cancel
Showing results forย 
Search instead forย 
Did you mean:ย 

Tire Pressure Not Towing

Jhurk
Explorer
Explorer
I have a 2014 Dodge Ram 3500 20" tires. When towing I run 80psi in rear tires and 65 in front as per tire specs. Now when Not Towing I want to reduce rear psi to 65-70psi to,reduce bumpy ride. Any thoughts, any buddy doing this?
Jim Hurkett Chilliwack BC
2014 Dodge Ram 3500 Limited SWA
2009 Cardinal 30 TS
19 REPLIES 19

Espee
Explorer
Explorer
I want the best tire life I can get out of tires, so air pressure is about getting even tire wear over cushy ride. From my four wheelin days with monster mudder tires:
Run a piece of sidewalk chalk across the width of the tire, and drive a hundred feet in a straight line. Inspect for even wear of the chalk mark. Add or reduce psi according to wear on chalk mark.
So I run 45psi in the rear and 65 frnt unladen. I only increas rears to 75 when towing (less the chalk test).
2007 Ram 2500, 4X4, 6.7
06' Cougar 285EFS

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
Lots of numbers here but most don't have anything to do with the OP's tires. Know YOUR weights! Use the weight/inflation guide for YOUR tire. Add 5-10# to what the chart shows for front tires, 10 is better that will compensate for edge wear. The rears add 5psi. I have been doing this for MANY years and that is why I would get 100K easily out of a set of BFG or Michelins on my 98 running 17" take offs from 3rd gen trucks.

MOST under inflate their fronts and overinflated their rears!
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

otrfun
Explorer II
Explorer II
Door jam sticker says 60 PSI front, 80 PSI rear on our '16 Ram 3500 SRW. Been getting a tad much outside tire wear (both sides of each tire) on the front, so bumped up the fronts to 70.

Run the rears 80 loaded, 45 empty. Even at 45 empty the outside edges of the rear tires don't contact the road.

Dutch___Di
Explorer
Explorer
We reduce the air in our rear dually tires if we're going to be in an area for a month or longer and it does give us a softer ride. If it's just a day or a week, we don't bother. It works for us. Hugs, Di
Jhurk wrote:
I have a 2014 Dodge Ram 3500 20" tires. When towing I run 80psi in rear tires and 65 in front as per tire specs. Now when Not Towing I want to reduce rear psi to 65-70psi to,reduce bumpy ride. Any thoughts, any buddy doing this?
2015 Western Brown Pearl single cab Ram 3500 Dually. Aisin Transmission, Pace Edwards auto rolltop cover, DeBoe Slide Step, AMP Side Steps.
1996/2010 Triple Slide Carriage, Mor/Ryde Susp, Kodiak Disc Brakes, Big Foot Auto Leveling System, TST TPMS

allen8106
Explorer
Explorer
I run same pressure, towing or not.
2010 Eagle Super Lite 315RLDS
2018 GMC Sierra 3500HD 6.6L Duramax

2010 Nights 45
2011 Nights 70
2012 Nights 144
2013 Nights 46
2014 Nights 49
2015 Nights 57
2016 Nights 73
2017 Nights 40
2018 Nights 56
2019 Nights 76
2020 Nights 68

lakeside013104
Explorer
Explorer
Install air bags. Run 5# in bags when not towing. Ride will be slightly more harsh than a 1/2 ton model, but much more comfortable that what it currently is. Run air in tires as your label on door sticker recommends.

Lakeside

avvidclif1
Explorer
Explorer
ol Bombero-JC wrote:
phillyg wrote:
I only go to 80psi rear when I'm towing, and 60psi otherwise.


Good choice!

My 1T '05 calls for 45 front and 80 rear.

OK - that's intended for a "serious" load in the bed.

Fine empty - *IF* you like riding in a buckboard..:W

*NOT* towing - I run 50# all the way round.

Has worked just fine for me for the past 11 years I've had the p/up - and same for previous 1T p/ups.

~


That's fine for the older p'ups but the federally mandate TPMS on the newer trucks will drive you nuts. If I set my rears to less than 65 it decides my tires are too low and sends a continuous warning. And there is no way to turn it off or defeat it. At least that I have found.
Clif & Millie
2009 Ford F350 SRW CC Lariat 6.4 Diesel
2015 Heartland Cyclone HD CY3418 Toy Hauler

ol_Bombero-JC
Explorer
Explorer
phillyg wrote:
I only go to 80psi rear when I'm towing, and 60psi otherwise.


Good choice!

My 1T '05 calls for 45 front and 80 rear.

OK - that's intended for a "serious" load in the bed.

Fine empty - *IF* you like riding in a buckboard..:W

*NOT* towing - I run 50# all the way round.

Has worked just fine for me for the past 11 years I've had the p/up - and same for previous 1T p/ups.

~

jadatis
Explorer
Explorer
It all depends on what the weight on the axles, or better seperate wheel(pairs) is when not towing.

If you then ride fully loaded , it is only the weight on the towbar that is missing.

This weight on towbar is for American trailers minimum 10% and maximum 15% of total weight of trailer ( I case of middle axle trailers, but mayby experts make me wiser here).

so it depends of howmuch you are allowed to tow, or better of howmuch you tow in real.

Take 10 to 15% of that, and that is towbarweigth
This weight is on about 4 to 6 foot behind the rear axle, depending on the overhang behind.
This puts more weight on rear axle than that 10 to 15%, and lifts up the front axle a little.
Rough estimation,knowing nothing about your car, asume 500 lbs on towbar, gives about( roughly estimated) 750 lbs extra on rear axle and 250 lbs less on the front axle.

So front axle dont need to be lowered in pressure, sooner a bit higher pressure, and rear can be lower.
This is if, besides the towbarload, nothing else chanches in the loading of the car.

But howmuch lower on rear , all depends on the weights and other demensions of the car.
Wheelbase is one ( distance between front- and rear-axle).

If you can produce as much possible data ( weigts on axles,and tire-data), I , as selfdeclared tirepressurespecialist, am able to calculate the pressure for you, with some reserve.

Even determined a verry discussable bumping border.
For comfort that is is real weight on wheel is lower then 85% of the weigth the pressure is calculated for for up to 160km/99m/h, that then bumping begins. Verry subjective and open for discussion, and it all is about the deflection the tire gets, below a sertain deflection discomfort begins but also gripp is less.

JIMNLIN
Explorer
Explorer
LT265/70-17 E on a '03 2500 Dodge/Cummins NV5600 quad cab 2wd rides best at 45 psi in the rear tires.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers

'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 two slides

avvidclif1
Explorer
Explorer
I run 60 front all the time and 80 rear when towing. When not 65. I would go to 55-60 but the govt mandated nanny (TPMS) goes off.
Clif & Millie
2009 Ford F350 SRW CC Lariat 6.4 Diesel
2015 Heartland Cyclone HD CY3418 Toy Hauler

Allworth
Explorer II
Explorer II
55 front

65 rear
Formerly posting as "littleblackdog"
Martha, Allen, & Blackjack
2006 Chevy 3500 D/A LB SRW, RVND 7710
Previously: 2008 Titanium 30E35SA. Currently no trailer due to age & mobility problems. Very sad!
"Real Jeeps have round headlights"

djgodden
Explorer
Explorer
There should be a light load setting in the RAM, look on the door frame for the pressures. For mine it's 80lbs front and 45lbs rear.
2012 Ram 2500 4x4 Lariat Longhorn 6.7 CTD HO, Edge Evo CTS, Extreme Tow/Haul brakes, aFePower Diff cover, LL 5000 bags, 285/70R17, Reese Q20 w/slider. 2005 Montana 2955RL w/400w solar, Renogy MPPT, 4 x 6v @ 12VDC (450AH), 3000w Inverter, King VQ4100.

phillyg
Explorer II
Explorer II
I only go to 80psi rear when I'm towing, and 60psi otherwise.
--2005 Ford F350 Lariat Crewcab 6.0, 4x4, 3.73 rear
--2016 Montana 3711FL, 40'
--2014 Wildcat 327CK, 38' SOLD