Tire Pressure

[dandt]

On your TV do you change your tire pressure when towing and not towing. What do you run your tire pressure at and if you change it what do you change it to for non-towing. When have a 2007 2500 Chevy Duramax and towing a 3400RL.

[bigmurf]

I have a dually. I run 50 psi when towing. During the winter when we sit for 3-4 months I may drop to 25 psi to help the ride a bit.

[SlickWillie]

I keep my tires at least 55 PSI all the way around. Usually I leave the rear at 80 and front at 55. Occasionally, I will drop the rear pressure if I'm not going to be towing for a while. Proper pressure is the only way you get the load rating for the tires.

[Illini Trekker]

Same as Will.

[Todger]

I'll sacrifice a little rougher ride to get better milage.I keep mine at 65-70 unloaded. Towing up by 5-10 lbs. The difference in ride comfort is negligable. Diesel Power magazine did an article on increasing milage and upping the tire pressure was one of the keys.
PS F350 dually 4x4

[ols1932]

Because we are on the road continuously, rather than lower and raise my tire pressures I leave them as when towing. The little bit rougher ride doesn't bother us. If you want to take the time to lower the pressure when not towing then probably you should do it. A lot of RVers do. I just don't.

Orv

[Glenn and Lorraine]

On the road with the Monty my pressures are 80 psi in the trailer tires and rear tires on the TV. The front tires on the TV are 65 psi. Unless the Monty is parked in Florida for the winter I do not change the TV tire pressure and I never change the Montys tire pressure. When we are set up in Florida for the winter I reduce the TV's rear tires to 65 but do not change the front tires.

I spent way to many years in the tire business to believe that increasing tire pressure beyond the recommended pressures is a money saver in anyway shape or form. To the CONTRARY, over inflated tires have less tread on the road and therefore less traction. Less traction going down a dry hiway is no big deal but less traction when braking in an emergency is a very big deal. Also less traction on a wet hiway can be extremely dangerous.

Yes, The difference in ride comfort is negligible. Diesel Power magazine did an article on increasing mileage and upping the tire pressure was one of the keys.
Anytime you lessen tread contact with the road you lesson friction between the tire and the road allowing the tire to roll more freely. This is an old trick with transporters who don't get paid for the fuel they use. They will inflate the trailer tires way beyond the max to lessen the drag on the TV. Lessening drag helps increase their MPG. They do the same with motor homes tires. Remember these tires they are over inflating are not their tires and so they could give a da&* about tread wear.

That brings me to Tread Wear. As I said "over inflated tires have less tread on the road" due to the fact that they are now running in the center of the tread with the outer tread having little contact with the road thus causing the center to wear at a much faster rate and so any so called fuel savings is blown away by premature tire wear causing you to replace those tires much sooner than necessary.

You can all do what you feel is best to increase your MPG but increasing tire pressure beyond the recommended specs is not only more costly but extremely dangerous, even just 5 to 10 pounds.

[sreigle]

I leave the front tires the same, towing or not.

I run the rears at 80 psi when towing. When we reach our destination, I will reduce the rears IF we are there for awhile (week or more) or if we will be doing some rough road exploring. On my Ford I lowered the rears to 50 psi. I did the same on this Dodge but I see the sticker says for light loads, 45 in the rears. So I'll try that.