• If you currently own, previously owned or want to own an Avalanche, we welcome you to become a member today. Membership is FREE, register now!

Tire Pressure

Be CAREFUL with your tire pressures! It's important to note that the maximum pressure listed on the sidewall is a true maximum or HOT tire pressure. So don't set your tires to the max side wall pressure cold. The typical 2-5 psi rise in pressure as the tires warm up at legal freeway speeds would then exceed the tires' max pressure rating. (This info is from the June 2002 Road & Track, page 156 in Technical Correspondence). Personally I run my tires at 33PSI.
 
:eek: My mechanic insists that the tire pressures for the stock tires of my 2500 are 50 lb in front; 80 lb in rear. Which is correct, this or the majority of posters who quote upper 30's range. :eek:
 
babydoc said:
:eek: My mechanic insists that the tire pressures for the stock tires of my 2500 are 50 lb in front; 80 lb in rear. ?Which is correct, this or the majority of posters who quote upper 30's range. :eek:
Click to expand...
1. Get a new mechanic - 80psi is max for the Firestone AT's - only needed if your carrying an elephant in the rear bed, or towing a 5 car trailer.

2. 50 psi is a comfortable compromise with those tires, front and back, ride will be good and wear decent. The 30 references are for the 1500 tires which are much lower rated.
 
babydoc said:
:eek: My mechanic insists that the tire pressures for the stock tires of my 2500 are 50 lb in front; 80 lb in rear. ?Which is correct, this or the majority of posters who quote upper 30's range. :eek:
Click to expand...


I run 42 psig all the way around on my 2500. The ride and handling are very good all things considered..
 
I have the 2500 and agree 40-42 is about right with no load or towing. 80 !! WOW must feel every pebble and pothole in the road. Can't be comfortable at that kind of pressure.
 
I run 40 psi all around on my BFG 265/75 - 16 TAs. Empty 2500 4x4. Seems to work well. I'll go up to 50 or so when pulling a medium sized trailer. I tried 80 in the stock Firestone 245/75 - 16s - a bit more harsh, but the suspension of the 3/4 ton AV seems to work very well even with the tires pumped up.
 
I am sure that this has been answered. ?What tire pressure do most people use? ?The truck recommends 30 and the max on the tire is 44. ?30 looks low to me. ?

Gabe
 
40lbs in each gives a great ride to me. There are threads on this look for search on tire pressure. AJ
 
Gabe said:
I am sure that this has been answered. ?What tire pressure do most people use? ?The truck recommends 30 and the max on the tire is 44. ?30 looks low to me. ?

Gabe
Click to expand...

Which AV do you have?

I used to run with mine at 34/36 based on the tire pressure calc spreadsheet from G-xx.

Here's the topic we had:

Tire Pressure

Be sure to increase your MAX days when searching for this stuff so we can keep this all grouped together.

We can post over there now.
 
halfbreed====steering wander/ play yep I can be running 70 or so, and it feels like I got hit with a big gust of wind and I get a weave out of it but looking at the trees beside the road they are still. I just ran 2000 miles on the road and one gas fill up i looked at the right side tires and the inside edge is cupped on the right side, and maybe thats the wander... my 1972 k-5 would use 1and a half lanes sometimes, i would aim it, not drive it down the road
 
Please forgive me if this has been mentioned,
as I didn't read all 6 pages of this thread...
but I would NOT listen to a dealer or auto mfr on this subject. (I have about 10 years in the Car Business, and that is what the folks who rolled their Explorers did - after the tires blew out from having TOO LITTLE pressure!)

Auto Mfr's recommend a lower pressure than do tire mfr's because it gives the vehicle a softer ride, and makes it less likely to go up on 2 wheels in the rollover tests.

IMHO, as a "general" rule, for "typical" (35 to 50 lb max rec) tires, I would stay at around 5 lbs or so under the TIRE MFR's max rec pressure. For those of us with 2500s with factory tires, I agree with the consensus... personally, I run 45 lbs front, 50 lbs rear, cuz I do frequent 4k lb towing. Going with 30 or 32 lbs on a tire that is made for substantially more pressure puts way too much stress on the sidewalls, and compromises handling and gas mileage.

Overinflation is just as bad, or worse, with respect to safety!

Someone already mentioned running a 2500 at 80 lbs without a load, I am sure... "...like a rock..." :eek:

Just my .02 cents...

Seven :cool:










 
Fearing that the "sticky" guage would not be accurate...I upgraded to a dial guage similar to the device that Jack...posted not to long ago...I like it better..it's easier to handle and reads fine... :B:
 
I am currently running 36 psi front 32 psi rear. Put a little extra up front to help support the weight of the front end. Have been doing this on a number of vehicles and it seems to help prolong tire life. I also rotate tires every 5,000 miles.
 
Checked my tires last week. The Dealer had 28lbs in all of them. :8: :8: :8:

I thought they looked low. I put 33 in them. Rides and handles
tons better. Went on a 350 mile jaunt Wednesday and got
17MPG. I'm sure the 33 didn't hurt. :love:
 
28 psi...is ridiculous...it's even low by the sticker standards....not to mention your gas mileage goes to the birds...... :7: :B:
 
Just my 2 cents. I run my tires at 40 psi. The reason being the weight of the vehicle. These are not "E" rated tires like on the 3/4 ton but the weight of my AV is 5800 lbs. The wt of a 3/4 ton. My feeling and experience is crowning is not a factor due to the significant wt of the truck. Plus now I am almost getting 17 mpg so another added benefit.
 
I was running 34 and increased to 36 psi. I may drop back to 34 in the rear. I have some wear on the outside tread of the front tires. The rear are wearing true. I will rotate at 5,000 miles. Currently have 2,400 miles. Most, if not all, of the miles are city. There is not too much superslab on Oahu. ;D

Aloha,
Murman :cool:
 
For what it's worth ...

I do a lot of highway driving with smaller loads too and have a friend who works at the local Chevy dealership and he says 32 is best for all 4 tires....this is where I'm staying.
 
My "genius" service writer told me my tires were underinflated at 45psi all around. He recommended 90 in the rear and 50 in the front. Now rides like an M! Abrams tank!! 42 all around tomorrow!
 
That guy is dangerous - you are 10 psi over the max in the rear assuming you have a 2500 - and thats cold - I would drop them in a hurry!!!
 
rgramjet said:
My "genius" service writer told me my tires were underinflated at 45psi all around. ?He recommended 90 in the rear and 50 in the front. ?Now rides like an M! Abrams tank!! ?42 all around tomorrow!
Click to expand...
Wow that is too extreme....where does that guy get his specs from.....sometimes you can fluctuate around the limits..but that is getting out of hand... :B:
 
rgramjet said:
My "genius" service writer [...]recommended 90 in the rear and 50 in the front. ?Now rides like an M! Abrams tank!!
Click to expand...
Sounds like the service writer had read Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, where the good Dr. does something similar with a Cadillac... >:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top