Tires and pressure

[polishpickles]

Hi guys,

I'm new to this site and campers in general. Sorry if this has been asked before, but what should I be running my tire pressure at when loaded the camper on the back of my truck?

I'll try to provide as much detail as possible. It's a 2002 Nissan Frontier, 2 wheel drive, with extra leafs installed so there is still lots of clearance when camper is on the back of the truck. I can't remember the tire brand but they are P225 70R15 with max load around 1,750lbs per tire. The camper itself is just under 1,100lbs.

I've been getting mixed responses from random sources. The sticker on the driver side frame says the tires should be at 32psi. The tire itself does not have "recommended" pressure although i've been told that "max" is "recommended". In that case, max pressure for this tire is 44psi and rated at 1750 lbs per tire. The question is should i be:

a) keeping tire pressure the same at all times @ 32psi
b) pumping it up a little to around 40 psi when camper is loaded
c) always keeping it a max tire pressure @ 44psi
d) consider upgrading to an E rated tire

These are the different responses I got from different people. Seems very confusing. It's a light truck probably around 4000 lbs, plus 1100 lbs camper on top, plus 2 people and other camping gear. So far we haven't driven it far, and it's only been on weekends for maybe 2-4 hours max a day.

Thank you in advance. 🙂

[polishpickles]

Hi guys, thanks again for all your replies and suggestions. This forum is great for that. So many things to think about when you're getting into this!

Yeah, I'm glad the helper springs are already installed or this thing would be sagging like crazy. I will look into those options for shocks, and better tires. Tires will probably come first. I will also leave the tailgate off as suggested earlier. That will save a little bit of weight.

That's an intersting idea, ticki. I've never seen that done and a set up like that on the road before. But at that point, really, wouldn't it be better to just sell my current camper and just buy a 5th wheel/trailer camper?

We're heading out for a little road trip this long weekend, so we'll be going by a scale. I'll finally get to weigh the truck, with camper, fully loaded, and see what the actual weight is.

[ticki2]

An alternative would be to use a utility trailer rated for the weight , mount the camper on it and tow it until you can sort out what to do about the truck . Trucks can tow much more weight than they can carry .There is more than one on this forum doing that .

[whizbang]

It sounds like you already have helper springs. You should install a better shock, possibly Bilstein 4600's or KYB MonoMax. And, get some load "C" rated light truck tires.

Shave off every pound of weight that you possibly can. Do a search on this forum and possibly the boondocking forum. There are lots of good ideas out there.

[polishpickles]

Ok I see. Mostly we drive in only good weather and doing speed limit or just little below in the slower lane. But I see your point about bad weather, potholes. We never take forest roads, maybe some gravel roads, but always go slowly if that does happen once in a while.

Trust me, I would love to have a bigger, more powerful truck to make it little easier going up bigger hills, etc. But I would need to save up first for an upgrade.

At this point, is there anything I can do to my truck to up the weight limit? Upgrade shocks, add more spring leafs, better tires?

Thanks.

[whizbang]

I drove around overloaded with the same set-up you have: 1500# of camper, gear and passengers on a truck rated for half that. I figure I got by like everybody else does, sheer luck.

When driving around on good roads, in good weather, are you really going to notice extra wear and tear on your drive train, frame, and suspension? Probably not.

But what happens when you hit a bad pothole? Or take a bad forest road? How quick can you stop going down a steep grade? You're in the NW too. How are you going to brake or swerve in the rain?

We have had 4 truck/camper combinations. Two of the four were overload situations. The difference being being loaded and overloaded is night and day.

Driving is fraught with moderate risk. A top heavy, back heavy, overloaded vehicle increases the risk (and not just for you, the others on the road). How lucky do you feel, and, how good is your insurance?

At the very least, you need to consider a 1/2 ton truck, although a 3/4 ton truck would be a MUCH better choice. (When you start truck shopping, drive them across a scale and get the empty weight. Do the math).

Good luck.

[polishpickles]

Ok, now you're freaking me out. So with your Ranger (I looked at the photos) you drove it overloaded for a while you mean? Did anything break on it or was more of a safety issue? My truck has extra springs installed, would that make a difference as far as being overweight on the rear axle?

I can definitely take off the tailgate to save some weight there. The jacks are a bit older, and bolts seem like they're on there good. They're not the newest jacks and I'm worried that if I were to take them off and put back on every time, it would wear them out quicker.

I'm just surprised because I see trucks way older than mine, half rusted buckets driving around with campers the same size as mine on the back of those trucks. What's the long term damage that the over weight could cause to the truck or the rear axle? Could the axle actually snap?

So far no plans to go to Seattle any time soon. How come?

Any ideas how much is the GVWR on a late 90's Dodge Dakota 4x4? That's who I bought the camper off of. He had extra suspension installed but would the GVWR be similar to my truck?

[whizbang]

Holy Smokes Pickles! I just went back to the first page and read down a bit. You already posted your GVWR (in Metric!!!) 4700# and Rear Axle rating 2650#.

Both are worse than I expected. Not good at all.

Without even knowing your weights, I must say that you are overloaded to the point of not being safe. I strongly suggest selling the camper or getting a bigger truck. 500# over loaded on an one ton or 3/4 ton is no big deal. On a Ranger, Tacoma, or Frontier, it's a big deal.

Sorry. I wish it weren't so.

[whizbang]

I always assumed you camper was a pop-up, not a hard side.

Fully loaded, my camper and gear (less jacks, less tailgate) is right around 1600#. Weight stickers are notoriously light. For a moment, just assume our campers weigh the same.

Your Frontier with 3/4 tank and the driver are probably real close to 4000#. I think your truck's GVWR is 5000# or 5200# which gives you a payload capacity of maybe 1200#

Load a 1600# camper and a 150# passenger, and you have 1750#, overloading your truck by 550#. Not good in a small truck.

Worse yet, your rear axle is rated for 2850 pounds, and weighs 1850 unloaded. Your camper overloads your axle by 750 pounds.

You have a significant over weight problem. How significant?

There are 4 things you need to figure out so you don't crush your truck:

What's it weigh empty?
What's it weigh loaded?
What is the GVWR?
What is the rear axle rating (and is the rating for the steel parts, not the tries)?

Don't repeat my mistakes. I starting out by overloading a Ford Ranger 14 years ago(see the first page of the camper photo thread. By shear luck, I am the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th postings).

Based on looking at your pictures, I'd recommend taking off the tailgate and the jacks. I know the jacks are a hassle. Get the right tools to make it less of a hassle. You are going to use the tools a lot.

You have a serious weight problem that only you can fix or mitigate. Are you traveling into Seattle any time soon?

[polishpickles]

Ok. Thanks so much for all the info and for the info on the tires, that's very helpful. So the best thing is to weigh the truck on its own then and upgrade to C rated tires? Any particular brands I should go with over others?

Our water tank was never filled fully. It's always less than half as we haven't really had the need to use it much yet. Also, the jacks are bolted on so it would be pain in the behind to try to remove them every time.

Below are pictures of my truck with the camper. Also couple photos of the tire with and without the camper on the truck. And for some reason my picture didn't work. Had a logo of a "broken photo" instead of the actual photo. So I've attached the links to my flickr page. Let me know what you guys think.

https://flic.kr/p/vheNNt
https://flic.kr/p/vh5UTo
https://flic.kr/p/wbMSyS
Fully loaded
https://flic.kr/p/wexaBB
Camper off
https://flic.kr/p/vWutcy
https://flic.kr/p/vWunEj

[whizbang]

polishpickles,

I also carry a camper on a 1/2 ton. You are getting good advice on this forum.



Two things: You don't need "E" rated light truck tires. "C" rated is a much better fit for your truck/camper. And, yes, you will run then at 50 PSI with the camper loaded.

Secondly, remove all the weight you can from the camper: replace the large table with a smaller table, drive with the water either empty or low and top off at your destination, remove the jacks for travel, only fill up your gas tank half way, etc.

I think when you weigh everything you will be surprised. Think like a backpacker. Take nothing that you absolutely don't need.

Why don't you post a photo so we can see what you have and possibly make other suggestions?

[JIMNLIN]

What are the main differences between P, LT, and E tires? How come you prefer LT tire over E tire? Are the E tires taller and befier in general? Or just have thicker walls?

P tire = passenger car tires with a 4 ply rating. Many can have only one ply. The biggest problem with a P tire on a truck is each tire's load rating is reduced by dividing it by 1.10 before determining the sum of the maximum load ratings of the tires fitted to an axle per fed regs.
In other words your current P tire may have 2271 lb capacity on the sidewall but after the math its actual capacity is around 2064 lbs. Your trucks rear axle may have around 4000 RAWR. Those P tires I would bet are maxed out.

LT tires come in a C/D/E load ranges (ply ratings.

The LT C is a 6 ply rated tire at 50 psi.

The LT D is a 8 ply rated tire at 65 psi.

The LT E is a 10 ply rated tire at 80 psi.

LT tires have a two ply carcass and additional steel belts under the tread. However those two ply in the LT E tire are much heavier than a D tire carcass which is one reason 3/4 and one ton trucks come with LT E tires. These trucks have the axle/wheel/suspension capacity to handle a heavy LT E tire.

[Old-Biscuit]

polishpickles wrote:
This is what the sticker says:

GVWR/PNBV 2132 KG
GAWR/PNBE FR. 1082 KG
With P225/70R15 tires 15x7.0 rims at 30 psi, cold single
GAWR/PNBE RR. 1202 KG
With P225/70R15 tires 15x7.0 rims at 30 psi, cold single

So that's 4700 lbs. in total. But is "GAWR/PNBE RR 1202 KG" the rear axle max load? That would be around 2650 lbs. In that case would I be just under? Camper @ 1100 lbs, passengers gear and others at 800 lbs?

Thanks.

GVWR.......total truck can weigh with passengers, fuel, anything in/on truck 2132KG------4700#
GAWR/F...total weight that can be on front axle 1082KG-----2385#
GAWR/R...total weight that can be on rear axle 1202KG-----2649#

1100# camper (guesstimated weight) plus 800# passengers/gear (low guesstimate)......1900# PLUS base truck weight already on rear axle.

Go weigh truck w/o camper but with passengers, fuel and anything that would be in cab.
That will give you total truck weight and each weight on axles.

[polishpickles]

That's good to hear. I think I'm under those numbers but next time I have the camper on I'll go weigh it.

What are the main differences between P, LT, and E tires? How come you prefer LT tire over E tire? Are the E tires taller and befier in general? Or just have thicker walls? I'm wondering if the wheel wells wouldn't have enough clearance with fatter tires. I also had no idea your wheels had to be rated for specific psi.

Yeah, when the camper is on they're around 40 psi.

[JIMNLIN]

polishpickles wrote:
Gotcha. That will be the next step I guess. What happens if I'm over the max load?

One thing that won't happen in BC is being ticketed for being over the truck makers GVWR unless that is what you have it registered at according to other BC posters and BC motor vehicle act regulations which indicate sum of the axle ratings can be the trucks GVWR.
Anyhow just stay under the trucks axle/tire load capacities and what ever your truck is registered at.

I would upgrade to a LT tire although I myself don't like a E tire on a std duty 1/2 ton truck. Your present wheels most likely won't take 80 psi. I would look at LT C @ 50 psi or a LT D @ 65 psi ....if your wheels are rated for 65 psi.

In the mean time I would run those P tires at max 44 psi. They need all the help possible.