How much air pressure is too much in RV tires?

 With the introduction of Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS), many RV owners are presented with what to them is new information on the status of their tire pressure and temperature.

We can start off with a question:

“I have a serious concern with the G-rated tires on my 5th wheel trailer. When I run the cold max pressure at 110 PSI, I get TPMS readings up to 134 PSI rolling down the road. Lately, I have been running 95 PSI cold and am getting 115-119 PSI rolling. The tires and rims are rated for 110 PSI. I can live with 120 PSI, but the 134 PSI concerns me.”

The inflation ratings for wheels are based on a “cold” pressure. An increase in pressure due to operation is considered by wheel manufacturers and I would not be concerned as long as the proper cold inflation is used along with appropriate limits on load and speed.

Tire wording “Max Pressure” can be confusing. In reality, the pressure stated on the tire sidewall is the cold pressure needed to support the stated load. That load is the maximum load the tire should be subjected to. I advised the owner that he should NOT underinflate his tires and plan on seeing the operation temperature to result in an increase in the pressure sufficient to support the load. The “cold” pressure is the only pressure you should be concerned with.

Tire pressure increases with increase in temperature

Tire pressure increases by about 2% for each increase in temperature of 10° F. If you don’t remember the science from high school, you can read THIS post from my blog on Tire Safety. If you are seeing a 21% increase in pressure (110 > 134 psi), that means you are seeing about a 100° F increase in internal tire temperature. I would consider that increase a bit much for normal tire operation. In my 50 years of designing, testing, and working with tires, I only remember measuring a temperature rise of 100° F in Indy race car applications.

If you are seeing a 25% increase in pressure (95 > 119), then you are getting a 125° F increase in temperature. This indicates you are working the tires very hard. This extra “work” that is generating a greater temperature increase is not good for long-term tire life. You are “aging” the tire rubber faster. Some might want to review the “Key Point” of tire life and how increased temperature can shorten life as covered in THIS post.

Possibly overloading tires and/or driving too fast

Your temperature increase indicates you are possibly overloading your tires and also possibly driving faster than desirable for your tire loading. It is recommended in tire company data books that your operating speed for any tire in RV application be no greater than 75 mph. The “Speed Rating” is just a short-term rating and should never be considered acceptable in day-to-day RV applications.

You need to confirm your pressure is 110 psi AND that your gauge is giving an accurate reading at that level.

This was the reply:

“Today drove 250 miles and my 95 PSI tires were running 115-119 PSI and the tire temps were at 20F above outside ambient temp of 50F and 71F tire readings. I still contend that 134 PSI is way too dangerous for tires to run on 110-rated tires.”

So I responded:

Few people realize that the pressure increase as a function of temperature is based on well-established and confirm able physics. A TPMS is not reading the actual tire temperature but is actually reading the temperature of the brass valve stem and the metal base of the TPMS itself, which is being cooled by outside air.

Air is a good insulator

Air is a very good insulator. If you think about it, you have a small column of air running up the inside of the valve stem which makes it difficult for the heat to travel up the center of the stem and past the valve core itself. This is all while the valve is moving rapidly around being cooled by the outside air.

I am aware of laboratory tests that go against what “common sense” might indicate. That being that the air inside a tire is not uniform in temperature but it is always cooler than the hot spots of a tire. It is the hot spots that can result in a tire failing if hot enough for long enough.

I have no doubt that the TPMS was indicating only 20° F above the cool 50° F outside air temperature. You should not be concerned about the hot pressure of 134 psi on tires that have a cold pressure rating of 110 psi for its max load capacity rating, that is, as long as you have confirmed the actual load you are placing on your tires is no greater than 90% of the load capacity shown in the Load & Inflation tables for your tire. By “confirmed” I mean with actual scale readings for each axle when the RV is fully loaded

As a tire design engineer with 50 years’ experience, I trust the science of the “Gas Law” and the knowledge that air is an insulator and metal conducts heat from a hot source to a cooler one.

I don’t know what to advise other than to decrease the operating load and speed and to confirm your hand gauge is accurate. Also, always inflate the tire when cold to 110 psi, as continued operation at current load and speeds will certainly result in pressure readings that are well above the cold pressure of 110 psi.

Get new posts by email:

Powered by