Tow vehicle tire info

[greywolfguy]

I have a 2014 gray wolf bh26 and pull it with a 09 gmc sierra ext cab 4x4. I'm looking at getting new tires. Any advice as far as 10 ply vs. standard ply. Thanks in advance.

[davel1971]

would definitely get a LT series tire instead of P series. The stiffer sidewalls would be much safer and more stable.

[greywolfguy]

So don't go with stock. Go with the ten ply

[davel1971]

I'm assuming you have a half ton truck? You aren't really shopping for "plies", you are shopping for LT series tires. Yes, they have more plies, but are much stiffer and run a higher tire pressure for the extra load. Will ride a bit rougher when empty, but lots more stable towing. You'll probably spend about $40-50 more per tire, but can't really put a price on your families safety.

[greywolfguy]

So the LT series would work fine.

[davel1971]

Yep, anything in a LT series is a big step up over the stock P series. Just make sure to follow manufacture recommended tire pressure.

[greywolfguy]

Ok thanks a lot. This is our first travel trailer. We always had pop ups and they pulled very easy.

[jadatis]

Need to know more about the trailer before I can give you and advice pressure and tire advice.

That is best real weiged total weight or better even Wheel(pair) weights in the loading you drive with.
But as long as you did not weigh the GVWR and for american trailers also GAWR.

From tires the maximum load and pressure needed for that .
Kind of tire ( C-load to E load or ST( special trailer).
Speedcode can be handy too ( J to Q for 100km/62m/h to 160km/99m/h, ST 65m/104km/h)

Give that or put it in my Travel trailer tire pressure calculator , and it gives pressure advice and information about the reserves .
So you can virtually try out different possible tire types and see if they have enaugh load to carry.

But if you let me do it I can include newest idea about maximum load in relation to maximum speed of tire.

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=a526e0eee092e6dc#cid=A526E0EEE092E6DC&id=A526 E0EEE092E6DC%21348
In this map download first the American version to your computer by rightclicking and then choose Download . Other means go wrong like leftclicking or choosing open in Excell or Web-App when rightclicked.

After download and eventual virus check , open it in Excell programm on your computer , but open office CALC can handle it too.

Here a picture of a filled in spreadsheet as example.

[davel1971]

jadatis, what is all that?^^^^ The original question was about tires for the truck. This looks like calculations for trailer tire pressures, and I don't know why you would want to calculate any different pressure other than the manufacturer specs.

[jadatis]

Then me or you misunderstood, Lets read it from topicstarter who's right.
But if its for the truck I can use another spreadsheet for motorhomes.

In both speadsheets I now use my own formula wich I concluded from an article of an American IR J.C. Daws who describes a new way of calculating and compares it with the officially used formula with a power in it , wich is different in America and Europe. Endconclusion of him is that both come to to much deflection for most tires.
My formula is about in the middle and a combination of his and the old power-formula, and to my opinion takes care that the deflection of the tire stays the same over the whole pressure/loadcapacity range, wich is the goal of all the calculations.

Also what I calculate is the highest pressure with still acceptable comfort and gripp. This leaves as much possible reserve for things like
Pressure -loss in time
Unequall loading R/L
Misyudgement of real load
Misreadings of pressure scales
little overloading.
But you still can manipulate the spreadsheet to what you yourselfes think is right.
Here a picture of the Motorhome calculator shows what is used and wich reserve is added in part 2 and Load% in part 3 . Also aditional info about weightdivision etc. Is made for motorhomes but can be used for every vehicle with some adyustment of the reserves.

[DiverT]

OP has a truck not a motorhome

[OldCoot]

OP has a truck and regardless of what he's planning on towing, he should definitely get rid of the P tires and go to a LT LR D or LR E.

When towing or loaded, go to max pressure per sidewall and when not towing or loaded decrease to approx. 35#-40#

[davel1971]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

OP has a truck and regardless of what he's planning on towing, he should definitely get rid of the P tires and go to a LT LR D or LR E.

that's right. And skip those overcomplicated formulas. The tire manufacturer has already done the research and have recommended pressures to be used.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by davel1971

that's right. And skip those overcomplicated formulas. The tire manufacturer has already done the research and have recommended pressures to be used.

X2. Forget the formulas, why re-invent the wheel or in this case the tire. I put a lot more faith in the tire mfgrs data than the posted formulas.

[greywolfguy]

Thanks for all your help. Today I bought a set of cooper AT3'S.

[Acableguy06]

Originally Posted by greywolfguy

Thanks for all your help. Today I bought a set of cooper AT3'S.

Just bought a set of those myself in E rated. They sure are a nice tire!

[greywolfguy]

Yes I agree. Now if the weather here in pa would just cooperate I would love to try them out with the camper behind for about a week or 3.

[jadatis]

For A truck you can use my motorhome spreadsheet too.
And because the tires chanche the pressure advices on truck are not valid anymore.
If you then look up the assumed loads in a list of the tires, those lists that can be found in America are giving to high loadcapacity for the pressure.
If you see different loadkinds ( C to H load) in one list you can sertainly say they are wrong. This is not done in Europe and also formula is used that leads to lower loadcapacity for the pressure, so saver.
For P-tires and XL/Extraload/reinforced American TRA swiched over to the European ETRTO formula as late as 2005.

So I dare to write that you can better use my motorhome/smalltruck calculator then looking in American lists, wich still uses for C-load and up formula that leads to to much deflection in the lower load/pressures.