Tire Pressures for towing
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2016
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Tire Pressures for towing
I am getting ready to hitch up my travel trailer and take our first trip in the new truck. It's a 31 ft travel trailer and weighs about 9-10K loaded up. I will be using the weight distributing hitch and my truck is an F-250 with the 18 in rims and the Goodyear Wranglers on them.
What tire pressures should I run when towing? The manual only states to run the door jamb pressures of 60 front and 65 rear and doesn't specify anything different for towing. What are everyone's thoughts on here?
What tire pressures should I run when towing? The manual only states to run the door jamb pressures of 60 front and 65 rear and doesn't specify anything different for towing. What are everyone's thoughts on here?
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,158
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From: North of Salt Lake City
I put Max psi on the tire sidewall when towing or hauling any significant weight. The tires receive their Max load ratings only at that number. Lower pressures produce higher temperatures.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2014
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Load and Inflation Table
If you have scaled weights for your truck with the trailer attached you could use a load and inflation table like this one from Toyo https://toyotires-1524598101.netdna-...s_20170203.pdf to determine the appropriate air pressure for your tire size based on the weight it will be supporting.
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2017
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So long as you are within the specs of the front and rear axle rating on the door jam, the factory specs will be fine. As you increase tire pressure, load carrying capacity increases. This is one of the reasons the F350 with the same tires will have the door jamb day 80 psi instead of 65, because of the higher RAWR. If you are under the capacity of the tires (and within the trucks capabilities, which is sounds like you are) then there is no need to run a higher pressure than factory. You will get some additional stiffness from the higher pressure, but again at those weights it would not be of much benefit.
YMMV
YMMV
More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 551
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So long as you are within the specs of the front and rear axle rating on the door jam, the factory specs will be fine. As you increase tire pressure, load carrying capacity increases. This is one of the reasons the F350 with the same tires will have the door jamb day 80 psi instead of 65, because of the higher RAWR. If you are under the capacity of the tires (and within the trucks capabilities, which is sounds like you are) then there is no need to run a higher pressure than factory. You will get some additional stiffness from the higher pressure, but again at those weights it would not be of much benefit.
YMMV
YMMV
The max pressure of a D rated will be 65 psi.
The max pressure of a E rated will be 80 psi.
Just follow the pressure ratings in the door jamb and you'll be fine.
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2017
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I am pretty sure that all 250s come with E rated tired.
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: London
My 250 came with E rated.maybe cause it has hd tow package
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Prolocutor
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Western MA
All 250's come with E rated tires.
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Elder User
Joined: Apr 2016
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I've been around hundreds of F250's over the last 15 years heading straight to work duty from the dealership. I've never seen a D rated tire on a single one of them.
More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 551
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My mistake but the 250's used to only come with D rated tires, if there was a change no one notified me, sorry.
My last experience with anything less than a 350 was an '01 Excursion we bought while the kids were young and we were on the move constantly, it came with D rated tires. My wife still gets that funny look on her face whenever its mentioned, she loved it as it was her daily driver.
I generally run whatever psi is on the sidewalls.
My last experience with anything less than a 350 was an '01 Excursion we bought while the kids were young and we were on the move constantly, it came with D rated tires. My wife still gets that funny look on her face whenever its mentioned, she loved it as it was her daily driver.
I generally run whatever psi is on the sidewalls.
Prolocutor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 13,618
Likes: 1,245
From: Western MA
My mistake but the 250's used to only come with D rated tires, if there was a change no one notified me, sorry.
My last experience with anything less than a 350 was an '01 Excursion we bought while the kids were young and we were on the move constantly, it came with D rated tires. My wife still gets that funny look on her face whenever its mentioned, she loved it as it was her daily driver.
I generally run whatever psi is on the sidewalls.
My last experience with anything less than a 350 was an '01 Excursion we bought while the kids were young and we were on the move constantly, it came with D rated tires. My wife still gets that funny look on her face whenever its mentioned, she loved it as it was her daily driver.
I generally run whatever psi is on the sidewalls.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
From the load inflation table:
"This guide is intended to provide assistance in utilizing load and inflation tables when replacing tires with optional tire sizes including “plus sizes” that may not be listed on the vehicle's tire information placard (T.I.P.) or in the owner's manual."
A quick trip to the scales and a Google search could help you determine the appropriate pressure for any tire size you're running. Then there's the old school chalk method, if you're into that....
"This guide is intended to provide assistance in utilizing load and inflation tables when replacing tires with optional tire sizes including “plus sizes” that may not be listed on the vehicle's tire information placard (T.I.P.) or in the owner's manual."
A quick trip to the scales and a Google search could help you determine the appropriate pressure for any tire size you're running. Then there's the old school chalk method, if you're into that....
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 634
Likes: 2
This is wrong. ALWAYS use the door jam label pressure....it's what the manufacturer designed the suspension, handling, and safety to. You fill to the sidewall pressure and you risk skidding off the road, especially in slick conditions.
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 38
Likes: 1
I'll continue to use the pressure that works best for the situation the truck is in at the time. Lower pressure than the door jam when roads are snow/ice covered (live in Colorado in an area that gets a lot of snow) and I'm not towing/loaded and higher pressure than the door jam up to the sidewall max when I'm towing or loaded with the truck camper and roads are clear. Combination of conditions gets a pressure somewhere in the middle depending on what I think is appropriate based on experience and feel. No engineer (and I happen to be one) can possibly determine a single pressure that is optimal for every situation including road and load conditions.