Tire PSI...... Load Range E
 

Hey all let me get an opinion from you. My Ex 2001 V10 4x4 has the correct load range E Firestones on it. Made the trip from Ohio to Hatteras and the tires look like the center tread may cup a little. I am not towing so what would be a guess for a Tire PSI for it? I think the tires say 80psi...is this correct?


thanks
Brian Felts

If you are towing you need to be at the max pressure since that is how the max capacity of the tire is rated. If you aren't towing the max pressure will typically give you slightly better mileage but at the expense of the ride. If the center tread is wearing unevenly then you need to lower the pressure for the trip back - maybe 60-65psi which should help even things back out. A rotation may be in order if the front/rear is wearing unevenly. Which Firestones do you have? When do you head back? You could stop by my shop and I could take a look for you - I'm at MP6 in Kill Devil Hills.

Thanks !! We are headed back and then coming back down in Mid Sept. If we get up to KDH I will stop by. I have to check the PSI to see what I have them set at. The tread wear is fine but it looks like they may have a little cup to them.

I did get an Average MPG of 13.9 coming down 64 after we got south of Staunton va.


Thanks again!!!!
Brian

Not a problem - hope you had a great trip, the weather has been good even if a little cool.

Thanks !! Yeah I will stop in if we are in KDH and you guys are open. I love it down here. I would give anything if there were more jobs to be had. I would be out of southern Ohio in a blink.

I could run my garage shop I think but I don't know where I could find a paint supplier. There is a good bit more muscle cars to find. I seen a 68 Mustang Fastback just like the one on my page in a backyard. Not for sale though :-arrgh


Brian

www.southernohioauto.com

I run mine at 75 and have no problem.

Brian - there's only a couple of guys who do any type of paint/body work and none that do the resto work you do. Love that 'stang on your page! Paint supplier would/could be a problem - but we're very close to the Norfolk area - about an hour away and there is everything there. Napa has basic body shop supplies if you ran out of something and needed it immediately. Now the only thing is to find you some work!

Ran my original BFG Rugged Trails at 65psi. Only had 99,500 on them when I decided it was really time to get new ones. I know I could have made 100,000 and might have just hit the wear bars.

I thought lower pressures caused cupping so won't you want to up the tire pressure?

I am under the impression that if you over inflate the tires you wear out the centers. If you underflate you wear out the outside edges.

This is correct.

Cupping wear is usually suspension related, like bad shock, spring, etc. You often find cupping wear on the back tires on sub compact, front engine cars because there is not enough weight on the rear of the car to keep the tires firmly planted, and they bounce causing cupping wear. This is the same on a normal car with a bad shock. The bad shock allows the tire to bounce rather then keeping it firmly planted on the ground. Also, I have found some brands, styles, tread patterns are more susseptable to cupping wear then others.

There is also feathering wear, but that is a different symtom and set of issues.

Hope you get it sorted out. Enjoy the vacation!

tdappleman maybe I can just take over for you when you retire :))) Property is so cheap in Ohio and I work for the state where I really can't get laid off so it makes it hard to take a chance but man.............anybody who reads this and has not been to the outer banks. Skip all other beaches this is a slice of heaven that is the East Coast best kept beachs.

That was the reason for the tire pressure question, when I got to driving in the sandy roads it looks like my tires are cupping in the center from low psi. I will have to check it at a filling station here in Salvo. I will not make it to KDH before Sunday early when its back to Ohio.


Brian

I have owned my truck since new, and always followed FORD's recommended tire pressures for my 4x4 and that is 65 lbs

never had a problem with cupping and never had that wander problem eveyone talks about, until some shop did a service on my truck and blew the tires up to 80lbs each and the truck was all over the place.

I tow once in a while, sometimes it's a 6x10 uhaul with a couple thousand lbs, other times its a 20ft car hauler at approx 6000lbs, always keep the tires at 65 and never had any problems with truck

at 80 lbs the truck wanders all over the place, oh yeah, and I got well over 65k miles from the stock tires with room to spare but I swapped to the Michelin's LTX for a better quality ride

my $.02

Tire pressures can be a tricky thing - and it's different on each set of tires, vehicle, suspension setup, alignment, etc..... The biggest thing is to watch the wear closely and do regular rotations to ensure even wear across the tires. When towing heavy loads the tires need to be at higher pressures as the max capacity of the tire is at the maximum pressure.

There are methods to gain the correct psi for your particular application - do a search on 'chalk test' on Google. One of the best explanations I've seen is here:

Checking Tire Pressure - Determine Correct Pressure

Well I made it back to Ohio sadly.......and ready to go back. I found the tires were only inflated to 55lb's and I was still on the average of 13.5mpg coming up I64 so when I go back maybe I can do better. We had some pretty bad weather when we got back to Ohio, storms and flooding it was a great feeling to have such a solid strong truck to travel in. We didn't have any storm damage but keep those who might have through Tenn. and Kentucky in your thoughts.

I like the link to the chalk test, I will do that this evening and see what happens. I aired up to 70psi and will take it from there.



Brian Felts
www.southernohioauto.com