Just because your RV’s tires say they can handle a certain PSI doesn’t mean the listed PSI is the ideal one for your vehicle. Proper tire inflation requires weighing your vehicle with the load you’ll be carrying, and filling to match that number. In this free video lesson, RV maintenance expert Dave Solberg teaches you how to find the correct RV tire pressure for your motorhome, coach, fifth wheel, or whatever else you drive.
We see RV owners make this mistake all the time, and for understandable reasons. Drivers are constantly told that the number on their tire’s sidewall is what you need to look for, but what they’re not often told is that that number is the maximum RV tire pressure at the maximum weight capacity. Unless you’ll be hauling max weight, you don’t need max pressure!
What happens when you fill your tires too much?
Overinflating your tires can lead, of course, to the unexpected and dreaded pop while working your way down the highway. But it can also cause lower fuel efficiency as well as poor braking and handling abilities due to incomplete tread contact with the road. To prevent all of these things, Dave recommends taking your RV to your nearest CAT scale to get an exact measurement, incorporating all weight that you’ll be carrying on your next trip. Just put your RV on the scale and see your precise readout!
Once you have that number, you can refer to your tire manufacturer’s conversion chart to find the ideal RV tire pressure for your model, no matter if you use a single or dual system. It’s that easy! Be sure to do your homework and spend about $10 to get the weight and inflation right, and you’ll enjoy a smoother ride with better fuel efficiency, reduced risk of accidents, and a longer tire lifespan. Ride safe out there!
Tire Pressure chart reflect the load limit “per tire”, so is it correct to assume if a trailer weighs 8000 and has double axles then the correct tire pressure on the chart needs to correspond to what each tire needs to handle at minimum, ie 2000 per tire in this example? I’m running Goodyear Endurance ST225/75R15 so ~45 PSI at minimum per chart? How much PSI above the target is a good safety margin before being excessive?
Hello Mark,
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You are getting ready to start a trip so you load RV with personal items and tools, etc., full tank of gas, 3/4 filled fresh water tank and about 5 gallons of water in the black tank for good measure. You weight the RV “Class A” and set the tire air pressure according to the Manufacture’s tire chart. You pull in for 1st night and use water supplied by park and you begin to utilize the black and gray water tank. Only being one night you do not drain the tanks. So now you have more weight. If you do this for 2 or 3 nights this increases the overall weight. Not to mention the fluctuation in the fuel. The weight of the RV is not a constant. How do you compensate for the air pressure as the weight goes up and down depending on travel habit? All stops don’t have scales. Thank you.
Hello David,
Here’s what the experts had to say about your question:
You just need to use the best judgment when starting out. You don’t need to fluctuate the entire time of travel. It is always best to go a little higher if you plan on adding weight throughout your trip. If you travel a long distance and then the weight drastically changes then it is best to adjust as needed but you don’t have to change it all the time. This is just stating it is best to know what to keep it at when at certain weights. It is impossible to be exact all of the time.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Can’t find inflation chart for Kenda Karrier Load Star tires. Got a link? Thanks
They do not have a tire inflation chart for Kenda tires. When companies don’t have a chart they always just recommend setting to the max PSI to ensure proper inflation.
Sincerely,
Dan RV Repair Club Technical Expert
I assume this would apply to my trucks rear tires as well when pulling a Travel Trailer
Help no chart available for my tires. I have Hanook tires on mine and called them they said they do not have any charts out there for me.vI should run them what is on the tires and on the plate which is 80lbs. That is what they said.
Hello Jack,
Thank you for your patience while I asked the expert, here is his reply:
Yes that is the best thing. Not all tires are going to need pressure fluctuations and a chart to follow. All tires are made differently and if yours aren’t indicated on that chart of needing different pressure for different weights then you want to follow the max PSI listed on the sidewall of the tire.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Is this the method the same for a travel trailer? I would think it would be, but I just want to make sure. Thanks
Yes, it is the same procedure when checking all RV’s including travel trailers, 5th wheels and Motorhomes.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert