Tire pressure on the door sticker or the tire?

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TomP
Posts: 83
Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2010 2:07 pm

Tire pressure on the door sticker or the tire?

Post by TomP »

As we all know, the drivers side door info sticker reveals information regarding tire pressure for front/back tires (among other info).

The specs there specify 65psi cold.

But the tires themselves specify 80psi cold.

Which is the better choice?

Thanks
1995 Born Free 24' Rear Side Bed
mockturtle

Post by mockturtle »

Good question! When I first got mine, I ran 80 in the rear and 65 in front. Later I decreased the rear tires to 70psi and found the MH handles better.
Dude
Posts: 368
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2012 9:21 pm

Post by Dude »

My understanding is that for your car you are supposed to go with what your door frame says. But....when they put the sticker on the door frame of the chassis, they didn't know what was going back there and what weight would be on there. I don't even know how to check the tire pressure of the rear tires. I know you get a double sided guage and push for the inner tire and pull for the outter tire or something, but I just haven't been able to figure it out. When my BF was in the shop last time I asked them to check the tire pressure and when I picked it up they said it was 80psi on all 6 tires. As long as non were soft/flat I'm not worried.
Matt
1989 26 foot Rear Side Bed
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whemme
Posts: 2110
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:05 pm

Post by whemme »

TomP,

Neither the 65 psi or the 80 psi is correct for your Born Free coach. The 80 psi on the tire is the maximum cold tire pressure that the tire is rated for. The 65 psi on your door sticker would not be correct because the Ford E450 cutoff chassis final weight after the coach body is installed and with all the water and LP tanks results in an unknown final weight on the tires.

What you really need to do is have all four corners of you coach weighed in down the road running condition, fuel, water and LP tanks full, and driver and passenger aboard. Then refer to the inflation chart contained in our Technical Library section, that same chart is attached below as a pdf file and you can download and open.

This chart is valid for all brands of LT225/75R16E Tires. After weighing all four corners of my 2002 BF 26' RSB coach, per this chart, I inflate my front tires to 60 psi and my rear duals to 75 psi.
Attachments
born_free_tire_inflation_gr_106.pdf
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Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
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shilohdad
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 9:58 am

Post by shilohdad »

We had our RV weighed by Walter Cannon of the RV Safety & Education Foundation when we in Florida this past late winter (they are based about 40 miles north of my dear old dad).

His 4-corner weighing showed that we were well-balanced left to right, and that we were just at the limit of the rear axle weight. Based on this, he recommended that we inflate the rear tires to 80 psi.

Our front was reasonably light (1000 lbs. under the axle rating). We have been running at 65 psi. He said we could run as low as 60 psi if we wanted, and see if that helped the handling. We have not had a problem with handling, so we run between 60 and 65 psi.

Walter also said that since we travel at under 65 MPH, and the tire ratings are based on running at 75 MPH, our inflations are just fine.

We highly recommend getting a 4-corner weighing. Walter travels to many national rallies (FMCA and Good Sam), and he can weigh your motor home at one of these. If you get to the Atlantic coast of Florida, where he is based, he can weigh your motor home there.

One of the things he mentioned to us is that many (most?) class C motor homes are at or over their rear axle ratings for tire inflation. He has been impressed by Born Free's design, as they seem to be serious about keeping the rear axle weights under control. I do wonder about those owners who add things to the rear of their coaches (spare tire carriers, gear boxes, etc.). Since our 24RB is at the limit without adding these types of things, are those people adding them beyond the rear axle and tire limits of their coaches?
Joe and Lucinda
Tonto, Meadow and Shadow, the papillons
Shiloh and Morpho at Rainbow Bridge
2017 Spirit
Formerly 2006 24RB
Rich Flaugh

Post by Rich Flaugh »

I weighed my 24'RB in 2012 and the results were posted "Weights on 24' RB" on 4/26/2012. Tire pressure makes a great difference in ride and handling. From my experience don't run any higher pressures than the charts call for (see Bill Hemme's excellent earlier post). I recently had seven people, a lot of gear, towing a boat, etc. on a return trip from Canada. I'm sure rear axle was max'ed out and had rear tires at 80PSI (cold). Handling was acceptable but I could tell the front end was light. Ride was good except in areas where you have aggressive pavement seams. At 80 PSI it was pretty rough in the back seats.
TomP
Posts: 83
Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2010 2:07 pm

Post by TomP »

This is great info. I've only weighted the entire rig loaded (11750lbs). I have no idea the weight of each axle but I will get that done.
1995 Born Free 24' Rear Side Bed
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bechlumber
Posts: 33
Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2005 1:28 pm

Tire pressure

Post by bechlumber »

Over the 12 years I have owned my BF I have learned a lot about tire pressure. I have had two flat tires because my pressure was to low. I have my rear tires about 77lbs and front at 62lbs. Everything I have read it is safer to have too much pressure in the tires than not enough. If the tire pressure is too low the tires will heat up and blow. I have had that experience.
2002 24' Rear Bath 4x4 7.3 Diesel
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bcope01
Posts: 1290
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:55 pm

Re: Tire pressure

Post by bcope01 »

bechlumber wrote:Over the 12 years I have owned my BF I have learned a lot about tire pressure. I have had two flat tires because my pressure was to low. I have my rear tires about 77lbs and front at 62lbs. Everything I have read it is safer to have too much pressure in the tires than not enough. If the tire pressure is too low the tires will heat up and blow. I have had that experience.
Good advice Jeff. Hope you and Linda are doing well.

Bill
Barb & Bill
2004 Born Free 22' Built for Two (Sold)
no longer towing a 2008 Smart ForTwo

Escondido, CA
TomP
Posts: 83
Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2010 2:07 pm

Post by TomP »

That was always my thought as well. Go higher rather than lower but I will weigh it on each axle and use the chart as a guideline. right now I've got all 6 tires at about 80psi cold.
1995 Born Free 24' Rear Side Bed
bill crommett

Post by bill crommett »

A slight divergence from the topic.
I am happy to hear that you are still doing the Born Free thing, Jeff. I will always remember the great job you and Linda did on leading the excursions to Quartzite and Durango.
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