Rear Tire Pressure When Towing an RV (LT, Dually, Guide)
The right tire pressure is important. There will be people who say that you should not go beyond what your tire says when it comes to PSI. However, there may be a little room for a bit of leeway as sometimes it helps to increase the PSI in your tires when you are hauling a heavy load.
To some people adding extra air when you carry more weight than usual helps the tires last longer. The extra air helps keep those tires cooler but you need to be careful when doing this as there is only so much weight and air pressure a tire can handle.
To learn more about this topic just continue to read our article. It has the information you want to know about so you can add or subtract the right amount of air in your tires. Take a few minutes to see how this information helps you.
Tire Pressure When Towing 101
Do You Increase Tire Pressure When Towing?
There are strong arguments for doing this. With your tires inflated at the wrong PSI, then you are looking to have a couple of problems. The first problem is when you drive a little too fast, the trailer can shake and cause handling issues.
Or you can get a blowout if the wrong amount of air pressure is in those tires. The correct PSI for tires when towing ranges between 40 and 65 depending on the trailer’s weight and the tire's load rating.
There are different charts on the many professional tire outlets that will help you find the right PSI for the trailer you are towing. If your truck has a tire pressure monitoring system built-in, then you can see what your tires are doing at any given moment.
Monitoring your tires will help prevent tire blowouts and allows you to make adjustments to the pressure if needed.
What Tire Pressure is Good For Towing an RV?
There is a range of PSI levels that will work and which one you use will depend on the weight you are towing, plus cargo weight. That range is between 40 and 65 PSI but that is not the only figure you need to be concerned about.
When it comes to towing, you need to know the load weight of the tires you are using. Going above that maximum is only asking for trouble. The load rating is per tire not per group of tires.
Other figures you need to be concerned about are the axle load rating as well as the maximum PSI level you are supposed to put in your tires. When your tires have a maximum of 80 psi, you do not have to go to that mark.
It is recommended to stay around 65 to 70 PSI when towing for the best ride and results. Also, how much air you put in your tires will depend on your tow vehicle. 1/2-ton pick-ups do not require as much air pressure as a 3/4-ton dually.
Recommended Tire Pressure For Towing a Travel Trailer
There are two figures you should consider before filling your trailer tires with air. The first figure comes from the federal tag and that is your minimum level for PSI.
The other figure is the number listed on the side of your tire. That is the maximum level you can fill your tire. What that means is that if your trailer tires say a maximum of 40 psi, you do not fill it till it gets 50 psi inside the tire.
You may have a 1 to 2 PSI leeway but not 10. When you see those two figures, aim for somewhere in the middle of both of them. That way you should be able to tow safely without any issues cropping up.
The recommended tire pressure for trailer tires depends on the trailer type, weight, and axle ratings. There is no hard and fast rule as every trailer is different.
LT Tire Pressure When Towing
The maximum amount of PSI you can put in a tire is listed on the side of the tire. That is the level the tire can safely hold without blowing out, etc. If the tire is rated for 80 PSI then you have lots of room to work with.
The reason for saying that is that you should go by the load chart for an LT tire. The load chart is not going to be the same for all LT tires. You have to look up the load chart for your specific tire. For example, an LT 245/ 75R17 tire is not going to have the same load chart as a LT 220/ 80 R17.
For an 8800-pound trailer, you would need 50 PSI for a LT 245/75R17 tire. As you can see that is well below the maximum 80PSI the tire can handle. The amount of weight a single tire can hold at that PSI level is 2205 but with 4 tires, you can easily tow an 8800-pound trailer.
Before you hook up, get a hold of a tire load chart and see the range you have to work with from the federal Tag and the max PSI on the side of the tire. You have a lot of factors to consider before inflating those tires.
F150 Tire Pressure When Towing The Trailer
There is a difference between the front and rear tires. Most people run about 38 PSI in the front tires and 45 to 50 PSI in the rear. The tires they were talking about had a maximum PSI of 51.
If you are using a weight distribution hitch, you may want to increase the front tires to 40 and lower the rears to 45 PSI. These are just estimates as every tire is a bit different.
Different brands have different limits you can go. It is best to go to the brand website of the tires you own and look for the tire charts. Most tire brand websites have these charts and they will give you the most accurate information.
Those charts are for their tires and not usually a generic universal setting. If those charts are not helpful, then talk to your local tire outlet and see what they say.
Dually Tire Pressure When Towing
The maximum you should set for your tires is 65 psi when towing. It is not recommended that you go much higher than that. That will handle 14,000 GVWR with ease.
Of course, you need to know how much weight the tires are rated to carry at 65 PSI. With 4 tires handling the load, you should be okay at that level but not always. Look at the load ratings for your specific tires before filling them with air.
Some owners put more air in the front tires to help level the pick-up out. That is because the sticker on the driver’s side door jam says to do it that way. Follow what your sticker says to make sure your tires do not get excessive wear.
Some owners have bought cheap tires from places like Walmart and those outlets or brands do not place a load chart for their tires on their websites. It has been suggested to look up a competing brand’s load chart and use the figures for there for your tires.
If the tires were built to DOT standards, etc., then the figures from those competitors’ websites should work for you.
Truck Tire Pressure When Towing a 5th Wheel
The best advice that can be given here is to go by what the sticker on your driver’s door says. Use the maximum when loaded and towing and go a bit lower when unloaded.
Everything we said above will also apply to this situation. Tire weight, axle rating, tire maximum PSI and so on all apply to 5th-wheel trailers as well.
Tire Pressure Towing a Boat
Trailer tires are built to handle more PSI than passenger car tires. Do not be worried about the difference as the maximum PSI listed on the tire is safe for trailer tires even though it may be 40 to 50 PSI higher than your passenger car tires.
For boat trailers, the range is not as great as it is with regular trailers. Depending on the tire on your boat trailer, the ideal towing PSI is between 50 and 60.
The VIN sticker should give you the maximum PSI and load ratings for the tires originally on the trailer. It is located near the tongue.
Some Final Words
Having the right tire pressure in your trailer tires will help them wear better as well as the last longer. Follow the federal tag and the maximum PSI listed on the side of your tire and shoot for somewhere in the middle and you should be fine.
To learn more about trailer tires, tire pressure, and related topics, read our article located at this link. It provides more information that will help you with your trailer tires and their PSI levels.
