hcirrito wrote: I see this thread came back to life in the active posts section. One other thing to add in support of using the trailers tag is ride quality. If you pump your tires up to the max and that pressure is significantly higher than what the trailer tag calls for, the trailer will end up bouncing all over the place because the tires are overinflated for the load. Remember, you are towing in a sense a house on wheels. Your refrigerator could bounce open, cabinet doors could open, chairs, furnature, personal belongings, etc. will all eventually loosen, break or come apart. Worse is when one of your walls comes loose. Then we will all get posts about how crappy a trailer might be, all because the tires are overinflated. You don't know how much bouncing is going on in there because you don't feel it. If your personal car or truck has tires that have max pressure greater than what the tag calls for, pump them up to the max, drive around and you will come back saying it felt like your dashboard was going to fall off.
It is not my intent to be critical of the views expressed by hcirrito. I believe that the theory expressed above is legitimate, however I think it is stretching things just a bit (a lot).
If your doors fall off your car because your tires are inflated to the max - nobody would have any doubt that your vehicle manufacturer built a piece of junk. Same is true for your trailer. IMHO
I didn't say the doors on the car would fall off. I said it would feel like the dash board would fall off.
Trailers are all built to be as light as possible. You cannot tell me that the table in your trailer is as strong as the table in your house. Cabinet doors can open while moving your trailer up the highway. It is more likely to happen when the trailer is bouncing more. Everything in the trailer will eventually loosen up. It will happen faster with more bouncing going on.
emaav wrote: One thing that I am noticing about this thread is that almost everyone is saying go by the tag on trailer, which is fine as long as you have not upgraded your tires. I go by the tire sidewall, the original tires were Marathons rated at 35 psi cold at 1100 pound capacity, to close for my taste to support the weight of a 4600 lb trailer . I have since upgraded to a Dean tire rated at 50 psi cold at a 1700 pound capacity.
I agree with what you did to some extent. I also had B rated tires as you did and upgraded them to C tires. My tag also sais 35 psi for my trailer, but the GVWR of the trailer almost matched. I like you wanted a little more comfort zone in case, but I only air the new tires up to 40psi. The ride still seems good and I don't notice any bouncing in excess of what was there before.
Most tire blow outs occur from underinflation (for the load - such as how this post originated - luckily a blowout was avoided), severe cracking (dry rot)or from getting an un noticed puncture in the tire.
My opinion is that overinflation for the load is a false sense of security in avoiding a blowout and at the same time, the results of a rougher ride may cause problems elsewhere on the trailer.
I tend to agree with hcirrito, but realize most who post here tend to air up to the max. Road conditions would be the cause of a trailer bouncing and tires that are as hard as a rock will not absorb any of that shock. The trailer would bounce all over the place, maybe even cause some sway. My understanding is that a certain tire pressure is necessary to carry a given load. The placard on the trailer tells you what pressure you need based on the trailers max weight rating. You need tires that can contain the pressure required. I don't understand why you would need extra air in the tires. Cars, trucks are all the same too. I understand the dash board falling off comment because years ago, I had a tire with a slow leak in it on the car. I would pump it up to like 50 psi so that the air would last longer. When it was like that, the bang made the dash feel like it would fall off. Once the bang stopped, I knew I needed more air. I can imagine that the harder tires would cause things in the trailer to fail prematurely due to unnecesary banging around. I'm actually sold on this and I think I am going to reduce the pressure in my tires. I am about 15 psi over what my trailer really needs.
Put TPMS on trailer (temp&pressure), put shocks on trailer, put rubber equalizer between springs,put wet bolt kit on springs,put tire sidewall indicated pressure in tires and you might as well flip the axles while you are under there!!! Youroo!!
ST tires are designed to run at maximum sidewall cold pressure. Sidewall flexing creates heat and can delaminate the tires. Under-inflate at your peril.
-- Chuck
'06 Roo 23SS behind '07 Expedition out of Cleveland Our Photo pages
Chuck_S wrote: ST tires are designed to run at maximum sidewall cold pressure. Sidewall flexing creates heat and can delaminate the tires. Under-inflate at your peril.
-- Chuck
That's the first time I have ever seen that written. Where did you get that information.
OK, to the original poster, first let me say CONGRATULATIONS! you've discovered a problem and fixed it BEFORE you had a problem on the road. Had you continue to run the tires at low pressure, they'd have blow out, then you'd be trying to change a flat on the side of the road. And as luck would have it, it would have been your driver's side tire.
SECONDLY, it looks like you've got it covered - check the tire pressure when cold, with a good gauge. Personally, I inflate to the max press. on the tire sidewall.
THIRDLY, I agree with Chuck (I hate when that happens ), actually, he's a lot of help to me and others. These tires must be run at max pressure, running with under-inflated tires and you run the risk of blow out. Period. Never adjust to road conditions, etc.
LASTLY, now that you've learned this little piece of information, please follow up by buying a portable inflator - battery powered, rechargeable, whatever you can find. ANd here's why. You need to check your tire pressure before you travel EVERY time. You don't want to be in a campground 1500 miles from home and pull out with underinflated tires. THe last thing you do before you leave a campsite - check the tire pressure, add air if needed.
Have fun camping!
04 Isuzu Ascender
04 Jayco 12FSO
Pete Rose - 4256 steroid free hits and still not in the Hall of Fame!
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