Using summer or winter air?

I always use "all season" air Good except for very cold winter temps.
But for winter when rig is parked, I fill tires with 100% helium. This helps tires by taking weight completly off tires as rig is now floating. Have to use tethers to keep rig from floating off.
But it sure saves tires from "flat spotting"
Grumpy
 
The only tire pressure I "worry" about is under-pressure. I inflate ST (trailer) tires to their maximum cold pressure (as displayed on the tire sidewall) and truck tires to the pressure indicated on the vehicle data plate. Since my Expedition uses P-metric tires and not truck tires I typically run the rear tires about 10psi higher than normal to take a bit of radial tire squirm out of the rear end when loaded to near gross axle weight rating. Tire pressure monitor alerts me to under-(normal) pressure.

The bursting pressure of a tire is in the 200psi (two hundred) range. <--- that's a link.

Oh, yeah, and I've been skipping the seasonal N78 air changes. Winter or summer air works fine. :)

-- Chuck
 
Last edited:
valve caps

I am so new to this I don't know where to start so I will just ask and hope for the best. I just bought a new 2019 Grey Wolf 26djse, and it has the color-coded valve caps. I know green means "air max", yellow means "air less than max", and red means "air TOO low". What I am curious about is what pressure triggers each of these colors. I know green ONLY means full, not OVER FULL.
Is green set for 32, 36, 40, 1000? I don't know.
 
I am so new to this I don't know where to start so I will just ask and hope for the best. I just bought a new 2019 Grey Wolf 26djse, and it has the color-coded valve caps. I know green means "air max", yellow means "air less than max", and red means "air TOO low". What I am curious about is what pressure triggers each of these colors. I know green ONLY means full, not OVER FULL.
Is green set for 32, 36, 40, 1000? I don't know.

If you mean the valve stem covers. The green valve stem covers indicate nitrogen in the tires. The claims are nitrogen does not leak the same as normal air, since a nitrogen molecule is larger, leading to more properly inflated tires. Also nitrogen should contain no moisture so inflation gain of a hot tire should be below regular oxygen as well. I check my tires before every trip and adjust accordingly with my air compressor.
 
I am so new to this I don't know where to start so I will just ask and hope for the best. I just bought a new 2019 Grey Wolf 26djse, and it has the color-coded valve caps. I know green means "air max", yellow means "air less than max", and red means "air TOO low". What I am curious about is what pressure triggers each of these colors. I know green ONLY means full, not OVER FULL.
Is green set for 32, 36, 40, 1000? I don't know.
Depends on the cap . they make different ones based on pressures for the application your using . they are as they say dummie gauges . to give you and idea your getting low . don't count on them and always do a pressure reading before heading out . setting tires at max cold . if while making a stop for gas or whatever and see that they show less then green then you have a slow leak .
 
...nobody installs TPMS on a truck that already has it, and likewise for the over-pressure question.

Not necessarily true...

I bought my TPMS from friends who bought a separate set of wheels and tires for their F350 SRW for towing and when those tires and wheels are mounted the truck's internal TPMS needed to be reset at the dealership each time at around $150 a pop.

So they upgraded their trailer TPMS to one with more sensors to handle both their 5'ver and truck.

And I was the beneficiary of their purchase as I got their old setup for a song...
 
Probably not...nobody installs TPMS on a truck that already has it, and likewise for the over-pressure question. We install it as a low pressure warning system.


Actually some people do. They do it because aftermarket systems like the TST 507 give not just a low pressure warning but also show actual pressure(s). Unless your OE TPMS shows pressure readings one can merely screw on the TST type sensors and have the pressure readings show on the same screen as trailer pressures.

As for JUST a low pressure warning, that's all the OE systems are for the most part. Some also want over-heat and over pressure warnings as well.

Only downside to adding the sensors to a truck with an OE installed TPMS is that the sensors are expensive. Then again, so are tires.
 
Nitrogen filled tires are a scam. Air is 78% nitrogen to start with and is free. There are scientific experiments that "prove" the benefits of nitrogen in trailer tires but the benefits are insignificant and need scientific instruments to measure them. Just use "N78 air" and you'll be fine.

If you merely fill your tires with compressed air, due to the permeability of the tire inner liner (all tires loose air when the gas molecules work their way between the molecules of the inner liner) eventually the actual concentration of nitrogen rises. Oxygen, Helium, Argon, and all the other gases present in "Air" are expelled under pressure just like in a reverse osmosis filter. As you continue to add air periodically as pressure drops, eventually you'll notice that you have to do so less and less frequently. This of course excludes variations in pressure due to ambient temperature variations and NO, Nitrogen is not immune from pressure/temp variations. In doubt refer to the Ideal Gas Law
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideal_gas_law

FWIW this is exactly how Nitrogen is obtained for use in Tire Shops and Car Dealerships. Membrane type Nitrogen Generators. Maybe a few have liquid nitrogen delivered but it's a lot more dangerous to handle and expensive.
 

New posts

Try RV LIFE Pro Free for 7 Days

  • New Ad-Free experience on this RV LIFE Community.
  • Plan the best RV Safe travel with RV LIFE Trip Wizard.
  • Navigate with our RV Safe GPS mobile app.
  • and much more...
Try RV LIFE Pro Today
Back
Top Bottom