For you guys who drive in snow

[mark5w]

I hate to tell you Lloyd, but hardly anyone wears rubber overshoes anymore. At least not around here.

[Lloyd]

No wonder you don't know what I'm talking about.

[sleepyT]

Lloyd
I am with you. I can NOT see how a tire inflated to 80#, with only the center of the tread contacting the ground will give more traction...

[Jerry Pinkard]

Originally Posted by sleepyT

Chris
My max is 80 PSI...When I bought new tires the guy that mounted them put 45 PSI in them...I asked him about the pressure, he said watch how the tires wear then adjust the pressure accordingly.... (unloaded)

When I'm towing I run 55 in front and 80 in rear tires...

"Watch for Wear" at lower pressure...Tire salesman??

[Coopers_dad]

I'd rather add some weight to the rear of the truck rather than lower tire pressure. I've never messed around with tire pressures in the winter other than to make sure they are within spec. The weight of the truck does a good enough job of keeping things on the road. Although at times this winter I wish I could dial back the torque of the 6.7 to aid when not driving in 4 HI.

[DavisK]

When you over inflate tires, the tend to expand in the tread area causing them to wear more in the middle of the tread area due to the vehicle riding on the middle of the tread area. When you under inflate tires, they tend to ride on the outer edges of the tread. This pinches the tread grooves closed reducing traction.

[Tim D]

Originally Posted by DavisK

When you over inflate tires, the tend to expand in the tread area causing them to wear more in the middle of the tread area due to the vehicle riding on the middle of the tread area. When you under inflate tires, they tend to ride on the outer edges of the tread. This pinches the tread grooves closed reducing traction.

I think he nailed it. Tires should be properly inflated. Does that mean 80 lbs like when towing? No. But they should be within the proper range. This will have to come from the manufacturer. Under inflation is the worst thing you can do to your tires.

[mark5w]

I totally agree.

[johnboytoo]

That's why you set your tires according to the real load they are carrying, not some guess-at-it 'average'

The chalk test i mentioned takes that into account...

My 350 with the 80 psi it calls for will beat me to death if not towing, so it IS dropped down.

[sleepyT]

Originally Posted by johnboytoo

That's why you set your tires according to the real load they are carrying, not some guess-at-it 'average'

The chalk test i mentioned takes that into account...

My 350 with the 80 psi it calls for will beat me to death if not towing, so it IS dropped down.

Johnboy
It will not only beat you to death it will also beat your wallet to death, because it will wear the center out of your tire as illistrated by the visual to the left in Kemp's post...
I also agree with you that the chalk test is the best way to check for correct inflation...

[Lloyd]

[/QUOTE]


These pics pretty well explain what happens with your tire when you have to much, or not enough air pressure for "the load".
Now, don't forget that phrase, --- for the load.

Common sense tells us you can find a write up on the internet that will support or dispute any subject you can come up with.

Also common sense will tell us that any manufacture will tell you your tires have to be pumped to what is stated. You will never find one that says you can let some air out when running empty or with no load.
I believe it's called liability.

Now wouldn't you think a tire that has 80# in it would look like the pic on the right if it was carrying the rated load?
Also wouldn't you think that same tire with the same 80# in it and running with no load on it would look like the the pic on the left?
Now, the way I interpret the pic of the center tire is, very very under inflated. With the 10 and 12 ply tires that are under discussion here, if they looked like that with no load on them, they wouldn't have any air!

I still maintain that running my tires at 50# when empty will give the same road contact as when running 80# when loaded. With absolutely no damage to the tires sidewall.

I encourage everyone to run their tire pressure where they are comfortable, and safe. Safety is by all means the most important issue.

[sleepyT]

Lloyd
Well said...

Unfortunately common sense is NOT common in this country any more...

[DavisK]

The maximum pressure stamped on the sidewalls of my tires says 80 psi, but that is not the recommended pressure. The recommended pressure according to GM is 60 psi front and 70 psi rear. That's the pressure I keep in my tires.

[Tim D]

X2 Lloyd. A wordier but accurate example of what the rest of us were trying to say.