Weigh Stations and tires

[Crunch]

I wounder it the problem you were having with the bike tires was air leaks on the sidewall where higher pressures would push out for a tighter fit. In high school I took a consumer auto class and we had to make a hole in a tire and then plug it and that is much easier to do with a well inflated tire than a lower inflation tire.

I was told that the higher pressures provide greater resistance while rolling. I think in shop conditions it's easier to puncture a well inflated tire because those conditions are closer to off road conditions than on road conditions. Think of it in terms of the size of area being punctured and the lenght of time the object used for puncturing is in contact with that area. I would bet that in the class you identified the point of puncture, set the puncturing tool against that point and applied consistent pressure until you pierced the tire. I would also bet that most of the time you chose a puncture point in the canyon of the tread, rather than on the ridge where it would be a lot thicker. Also, do you think that you have gotten the same results if you just took a quick, random jab at the tire?

 

[DieselFiend]

Correction, BFG's E rated tires have 10 plies under the tread and BFG's D rated tires have 8. you're right 2 or 3 on the sidewall. At any rate, I've decided to go with the 305/65/R17 in the E rated tire. I'd like to be able to run a higher pressure if I needed to.

 

[DieselFiend]

I was told that the higher pressures provide greater resistance while rolling. I think in shop conditions it's easier to puncture a well inflated tire because those conditions are closer to off road conditions than on road conditions. Think of it in terms of the size of area being punctured and the lenght of time the object used for puncturing is in contact with that area. I would bet that in the class you identified the point of puncture, set the puncturing tool against that point and applied consistent pressure until you pierced the tire. I would also bet that most of the time you chose a puncture point in the canyon of the tread, rather than on the ridge where it would be a lot thicker. Also, do you think that you have gotten the same results if you just took a quick, random jab at the tire?

Have you ever tried to push your wheel barrel with a flat or going flat tire? Air it up, then push it. It's much easier because an inflated tire offers much less rolling resistance. There is one draw back to inflating your tires to the high side. Tire wear increases when you juice your tires up to the high side because there is less tire contact are on the road meaning more weight on that single contact strip of rubber. Airing them down increases that contact are meaning less weigh per sqaure inch of contact tire.

 

[PBrauer]

Getting back to the "scale" question...

Don't go across DOT scales for that purpose. They don't all display your weight (outside) anyway. The guy inside isn't evil but does have a job to do... for my sake, please don't upset him.



If you go to a truck stop, and politely ask inside if you can just roll over the scale and write down your weights yourself, most of them will say "no problem", at least for a pickup truck. Save yourself the fee and you can go back later to get your empty vs. loaded, etc.



One reason it's important to ask first is to save them from "starting" a ticket when you roll onto the scale. Asking first so they don't have to undo work or account for an unpaid ticket goes a long way. All Flying J's monitor channel 1 on the CB for scale activity and most have a weight display outside. Inside or on the ticket it'll split your axles but if you write them down as you roll onto the scale you can just do the math later. FJ also has the most RV traffic... probably you best bet vs. Pilot, TA, etc.

 

[Crunch]

Have you ever tried to push your wheel barrel with a flat or going flat tire? Air it up, then push it. It's much easier because an inflated tire offers much less rolling resistance. There is one draw back to inflating your tires to the high side. Tire wear increases when you juice your tires up to the high side because there is less tire contact are on the road meaning more weight on that single contact strip of rubber. Airing them down increases that contact are meaning less weigh per sqaure inch of contact tire.

I agree with the wear issue. Even at 80-83psi my tires sit with the tread mostly flat on the pavement. But it no doubt drops some life off my tires compared to someone who keeps them in the 70-80psi range. I keep them a bit higher for better fuel economy and because I frequently have a trailer behind mine. But if they crown in such a way that the centers are carrying the load I would think there is a limit to how much they can wear before the inside and outside make and keep equal contact with the road. I think the Owner's Manual recommends going to 85psi when towing the heavier loads.

 

[MMeier]

Best bet is to go to a truck stop where they have scales, they can weigh you and give you weight of each. Unless you know someone at one of the weight stations on the highway, I wouldn't go there. bg

Exactly. . poking around one of those places while closed is not hi on my list of things to do! Heck, come to think of it, even when they are open I cringe as I pull in, like last night in Az. , left Vegas here at 9 am Tuesday , was in Shawnee Ok. 415 am Wed, then pulled up in front of house at 2am this morning with stack of trailers! Kept thinking... . pleeeeeeezzzee don't ask for a log book!

 

[betterthanstock]

I have gone to the nearby interstate weighing station, and there happened to be no trucks. I still have a weight ticket showing 7100 lb (new truck) with driver (don't know how much fuel), signed by the Highway Patrol officer. I have no idea if it was legal, or not for me to stop there. The officer sent out a helper to hand me the weight ticket, and he was surprised at how heavy the pickup was.



None of the tires have 8 or 10 plies. It's more like 2-3 polyester or nylon and one steel ply on the tread only. That's the old rating back when bias-ply tires (not radial) used to have cotton plies.

 

[TexBamBam]

Also there is the dreaded DW to consider... because of that I only use the E rated tires... I have run the BFG's and got DW real bad switched to the E rated MTR tires and it was gone. Good luck... .

 

[DieselFiend]

Also there is the dreaded DW to consider... because of that I only use the E rated tires... I have run the BFG's and got DW real bad switched to the E rated MTR tires and it was gone. Good luck... .

I just figure the truck came with E rated tires so I should probably put them back on when I replace them. I've always been a huge fan of the BFG A/T's. Really good tire life and at a pretty good price. My 305's will cost $1100 for five mounted and balanced.



Hey guys, thanks for all the information about the scales. I'm glad I didn't just by pass the TDR and hit the weigh station anyway. It could have been a bad deal.

 

[Crunch]

I'm glad I didn't just by pass the TDR and hit the weigh station anyway. It could have been a bad deal.

A good rule of thumb is to never deal with the Man in any circumstance unless you absolutely have to. To me it's well worth the $8. 50 to use a CAT scale and avoid the official contact.