TV Tire Pressure Question

[RobWNY]

Previously, I asked the members for their thoughts and opinions on which LT tires I should replace my stock 275/65/18 P rated tires with. I decided on the 275/65/18 Cooper AT/3's and they will be installed on Sept. 3rd. On the door of my F150, it shows 35psi. Is that where I should have the Cooper tires at or is that what the original tires are supposed to be at? And, when I tow, where would I have the psi at? thanks in advance!

[BenK]

Here are his marketing badge & door lables


Marketing 2500HD badge



Door label with GVWR/GAWR

[BenK]

Marty, the OP has a 2015 Chevy 2500HD Double Cab with a +9K GVWR...1 ton SRW range,
not 3/4 ton range

Neighbor has a GMC 2500HD Duramax Crew and that has the 11.5" ring gear
(edit....or so he says)...and the small block gasser they also come with
might have the 10.5" ring gear (conflicting info in my searching)....

Same position I take on the half ton HD and refer to them as the fake half ton

The +10K GVWR are duallies, or that all the I've come across (was looking but
I'll keep my Sub for a while longer...)

[blt2ski]

Ben,

How do you know the new truck is a 1 ton? does it have a gvwr over 10001 lbs to 14K lbs? if so, yes it is a DOT class 3/1 ton truck. If it is int he 6001-10000 lbs range, it is a dot class 2, or 3/4 ton truck. Pretty simple.

On the other hand, if one wants to use the sum of the axel components vs the manufacture derated number, the OP's new truck is a dot class3, his old truck a LD DOT class 2 in the 6001-8400lb gvw range.

marty

[BenK]

Am assuming the OP is now talking about his 'new' 2500HD (fake 3/4 ton,
it's a 1 ton)

This is a higher class truck than your half ton. The 'HD' suffix takes
it into 1 ton territory

The truck is heavier just sitting there with nothing loaded in/on it

Notice where the half way point is...on most TV's it is at the drivers
door's rear edge.

Meaning most of the stuff loaded in/on it will have 'most' of that
weight on the TV's rear axle

Then that this is several thousand pounds more in initial weight
and capacity...it will need higher class tires than your half ton
and need more PSI

You need to change your half ton metrics (+6K-7K GVWR) to your new
+9K GVWR truck's metrics

On the spare...do you know which tire position will need it? No one
does, so air it up to the max any one of the four on the ground would
ever have...if it goes to one where it has less PSI...just let out
PSI...much tougher to air them up out there in the boonies...

[RobWNY]

I thought it was a little odd the door sticker says to have 60 pounds in the front tires and 70 in the rear. I can understand it while towing or with a heavy payload but for everyday use with an empty bed it seems a little extreme. More odd to me is the recommendation to have 80 pounds in the spare!

[wandering1]

Forget the sticker on the door and use the PSI on the sidewalls.

[Sport45]

Good choice. You should still do a chalk or tape test to determine the best pressure when running empty. If you run the door sticker pressure on the rear tires all the time they'll probably wear pretty quick in the middle. (I know mine did.)

[RobWNY]

I had a change of plan. I traded in my F150 for a 2015 Chevy 2500HD Double Cab and it has LTX M/S2 tires so I'm all set for now. Thanks to all that posted!

[dspencer]

I just put on LT tires on my 12 1500 Silverado and i'm towing approximately 6500lbs. I was told to run 40 non towing and 45 towing and that is what i'm doing. It handles great in my situation.

[goducks10]

Those are LT tires. When I had my F150 I ran some LT Michelins. I ran the door PSI unloaded and ran 45PSI towing. Discount Tire said 44 PSI was all that's needed to match the trucks RAWR. I tried 50 PSI a couple times and there was really no difference and the ride was harsher.

[BenK]

OP...unclear if you are asking information on PSI for a 'P' class or 'LT' class
tire

Your door label is only for a 'P' class tire of THAT SPECIFIC SIZE: P275/65R18
Load rating 114 with a speed rating 'T'

Now for the next higher class, 'LT', that label info is wrong

[Sport45]

I do a variation of the chalk test with wide masking tape. Put it across the tread and drive a few miles before looking at it. Adjust inflation until the wear is slightly biased to the middle for everyday driving.

Sidewall max pressure when towing anything heavier than a 5000# utility trailer.

[mowermech]

You could also do the old reliable "chalk test".
take the truck to a large, relatively empty parking lot. Make a chalk mark across the tread of each tire. Drive the truck a hundred yards or so. Look at the chalk marks. If the mark is worn evenly across the full width of the tread, the inflation pressure is just right. If the chalk is worn mostly on the sides of the tread, the inflation pressure is too low. If the chalk is worn mostly in the center of the tread, the pressure is too high.

[K_Charles]

Weigh the truck to see how much weight is on each wheel then go to Coopers web site and get the psi for that wieght.