Hi guys. I'm wondering what tire pressures some of you people run in your 3500 duallies when pulling fivers???? I've always put about 75# in my previous trucks but my 03 3500 DRW shows 65# on the door plate. Tires are Load Range E and they say max towing capacity is at 80#. Do you guys go with the DC recommendations or the tires sidewall specs??

Thanks for you help...

 

You should run with the DC rates because that is what has been tested for this application.
Think back to the Ford Exploder thing with the tires that were installed. That was part of their problem, beside **** poor design.
You must consider that if yo put too much air in the tires then the side walls will rub against one another and cause all kinds of problems
That's just my .02 worth.

 

70 in the front and 65 in the rear all the time. I pull up to 26000 pounds and I get 75000 miles out of a set of Michelins. Tire calls for 80 but that is too solid and makes the fronts wear out early. I experimented with pressures clear down to 45 and found the above combination to work best for my application. As mentioned above, you should follow manufacturers recommendations.

 

70 in front and 65 rear like DD4X4 said. Never had a rubbing problem.

 

My SRW does best at 50 in the front and 70 in the rear with the stock Michelins and is good up to the GAWR for each axle. I tow a 10,000# TT at least once a month.

VERY happy with this truck...

 

65# empty all around. 80# towing.

 

60 front- 40 rears empty
70 front- 70 rears towing heavy with heavy pin weight

 

I keep 80# all the way around summer/winter, loaded/empty on the stock Michelins. They show minimal signs of wear after 35k miles. Contrary to what was stated above, the LESS air in your rear tires, the more likely the sidewalls are to rub. I go with the psi stated on the tire...no problems.
Rotating them I'm sure helps too with longevity.

 

Chester,
Weigh your truck with the fiver attached and see what your front and rear axle loads are. If you are not exceeding the rating on the door plate, (which I'm sure your not), then you shouldn't need any more pressure in the tires than stated on the door plate.

The pressures listed on the door plate are actually derived from the tire manufacturer spec and not DC. I can't quite comprejend why some want to ignore this recommendation and do otherwise.

For example my door sticker lists 55lbs for the front and 65 for the rear duals at a maximum load of 4740 lbs on the front and 9350 lbs on the rear. On my last trip across the scales with my loaded fiver the weights were 4640 on the front and 6080 on the rear axle. I'm 100 pounds below the max on the front and 3270 lbs below the rear axle rating. Why would it be necesary to go above the 55 /65 pressures listed. Airing them up any more than what the load requires will only degrade tire performance in all respects.

Use the tire manufacturers load table and match the pressure to the load and you can't go wrong.

 

Mine is 55 in the front and 50 in the rears. I've been running 65 up front and 55 in the rears even when towing the 5fer. I've been keeping a eye on the tire wear in the rear, which in the past, when running 65-70 resulted in faster wear in the middle of the tires. That wear is about 3/32 more in the center than on the sides.

I'm going to lower to 50 and see if it will even out. Running Michelin LTX M/S 235x85x16's. The lower tire presures don't appear to be hurting fuel mileage. I look at it this way, when the 5fer is on the hitch at 2100lbs thats on 525lbs per tire. Maximum load is still at least two time that on each tire.

Dave

 

If you look at the book, it also will say to add usually 5 pounds to the preasures for highway driving over the recommed preasures.

 

According to the door sticker, my truck can handle its maximum GAWRs with 55 in the front and 50 in the rear. Pulling our 13,500 lb 5th wheel, I'm well below my rear GAWR, so that's what I run. I get better tire wear and ride at the recommended pressures.

Since the 5ver is running at 90% of its tire ratings, I carry 80 PSIG cold in the 5ver's LT235/85R-16E Michelin XPS Ribs.

Rusty

 

Rusty; Thats exactly were I run my 5fer.

I was slow to come around with the lower air pressure in the tires prior to this set of Michelins. I tried 55 which included
over 9000 miles of towing the 5fer.

I known you said you run 50 in the rears as the sticker says. Have you run a depth gauge in the center and outside yet?

Just wondering if the wear is even or slightly more on the outside with 50 psi?

Thanks

Dave

 

Thanks everyone for your inputs. I've been sticking with the door listed pressures (mine are 65#) and haven't had any problems. By the sound of it I'll stay in this range.

Thanks again..

 

Dave,

The center of the tread on the rear tires is wearing more. I suspect, however, that's due to a heavy right foot when running empty - it's too much fun to floor it in 4th, 5th & 6th with the EZ and injectors!

Rusty