What's the best way to air tires?

[jheitman]

I have a small pump and I've been trying to inflate my truck and trailer tires. I fill them up, reduce pressure to my set point and then the next day they all read low and not very balanced. I don't know if I'm having problems with sun on the tires when I fill them or hot air from my compressor or what.
So today I over filled them all by 3 lbs, in the shade and 65 deg, and tomorrow morning, before any sunlight comes around, i'll bleed them out to spec and see how that holds over the next few days.

What is the best way to air tires so that, say the next day, the cold inflation pressures are where you want them? This would be without any driving between fill up and the re-check the next day.

If the tires are hot in the evening after a days driving, could I over fill them to some level so the cold inflation the next morning is just a little high and I can bleed down to spec?


Hope you guys can help me with this one. I'm thinking I need a bigger pump with a storage tank, but don't want to go there if another technique works better.

Thanks,
jim
2010 Chevy Silverado, Ext Cab, 4x4, 6.0 L Vortec
2011 Greystone 32RE
Reese Select Plus 20k Slider Hitch

 

[Freckles]

Hello Jim, I have a TPMS that reads truck & 5er. I always fill to spec on tire when cold !! Now that I'm able to veiw tire temp at all times, Wow it does change depending on sun and speed of tire !! The pressure will increase with heat but has always gone back down to the set pressure the next day in my case .

 

[irvin56]

check your pressures BEFORE you tow, when tires are cold. (not moved at all). go to max pressure on tire sidewall.
they will all change when you drive/tow. I always check mine first thing in morning(the day I leave cg), right after my wakeup coffee, before the strong sun rays hit them.
Air them up if needed to that sidewall pressure, Truck and trailer.

manufactures take into consideration the PSI when they make and rate them.

 

[branson4020]

My E-Range tires, with 80 lbs cold in the morning, usually get to something just over 90 driving at 55 in 70 degree weather. I've had them go to over 105 in hot weather. I've seen 7-8 lbs difference between one side and the other, depending on sun, driving conditions and trailer loading. I guess the point here is, you can over-think this stuff. Like others have said, fill 'em up in the morning and drive.

 

[jimtoo]

. I guess the point here is, you can over-think this stuff. Like others have said, fill 'em up in the morning and drive.

I agree with you,,, this is getting a little over done,, go camping and have fun.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

If the tires are hot in the evening after a days driving, could I over fill them to some level so the cold inflation the next morning is just a little high and I can bleed down to spec?


Hope you guys can help me with this one. I'm thinking I need a bigger pump with a storage tank, but don't want to go there if another technique works better.

Thanks,
jim
2010 Chevy Silverado, Ext Cab, 4x4, 6.0 L Vortec
2011 Greystone 32RE
Reese Select Plus 20k Slider Hitch

As all the others have said, don't worry about the day to day difference in pressure due to ambient temperature. If you check your pressures daily, and all tires are the same pressure at that time, you're good to go. If you find a tires considerably lower than the others, that would be something to look into.
We also just bought a TPMS and it's very nice not to have to do a physical check every time we hook up to go. Just turn on the unit and wait for the unit to connect with the sensors.

 

[jmgratz]

Gosh and nobody has even brought up whether nitrogen is better than air...oh I don't want to start that discussion. LOL

 

[jheitman]

As all the others have said, don't worry about the day to day difference in pressure due to ambient temperature. If you check your pressures daily, and all tires are the same pressure at that time, you're good to go. If you find a tires considerably lower than the others, that would be something to look into.
We also just bought a TPMS and it's very nice not to have to do a physical check every time we hook up to go. Just turn on the unit and wait for the unit to connect with the sensors.

Thanks for the advice. Which TPMS did you get and do you really like it? The TST system looked nice until I saw it was made in China, like just about everything. Pressure Pro says its made in USA....

 

[jnbhobe]

Thanks for the advice. Which TPMS did you get and do you really like it? The TST system looked nice until I saw it was made in China, like just about everything. Pressure Pro says its made in USA....

I didn't like the made in China either!!! But it showed the temperature and Pressure-Pro didn't. I also got some negative information here on the forum. It was cheaper and I was able to talk with Dan Covington on the phone. And as Ray said, you will be amazed at the differences from day to day and minute to minute

 

[Flying Dutchman]

I have the Pressure Pro, and love it. It has already saved me by identifying a low tire while cruising at 65mph on the interstate. I had a valve stem start leaking, and it warned me before things got ugly. Won't ever leave without it.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Thanks for the advice. Which TPMS did you get and do you really like it? The TST system looked nice until I saw it was made in China, like just about everything. Pressure Pro says its made in USA....

I have the TST system. Price was a major consideration for me. I thought the temperature indication was also a great thing to have. I have one sensor that alarms but the psi and temp for that sensor are within range. I've also verified the psi with a gage. I just sent TST a question on their website so we'll see how they respond. Or if they respond.

 

[jheitman]

Thanks Jim, sometimes I do get a little too focused on details. We have some time now before we set out for the winter and I'm trying to get comfortable with the new rig. I got so many comments on the importance of inflating to the max pressure on the sidewall that I was trying to make sure that my cold inflation didn't lead to less than that pressure. I'd inflate and then later that day my GM TPMS would show 5 psi lower. Anyway, sorry for being a bother. jim

 

[jheitman]

Thanks for the info. I've heard others comment that the units have some minor firmware bugs, let us know what, if anything, you hear.

 

[jmgratz]

I have the Doran TPMS and it works great. It works similar to the Pressure Pro but has a couple of additional features. They all work similar and I believe it is essential to have one.

 

[traveler44]

Hi Jim H. I was having a problem like yours and found that one of my tire gauges was reading lower than the other two. I would air them up with one and then check them later with the faulty one and took me awhile to figure out how I could be loosing air so quickly. Tom M.

 

[jheitman]

Hi Jim H. I was having a problem like yours and found that one of my tire gauges was reading lower than the other two. I would air them up with one and then check them later with the faulty one and took me awhile to figure out how I could be loosing air so quickly. Tom M.

Tom:
I think some of my problem was similiar. I was using a dial guage and checking the pressures later with my Silverado built in TPMS. I just bought another digital gauge that is supposed to be +/-1% accurate. It agrees with my relatively new dial gauge. So I just used the new digital meter to reduce the tire pressures down to exactly 50 psi in TV front and 80psi in all others (including TT). Now my Chevy TPMS reads 48 front and 76 rear for the truck tires. This is a 4-5% low error reading. Seems like a lot for a system built by Schrader. Have you guys seen a difference between gauges you trust and your TV pressure readings?

Last night I over inflated a couple pounds and then this morning I just bleed them down to achieve exactly 80 psi in trailer. I know I'm being stupid, but I wanted to verify a technique that would work to tight tolerances so I could check a suspect tire down the road.

jim