Towing Tire Pressure
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 67
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From: Alberta
Towing Tire Pressure
Hey Guys,
Looking for advice from the folks who tow with there expy. Getting ready for our fist summer tow and it's quite further than before. I'm trying to to find out what pressure we should have in our rear tires, or front if they should change during towing. Book and door sticker only have the driving pressure (35) but nothing for towing. We have the 20' pirellis. Will be towing a 30' travel trailer with about 650 lbs tongue if that matters.
Looking for advice from the folks who tow with there expy. Getting ready for our fist summer tow and it's quite further than before. I'm trying to to find out what pressure we should have in our rear tires, or front if they should change during towing. Book and door sticker only have the driving pressure (35) but nothing for towing. We have the 20' pirellis. Will be towing a 30' travel trailer with about 650 lbs tongue if that matters.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 512
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From: Broadview Hts, Ohio
The pressure on the door sticker will handle the Gross Axle Rating. More pressure won't increase the axle capacity.
I run 700+ pounds of tongue weight via an Equal-i-zer weight distribution hitch and find an extra 5 psi on the rear tires takes some of the squirm out of the rear P-rated radial tires on the Expedition.
Make sure your trailer tires are maximum sidewall pressure and your front suspension is lower with the trailer hooked up than not. Otherwise your WDH ain't working.
We're about 25' ball to spare tire.
-- Chuck
I run 700+ pounds of tongue weight via an Equal-i-zer weight distribution hitch and find an extra 5 psi on the rear tires takes some of the squirm out of the rear P-rated radial tires on the Expedition.
Make sure your trailer tires are maximum sidewall pressure and your front suspension is lower with the trailer hooked up than not. Otherwise your WDH ain't working.
We're about 25' ball to spare tire.
-- Chuck
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 67
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From: Alberta
Thanks Chuck. I was thinking about bringing the PSI up to 40, more for the squire as you put it. What do you mean about "trailer tires are maximum sidewall pressure"? I'm assuming the max tire pressure? If so then yes that's what we've got running in the trailer tires as listed on the tire wall. Also when you hook up the WDH have you measured the distance your front end gets down? I've tried a few different settings and can't get much difference on actual height measurement on the front. But think I've found the sweat spot between front and rear end displacement.
Are you running with any anti sway devices? I'm just running WDH but haven’t had too many issues with sway yet and wonder what your experience is?
Are you running with any anti sway devices? I'm just running WDH but haven’t had too many issues with sway yet and wonder what your experience is?
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 512
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From: Broadview Hts, Ohio
I'm running an Equal-i-zer WDH which has built in sway control. About $460 (delivered) from RVWholesalers.
I don't recall how much front suspension loading I have, but it's important to have some, otherwise no weight is coming off the rear axle. Trailer tows pretty level, as it should. There's a lot of slop in the Expedition receiver so it took a more severe setting than I originally thought.
The purpose of the WDH is not to level the tow vehicle but to transfer weight. Guys with real stiff rear suspensions who skip a WDH often wonder why their steering is so light.
-- Chuck
I don't recall how much front suspension loading I have, but it's important to have some, otherwise no weight is coming off the rear axle. Trailer tows pretty level, as it should. There's a lot of slop in the Expedition receiver so it took a more severe setting than I originally thought.
The purpose of the WDH is not to level the tow vehicle but to transfer weight. Guys with real stiff rear suspensions who skip a WDH often wonder why their steering is so light.
-- Chuck
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 162
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I pump up my Expy tires to 40 lbs when towing and run my trailer tires at 65 lbs, the maximum inflated pressure. I'm towing 33ft. and have the Equalizer hitch like Chuck, no problems to date, I had a bit more sway then my 06 F-150 I use to tow with but I replaced the rear sway bar with a larger Helwig sway bar and now it feels more secure.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,017
Likes: 3
From: Longwood, Fl
Havnt towed TT's in a while, just 8K worth of boat with a WD hitch. I used air lift bags on the rear to level the rear for short trips.
My experience is that you can feel when the weight is properly on the front end.
When the TT his hooked up, it should be level, F to R and the tow vehicle should drop approximately the same F to R, with the bars hooked up. Some people dont understand that the ball height on the hitch must be adjusted for each setup.
You can make minor changes by just adding or dropping one link on the WD chains. On the interstate, it helps with control when big rigs pass you at 70 and try to blow you off the road. In that case, I liked to xfer slightly more weight to the front for better stability. On slower switch backs, a little weight off the front helped with steering ease and lightened things up.
My .02---
My experience is that you can feel when the weight is properly on the front end.
When the TT his hooked up, it should be level, F to R and the tow vehicle should drop approximately the same F to R, with the bars hooked up. Some people dont understand that the ball height on the hitch must be adjusted for each setup.
You can make minor changes by just adding or dropping one link on the WD chains. On the interstate, it helps with control when big rigs pass you at 70 and try to blow you off the road. In that case, I liked to xfer slightly more weight to the front for better stability. On slower switch backs, a little weight off the front helped with steering ease and lightened things up.
My .02---
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