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Re: [RC] Tire Pressure - Ed & Wendy HauserUse the Maximum to 10 PSI over. Measure when the tires are cold (driven less than 10 mph). The truck/auto makers recommend pressures for "average" driving, often less than the max. This gives the vehicle a better ride. With cars, if there is a differential between front and rear this is supposed to improve handling. With trucks, it all depends on the load. If the bed is empty and no trailer, lower pressure in rear may improve handling and ride. When we are towing, we can safely assume that we are loaded. The "Maximum" listed on the sidewalls is not some magic figure that if exceeded will cause the tire to blow or something. At that pressure (cold) the tire will carry the listed weight. If inflated a bunch over that, the tire is more likely to be cut by hitting a pot hole or other road hazard. It is the heat buildup that kills tires. If a tire is low, the sidewalls flex more and more heat builds up, and the tire can fail. If the tire is inflated a bit over the maximum, there is less heat and if the freeway does not have a lot of sharp road hazards, this is a good trade off. The most conservative way is to inflate to the max (cold) and go for it. NOTE: Pressure goes up as the tire goes down the road. DO NOT let air out to bring the tire down to "Maximum". This increase in pressure is already built into the recommendations from the tire manufacturer. In the old days there used to be pictures in manuals showing tread wear from over and under inflation. Don't believe that. That stuff was pre-radial tires. Ed Ed & Wendy Hauser 2994 Mittower Road Victor, MT 59875 ranch@xxxxxxxxxxx 406.642.6490 ============================================================ At the end of the day maybe the definition of endurance isn't the length of the ride but rather the spirit in which it is ridden. ~ Maryanne Stroud Gabani ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
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