Tire psi values: Encounter owners only

Roll · 05-05-2013, 06:52 AM

[edit] Oops, the tile should have been "Encounter owners only" since we are likely to have the same brand, model, and size of tire.

I put this together for myself this morning as I get ready to adjust pressures before the morning air starts to heat up.

Since I have found myself looking for the chart and refiguring tire pressures more than once over the last three years I put this little reminder together which I will keep in the coach for reference.

I found the most recent Michelin pressure chart available, cut and paste the table for the "XZE" and "XRV" tires ( I have XRV and assume more Encounters will have that tire), along with a brief "fill in the blank" statement for the front and rear axles.

It is fairly easy to get weight by axles and divide by 2. You have to assume the axle weight is even side to side with this approach. If you can get all four wheel sets weighted (let me know how you got that done) than go with the heaviest wheel on each axle and use that psi value.

The plus 10 psi is just a personal safety factor I use, you may not want to drift from the chart values. Its a personal choice.

The first one is my psi values based on my load out.

The second version is a blank you can print and use for yourself if you choose to do so.

You might also want to add to your vehicle weight the following values as appropriate:

Food
Your weight
Your DW/DH weight
Full tank of water About 8.4 lbs/gallon (70 gal = 588 lbs)
Full tank of gas About 6.2 lbs/gallon (80 gal = 496 lbs)
Cloths

Roll

go6car · 05-06-2013, 10:16 AM

Great info! And timely for me as we're heading out soon on a long trip...

We're currently at 90psi cold front & rear, per the sticker behind the driver seat. Tires are: 235/80R22.5G (just "G"; not "LRG" as stated in Michelin's online guide. Assuming these are the same?). Not sure if I have XRV or XZE tires, since I don't have the rig here to look, but I will.

Need to pull out our recent weight chart and reassess based on actual weights from the recent CAT scales (nowhere in my area to weigh each corner, unfortunately). I suspect we'll still be close to the 90 psi though, even with our current weights.

There's so much to remember on all this stuff!

Roll · 05-06-2013, 01:24 PM

I think that 90psi is a bit hard (rough ride) unless you are loaded to the max.

But if you don't mind the ride......

Enjoy your trip. Will you be checking in on the boards, or "off the air" until you return?

Roll

go6car · 05-07-2013, 05:07 AM

Definitely need to check based on the actuals. My fear is that it's going to still put us as 90psi, but I'm no expert. We will definitely be loaded on this coming trip!

I'll be checking online as long as Verizon actually works where we're going! Last weekend at the Richmond, VA NASCAR race, it was fine for the first day, then none of us has a decent signal for the rest of the trip. The morning coffee is not the same without a side of RV Internet boards, LOL!!!

Hugh R · 05-08-2013, 08:46 PM

Hi,

New here like 30 minutes ago. I just bought a 2013 Mirada 29 (the book says DS, but the logo on the side of the unit says ES) anyway. I'm taking it out for the first time loaded this weekend to Lake Casitas, Santa Barbara County, CA. From what I gather, TP and weight load distribution are important. I'll be going to a local truck scale on Friday morning. One thing I want to do is have "real" tire pressure extenders installed so that I can check out the inner rears without crawling under the unit.

Roll · 05-10-2013, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh R

Hi,

New here like 30 minutes ago. I just bought a 2013 Mirada 29 (the book says DS, but the logo on the side of the unit says ES) anyway. I'm taking it out for the first time loaded this weekend to Lake Casitas, Santa Barbara County, CA. From what I gather, TP and weight load distribution are important. I'll be going to a local truck scale on Friday morning. One thing I want to do is have "real" tire pressure extenders installed so that I can check out the inner rears without crawling under the unit.

Yup... that would be a pain. My coach came with some kind of kit that puts the valve access for the inside rear tire on the outside wheel. Glad it came that way. I would have probably skipped the option but see now that it's critical if you intend to monitor tire pressure, (which I found out actually is critical).

Roll

go6car · 05-16-2013, 04:22 AM

Back from our first long road trip - ~10 hours one way! Was great until the ride home and I-95 was closed, adding 2+ hours on to the return trip! And, how nice to be in a motorhome with a bathroom only feet away, LOL!

According to Michelin's tire chart, we actually were in their recommended zone with the 90 psi front/rear based on our axle weights. (Why isn't there anywhere in the Northeast to weigh the four corners?!!). We technically could have dropped the front to 85 psi, but without knowing the exact weights, we left at 90.

We had some wind on the ride home as well (first time with any), and I'm very glad I threw on that Blue Ox Tiger Trak in the rear!

All-in-all the Encounter handled very well!

Roll · 05-16-2013, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by go6car

We had some wind on the ride home as well (first time with any), and I'm very glad I threw on that Blue Ox Tiger Trak in the rear!

Okay, I'm struggling with that just a bit. Really?

Roll

go6car · 05-16-2013, 03:16 PM

Well now, the dealer tech is the one who actually threw it on, LOL!!! I'm just taking all the credit since I provided all the info for them to do so.

Roll · 05-17-2013, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by go6car

Well now, the dealer tech is the one who actually threw it on, LOL!!! I'm just taking all the credit since I provided all the info for them to do so.

Roll

Hugh R · 06-20-2013, 02:56 PM

Hey,

So I got real metal tire valve extenders installed on the rears. They loaded the tires up to 98 psi. The fronts from the Dealer are at 90 PSI. The sticker in the Mirada states 82 psi. I'm thinking I should lower them all to the 82 that the sticker says. It was kind of a hard ride from the tire shop back home, but then I've only driven it a couple of hundred miles?

I know I need to weight the front and rear of the unit and then check Goodyears Tire pressure guide for the 245/70/R19.5 tires, and I have to do that, but can't this week. I'm going on a short (less than 100 miles) trip in the morning. As a base, I'm thinking of the 82 PSI. When I weight it, I'll adjust accordingly.

Any thoughts?

_nelsonc · 06-20-2013, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh R

Hey,

So I got real metal tire valve extenders installed on the rears. They loaded the tires up to 98 psi. The fronts from the Dealer are at 90 PSI. The sticker in the Mirada states 82 psi. I'm thinking I should lower them all to the 82 that the sticker says. It was kind of a hard ride from the tire shop back home, but then I've only driven it a couple of hundred miles?

I know I need to weight the front and rear of the unit and then check Goodyears Tire pressure guide for the 245/70/R19.5 tires, and I have to do that, but can't this week. I'm going on a short (less than 100 miles) trip in the morning. As a base, I'm thinking of the 82 PSI. When I weight it, I'll adjust accordingly.

Any thoughts?

My 2013 Coachmen Mirada 35DL calls for 90 PSI so I am running that until I can get weighed properly. Your approach is the same as mine.

Hugh R · 06-20-2013, 03:32 PM

Thanks, just needed a little re-affirmation that I'm not missing the boat. Mine is a 29SE, so it would require less TP than your 35DL.

98 PSI just seemed way out of line!

go6car · 06-21-2013, 06:32 AM

We're still at 90psi as well - looks like that's where we'll stay too. Would love to weigh all four corners separately, but there's just no where around where I am to do that, so axle weights are our only guide, along with the sticker; and also Michelin's chart. 90 it is!

**Herk7769** · 06-21-2013, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by go6car

We're still at 90psi as well - looks like that's where we'll stay too. Would love to weigh all four corners separately, but there's just no where around where I am to do that, so axle weights are our only guide, along with the sticker; and also Michelin's chart. 90 it is!

If you try an pick a quiet day at the CAT scales, you can use the aft platforms and stop with the right wheels only on the scales. After they weight, reverse off. turn around and back onto the same two plates for the other side.

Don't try this on a busy day though.

OldCoot · 06-21-2013, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herk7769

If you try an pick a quiet day at the CAT scales, you can use the aft platforms and stop with the right wheels only on the scales. After they weight, reverse off. turn around and back onto the same two plates for the other side...

You just have to make sure you are positioned the same way as far as how far over on the scales you are with the centerline of the coach. In other words, try to get the centerline of the coach at the edge of the scale both times.

**Herk7769** · 06-21-2013, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldCoot

You just have to make sure you are positioned the same way as far as how far over on the scales you are with the centerline of the coach. In other words, try to get the centerline of the coach at the edge of the scale both times.

Neil, I am not so sure this is critical.
The wheels don't know where they are at; just how much weight is on them.
No?

OldCoot · 06-21-2013, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herk7769

Neil, I am not so sure this is critical.
The wheels don't know where they are at; just how much weight is on them.
No?

Try this some time, park both right side wheels just about 6" from the edge of the scales and then park them to where the inside of the left wheels are just 6" from the scales but not on the scales and the rh wheels are on the scales.

Might not be critical if the centerline of the coach is relatively close to the same, but it will make a difference if it is off by say a couple of feet.

OldCoot · 06-21-2013, 07:43 AM

Herk, get out your diagram on how to weight the tongue of a trailer with a bathroom scale and a 2 x 4 and a block. I think it will clarify it somewhat.

**Herk7769** · 06-21-2013, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Herk, get out your diagram on how to weight the tongue of a trailer with a bathroom scale and a 2 x 4 and a block. I think it will clarify it somewhat.

So is this an issue with the CAT scale platform or where the wheels are placed on the platform?

Using your analogy of tongue weight using the bathroom scale, it would be like moving the entire trailer and setting up again. You are not changing the relationship of the wheels in relation to each other; just the location of the trailer in the "world."

The wheels will see the same load regardless of where they are parked.
The width between the scale and the brick does not change.
You are not moving the load INSIDE the RV around between weights.

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