Triple check your tire pressure

ericandalice

Senior Question Asker
We headed out to our next campsite today and checked all the tires before we left.

We have one of those 'fancier' gages that was recommended by several folks.

I'm pretty sure our truck has a tire pressure monitoring system so I was alarmed that we were 20 pounds under.

We have an air compressor but the park also had a bigger one. So we decided to use theirs. It was wayyyy off on its measuring. It said the tire was at 60, but our gage said 84!

No wonder people blow tires.

Just a friendly reminder to double/triple check your air pressure with a gage you trust.
 

RCF

Active Member
We headed out to our next campsite today and checked all the tires before we left.

We have one of those 'fancier' gages that was recommended by several folks.

I'm pretty sure our truck has a tire pressure monitoring system so I was alarmed that we were 20 pounds under.

We have an air compressor but the park also had a bigger one. So we decided to use theirs. It was wayyyy off on its measuring. It said the tire was at 60, but our gage said 84!

No wonder people blow tires.

Just a friendly reminder to double/triple check your air pressure with a gage you trust.

Your F350 should have a TPMS system, and it should be set to alarm at 68psi for the rears and about 55psi for the fronts (alarms at 15% low with 80psi as the base rear setting and 65psi as the base front setting, at least for the SRW's). I know because I do not run 80psi in the rears unless towing due to the harsh ride, etc. When I bought the truck and dropped the pressure in the rear tires to 65psi, the TPMS alarm came on. I had the dealer change the setting on mine to 65psi in the rear as well so that I can run 60-65psi when empty without having the light on the dash constantly on.
 

jnbhobe

Well-known member
There is a procedure for resetting the TPMS in the owners manual. You have to let air out of each tore starting with the left front and the horn will chirp when set.
 

RCF

Active Member
There is a procedure for resetting the TPMS in the owners manual. You have to let air out of each tore starting with the left front and the horn will chirp when set.

This only works for changing tire positions (front to rear, and vice versa) when rotating tires since the fronts and rears have different settings so the truck knows which sensors are on the front and which are on the rear. It doesn't actually allow you to change the actual settings.
 

jnbhobe

Well-known member
This only works for changing tire positions (front to rear, and vice versa) when rotating tires since the fronts and rears have different settings so the truck knows which sensors are on the front and which are on the rear. It doesn't actually allow you to change the actual settings.

Good to know, thanks. I use the TST as my priority TPMS any way.
 

RCF

Active Member
Good to know, thanks. I use the TST as my priority TPMS any way.

No problem - I researched for many hours to learn how the F350's TPMS works as it drove me crazy to have that light constantly on, and I wasn't about to run around town with 80psi in the rears. I went back to the dealer, and the service mgr starts telling how they can't do it, etc. Luckily the sales mgr was back there at the time and asked him to check it out and see. He came back out in abt 5min and asked me where I wanted it set! They were pretty cool about it, and thanked me for teaching them somthing.
 

Gaffer

Well-known member
Get at least two different kinds of gauges. If they agree you don't need to worry about calibration. They don't need to be expensive to be accurate.
 

Speedy

Well-known member
I bought this tire gauge last year and have had no trouble with it and have tested it against several from work and it is within a tenth of a pound.

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TandT

Founding Utah Chapter Leaders-Retired
GPSHEMI, Click on his link "tire gauge" and it will take you there. Trace
 

DuaneG

Well-known member
Fyi

I kept breaking the cheap gauges and went to the local auto parts store and found a heavy duty rv gauge for $14. Not digital, but works good. Can check up to 110 psi.
 

mikeandconnie

Well-known member
Last week while traveling down I80 my TPMS alarm went off, I lucked out because I was looking at a rest stop sign exit 1 mile. My pressure was 80 psi when I change out the tire. The valve stem seal blew out. For sure check pressures every stop.
 
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