Tire Pressure

landp

Well-known member
Under normal circumstance I wouldnt wonder about this question. right now my tire pressure is at 40lbs and the label on the inside of the door read that it should be 55lbs(cold).

But since its almost freezing, should I wait till it warms up and redo the reading on the pressure or should I go ahead and bring them up to 55lbs?
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
landp, even though it is colder than usual, at 40 psi I think you are still low. My recomended pressure is 80 psi. I aired up in WI when it was 2*. When I got down to TX and it was warmer, my pressure was up some. About 5 psi. I personally would air up to the recomended 55 psi or the max inflation on the sidewall of the tire, and them check them when it warms up. Your tires will suffer more by under pressure than over. Let us know what you decide to do and what happens when it warms up.

Peace
Dave
 

rumaco

US Army Retired (CW4)
Max tire pressure is designed for maximum weight. If you put in the 55psi as listed at a cold setting you will not exceed any limits. The design of the tire takes expansion into consideration. If they didn't they would say to fill them to "55psi" BUT check every 10 miles to make sure its ok! Our long hauls blow tires when they are low pressure. We fill ours to max allowed and run them all year, that's what they are designed to do and no we don't check them for over, we just dead blow them every so often for sounding.
 

Nabo

Southeast Region Director-Retired
I keep the tire pressure at what is posted on the sidewalls all year round and haven't had any problems. Also 3 years ago, I switched all the tires to nitrogen. Nitrogen doesn't fluctuate in the tire like regular air does.
 

landp

Well-known member
I am going to inflate them to the recommended 55lbs. I was just wondering if the server cold weather was causing a lower than normal pressure reading
 

caissiel

Senior Member
It says the Cold Inflation Pressure Rating.
Tires do warmup when in motion.
The tires are designed to take that over pressure.
If they warmup to high I would check for air loss, alignment problems or overloading.
I always put my hands on the tires and wheel hubs of the TV and trailer at every stop.
Thats why I keep the hub caps off my truck during long trips.
Checking for heat, and knowing the allowable heat, is your best problem preventer of all.
 

lwmcguir

Well-known member
I am going to inflate them to the recommended 55lbs. I was just wondering if the server cold weather was causing a lower than normal pressure reading

Cold temps always drops the air pressure in anything that sees the same drop. You have to top off your tires after the first cold front in all you vehicles.
 

landp

Well-known member
I have another question. Why is it the stems are always in the 6 o'clock position when you need to air up the tires?
 

trvlrerik

Well-known member
I have my work trailers in heated truck bays, the outside temperature may be as much as 60 degrees lower. The work trailers average about 18k with 110psi tires. On travel days I will set my tires at 115 to 118 and they seem to be right around 110psi after pulling outside in 20 degree weather for 2 or three hours.

I just know that since we are checking tire pressure on every stop, tire problems have nearly stopped.
 
Top