Tow Vehicle tire pressure

[danfrompgh]

Re: Tow Vehicle tire pressure

Underinflated tires are far more dangerous than tires that are inflated to their maximum load rating. Underinflated tires heat up and cause the pressure to rise when the sidewalls flex during travel. Very little heat is generated from the actual road surface. Your tow vehicle and trailer will handle much better with the proper inflation. Most tires have 2 ratings. 1 for normal travel and 1 for loaded. Never lower the pressure for towing because it rides better. You will create an unsafe condtion.

 

[Jeepster04]

Re: Tow Vehicle tire pressure

Gstanton: Jeepster is not recommending inflation to the maximum on the sidewall. He is only indicating that if you do, the tire will not likely explode as the tire heats up. The words Maximum Inflation Pressure mean that when cold. The problem with inflating tires higher than the recommended on the inflation pressure label on the door or in the glove box of your vehicle is that over inflated tires wear the center of the tread. Underinflated tires wear the outer and inner edges of the tread. AWD systems MUST have all four tires inflated the same and when replacing tires, replace them as a set. Replacing just two (front or rear) means you have slightly different diameters which when AWD is active you have different drive shaft speeds which then creates issues with the transfer case components. Lastly, the tire manufacturers have no idea what size or weight vehicle their tires will be mounted on so the maximum inflation pressure is directed at the tire. It is the vehicle manufacturers that specify the normal operating pressures (light load and heavy load) for their vehicles based on data given to them by the tire manufacturer. Charts from the manufacturer specify tire load limits based on given tire pressures. Trailer tires tend to be operated very close to their maximum load capacity so they should inflated to the sidewall pressure.

Thats exactly what I meant.

Just a note its amazing how much the pressure in a tire changes given air temp. I need to add air to my tires a few times in the fall as temps cool down but I also need to remove air in the spring as temps warm up. I try to keep 35psi in my tires all the time and they got close to 40psi cold as the temps warmed up this spring. Once I removed the air, we had a cold week and they went back down to 31psi.

 

[gmctodd]

Re: Tow Vehicle tire pressure

Gstanton: Jeepster is not recommending inflation to the maximum on the sidewall. He is only indicating that if you do, the tire will not likely explode as the tire heats up. The words Maximum Inflation Pressure mean that when cold. The problem with inflating tires higher than the recommended on the inflation pressure label on the door or in the glove box of your vehicle is that over inflated tires wear the center of the tread. Underinflated tires wear the outer and inner edges of the tread. AWD systems MUST have all four tires inflated the same and when replacing tires, replace them as a set. Replacing just two (front or rear) means you have slightly different diameters which when AWD is active you have different drive shaft speeds which then creates issues with the transfer case components. Lastly, the tire manufacturers have no idea what size or weight vehicle their tires will be mounted on so the maximum inflation pressure is directed at the tire. It is the vehicle manufacturers that specify the normal operating pressures (light load and heavy load) for their vehicles based on data given to them by the tire manufacturer. Charts from the manufacturer specify tire load limits based on given tire pressures. Trailer tires tend to be operated very close to their maximum load capacity so they should inflated to the sidewall pressure.

I respectfully disagree. When it comes to air pressure I would much rather trust the tire Mfg. After all they make the tire. The air pressure listed on the label by the vehicle Mfg., is for ride quality. Maximum tire life is acheived by tires inflated to sidewall specs, Not what GM puts on the door jam. My 2500HD came with 245/75R16 LR-E with a sidewall pressure of 80psi. Rides like a dump truck empty. And I'm not about to inflate/deflate tires every time I tow. My solution was to install a larger tire 255/85R16 LR-D (65psi max) which can carry more weight at a lower pressure than the LR-E.
I always run tires by sidewall specs, anything less is underinflated IMO.

The KID,

Be CAREFUL if you have those tires (285/75R16) on the factory wheels. They are only 6.5". The 285/75R16's require a 7.5" wheel.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Tow Vehicle tire pressure

I will disagree with you, Kid. The tire manufacturer has no idea what kind of vehicle its tire will be used on. All they are doing is listing the maximum safe pressure on the sidewall. That will result in overinflation, bouncy ride (that is less safe, BTW), and premature wear in the center of the tread area on many vehicles. I go with the vehicle maker's specs, plus a couple of PSI.

I highly doubt the recommended pressure GM lists for your 2500HD is compromised in the direction of a soft ride! It's just not that type of vehicle.