Tyre pressures and wear.

[Pinger]

As long as the tire is rated high enough to carry the weight of the vehicle, and is aired up properly, there should be no issues.

I think I'm OK on that front.

The reason the whole Ford Explorer/Firestone thing happened was Ford published too low of a PSI for the Firestone tires they installed on the Exploder...that was Ford's fault. They wanted to improve the ride and disregarded what the tire required.

That was in my mind - the Explorer debacle.

The tire is wearing the middle out very aggressively on the OP's tread because it is overinflated by 14%, even running at 44psi would probably cause the center to wear that way.

Noted.

 

[Pinger]

Agreed with everything above. You need to run them below 44psi. As long as you dont load the suburban with anything and just daily drive it, you can run them until they are worn out but be sure to get E rated 80psi tires next time!

As per posts above, that is broadly my plan.

Live and learn moment

Indeed!
Thanks guys for all the advice - much appreciated.

 

[Erik the Awful]

There's some slightly conflicting information based on standards vs. how a particular manufacturer may have made a tire - it might exceed the standards, so the max inflation listed for a particular tire might be higher than what the standard calls for.

Do you consider it dangerous to run at 50psi when the max is supposedly 44psi?

This is why I cringe when people say to follow the automaker's recommendation in the door jamb over what's marked on the tire. Two tires with the same specifications can be very different.

If you're getting wear in the center, ignore what your door jamb says and drop your pressure.

E rated tires generally have a max pressure rating of 80psi...in all my years running 3/4T+ pickups, I've never ran an E-rated(10 ply) tire at the full 80psi.

The number rating means more to me than the letter rating. E means "10 ply equivalent" now.

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[Pinger]

This is why I cringe when people say to follow the automaker's recommendation in the door jamb over what's marked on the tire. Two tires with the same specifications can be very different.

I don't dispute that - but I should have followed the door jamb recommendation for 'E'....

The number rating means more to me than the letter rating. E means "10 ply equivalent" now.

But to get this right next time around I'll need to know what (in kg) is the load rating of an 'E' rated tyre - and I don't. Does anyone have an exact figure?

As far as I can make out, the P, LT and E designations don't feature here in UK and, after a very quick on-line perusal, the highest rated tyre (in my size) I could find was 120 (1200kg) which is only 80kg higher than what I have.

Along with the obvious size markings, my tyres also have this: DOT 112H D3EM and E4 (within a circle). Does this mean anything to anyone?

 

[Erik the Awful]

112 = 2469 lbs (1120 kg)

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[df2x4]

I just checked my (245/75/R16) BFG KO2s on the Suburban. They're load range E with a load/speed index of 116S, so if my math is right that would equate to about 1250 kg.

EDIT - Max cold inflation pressure 80PSI.

DOUBLE EDIT - Looks like I was reading the second (dually) rating by mistake. The single tire load index is actually 120S, so 1400 kg.

 

[Pinger]

I just checked my (245/75/R16) BFG KO2s on the Suburban. They're load range E with a load/speed index of 116S, so if my math is right that would equate to about 1250 kg.

EDIT - Max cold inflation pressure 80PSI.

DOUBLE EDIT - Looks like I was reading the second (dually) rating by mistake. The single tire load index is actually 120S, so 1400 kg.

Thanks. The E corresponds to around 3000lb then which is as said by someotherguy in post 9 for a 2500.
120 looks to be available in UK so next time around I'll seek them out. As it is, the way I use this truck the max payload is around 100kg (full LPG (propane tank) and 225 kg of goods to deliver so 325kg (715lb) and as I'm working, only me - no passengers. At that, I'm some way off maximum payload and I don't tow. A reduction in air pressure should keep me safe for the time being.

Thinking back to when and why these tyre were bought it was to cope with snow and with the post Covid supply chain issues (compounded by our stupid Brexit) they were literally the only tyres available. Caught up in that, I kinda overlooked what I needed to have been aware of. Live and learn!

 

[2drXmobb]

Your tires are overinflated, the door jamb rating and your tires on your truck isn't factory probably a different brand and rating. If it's max 44psi and your running 50 that's no bueno . Because when you drive the air heats up in the tires and inflates , in the winter time it gets cold and loses pressure. I would probably go 35psi because the air expands . That's a tire ready to burst, trust me ask me how I know in my earlier years I had to learn it the hard way.