Anyone tell me a ball park air pressure for LT235/85/16 load range E on a F250HD 4X4? Conditions are normal driving with no load and no towing. I'm running 46psi up front and 44 in the rear. Perhaps to much??

 

Do the chalk test. Pump them up to the psi listed on the door jam sticker. Then go to a flat area of pavement. Take a piece of chalk and make a line about an inch thick across each tire. Then drive on it so the line goes around a few times. Then inspect the line. You want it to be rubbed as evenly as possible across the tire. If it's rubbed too much in the middle vs the outsides, than you need to back off some pressure (1 psi at a time when you get close). If it's worn off on the outside more than the middle, you're pressure is too low, need to add some.

 

Or you could read what the tire mfg recommends on the sidewall of the tire.

 

More than likely it's not enough.

On your drivers side door frame there should be a white card glued to the frame.

It will tell you the proper inflation for the tires on your truck (What it was designed for), as well as the size tires that it came with off the factory line with.

Max pressure on a 235/85/16 10 ply will be 80 psi with High pressure valve stems. If you dont have high pressure stems, just the plain ole black rubber stems, then the safe max pressure would be in the neighbor hood of 60 psi.

Usually on the 250's it's like 50- 60 psi in the front and 80 in the rear.

Cranking all 4 tires up to the max tire pressure will lead to a really rough ride, and poor handling, I strongly reccomend not to do this.

 

That number is just the MAX pressure, not the recommended pressure to get optimal tread wear/performance.

 

I run 55 lbs. and it's slightly too much in the rear maybe for empty driving, but I figure it helps the mileage. Tire wear is even since they get rotated with the front. The diesel wont allow much under 55 lbs. I dont think.

 

I run 60psi front 55 rear empty so far seems good F-250hd 4x4 1997

 

Guess I should have been more specific with my question. I realize the info is on the door jamb and tire sidewall but, I believe these are pressures to assure they are properly inflated for the maximum load weight the vehicle was designed for. In my trucks case, that weight is much higher than the truck by itself in a "non-work" mode. I took the truck out for a test ride today with the pressures i mentioned earlier(48psi front-46psi back) and it rode and handled much better than it did with 65psi in the front and 60psi in the rear. The truck had been darting from side to side alot and that is almost gone now, it also soaks up the bumps alot better. Bash me if I'm wrong but, I'm still not convinced that you need that much pressure when not working the truck with a load or towing. I air up for plow season and when I tow or haul weight in the back but, why not relax the rest of the time. I realize the F250 is designed for work and if ride comfort was my only concern I stay with the F150's but, I need the extra capacity. I'm just trying to get the best ride and handling I can out of the old beast. To be sure I'll try mustangs chalk test in the future and thanx in advance for any and all input on the issue.