Proper tire inflation

[Crasher]

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

Keep in mind, if you inflate to load/inflation charts you are running your tires at their maximum weight limit/100% load capacity, inflate 10% over chart number and you are running your tires at 10% over minimum load capacity.
Isn't that the main issue with trailers, operating at/near maximum capacity?
You can't go wrong complying with the federal tire placard on the vehicle.

Didn't you mean that that if you inflate the tires 10% over the recommended psi you would be running them at 10% "under" their "maximum" load capacity??

The tire placard may not always be correct. Mine was 5 psi below the minimum pressure to carry the steer tires after I did a six position weight. Nothing is safer than going with a load chart after an all position weight.

[Crabby Mike]

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

You can't go wrong complying with the federal tire placard on the vehicle.

Yes, you can! As I pointed out in another recent thread, Thor took the easy way out with my coach (and presumably others), and listed only the sidewall pressures (120 PSI) on my placard. Those are, as said, the "minimum pressure for maximum load" for my tires, but that maximum load is way above even the GAWRs for my axles, which are in turn significantly above my actual weights. If I ran 120 PSI in all my tires, they would be significantly overinflated, which while not as immediately hazardous, is detrimental to traction, braking, steering, and tire wear, not to mention overall ride quality for people and hardware.

I think what you meant to say was "you can't be underinflated if you comply with the federal tire placard on the vehicle." And even that's not true, because if you haven't weighed your coach as loaded, you could well be overweight on one or more axles.

Weigh your coaches, people! Then at least you can make an informed choice of tire pressures.