E rated tires and air pressure?

[Squatch]

This is the 1st time I've ever installed E rated tires on a 1/2 ton truck.

In the past any e rated I've run have been on heavy trucks that came with them. So I just use OEM specs.

For those of you who have done this. Did you stay with stock air pressure or raise it because of the tires?

So far I've gone up a couple of pounds. Stock is 29F / 32R. I'm currently running 32F / 36R. Seems OK.

I also went up a size. Historically when going to bigger tires I often need to drop pressure due to the larger volume in the tires. But this time it wasn't a dramatic size change.

 

[Advmoto18]

Good question!

With our truck/camper rigs, the tire psi placard on a vehicle will lead you astray because it is a regulatory placard, not a common sense operating placard.

Best to use the tire manufacturers recommendation adjusted for load and desired handling.

Here's a pretty good read that sort of touches on the subject.

And a similarly themed article here from 4 Wheel Parts.

 

[idahoron]

I have a 05 Tundra and I am running 50 in the front and 55 in the back. My tires are Michelin E rated. I run them in the summer months.

 

[iowahiker]

My F-150 has OEM LT245-75R17 load range E tires (payload package) with door sticker tire pressure of 55 psi front and 60 psi rear with an empty truck weight of 5500 pounds, GVWR of 8200 pounds, and an actual weight of 7500 pounds with the camper loaded and wet. These door tire pressures are most likely above "tire charts" but that was Ford's choice and the ride/handling with the camper is perfect with our OEM heavy duty suspension (heavy duty springs and shocks at all four corners).

 

[Stalking Light]

I'm running 45 in the front and 55 in the rear on my Tacoma/Eagle with BFG KO2's. I do have an Aluminess rear bumper with swingouts for the spare and a deluxe box which is why I run higher in back. Seems to ride and wear well with these pressures.

 

[Happyjax]

Article was good. Learned a lot Thanks

 

[takesiteasy]

Toyota gave me some new door stickers for running LT tires on the Tacoma. I can't remember offhand the new recommended pressures but they are higher than the P tires. In the mid-40s psi if I remember correctly.

Edit: checked the labels- 46 psi front and rear for LT265-70-16.

 

[Squatch]

I just sent Cooper an Email telling them my truck and camper specs and the tires I'm running and asked them for a inflation recommendation. But it seems I need to add some air anyway.

 

[poncho62]

If you look closely at the sideway of your tires, it gives you the recommended PSI & Max weight that the tire should take. I put Lts on my 1/2 ton....It says 65 PSI for 3200 lbs on each tire.....I am no where near that weight on each tire, so run 50 PSI.....Rides good.

 

[SunMan]

35 front, 45 rear on 285/75/16 BFG KO2s

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

One thing to keep in mind is if you put more air pressure then needed the tries will not wear correctly.
They will wear in the middle of the tread and not across the whole tread.
I have Goodyear C rated LTs 265 75 16, and run front about 35/37 rear 45.
Seems to work well and get full tread wear.
To see if you are getting full tread wear put some chalk mark across the tread and drive a few miles
and see where the chalk wears off.
Frank

 

[Squatch]

I decided to try idahoron's inflation numbers. His setup is pretty similar to mine. 50F / 55R with the Camper on the truck.

I wasn't even out of the gravel driveway and I could feel the difference. The tires feel much lighter and roll much better. Even though they don't look much different. Much quieter as well from the tread. The ride has firmed up a little. Just enough to make stuff in the plastic door pockets rattle.

Don't really need to do the old chalk mark test. I have a gravel drive that empty's onto a private paved road. Does pretty much the same thing with rock dust on the tires. Contact patch looks pretty good so far. I'm probably going to get the truck aligned this week.

 

[Squatch]

I had sent an Email to Cooper Tire. They responded this am. Gave me some rough numbers and asked me to weigh the truck at each axle. And send them the numbers. I have done that.

That was pretty easy since the camper was on already and I was going out anyway to pick up cat litter. My wife buys that stuff in bulk so I had enough weight between that and other stuff to do a good simulation of normal loaded weight. I had to stop at a feed store anyway to get some bird seed. So they weighed the truck for me.

Total weight with full tank of gas. 6,720

Front axle. 2980

Rear axle. 3780

I think that total is right at GVWR or 100lbs over. This with an Eagle Shell. I'm betting you folks with Hawks have some weight on your trucks!

 

[Rockcod]

I had sent an Email to Cooper Tire. They responded this am. Gave me some rough numbers and asked me to weigh the truck at each axle. And send them the numbers. I have done that.

That was pretty easy since the camper was on already and I was going out anyway to pick up cat litter. My wife buys that stuff in bulk so I had enough weight between that and other stuff to do a good simulation of normal loaded weight. I had to stop at a feed store anyway to get some bird seed. So they weighed the truck for me.

Total weight with full tank of gas. 6,720

Front axle. 2980

Rear axle. 3780

I think that total is right at GVWR or 100lbs over. This with an Eagle Shell. I'm betting you folks with Hawks have some weight on your trucks!

Hmm, my f150 is 3440 front 2740 rear total 6180 (cat scale) with me a Tonneau cover and 36 gallons of fuel My GAWR is 3900 fr/3850 rear or 7850 combined, GVWR on sticker says 7200, why not total added front and rear ? I would like that a lot better Going to install BFG KO2's unless another viable option arises... I will email BFG now for the recommended PSI at Max payload....Another interest lies in the Tire Pressure monitors when airing down . Ford will be installing the new rubber,(price match) there first inclination was they would set psi at payload label on door ,we know that wont fly as it is 35 psi all around

 

[idahoron]

I had sent an Email to Cooper Tire. They responded this am. Gave me some rough numbers and asked me to weigh the truck at each axle. And send them the numbers. I have done that.

That was pretty easy since the camper was on already and I was going out anyway to pick up cat litter. My wife buys that stuff in bulk so I had enough weight between that and other stuff to do a good simulation of normal loaded weight. I had to stop at a feed store anyway to get some bird seed. So they weighed the truck for me.

Total weight with full tank of gas. 6,720

Front axle. 2980

Rear axle. 3780

I think that total is right at GVWR or 100lbs over. This with an Eagle Shell. I'm betting you folks with Hawks have some weight on your trucks!

The way my truck is sitting like this

Front 2900
Back 4420
whole truck 7300

Like this not including me is 679 pounds over.

 

[Advmoto18]

F-350, fully loaded truck, camper, KTM 690/Joe Hauler custom carrier, 2 black labs, 2 humans. 2015 FWC Hawk

1700# under GVWR (11,300)

Load E tires inflated to 80psi on all four corners.

 

[Squatch]

So this am I had a local shop that I trust do an alignment. Glad I did it needed it. Shame to ruin $1000 worth of tires for an alignment.

That shop told me 50 psi all around based on my weights.

Just heard back from Cooper. They suggested 40 front and 55 rear based on the weights and info I gave them.

 

[craig333]

So good to find a shop you trust. The factory specs didn't work for my truck. Finally found a shop that actually drove my truck and set it to what works, not just whats specced.

Btw, I found the new BFG KM2 mud terrains on my Jeep didn't properly bulge until I got down to six psi in the snow. Not sure if thats just because they're new or the new design just takes less.

 

[Rockcod]

Since I'm not sure what my total weight will be, I used max payload of 1400 lbs, no doubt close. BF Goodrich recommended
based on there newest KO2 in size 275/70R18. One size taller than the OEM Good Year Wranglers... door stickered at 35 psi f/r.

50 lbs front 50 lbs rear unloaded
With weight evenly distributed.

60 lbs front 60 lbs rear. With max payload.

^^Thanks for the pictures with the sweet looking DB's on the back. Now that's a good chapter in any dream. ^^

 

[buckland]

I have 245 75 17 E rated Cooper A/T3 on a Colorado diesel. Without camper I run (Engine is heavy) I run 45 front 35 rear. With the camper fully trip loaded I run 45 all around ...sometimes to 50 rear. (I have airlift bags). I have found too high a pressure it gets real hard on bumps...if you are 'driving the slab"...better to go higher as better mileage (60). I also suggest airing down to 26-28 all around on shale/gravel roads.