You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us.
Tires and WheelsDiscussions and experienced advice about tires, wheels, traction control, proper balancing, improving tire life and more.
This is a discussion thread titled "Tire pressure question?", within the Tires and Wheels forum, part of the Technical & Vehicle Assistance Forums category.
What tire pressure do you have in the front and rear of a 2002 4x4 with the TRD off road package?
****** Original question below *******
I have a new 2002 Tundra with the TRD off Road package (4x4, Access Cab, V8
I have the tires that come with that package (BFG Rugged trail T/A P265 70/R16)
These tire claim a max pressure of 35psi. The sticker on the frame of the drivers side door recommends 32psi for the rear tires, and 26psi for the front tires.
26psi for the front seems low to me, and even looks a bit low as well.
Should the front be 26psi? I'd like to take it to at least 30psi. What are the pros and cons of doing this?
I've got a 2000 but otherwise the same truck with the same tires. I'm running 35 front and rear. Even 30 feels too mushy and the handling suffers, at least to me.
Originally posted by tmr812 This didn't get much response in the tire forum.
What tire pressure do you have in the front and rear of a 2002 4x4 with the TRD off road package?
****** Original question below *******
I have a new 2002 Tundra with the TRD off Road package (4x4, Access Cab, V8
I have the tires that come with that package (BFG Rugged trail T/A P265 70/R16)
These tire claim a max pressure of 35psi. The sticker on the frame of the drivers side door recommends 32psi for the rear tires, and 26psi for the front tires.
26psi for the front seems low to me, and even looks a bit low as well.
Should the front be 26psi? I'd like to take it to at least 30psi. What are the pros and cons of doing this?
Thanks,
TMR
I'd run at least 30 to 32 psi in the front tires and 30 in the rear (more if you plan on loading it)
If you put too much air in, the center of the tread will wear; if you put too little in, the edges will wear.
You could pretty safely put 32 in all the tires and you'll be fine. 35 is a bit much in the tires but if you like it firmer - well, that fine but the tread center will probably end up wearing faster than the edges and would limit your tread life.
The only reason that pressure really matters is so you don't wear out one section of the tread before the other sections wear. Once any section of the tread gets to two tenths, the tire is "done". If you're driving in snow, it's done much before that.
Gee, lots of replies, not much info. Here's a reply with some generic info, but nothing specific. My tires are slightly oversized, and I run at the pressures on the tag on the sill.
I race cars, and we live an die by tire pressures. But then, the grip that you get really isn't key on our trucks. Sorry, but it's hard (and dangerous, on public streets) to push our trucks to 100% in a turn.
Tire pressure does two key things. First, it balances the handling. Understeer vs. Oversteer. Don't worry about the definitions, this is just how the truck handles "at the limit" in a turn. Which, again, isn't so important for us.
The second thing that tire pressure does for us is to set the tire up as a second set of springs. This is vital when towing, I would guess. I would not (did not) tow anything heavy without checking tire pressures before hooking up the trailer. One tire with 10psi too little (which is common) could be disasterous.
Oh, and way too much or way too little pressure can surely cause the symptom the other gentleman referred to, wearing in the center or on the edges. But this typically only happens with significant variations from recommended, and even if it happens at recommended, I don't care. I want safe tires.
The higher the pressure, the harder (harsher) the ride. Some folks are very forgiving of this, others aren't. So, in my case, I would probably be unwilling to do miles in a truck with 35 psi all around. In my race car I can feel every pebble that I drive over. . . <g>
The numbers on the sill, recommended pressures, apply for other sized tires. There may actually be differences, but this is a good safe place to be, unless you go to really weird sizes, as almost none of us here have.
The "max" number listed is just that. Don't put more than that in the tire (actually, "for a long period", but that's another storey).
Too little tire pressure causes the sidewall to flex too much, overheat, and fail.
Max tire pressure is very important for towing because is makes the tire more stable (less side-to-side movement) and helps control trailer sway.
Low tire pressure will make the edges of the tire wear and the handling feel...well, something like mushy. Correct tire pressure makes the tire grip the pavement surface better and therefore is safer.
High tire pressure will cause the center of the tire tread to wear faster than the edges, but also saves a small bit of gas. Overall, the gas savings exceeds the cost of the tire wear.
I like 33-35 in the fronts and 30-32 in the rears. When hauling a max load of gravel, or towing, I pump them all up to 40 (my Bridgestones have a max pressure of 44).
Okay, the answer to the original question posed is.....
*26psi in the front
*29psi in the back
This is for a 4x4(TRD), V8 with 265/70/16's on it. It's in your owners manual. I've kept mine pretty much like this on the OEM BFG's and it's been okay. I'm noticing with 20K now that the edges wore a bit faster that the centers with this pressure setup.
You guys that are cranking them up to 35 psi(cold I would assume), you do realize that working temp takes them up to 38-40psi at least? A little over the limit of 35... I don't know if that's bad or not. Remember, tires that start with a P designation are technically passenger tires, which usually(not always) have a 35 psi max. If your hauling a bit with your truck then when it's time replace, use LT(light truck) tires which will have higher load ratings.
Originally posted by cappi Okay, the answer to the original question posed is.....
*26psi in the front
*29psi in the back
This is for a 4x4(TRD), V8 with 265/70/16's on it. It's in your owners manual. I've kept mine pretty much like this on the OEM BFG's and it's been okay. I'm noticing with 20K now that the edges wore a bit faster that the centers with this pressure setup.
You guys that are cranking them up to 35 psi(cold I would assume), you do realize that working temp takes them up to 38-40psi at least? A little over the limit of 35... I don't know if that's bad or not. Remember, tires that start with a P designation are technically passenger tires, which usually(not always) have a 35 psi max. If your hauling a bit with your truck then when it's time replace, use LT(light truck) tires which will have higher load ratings.
Keeping the tires at 26 psi for the front is within Toyota's recommendation, but it is a bit low. You will likely get more than usual edge wear in the TRD oem tires and pretty mushy handling. BUT you will get the softest ride possible. Certainly the most comfortable ride pressure when going straight ahead. But you'll probably end up replacing your tires early. When you bring your vehicle in for service, they'll probably put 32 psi in all the tires (even though that's not in the manual).
What is dangerous about keeping them at this pressure (26) is not the 26 psi. It's the fact that if you don't check the pressure for a couple of months that it may drop to 20 psi and that's dangerous. That's exactly what was\is happening with the Ford Explorers - plus driving fast on hot roads. Those tires are fine a proper pressure. You really don't want a tread separation problem on your front tire! But the Tundra, with it's somewhat dead handling, would likely be one of the best vehicles to have it happen on (being more of a non-event).
If you pump them up to higher pressure, you have a margin of safety. If you're in doubt about your load on the tires it's ALWAYS better to overinflate than underinflate. Within reason of course. Too, if you are going to drive 70 mph regularly, you absolutely should inflate your tires a couple psi above what would be considered "normal". The tires will actually run cooler and last longer.
That max pressure is measured cold so if you put in 35 psi, but it gets to 40 psi hot, that's taken into account (provided you keep within the speed rating of the tire). There is a safety factor built in. If you underinflate though, what happens is that the tread plies are so overworked and the tire heats up so much that the tire pressure increases to a higher pressure but even more, the steel plies get pretty darn hot. Maybe to the point of damage.
26 psi is the very bottom of range of pressure that you should put in your tires. And if you are going to run that, you'll have to check your tires more regularly to make sure you aren't beneath that pressure (which is a safety issue).
As usual, everything Alan said is right on the money.
One more thing--even when changing to LT (Light Truck) tires instead of the OE "P" tires, you've got to check the weight rating.
For example, my P265/70-16 tires are rated to carry 2403 pounds. The correct size LT tire would be a LT245/75-16, which has the same outside diameter. But--a LT245/75-16 Load Range C tire at it's max inflation pressure of 50 psi is only rated to carry 2205#. I'd have to go to a Load Range E tire (used to be called 10-ply) and inflate it to 60 psi to get the same load carrying capability as my OE tires.
Changing to LT265/75-16 tires is an option, but the outside diameter is about 1.1" larger which results in a loss of low-end power. Even with Load Range C tires, Michelin LTX M/S tires (for example) would need 50 psi to carry 2470#. Of course, we can't carry this much weight on each tire, but we NEVER want to buy tires with lower weight rating than the OE tires.
Also, the LT tires are heavier, which results in a higher unsprung weight for a rougher ride, have stiffer sidewalls which also results in a stiffer ride, and require more air pressure, again for that stiffer ride.
Hey guys, thanks for filling in the 8 paragraphs I didn't feel like writing at the time. Seriously, good stuff. By the way, when I'm at the dealer they never check the tire pressure. I know because psi's, front to back, are flipped from what I normally keep 'em at.
Are all the tire manufactures load ratings(C, D, etc.) based on the same scale? I would assume so but thought I'd check. Thanks.
Originally posted by cappi Hey guys, thanks for filling in the 8 paragraphs I didn't feel like writing at the time. Seriously, good stuff. By the way, when I'm at the dealer they never check the tire pressure. I know because psi's, front to back, are flipped from what I normally keep 'em at.
Are all the tire manufactures load ratings(C, D, etc.) based on the same scale? I would assume so but thought I'd check. Thanks.
Yeah, they are on the same scale but what matters to you bottom line is the weight rating at the max pressure. Too, there is a difference between handling weight and handling weight well.
I'm really kind of surprised that your dealer isn't checking the pressure. They should be balancing them (on the annual service) and rotating them with a pressure check. Actually, I prefer to have the rotation done by the tire dealer that sold me the tires rather than Toyota since "that's all they do" and I think they're best equipped to do their job. Too, you have to buy from a good dealer that is going to take care of you for the life of the tires. So I don't just buy on low price. I buy on overall service for the life of the tire.
C or D kind of loosely relates to the ply rating (which is the old fashoned way of rating tires). It used to be that a 3 ply tire was actually 3 plies, but that's not true any more as most tires are two plies. But a "rated" 3 ply or 4 ply tires is an increasingly heavier duty or higher load capacity tire.
However, it's only when you get into the D and E range tires that some manufacturers do indeed add another ply for a total of three on the tread and two in the sidewall unless it's a BFG all terrain which has three in the sidewall (not the rugged trails, the real AT).
Unless you're really hauling things regularly, the P rated tire will be fine and is most comfortable. If you really use it as a "truck" or go offroad (not simple firetrails and gravel roads) then bump up to a C range tire. And if you use it to haul bricks, sand, etc. bump up to a D (or more likely, E range is what you'll find) tire.
Going to an E rated tire is going to cost some in ride comfort and is really made for "heavier duty vehicles" like those offered by the big 3.
Starting from the invention of the pneumatic tire, tire carcasses were reinforced with cotton cord. If there were four layers of cotton cord, it was 4-ply, etc. Forty or fifty years ago, or more, nylon cord replaced cotton cord, but the number of plies stayed the same for a while. Manufacturers started using 2 plies of nylon cord with "4-ply rating" and had to try to explain to the public that these were actually better (they were). This evolved into Load Ranges, 4-ply becoming Load Range B, also called Standard Load. The tire makers now use whatever combination of plies, belts, etc. to give the tire the characteristics and Load Rating they want to achieve.
Yes, Load Ranges, i. e., B, C, D, E, etc., are standard throughout the industry. There are also Load Index (110 = 2337 pounds, for example) and actual load capacity in pounds and kilograms molded into the side of each tire. Here's good info: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...l/sidewall.htm.
Tire pressure question?
Judy
Linear Mode
