Tire pressure

Hey everyone I am new to the forum. I just picked up our BH 3970 RD yesterday and was curious about tire pressure on the BH and my Chevy 3500. The tire pressure rating on the BH is0 psi. Dealer says I should run at 105 psi. Any thoughts from you all? I am also not sure what tire pressure to have on the truck. Usually I just go by what is on the tire. Any help is greatly appreciatied.

Thanks,
David
 

BigJim45

Luv'n Life
If G or H rated on your 3970 then 110psi is what I would say. On your truck you need to check on the door frame.


P.S. Welcome to the Heartland family.
 
That is what I thought. But the tech that did the walk through mentioned something about the tires to "rounded" with 110 psi..Not sure exactly what he means.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
By too rounded, he may have meant that if the tires are over-inflated for the actual weight, that you may get uneven wear, showing up in the center of the tread.

But until you have a chance to get weighed, and know the individual wheel weights, you probably want to run at the max cold sidewall pressure stamped on the sidewall. After you load your gear into the trailer, you'll probably be running close to the GVWR and will need to have the tires fully inflated.

Btw, after you drive on them and the pavement gets warm, the pressure goes up. That's taken into account by the tire engineers. So the 110 psi is the reading you want before towing, in the morning, out of direct sunlight.
 

tireman9

Well-known member
I doubt that the Tech has much training in tire engineering. Visual examination of the "look" of a tire shape is almost always wrong when it comes to selecting tire inflation.

Tow vehicles and motorhomes can run an inflation related to the measured tire load i.e. Minimum inflation from Load Inflation tables based on actual measured heavier load on the axle in question + 10%
The suggested tire pressure on the driver's door jam is the inflation needed to support the F or R GAWR of the tow vehicle. If you have confirmed, with actual scale weights that your load is less then you may be able to lower your inflation pressure but you shoudl still run at least a +10% margin on that inflation shown in the Load / Inflation tables.

Trailers have a different need due to the effects of the tires being dragged around every curve and corner. Trailer tires should also be weighed each end of each axle to ensure the measured load is no greater than 85% of the tire capacity. Also trailer tires should run the tire sidewall pressure to lower the "Interply Shear" force that is trying to tear the belts apart and off the tire body.

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By too rounded, he may have meant that if the tires are over-inflated for the actual weight, that you may get uneven wear, showing up in the center of the tread.

But until you have a chance to get weighed, and know the individual wheel weights, you probably want to run at the max cold sidewall pressure stamped on the sidewall. After you load your gear into the trailer, you'll probably be running close to the GVWR and will need to have the tires fully inflated.

Btw, after you drive on them and the pavement gets warm, the pressure goes up. Correct That's taken into account by the tire engineers. So the 110 psi is the reading you want before towing, in the morning, out of direct sunlight.

Tire pressure for measurement and setting are always the "Cold Inflation Pressure" i.e. before tires are driven on or in sunlight and having rested for at least 2 hours. Tire pressure will increase by about 2% for each increase of temperature of 10F. HERE is the math proof for those interested.
 
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