Tire pressure

All about towing and tow vehicles

Tire pressure

Postby Martinjmpr » Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:52 pm

So what tire pressure are most of you running? Curious to know.

I checked the pressure on Bubbles, which uses old car tires I got from Coker Tire (seems you can't buy super skinny tires with wide whitewalls at Discount Tire!) Pressure was around 25 which seems low to me.

OTOH, Bubbles only weighs ~1000 lbs. So maybe 25 is OK? One of the drawbacks to a home built trailer running car tires is I don't really have a "manufacturers recommended" tire pressure.

So what pressure are most of you running?
Martin and Liz and our new T@B Clamshell "Livia"

Our old Teardrop "bubbles"
Bubbles version 2.0 build thread!

Our Facebook group:
Colorado Teardroppers and Tiny Trailers Camping Group (FB)

States we've visited with Bubbles and Livia: Image
User avatar
Martinjmpr
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 175
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2012 3:40 pm
Location: Englewood, CO

Re: Tire pressure

Postby jstrubberg » Wed Aug 13, 2014 2:03 pm

Manufacturers recommended tire pressure is usually bunk, too. I highly recommend chalk-testing your tires with your intended load to determine tire pressure.

Get a stick of kids sidewalk chalk and head out to your nearest large parking lot (Wal-Mart, etc). Run a heavy band of chalk horizontally across both trailer tires, then roll your rig forward 100 feet or so. Get out and check the chalk. If it's worn off the center of the tire, you are overinflated. If the chalk is gone off the edges of the tire and the center hasn't been worn off, you are underinflated. You are trying to get a nice, even wear pattern across the tire.

Bad alignment will also show, but you will see wear on one side or another rather than center/edges.

The problem with even a manufacturer recommended tire pressure is that they assume a given load. If you are substantially lighter or heavier than their standard, your tire pressure will not be optimal. BTW, the number on the sidewall is not recommended tire pressure, it's recommended MAX tire pressure.
The more stuff I take along, the more time I spend taking care of my stuff!
jstrubberg
500 Club
 
Posts: 691
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2011 8:26 pm
Location: mid-Missouri

Re: Tire pressure

Postby aggie79 » Wed Aug 13, 2014 3:56 pm

I run our wide whites at 25 psi. I haven't weighed our teardrop but I'm guessing it's around 1500#.
Tom (& Linda)
For build info on our former Silver Beatle teardrop:
Build Thread

93503
User avatar
aggie79
Super Duper Lifetime Member
 
Posts: 5405
Images: 686
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 5:42 pm
Location: Watauga, Texas
Top

Re: Tire pressure

Postby mustangcats » Wed Aug 13, 2014 5:42 pm

I inflate my trailer tires to about 45 psi. The trailer weighs approximately 2800 lbs.
User avatar
mustangcats
Silver Donating Member
 
Posts: 233
Images: 18
Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2012 3:35 pm
Location: Iowa
Top

Re: Tire pressure

Postby pchast » Wed Aug 13, 2014 9:28 pm

At 560 lbs I run 30 lbs in the original harbor freight tires.
The chalk test is good. I found my alignment is 1/8" toe out.
:)
I was advised it was good not to worry and check wear at
5000 miles?
:thinking:
pchast
Platinum Donating Member
 
Posts: 2023
Images: 97
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 5:47 pm
Location: Athens, NY
Top

Re: Tire pressure

Postby Dale M. » Thu Aug 14, 2014 7:59 am

Over time the tread wear will tell you what tire pressure is correct (long term version of chalk test) .... If tires are wearing on outside edges you are under inflated, if wearing in center you are over inflated..... This has been true since the day of the pneumatic tire....

A give tire and a given load (manufacturers recommendation on door frame of most cars now a days) is probably good place to be IF you are still diligent and watch the wear... ON unspecified loads ( subject of this discussion), the "inflate to" pressure on tire side wall is a MAXIMUM pressure not to be exceed, for the maximum LOAD RANGE of tire, but not always correct pressure for your application/weight....

A tire wear gauge can tell you exactly how tire is wearing...

Image

Tires wear will also indicate alignment issues, but that is not topic for discussion here....

Dale
Lives his life vicariously through his own self.

Any statement made by me are strictly my own opinion.
You are free to ignore anything I say if you do not agree.

Image
User avatar
Dale M.
2000 Club
2000 Club
 
Posts: 2693
Images: 18
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2005 8:50 pm
Location: Just a tiny bit west of Yosemite National Park
Top

Re: Tire pressure

Postby asianflava » Thu Aug 14, 2014 5:56 pm

I run about 25psi on mine, it weighs around 1200lbs. I've tried 30psi but got too much bouncing. My trailer has crossed the country probably 4 or 5 times now and I've never had a problem.
User avatar
asianflava
8000 Club
8000 Club
 
Posts: 8412
Images: 45
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2004 5:11 am
Location: CO, Longmont
Top

Re: Tire pressure

Postby desertrat9 » Thu Aug 14, 2014 6:53 pm

Never heard of the chalk test. Thanks for posting it.
Ever consider what our dogs must think of us? I mean, here we come back from the grocery store with the most amazing haul - chicken, pork, half a cow. They must think we're the greatest hunters on earth! - Ann Tyler

It's opener out there - In the wide open air - Dr. Seuss
User avatar
desertrat9
Teardrop Inspector
 
Posts: 24
Images: 18
Joined: Wed Jul 24, 2013 4:54 pm
Location: Ridgecrest, CA
Top

Re: Tire pressure Harbor Freight Trailer

Postby Franco Novo » Wed Sep 16, 2015 9:12 am

What about a basic answer for a harbor freight trailer
I have the folding trailer 1195 lbs. max load....trailer is loaded and all weighs in at around 980 lbs.

Tires indicate: inflate to 60 PSI ?
too much.??
I haven't towed before.... :o

best regards
Franco

Image
User avatar
Franco Novo
Teardrop Advisor
 
Posts: 51
Images: 48
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2015 4:31 am
Top

Re: Tire pressure

Postby capnTelescope » Wed Sep 16, 2015 4:31 pm

Thanks for the chalk test, jstrubberg. I will do that next.

I started with as-inflated tires hard as a rock. Northern Tool cheap Chinee chit. Waaay too much shaking. Lowered to 20 psi and wore the outer edges something awful. Went back up to 30 psi which seemed about right, and wore the tires out on the last trip. Only got about 10K miles out of them at the most. :( I just bought new tires and will definitely do a chalk test and report in.

The trailer weighed 1320# half built, and I estimate 1600-1800# now.
I'll burn that bridge when I come to it.

Brad
ImageImageImage

Building the Bed & Breakfast
User avatar
capnTelescope
Lifetime member
 
Posts: 1218
Images: 368
Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2004 3:44 pm
Location: Round Rock, TX
Top

Re: Tire pressure

Postby angib » Thu Sep 17, 2015 7:07 am

A safe rule of thumb is that a tire can carry the same proportion of its maximum load when inflated to only part of the maximum pressure on its sidewall.

So half maximum inflation pressure is safe to carry at least half the maximum load. Don't forget to multiply by two for the two tires on a trailer!
User avatar
angib
5000 Club
5000 Club
 
Posts: 5783
Images: 231
Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2004 2:04 pm
Location: (Olde) England
Top

Tire pressure a number, please, bucking, push pull

Postby Franco Novo » Thu Sep 17, 2015 8:51 am

Towing newbie seeking simple answers
yeah, well, I have one of the cheapo chine trailers from HF and it's already built, I'm a newbie, and a bit nervous about towing.
you all had it once...Fear of towing.... :shock:
there is a bit of a story or formula or haughtiness in many responses, when some of us are just trying to find out an answer to questions you all had at one time
or, maybe it's just my nature of over researching...could be that. who knows

OK..I 'm thinking like...".OH....990 lbs loaded. small cargo trailer, pulled with ford focus....how about 45 PSI." :roll:

Now, moving on: Bucking: Surging: Push Pull" ....???? I am about to redo the sloppy hitch again...Perhaps reading here is making me overthink everything
But, there are new guys, and gals out here who don't really know what towing feels like. a small trailer like that I have...and I can feel it...pushing and pulling on the car...I know the back end of the focus wagon is soft.. I'm playing with loading weights and tongue weights now

Last night I read on some other forum, dig this.... that the bucking or push pull could be. " loose trailer coupler" , loose hitch bar in receiver, loose ball, bearing that is stuck, could just be the type of road I'm on, could be the tongue weight is too much, could be the tongue weight is too little. could be a harbor freight trailer...I need a trailer with 16" tires and a Dodge hemi to pull it

You see why it's dangerous to read forums....I did find another forum, you can write me if you want, i'll give you newbies the name, there is a section on people helping people...that is not full of code and formula's and overbuilders who spend four months joining a sheet of f*ckn plywood with a cnc router, when it can be done in half an hour with a scarf joint or a block and some glue and screws.

Franco

Image
User avatar
Franco Novo
Teardrop Advisor
 
Posts: 51
Images: 48
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2015 4:31 am
Top

Re: Tire pressure

Postby Socal Tom » Mon Sep 21, 2015 12:16 pm

Check out this thread I started a while back. Its got some links to charts that help with the pressure /weight.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=49677
Tom
Socal Tom
Donating Member
 
Posts: 1347
Images: 12
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2008 9:21 am
Location: San Diego Ca
Top

Re: Tire pressure

Postby capnTelescope » Mon Sep 21, 2015 3:21 pm

Socal Tom wrote:Check out this thread I started a while back. Its got some links to charts that help with the pressure /weight.

Tom, thanks for the links to some hard info. I'd looked before and couldn't find anything nearly this good. :thumbsup:

The Toyo Tire link has moved to:
https://toyotires2-1524598101.netdna-ssl.com/assets/lib:toyo%20content/Application_of_Load_Inflation_Tables_20150623_Final.pdf
The must-have PDF this links to is full of info by tire size, type, etc. I'd say everyone should download and save it in case it goes away.

Thanks again! :beer:

P.S. Just returned from an excursion on my new radial passenger tires. Much better ride in back.
I'll burn that bridge when I come to it.

Brad
ImageImageImage

Building the Bed & Breakfast
User avatar
capnTelescope
Lifetime member
 
Posts: 1218
Images: 368
Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2004 3:44 pm
Location: Round Rock, TX
Top

Re: Tire pressure

Postby felixx » Thu Sep 24, 2015 5:43 am

I did the chalk test on my car tyres too..
felixx
Donating Member
 
Posts: 644
Images: 22
Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2014 3:01 pm
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Top

Next

Return to Towing and Tow Vehicles

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 6 guests