Tire pressure

rickwe818

I wasn't sure what category to place this discussion under so here goes! My wife and I just recently bought a slightly used TAG. The previous owners added some updated stuff to the trailer. One of them being the diamond plate fenders with bigger tires. I have looked everywhere online, and even called about tire pressure, and still don't have an answer. The tires are Goodyear Wrangler P225 75R 15 Would anyone know the recommended tire pressure for these tires? And you all know what I'm pulling as far as weight, so any info will be much appreciated. Thanks!

WilliamA

P-series tires have a much more flexible sidewall than either LT or trailer rated tires. Your maximum pressure. Will be listed on the sidewall but you can run less than that safely. I wouldn't run less than 28 lbs in any case. The more the sidewall flexes, the more the carcass heats. Put them at 28 lbs and have a try. If it works well at 28, the trailer will ride with MUCH less bounce. Maximum listed tire pressures are for maximum load capacity. I doubt you'll be anywhere close to maximum, which I'm going to guess is over 1,300 lbs...each...
WilliamA

rickwe818

Thanks! WilliamA. They were set at 31psi when we bought it, and that's where I've left it. Trailer seams fine. I think the sidewall says maximum psi 80 psi. But, there's no way I'd pump them up that far. I mean these are more like regular car tires, and most cars vary between 28 and 32 psi.

rickwe818

I also called a Goodyear center, and they were NO help. He was saying is it a 6 ply or an 8 ply? I told him I didn't know. You'd think they could ballpark it after giving him the exact tire, and also telling him the weight that it's carrying. I'm no expert at all on tires, but c'mon. They can give better answers than that!

WilliamA

For every dealer who gives advice, there are 3 schoolbus loads of lawyers waiting to cash in. You'll NEVER get anyone like that to tell you what's what. They will all say the same thing: "Follow the specs on the tire sidewall. They'd have you putting 85 lbs of air in a go-kart tire if that's what its rating is. Sad but true. There is a ton of information for things like this on forums and other places on the internet but it's up to the user always to pick and choose what to believe and what not to. My Jeep tires are stamped cold pressure on the sidewalls at 65 psi. (They're 10 ply) I run 30 cold. I hate to say "hunt and peck" for info, but that's what it will always come down to.
WilliamA

WilliamA

@rickwe818 said:
Thanks! WilliamA. They were set at 31psi when we bought it, and that's where I've left it. Trailer seams fine. I think the sidewall says maximum psi 80 psi. But, there's no way I'd pump them up that far. I mean these are more like regular car tires, and most cars vary between 28 and 32 psi.

80 psi? For a P-series tire? Doesn't sound right to me unless it's more than 3 ply. Check again...
WilliamA

Brian

Tire manufacturers know that there are many different uses for each tire model and size they manufacture, so the only recommendation they make is for the maximum pressure which, if exceeded, may result in catastrophic tire failure. For a particular application, the one to consult is the vehicle manufacturer whose engineers know what that particular vehicle's needs are. To that end, each vehicle is equipped with a label specifying its proper tire pressures. On my T@g, that label is located outside the trailer on the left (driver's) side in the bottom front corner. For the stock 175 80R 13 tires, it specifies 35 psi. This is likely a good starting point for your tires. Too much pressure and your trailer will bounce excessively and you will see wear in the center of the tire only. Too little pressure and your tires will show wear on the edges of the tread (and may also result in overheating and catastrophic failure). Both conditions will result in ill-behaved towing. You should be aware that, as WilliamA pointed out, P-series or passenger car tires have more flexible sidewalls than either trailer or LT (light truck) tires and may adversely affect the towability of your trailer. All this is to say that if you have questions about the proper tire pressure for your trailer/tire combination, NüCamp is the one to consult.

rickwe818

Thanks for the feedback!

Michigan_Mike

I pay close attention to my tires and proper inflation as you can't emphasize the importance of any of it. As noted, if the trailer tends to bounce during travel your tires are most likely over inflated. I let out about 5# of air and cleared this condition up on my former T@B 320 that I was running at about 40# of pressure. Most trailer tires are rated at 65 mph and when you drive faster the sidewalls heat up and this is why you see a lot of these people sitting along the side of the road with blown/shredded tires and damaged fenders. Check your inflation and the tires every time out and you will be miles ahead.

rickwe818

Thanks for all the feedback. After looking closely at the tire it says maximum is 51 psi. With that said, the Nucamp response was 50. I'm keeping them at 30. No bounce, and seems to roll just fine at this setting. Yes, I too keep a close watch on the tires, and like to inspect them frequently. Other than the axle, tires are the main maintenance of the trailer. Last line of defense between the trailer and the pavement.

LuckyJ

@rickwe818 said:
Thanks for all the feedback. After looking closely at the tire it says maximum is 51 psi. With that said, the Nucamp response was 50. I'm keeping them at 30. No bounce, and seems to roll just fine at this setting. Yes, I too keep a close watch on the tires, and like to inspect them frequently. Other than the axle, tires are the main maintenance of the trailer. Last line of defense between the trailer and the pavement.

I will have to agree with you on the pressure you want to run them.

The max pressure that is on the tire, actually on any tires are the max pressure that the tire should support when mounting and also the maximum tire pressure at full load as stipulated on the tire.

If run with less weight, the pressure should be reduce. As an example, most of those truck tire with that size tire, will be run at about 28 to 32-35 lbs with double the td weight, vut wit double the tire quantity.

So roughly the same load per tire. And on top of that, vehicule tire do not have the lower recomended speed rating as trailer only tires.

LuckyJ

What will aslo help in setting tire pressure, is to draw a line with a tire marker across the tire sole patern, and after driving it a little bit, is to analyse what marking remain. If making is left on each side and none in the middle, the tire as to much pressure. If making only remain in the center, the tire is under inflated.. This is what should be done when a different tire size is fitted on a vehicule wheel.

Aspen

@rickwe818 said:
Thanks for all the feedback. After looking closely at the tire it says maximum is 51 psi. With that said, the Nucamp response was 50. I'm keeping them at 30. No bounce, and seems to roll just fine at this setting. Yes, I too keep a close watch on the tires, and like to inspect them frequently. Other than the axle, tires are the main maintenance of the trailer. Last line of defense between the trailer and the pavement.

Following.... and just to clarify, the 50 psi recommendations for the stock tires on the T@G is too high? I do noticed some bouncing at this pressure, but concerned going lower might cause it to be under inflated. Wondering if it's safe to let some air out and lower it at all? Thanks in advance!

mgreen2

@Aspen said:

Following.... and just to clarify, the 50 psi recommendations for the stock tires on the T@G is too high? I do noticed some bouncing at this pressure, but concerned going lower might cause it to be under inflated. Wondering if it's safe to let some air out and lower it at all? Thanks in advance!

You should have a decal on the front left of the T@G with recommendation for tire pressure. My 2017 T@G is 35.

Aspen

@mgreen2 Thank you! The sticker on my 2018 T@G XL Boondock says 50 psi, so I'll stick with that I guess. Just surprised it was so high.

rickwe818

50 psi is too high. They probably set it at that so the tires will wear faster. This is the pessimistic side of me coming out. I've just never seen tire pressure recommended this high except on bicycles. My Goodyear Wrangler P225 75 R15 is a car tire, and most car tires vary between 28 to 32 psi. My trailer seems to ride just fine at 30 psi.

WilliamA

P-series tires and trailer tires are as different as wood and iron. P-series tires have much softer sidewalls (usually 2 ply) and are designed to flex a lot. Trailer tires are like (are?) bias ply and have much stiffer sidewalls. Radial tires have thinner sidewalls so they can flex without heating up. Soft ride. Trailer tires have stiff sidewalls so they don't flex and wander around. Stiff sidewall tires need more pressure so the thick, multilayer sidewall doesn't get hot and blow up. You can run lower pressure if the trailer is light but you must watch for excessive flex and/or tire heat. Hot tires fail catastrophically. Many folks run P-series tires on trailers because they ride better. Short, light trailers will work fine with a P-series tire but you wouldn't want them on your 5th wheel. Soft sidewall tires on a poorly load-biased or top heavy trailer are a Nantucket Sleighride just looking for a place to happen. Be safe and you'll be fine.
WilliamA

Joabmc

Bumping this thread. I understand that this is a very subjective question due to weight of trailer, size and type of tire and other factors, but for the most part these rigs are within a few hundred lbs. of each other. Those that are running E-rated, 15" tires; has anyone found the "sweet spot" when airing down for off-road use. I was going to start at 22 PSI and take it for a test run. I usually drop my TV to 20-22 for forest and rougher unpaved roads and 13-15 for the more difficult stuff. Have been searching throughout threads but haven't come across anything yet. Thanks!

mgreen2

It varies because they don’t have the same tires. The boondock tire is not the same as what’s on the regular T@G. Use the recommendation that’s on the sticker on your camper.

Joabmc

@mgreen2 said:
It varies because they don’t have the same tires. The boondock tire is not the same as what’s on the regular T@G. Use the recommendation that’s on the sticker on your camper.

Understood but my recommended is 50 PSI for roadway. That is IMHO, overinflated for an E-Rated tire. At max, we’re looking at 1100lbs per tire that is rated for 3640lbs.
With that data, a conservative runnning PSI would be around 30 PSI.

What I’m looking into is deflation when it comes to off-road use. Running 50 PSI on forest roads and single tracks will lead to a premature puncture along with unneeded wear and tear on the trailer.

I’m going to test the contact patch at a few different pressures for road use and airdown to a comfortable pressure to start with to see how the tire behaves in different environments. I’ll be sure to post up my findings over several trips.

LuckyJ

@Joabmc said:

@mgreen2 said:
It varies because they don’t have the same tires. The boondock tire is not the same as what’s on the regular T@G. Use the recommendation that’s on the sticker on your camper.

Understood but my recommended is 50 PSI for roadway. That is IMHO, overinflated for an E-Rated tire. At max, we’re looking at 1100lbs per tire that is rated for 3640lbs.
With that data, a conservative runnning PSI would be around 30 PSI.

What I’m looking into is deflation when it comes to off-road use. Running 50 PSI on forest roads and single tracks will lead to a premature puncture along with unneeded wear and tear on the trailer.

I’m going to test the contact patch at a few different pressures for road use and airdown to a comfortable pressure to start with to see how the tire behaves in different environments. I’ll be sure to post up my findings over several trips.

i have been reading many things about tire pressure, and from what I have learn bye reading and experince brings different result that still throw me off about what t do with trailer only tires.

Coming from the off roading world, I have experience that going softer on dirt road make driving way more confortable, rduce vibration on the rigs, reducing wear on the said vehicule. I have experince the exact same thing on trailers.

On the opposite side of what I have learned, is a trip I made on Anticosti Osland in the middle of the st-Laurence river. All dirt roads and crush stone. i think you guys in english call that type of stone, sheall of something like that. In this case, to local wear going gigher pressure, and slower driving. I was thinking in my mine, I know what to do and will try it my way, at tires where brand new of almost. Well, after 5 flats tires in 30 miles, I decided to slow down and increase tire pressure. For the rest on the week and a few humdread miles, no more flat tire. And yep, I was pass by a dear (this is the land of one of the largest concetration of dear in camada, if not the world. The biggest predators are fox.

Back to tires, off road driving with my jeep, can see tire pressure down to 7-9 psi on bias. But the history about trailer tires seams to be even from E-trailer, that you need to run the pressure writen on the side wall, witch is higher that what is writen on the T@G frame sticker.

I am a strong beleiver that you need to sdujst the tire pressure acvording to load and type of road where you travel. But the info about tire pressure still puzzle me, and I would hate runing the T@G at full trailer tire pressure and see it flying appart in the mirror, even at slow speed. So I will also have to experiment.

Food for toughts.

Joabmc

@LuckyJ said:

@Joabmc said:

@mgreen2 said:
It varies because they don’t have the same tires. The boondock tire is not the same as what’s on the regular T@G. Use the recommendation that’s on the sticker on your camper.

Understood but my recommended is 50 PSI for roadway. That is IMHO, overinflated for an E-Rated tire. At max, we’re looking at 1100lbs per tire that is rated for 3640lbs.
With that data, a conservative runnning PSI would be around 30 PSI.

What I’m looking into is deflation when it comes to off-road use. Running 50 PSI on forest roads and single tracks will lead to a premature puncture along with unneeded wear and tear on the trailer.

I’m going to test the contact patch at a few different pressures for road use and airdown to a comfortable pressure to start with to see how the tire behaves in different environments. I’ll be sure to post up my findings over several trips.

i have been reading many things about tire pressure, and from what I have learn bye reading and experince brings different result that still throw me off about what t do with trailer only tires.

Coming from the off roading world, I have experience that going softer on dirt road make driving way more confortable, rduce vibration on the rigs, reducing wear on the said vehicule. I have experince the exact same thing on trailers.

On the opposite side of what I have learned, is a trip I made on Anticosti Osland in the middle of the st-Laurence river. All dirt roads and crush stone. i think you guys in english call that type of stone, sheall of something like that. In this case, to local wear going gigher pressure, and slower driving. I was thinking in my mine, I know what to do and will try it my way, at tires where brand new of almost. Well, after 5 flats tires in 30 miles, I decided to slow down and increase tire pressure. For the rest on the week and a few humdread miles, no more flat tire. And yep, I was pass by a dear (this is the land of one of the largest concetration of dear in camada, if not the world. The biggest predators are fox.

Back to tires, off road driving with my jeep, can see tire pressure down to 7-9 psi on bias. But the history about trailer tires seams to be even from E-trailer, that you need to run the pressure writen on the side wall, witch is higher that what is writen on the T@G frame sticker.

I am a strong beleiver that you need to sdujst the tire pressure acvording to load and type of road where you travel. But the info about tire pressure still puzzle me, and I would hate runing the T@G at full trailer tire pressure and see it flying appart in the mirror, even at slow speed. So I will also have to experiment.

Food for toughts.

I agree. I only run E on my work rigs and trail rigs. Yes, stiffer ride but a better insurance policy when you get into sharp rocks that the shale you mentioned. I've had shops put new tires on my work truck and put 80 PSI in them as that is what the sidewall listed! Could barely keep the truck on the road. I've always rated pressure by weight at the 4 corners and adjusted pressure accordingly. I don't drop below 13 while offroading as I don't have beadlocks. I can honestly see swapping the trailer tires out rather quickly as they are a no-name brand that came from China. Just haven't had any luck with those brands of tires. But the trailer tires need to be able to conform, give and flex a little to prolong their life on harsher terrain. Understand that it is a slippery slope. Too little pressure, to high of speed and you're going to overheat the sidewalls and damage the tire. Too high and you risk a sidewall slice or a unnecessary puncture. We've all seen time and time again on the trail and for me at work as well. Ultimately, I'd like to run the same size wheel and tire on the trailer as what is on my TV. It will take some modding but such is life.

LuckyJ

Yep. About the trailer tire, I should be able to remedy this, since my plan is to have air ride suspension and radial tire before the end of spring, witch technically end around june 21.

As for E rated, i am not able to find any on the tire/wheel size that I am curently running. And when off roading I use interco bogger. The BF at are for anything esle.