The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Tire pressure query

Folks -

I've got a 47 1 ton that had new tires installed just before I bought it. Probably have put on less than 100 miles since.

The tires are Falken 235/85R16, and it says they take 80# of air. For the sake of my teeth fillings, I've kept them at much lower pressure - also, I'm kinda skeerd to pump them up that high. They're 10 ply, but I've got them up to 50# right now and they snap like snare drums. IIRC, I read that you should use the owners manual for correct pressure. Fine, but I'm thinking tires are better and at 30# or so that that's too low. What should I inflate them to? I sure don't want to have one of these tires blow up on me while I'm filling it up.....

I always ran my 1 ton tires at 40 psi front and rear, unless I was hauling, then the rears were at 80 or what ever the tire's max was. That was if I had a yard of gravel, or a cord of wood in the box. Day to day driving, as you suggest, would rattle you to pieces.

If you get the fronts too-low, its harder to steer at low speed.

I have tubless radials on my 51 1 Ton and I run them at 40 lbs too. I did have 50 in them but I could see from the wear pattern that it was a bit high.

40 to 45 should be fine with no load. If you load it, bump the rears up to 60 to 80, dependinh on how much weight it is. The 80 psi listed on the sidewall of the tire is the maximum pressure the tire is rated at, not the suggested running pressure. Using the vehicle manufacturers spec is where you would want to start.

only problem would be there would be no manufacturers specs for what pressure to run radials on a 1951 anything. As there were no radials in 1951. At least on american vehicles.

So true.

Insufficient air pressure will lead to exessive sidewall flex, causing heat buildup and premature sidewall failure. 35 would be the bare minimm I would consider in an E range tire, and that's even a bit too low.