Question about tires

[Heybro]

I have been learning a lot about tongue weight and payload capacity lately, but I have not even looked into tire capacity and weight rating at all. I am going to need some help with this. So my truck has Goodyear 275/55R20 113T tires. It says the treadwear is 500, Traction B, Temperature B. It also says the max load is 2535 lbs, and max psi is 51.

My GAWR on my truck with those tires is 4000 lbs on the front, and 4150 lbs on the rear.


Ok, with that information, how do I figure out if I am good to tow a 7,000 lbs GVWR trailer, with 680 lbs of dry tongue weight without having a tire blowout? I heard something that you need D or E rated tires if you are going to tow. But it looks like my tires can handle 2535 lbs each, so shouldnt i be fine?

[CapriRacer]

MFL wrote:
^^^^^Exactly!! Many things you read are lawyer speak, or marketing, but nothing beats years of experience, actually towing in many situations. While CapriRacer may remember what he read, he obviously has no experience with 1,000 lbs siting on the hitch of a 1/2 ton truck. If the tire is marked xxxx capacity at 51 psi, on the OPs truck, then 30 lbs just isn't a wise decision, with 4k sitting on that rear axle.

Jerry

What I was referring to was this: " ..... you need to air up to get full use of tire load capability. ..... "

That implies that the full load carrying capacity occurs at the max pressure - and that is generally NOT true!

But I do agree that adding a bit more pressure does help with stability.

Oh, and I towed my racecar all over the southeast, so Yes!!, I do know a bit about towing.

[MFL]

^^^^^Exactly!! Many things you read are lawyer speak, or marketing, but nothing beats years of experience, actually towing in many situations. While CapriRacer may remember what he read, he obviously has no experience with 1,000 lbs siting on the hitch of a 1/2 ton truck. If the tire is marked xxxx capacity at 51 psi, on the OPs truck, then 30 lbs just isn't a wise decision, with 4k sitting on that rear axle.

Jerry

[TurnThePage]

CapriRacer wrote:

MFL wrote:
The door sticker is for best ride, but for towing heavy, you need to air up to get full use of tire load capability. Like mentioned full pressure in rear, and try about 42 in the front. A bit of trial, to know what handles best, after all hooked up and towing.

Jerry

Nope! That's not right.

The inflation pressure on the sticker on the door frame includes the max load (GAWR's) and unless specified otherwise, includes the towing limitations published by the vehicle manufacturer.

That may be technically accurate, but I know from plenty of experience that airing the tires up closer to their max, yields a significantly safer and more stable ride. My Ram 1500 recommends 41 PSI on both axles, which IS enough for stable and safe towing.

[MFL]

CapriRacer wrote:

MFL wrote:
The door sticker is for best ride, but for towing heavy, you need to air up to get full use of tire load capability. Like mentioned full pressure in rear, and try about 42 in the front. A bit of trial, to know what handles best, after all hooked up and towing.

Jerry

Nope! That's not right.

The inflation pressure on the sticker on the doorframe includes the max load (GAWR's) and unless specified otherwise, includes the towing limitations published by the vehicle manufacturer.

Lol...if you own a 1/2 ton truck, with 30 psi listed on the door sticker front/rear it will ride/handle fine empty. If you actually own a fair sized TT, try towing both ways, 30 psi, and then air up, like I suggested. Come back...tell us what you learned!!! :W

Jerry

[CapriRacer]

MFL wrote:
The door sticker is for best ride, but for towing heavy, you need to air up to get full use of tire load capability. Like mentioned full pressure in rear, and try about 42 in the front. A bit of trial, to know what handles best, after all hooked up and towing.

Jerry

Nope! That's not right.

The inflation pressure on the sticker on the doorframe includes the max load (GAWR's) and unless specified otherwise, includes the towing limitations published by the vehicle manufacturer.

[Grit_dog]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Heybro wrote:
It doesnt specify on the wheels. I think its P if it doesnt tell you.

First thing to do for a MUCH better and SAFER towing experience is dump the "P" tires for "D" or "E".

Weigh your axles loaded and unloaded. Then air rears plus 5 and fronts plus 10 psi over what the tire weight/inflation chart says.

And the next guy will come by and say how unsafe it is and how the rims might not be rated for the tires and how the door sticker says 35 psi and and and and.....
They're wrong.
And while your qualification of "BETTER" is understood, I agree, stiffer tires are better for towing, in no way are the OP's tires inadequate, in the least, for what he's doing.

[Grit_dog]

Kaos wrote:
If you're going to tow 7000lbs at highway speeds you should really have a LT tire. The lower pressure and weaker sidewalls in a passenger tire leads to excessive heat buildup and rubber break down. Overtime this ends in a blowout.
If you are just pulling this type of load locally and not very often maybe you can get by, but to rely on this tow vehicle on the highway requires better equipment. IMO

Not that LT tires won't be better, or overkill in the OP's case, but "Overtime this ends in a blowout" is 100% false, if the tires are used within their weight rating.
Unless you have more than the typical rvnet suppositions to support this, that is.

I'll offer that in 30 years now or about a million miles of daily driving mostly half tons for work, construction work, heavy towing, stuff that would necessitate about 2 dozen rvnet members getting coronary bypasses, OE P or XL rated tire do just fine.
Are they softer, yes. Do they wear out quicker, yes. Do they detonate due to being used at or even over their capacities? Nope.

[Cummins12V98]

Heybro wrote:
It doesnt specify on the wheels. I think its P if it doesnt tell you.

First thing to do for a MUCH better and SAFER towing experience is dump the "P" tires for "D" or "E".

Weigh your axles loaded and unloaded. Then air rears plus 5 and fronts plus 10 psi over what the tire weight/inflation chart says.

[Kaos]

If you're going to tow 7000lbs at highway speeds you should really have a LT tire. The lower pressure and weaker sidewalls in a passenger tire leads to excessive heat buildup and rubber break down. Overtime this ends in a blowout.
If you are just pulling this type of load locally and not very often maybe you can get by, but to rely on this tow vehicle on the highway requires better equipment. IMO

[Edd505]

42 PSI I'll bet is a P rated tire. Look at some thing like the 275/55/20 LT. The LT will be 80 psi max, check the rim for max PSI should be on the back side or inside.

[MFL]

CapriRacer...think you missed what he is asking. His question is are his current tires capable, and I'm sure you know the answer is, yes they are.

Jerry

[CapriRacer]

Heybro wrote:
I have been learning a lot about tongue weight and payload capacity lately, but I have not even looked into tire capacity and weight rating at all. I am going to need some help with this. So my truck has Goodyear 275/55R20 113T tires. It says the treadwear is 500, Traction B, Temperature B. It also says the max load is 2535 lbs, and max psi is 51.

My GAWR on my truck with those tires is 4000 lbs on the front, and 4150 lbs on the rear.


Ok, with that information, how do I figure out if I am good to tow a 7,000 lbs GVWR trailer, with 680 lbs of dry tongue weight without having a tire blowout? I heard something that you need D or E rated tires if you are going to tow. But it looks like my tires can handle 2535 lbs each, so shouldnt i be fine?

This isn't enough information to answer your question. You need to look up the towing capacity as specified by the vehicle manufacturer - might be in the owners manual.

[pitch]

You are over thinking this. You will be fine. Personally I prefer LT just due to the stiffer sidewalls,but your rating will handle anything you can hook to your truck
Your axles are used in many different applications so their rating may be differnt from one to another.

Millions hook to travel trailers every year, billions over the decades. Our highways are not strewn with death and destruction wrought by dangerous RV'ers. Hell my grandparents towed a trailer across the country with an 85 hp buick. In the thirties my grandpa toured the nation hauling a merry go round behind a Model T truck.
This ain't rocket science folks!

[Grit_dog]

Heybro your rear axle rating is a conservative “limit” of the Max total weight for it to carry. Vehicle weight (2500lbs giver take) and all payload.
Yes LT tires can add even more stability, but 50psi makes them quite stable. Look up a load pressure chart for your tire size to see the capacities at different pressures.

Don’t get too caught up with the condescending responses.
If you have more questions, PM me. I’ll answer them. Some Folks here will argue with each other and likely confuse the issue more for you than help.

Btw what jimlin said is correct, however I have no issue running E load tires on half tons when they may be needed or just for longer tire life.

[JIMNLIN]

I heard something that you need D or E rated tires if you are going to tow. But it looks like my tires can handle 2535 lbs each, so shouldnt i be fine?

Pump those rear tires to their max sidewall pressures which can be 44 psi or even 51 psi on some P tires.
Sway issues can start with using the door sticker 35 psi. The sidewalls are to soft for towing/hauling a load duties.
I pull a 10k trailers with the wifes 1500 chevy rolling on P265/70-17" tires. Their max is 44 psi. I don't mess with the front tires psi as their load never changes.

Years back or passenger tires pressure was limited at 32 psi. Radial tires came out with 35 psi....and now were up to 44-51 psi for a much stiffer sidewall.

I'm not a fan of a LT D or E tire on a 1/2 ton truck. BTDT and always came back to a P tire.