"Proper" Unloaded Tire Pressures

[rbattelle]

My door plate specifies front pressure of 60 and rear 70. The fronts "squish" as I would expect due to engine weight, but the rears are almost perfectly round. I am reluctant to reduce the front tire pressure, since this will cause more "squishing" and to be honest I'm happy with the current level of "squish".



I drive around unloaded all the time. Should I adjust my pressures to extend tire life, or will they survive normally with their current pressures?

 

[Rosco]

I would check the tire pressure chart that came with your owners manuel it has pressures for loaded and unloaded trucks. The 60/70 are for a fully loaded truck.

 

[Dean Upson]

I have always left my tires at the "loaded" weight and other than a bit stiffer ride have encountered no problems with tire wear.



Dean

 

[rbattelle]

Thanks for the responses! For the time being, I'll leave them at the "loaded" pressures on the door panel.

 

[timjones]

You might want to drop the rear tire presures a bit to get the wear to be flat. I run 42 psi in the rear, this has the tread flat to the ground. Just look at the tire tread if the wear is not out to the shoulders than drop some more pressure.

 

[gsbrockman]

My supplement says 50 psi fronts, 40 psi rears. I'm going to adjust my pressure upward by maybe 2 psi+ or so as I live in the country and drive on lots of curvy roads.

Just my $. 02 worth... .....

 

[sag2]

Don't recommend it to anyone else, but I have been running mine at 42 front and 38 rear since I got it (10,000 miles). The ride is noticeably better. BTW, I have only run unloaded, and If I tow or load it I will raise the pressure per the mfg sticker.

 

[MMeier]

Running mine at 70-72 PSI in the front, and 65 in the back, have my mobile wash shop set up in the back. 8400 lbs with no trailer hooked up!! For hi- speed towing the back 4 go to 75lbs.

 

[DHess]

Most of my driving is unloaded. On my '99 2500 ran the Michelins, front and back, at 55 psi and rotated at 5,000-6,000 miles (every other oil change). Had 52,000 miles on them when I traded and the tires still looked new. Doing the same with the BFGs on the "03 3500 SRW. Of course will jack the rear depending on the load.



Dave

 

[ImagesThatSing]

The 6 page handed out to us at the time of buying our truck and printed by DaimlerChrysler is this for our truck



Ram 3500 (SRW) 4 Wheel Drive

Light load Front 50#, Rear 40#

Full Load Front 60#, Rear 75#



FWIW

Hope this is helpful.

 

[Briman]

I have been running 65 psi all around. The dealer, on one occasion reduced the pressure front and rear to 50/45 and I found the ride to be smother but the truck was more inclined to follow the crown of the road and generally, the handling suffered.