Truck tire pressure question

[Texdan25]

Picking up my new fiver tomorrow with dry wt. of 9100# and GVWR of 11k. I have a 2013 Chevy 2500HD Duramax with Michelin 18" tires, max pressure rating 80lbs. I normally kept them at 70# when pulling my 7k bumper pull. Should I take the tires up to the max 80# since I'll have an additional 2500-4000#?

[NewBlackDak]

I run the rears at max when I have fifth wheel or gooseneck hitched up.

[Shokyle1]

In my opinion the air pressure should be set to what is specified on the door sticker.

[billcf7]

Originally Posted by Texdan25

Picking up my new fiver tomorrow with dry wt. of 9100# and GVWR of 11k. I have a 2013 Chevy 2500HD Duramax with Michelin 18" tires, max pressure rating 80lbs. I normally kept them at 70# when pulling my 7k bumper pull. Should I take the tires up to the max 80# since I'll have an additional 2500-4000#?

Go to your tire manufacturers web site and find their load chart and it will give you the pressure for the load your carrying.

[muckinfuss]

All manufacturers have a spec sheet that gives tire load per pressure. Exceeding what you 'need' for the load you're carrying is using up tire life. Check with your dealer for a copy of the load chart for your brand if you can't retrieve it from their website.

[Jagiven]

Originally Posted by muckinfuss

All manufacturers have a spec sheet that gives tire load per pressure. Exceeding what you 'need' for the load you're carrying is using up tire life. Check with your dealer for a copy of the load chart for your brand if you can't retrieve it from their website.

X2, you should be able to get the chart online too. That would be my starting point.

But feel free to adjust the pressures to what feels good too. My last set of TV tires were the same as the one prior. But for what ever reason, those tires did not behave the same, and the truck felt a little squirmy, compared to the older tires. Deeper tread automatically can do that too. Over a few trips I adjusted the tire pressures, and came up with; bumping up the rears 10 psi, and the fronts by 5 psi. I suspect the batch of rubber or cords in the tires was not the same as the previous tires.

Running the pressures noted on the door jam, is great out the factory door with no load. Gives a good ride, and good fuel economy, out of the factory, which is what all they car manufactures have to report to the government.

[Texdan25]

Originally Posted by Shokyle1

In my opinion the air pressure should be set to what is specified on the door sticker.

Not stock 17" tires, these are 18.


Here's what's on Michelin's site (and max info on my tire):


3180/6190@65#; 3360/6720@70#; 3530/7060@75#; 3640/7280@80#


I'm figuring my pin weight will be around 2k give or take 100#. So I'm thinking tire pressures could be any of these?

[Texdan25]

Well, picked up my Reflection 29RS yesterday for my first ever fiver tow. I put front tires (80# max Michelin E) at 70 front and 80 back. Truck sticker on stock 17" E is 65 front 80 back. Anywho, I am a little disappointed in that I seem to get a little chucking while driving with my 2013 Chevy 2500HD Duramax. I have a graphite plate on the pin box and greased the hitch jaws and put white lithium grease on the hitch base rubber thingies where the hitch head sits. Any ideas or is that normal? My thoughts:

1. Harder ride due to tire pressure?
2. Would truck air bags eliminate this?
3. ?????

Other than that we are already loving the fiver even in the driveway!

[billcf7]

This is “chucking “ between pin box and hitch. Can be reduced with the use of rubber and/or air ride pin box and hitch

[NewBlackDak]

Originally Posted by Texdan25

Well, picked up my Reflection 29RS yesterday for my first ever fiver tow. I put front tires (80# max Michelin E) at 70 front and 80 back. Truck sticker on stock 17" E is 65 front 80 back. Anywho, I am a little disappointed in that I seem to get a little chucking while driving with my 2013 Chevy 2500HD Duramax. I have a graphite plate on the pin box and greased the hitch jaws and put white lithium grease on the hitch base rubber thingies where the hitch head sits. Any ideas or is that normal? My thoughts:

1. Harder ride due to tire pressure?
2. Would truck air bags eliminate this?
3. ?????

Other than that we are already loving the fiver even in the driveway!

Chucking is usually slop in the hitch. What hitch are you using?

[RedHorse1]

Originally Posted by Texdan25

I have a graphite plate on the pin box and greased the hitch jaws and put white lithium grease on the hitch base rubber thingies where the hitch head sits.

Are you describing a MorRyde pin box?
In my experience the 5th towing experience is different than a bumper-pull. While MUCH more stable there is a bit of chucking. We have the MorRyde pin box and a B&W Companion puck-mount hitch. The 5th GVW is 12,700# with 3000# on the pin.

[TxLoser]

I’d drive it for a while and see if it’s just something to get used to. I had a 2500 and pulled both my current Eagle and a lighter Eagle HT. I kept the back end at 80 and the fronts 65-70 depending on my mood.

As for the chucking...can you hear a mechanical banging around is this just something you feel. If you’re actually hearing something it could be the slide mechanism. I’m sure there’s a little slop in that. Also, if you’re running the original shocks from 2013 it’s probably time for a new set.

[Texdan25]

Originally Posted by TxLoser

I’d drive it for a while and see if it’s just something to get used to. I had a 2500 and pulled both my current Eagle and a lighter Eagle HT. I kept the back end at 80 and the fronts 65-70 depending on my mood.

As for the chucking...can you hear a mechanical banging around is this just something you feel. If you’re actually hearing something it could be the slide mechanism. I’m sure there’s a little slop in that. Also, if you’re running the original shocks from 2013 it’s probably time for a new set.

Nothing mechanical, just something I feel. It's fully loaded now so will no soon if I notice anything. And event though is a 2013 I only have 60k miles on it so doubt if I need shocks yet. Would air bags reduce chucking?

[Texdan25]

Originally Posted by RedHorse1

Are you describing a MorRyde pin box?
In my experience the 5th towing experience is different than a bumper-pull. While MUCH more stable there is a bit of chucking. We have the MorRyde pin box and a B&W Companion puck-mount hitch. The 5th GVW is 12,700# with 3000# on the pin.

No it's a Lippert.

[Texdan25]

Originally Posted by NewBlackDak

Chucking is usually slop in the hitch. What hitch are you using?

B&W Patriot Slider on rails.

[Lake Huron]

Get rid of that junk Lippert solid pin box and install a Moryde. That'll fix your chucking issue. You will never get rid of ALL of it, but it will take care of a majority of it.
I run my tires on my 2500 SRW and my 3500 DRW at 80psi, front and back, all the time and they are all Michelin's. My Silverado 3500 has a B&W companion (no slide) and my 5th has a Moryde pin box. Very little chucking but we are on garbage Michigan roads. I have 2 friends that are running Silverado 2500's and both of them have B&W companion sliders. One installed. Moryde on his Jayco 29.5 and said it made a BIG difference in eliminating the chucking. The other is pulling a Cedar Creek that has a TrailAir air ride pin box and his has very little chucking as well. The solid pin boxes that come on these from the factory are horrible.

[TxLoser]

@Lake Huron.... Why would you run the fronts at 80psi? My thought was always to run them( when towing) at the spec on the door post given that when loaded I’m actually taking a little weight off the front end. Just curious. Not being critical. Always looking for a better way.

[Texdan25]

Originally Posted by Lake Huron

Get rid of that junk Lippert solid pin box and install a Moryde. That'll fix your chucking issue. You will never get rid of ALL of it, but it will take care of a majority of it.
I run my tires on my 2500 SRW and my 3500 DRW at 80psi, front and back, all the time and they are all Michelin's. My Silverado 3500 has a B&W companion (no slide) and my 5th has a Moryde pin box. Very little chucking but we are on garbage Michigan roads. I have 2 friends that are running Silverado 2500's and both of them have B&W companion sliders. One installed. Moryde on his Jayco 29.5 and said it made a BIG difference in eliminating the chucking. The other is pulling a Cedar Creek that has a TrailAir air ride pin box and his has very little chucking as well. The solid pin boxes that come on these from the factory are horrible.

Thanks i will look into it after my first trip coming up soon. Also a friend of mine said it doesnt matter if you put a lot of your weight in the front of the trailer vs the back or the truck bed as the trailer is made for mast of the weight to go on the trailer axles? With my bumper pull i always tried to put weight in back of trailer and in truck bed.

[Lake Huron]

Originally Posted by TxLoser

@Lake Huron.... Why would you run the fronts at 80psi? My thought was always to run them( when towing) at the spec on the door post given that when loaded I’m actually taking a little weight off the front end. Just curious. Not being critical. Always looking for a better way.

My SRW I ran all them at 80psi because when I rotate tires every 5k that one less thing to have to mess around with is tire pressures. I also ran them at max psi all the time because if something pops up and I have to hook on to something and go I'm not worrying about if I have enough tire pressure.
Both my SRW and DRW trucks get the tires rebalance every now and again and the guys at Discount Tire tell me that my tires are the flattest wearing tires they've ever seen. Even my Yukon and DW's G6 I run at max pressures all the way around and they wear flat and even.

[TxLoser]

I can see the logic there. Thanks.