Tire PSI for hauling firewood

[Komet]

I'm getting ready to load up all my firewood to move it to my new place, and the last detail is to pick my tire pressures. It's about one cord, I figure it's going to be roughly 2.5k lbs in the truck bed.

Truck is a 1992 K2500 6 lug unit, tires are 265/75R16 BFG A/T load range E1 tires. Max PSI is listed at 80. I've been running them unloaded at 50psi and they seem properly inflated for light / no load.

I should inflate them to 80 PSI front and rear for hauling the load, right? Or is it just the rear tires? I'm new to doing heavy stuff.

 

[movietvet]

Anywhere between 70 psi and 80 psi would be good, IMO.

 

[GoToGuy]

At or near max psi cold. Especially since your overloaded.

 

[South VA]

I'm getting ready to load up all my firewood to move it to my new place, and the last detail is to pick my tire pressures. It's about one cord, I figure it's going to be roughly 2.5k lbs in the truck bed.

Truck is a 1992 K2500 6 lug unit, tires are 265/75R16 BFG A/T load range E1 tires. Max PSI is listed at 80. I've been running them unloaded at 50psi and they seem properly inflated for light / no load.

I should inflate them to 80 PSI front and rear for hauling the load, right? Or is it just the rear tires? I'm new to doing heavy stuff.

I’d think just the rear. For example, the recommended PSI on my K2500 Suburban for fully loaded is 50 front/80 rear, and 40 front/50 rear unloaded. The weight on the front wheels doesn’t increase as much as the on the rear; hence, the difference in pressure.

Although 80 in front wouldn’t hurt E-Rated tires, steering, handling, and braking should be better at 50 than 80 in the front, I would think.

 

[Keeper]

75-80 rear. Double check rear drums are tightened up. Weight in the rear will lighten up the front. Good time to pay attention to front steering/braking/suspension... anything getting close to needing attention will let you know.

 

[movietvet]

I’d think just the rear. For example, the recommended PSI on my K2500 Suburban for fully loaded is 50 front/80 rear, and 40 front/50 rear unloaded. The weight on the front wheels doesn’t increase as much as the on the rear; hence, the difference in pressure.

Although 80 in front wouldn’t hurt E-Rated tires, steering, handling, and braking should be better at 50 than 80 in the front, I would think.

IMO, I would want the front and rear tire pressures to be the same. I believe that enough weight is at the front to warrant that. Plus, when applying brakes and slowing down, a lot of that weight shifts forward and can effect the handling.

 

[Sean Buick 76]

I agree I would run the same pressure front and rear. I never run max pressures even when approaching the limits of the weight capacity. I would run 65 psi.

 

[movietvet]

I agree I would run the same pressure front and rear. I never run max pressures even when approaching the limits of the weight capacity. I would run 65 psi.

The more weight on the tires the harder they work and the hotter they get and hold heat. When pushing the limits of the GVWR, IMO, the air pressure needs to go up so that they run cooler with the weight on them. Raised tire temperatures, for a long enough period of time, shorten the life of the tire(s).

 

[South VA]

IMO, I would want the front and rear tire pressures to be the same. I believe that enough weight is at the front to warrant that. Plus, when applying brakes and slowing down, a lot of that weight shifts forward and can effect the handling.

You may be correct. However, there’s a reason that GM specifies different pressures front and rear. It could be that they take weight shift during braking into account.

Then again, I am an expert in only a couple of areas, and this is not one of them.

 

[movietvet]

You may be correct. However, there’s a reason that GM specifies different pressures front and rear. It could be that they take weight shift during braking into account.

Then again, I am an expert in only a couple of areas, and this is not one of them.

Again, IMO only, the air pressure differences are with an unloaded vehicle with just the weight of the vehicle on the tires. Even then, I would want the tire pressures to be the same, front and rear. When I go in to a tight corner at speed, I want to believe in my mind that the tire grip is the same because all tires are the same. IMO, when loaded with enough weight, that becomes even more critical, again IMO.