind of tire to determine the AT-pressure.

But for the moment a guess.
Your truck tires are probably aftermarket with that E-load, AT-pressure 80 psi.
OEM tires are probably even P-tires with AT-pressure of 35 psi.
This makes me think you can even use a pressure of about 40 psi.
And then save for the tires up to maximum speed even.

Trailer tires are probably ST so calculated in their maximum load for more deflection allowed. So when I have the data, it might come out that you can even use 60 psi ( 10 psi above AT-pressure) to give maximum reserve.

Only way to tell for sure is to run your rear axle over a scale with the TT hooked up and see what you're carrying with the rear tires.

Then go to these Michelin Load Inflation Tables, look up your tire size, then the scales weight, and see what psi you need to safely carry that weight.