Maxxis Trailer Tire Warranty

[CWtheMan]

I try to read a new document about tires daily. The tire industry, as a whole, is very dynamic and are always adding new products. They also like to protect themselves from frivolous law suits.

The intent here is not to point a finger at Maxxis in an unkind light. Their new warranty package provides outstanding information which many need to know. If you have the time, read the whole document. I’m sure you’ll gain from it.

http://www.maxxis.com/trailer/trailer-warranty

Got Maxxis Trailer Tires? You might want to read this.

http://www.maxxis.com/trailer/trailer-tire-care-and-faq

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And then, there is the Maxxis Tire Load/Inflation chart. Pick your tire size and follow the line across....

http://www.maxxis.com/trailer/trailer-tire-loadinflation-chart

On my particular trailer, I just came off the scales Friday with the trailer loaded just as it is when I travel. Trailer weight...10,380. I run 75 psi cold pressure, which gives me 3260 lbs per tire (ST235/80/16E tires). That is a total load capacity of 13,040 lbs. So I have a reserve of 2660 lbs which works out to 665 lbs per tire.

[canesfan]

It's interesting to see how different tires of the same size and load range/ply have different load limits from different MFGs. My Carlise 235/80R16s are rated at 3520. The Maxxis are rated at 3420.

[notanlines]

Trailer tire warranty? Really? What is one to do; look at the tread, determine that you don't have enough tread left and tow this beast back down and demand a new tire?
From this nine page piece of drivel from Maxxis: (C) Loss of time, inconvenience, loss of use of the trailer, costs of towing or
transportation, and/or incidental or consequential damages of any type or nature is not covered.
Vehicle or trailer damage is not covered.
I feel like I'm reading a warranty from a Stanley claw hammer.:facepalm:

[CWtheMan]

And then, there is the Maxxis Tire Load/Inflation chart. Pick your tire size and follow the line across....

http://www.maxxis.com/trailer/trailer-tire-loadinflation-chart

On my particular trailer, I just came off the scales Friday with the trailer loaded just as it is when I travel. Trailer weight...10,380. I run 75 psi cold pressure, which gives me 3260 lbs per tire (ST235/80/16E tires). That is a total load capacity of 13,040 lbs. So I have a reserve of 2660 lbs which works out to 665 lbs per tire.

Actually that's not the intent of any load inflation chart/table. (To each their own).

Call any Maxxis area rep and the answer will be the same. "Follow the recommendations of the vehicle manufacturer." Nowhere in tire industry standards will you find a recommendation to use less tire inflation pressures than what has been recommended on the vehicle's tire placards. (To each their own).

[xrated]

Actually that's not the intent of any load inflation chart/table. (To each their own).

Call any Maxxis area rep and the answer will be the same. "Follow the recommendations of the vehicle manufacturer." Nowhere in tire industry standards will you find a recommendation to use less tire inflation pressures than what has been recommended on the vehicle's tire placards. (To each their own).

You may be correct, I don't know. What I do know is that in the motorcycling world, every motorcycle comes with an inflation sticker for the tires. Then, in the owner's manual, you will find that the recommended pressures that they say is for a fully loaded motorcycle.....rider, passenger, fuel, saddlebags, top bag, any and all accessories....the maximum weight that the motorcycle should be subjected to. Obviously, we are talking two completely different animals here, but it makes senses to NOT inflate a tire to let's say 80psi (the stamped maximum pressure on many of the tires the size of the ones on mine), when a tire that is inflated that much will not have as good of a contact patch on the road (which affects braking of course), will not ride as smoothly as one that is inflated to a psi that is closer to the actual load placed on it. So, in response to your post....to each their own.

And I'm curious, how do you "KNOW" that is not the intent of the Load/Inflation chart? Why would they publish that if that were not the intent? Maximum suggested pressure, to me, is for the people that don't know how to properly check the load that they are hauling, so the manufacturers, to be on the safe side (avoid litigation) tell them to inflate to the maximum, effectively covering their proverbial asses!

[CWtheMan]

Obviously, we are talking two completely different animals here.

Yes, and that's the bottom line.

All Special Trailer tires (ST) are designed for full sidewall pressures.

Next time you're on a Keystone lot, check out the tire placards on all models, then look at the tires sidewall pressures. All of Keystone's recommended tire inflation pressures will be for 100% tire sidewall pressures. It's not the automotive industry where load capacity reserves are required, it's the RV trailer industry where they are not.

[xrated]

Yes, and that's the bottom line.

All Special Trailer tires (ST) are designed for full sidewall pressures.

Next time you're on a Keystone lot, check out the tire placards on all models, then look at the tires sidewall pressures. All of Keystone's recommended tire inflation pressures will be for 100% tire sidewall pressures. It's not the automotive industry where load capacity reserves are required, it's the RV trailer industry where they are not.

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree then. I took my Toy Hauler across the scales this past weekend, as I posted earlier...loaded exactly the way it is loaded when travelling. Scale weight was 10,380. I certainly don't need 80 psi to make that set of tires workable for that amount of load. In fact, as I stated earlier, running 75psi gives me a reserve capacity on each tire in the neighborhood of 665 lbs. There is simply no need to inflate to full maximum pressure unless I am approaching somewhere around 13K lbs on the tires.

[sourdough]

You may be correct, I don't know. What I do know is that in the motorcycling world, every motorcycle comes with an inflation sticker for the tires. Then, in the owner's manual, you will find that the recommended pressures that they say is for a fully loaded motorcycle.....rider, passenger, fuel, saddlebags, top bag, any and all accessories....the maximum weight that the motorcycle should be subjected to. Obviously, we are talking two completely different animals here, but it makes senses to NOT inflate a tire to let's say 80psi (the stamped maximum pressure on many of the tires the size of the ones on mine), when a tire that is inflated that much will not have as good of a contact patch on the road (which affects braking of course), will not ride as smoothly as one that is inflated to a psi that is closer to the actual load placed on it. So, in response to your post....to each their own.

And I'm curious, how do you "KNOW" that is not the intent of the Load/Inflation chart? Why would they publish that if that were not the intent? Maximum suggested pressure, to me, is for the people that don't know how to properly check the load that they are hauling, so the manufacturers, to be on the safe side (avoid litigation) tell them to inflate to the maximum, effectively covering their proverbial asses!


I'm not trying to get in the middle of anything but.....

I've always read, heard and been told that a trailer tire should be ran at max pressure due to their construction. The sidewalls are not meant to flex, bounce and bow like a passenger car tire - the sidewall construction makes it heat up faster. I don't know why Maxxis has a tire inflation chart for the ST tires but I would absolutely have them verify in writing that they will be responsible if anything happens while you run underinflated....I'm sure they will decline.

Here is a quote from etrailer:

"Special Trailer (ST) Tires and Air Pressure
Some tires are specially designed to be used on trailers. These tires include the letters "ST" in the size specification that is listed on the sidewall. The "ST" stands for "special trailer". This kind of tire has a stronger sidewall than an automobile or truck tire so it can handle higher air pressures and higher loads.

Special trailer tires should be inflated to their maximum air pressure. The value for the maximum air pressure should be listed along with the value for the maximum load on the tire's sidewall. These values will usually designate the maximum load at a maximum psi. For example, if the tire is rated at 1,610 lbs maximum at 65 psi, the tire can carry 1,610 lbs of weight if the air pressure is at the maximum of 65 psi. At the maximum air pressure, the tires will perform and wear best, and get the best gas mileage."

Just want to be sure you don't have a problem...you're towing a pretty big trailer. Also, you might air the tire to max and just chalk the tires and run them to see how their hitting the pavement. My guess is they will be just fine at max psi. Good luck.

[CWtheMan]

And I'm curious, how do you "KNOW" that is not the intent of the Load/Inflation chart?

Because, we, the public at large do not set tire inflation pressures. That's not to say people don't do it, it's just not supposed to work that way.

Vehicles operated on our highways are fitted with tires that are approved for highway service. In other words, they are going to have a DOT seal of approval on their sidewalls. There are two governing bodies that provide the regulations to follow for the two very different uses of highway tires.

One is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The other is the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). One is not applicable with the other.

An arm of the Department of Transportation (DOT), The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) writes and enforces the FMVSS standards.

Within the FMVSS standards there is a statement that requires each vehicle manufacturer fitting tires to a vehicle to set an appropriate cold recommended inflation pressure for each tire fitment. Those pressures are the correct pressures for that fitment. During the vehicle certification process the vehicle manufacturer must certify those inflation pressures on the certification label and any tire placards displayed on the vehicle. In the eyes of NHTSA those inflation pressures are golden and will always be the standard for the Original Equipment (OE) tires fitted to that vehicle and any replacement tires of the same size.

The tire industry writes their own industry standards. No where in any of their standards will you find a recommendation to use less tire inflation pressure on OE tires than what has been recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.

In the automotive side of the house the regulations require a percentage of load capacity reserves via inflation. So when you read one of those certification labels you’re going to see excess load capacity. It’s always going to be above 8%. It’s where the tire inflation charts are most handy. The installers must have the charts to insure they have provided the required load capacity reserves. It becomes more complicated for them when they are fitting Passenger tires to Multi passenger vehicles, Pick-up trucks, RV trailer’s. The “P” tires must have a 10% load capacity deduction for fitment to those vehicles.

Under-inflated tire: Cold inflation pressure below what has been recommended.
Over-inflated tire: Cold inflation pressure exceeds sidewall recommendation for maximum load.

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sourdough....you're not getting into the middle of anything. We are all just stating our opinions in a friendly and respectful manner, and having a discussion here....that's what forums should be all about. One can do a google search and find many, many articles about tire inflation and loads. Naturally, some will stand firm and tell you that the tire should be inflated to the maximum sidewall pressure rating, others will tell you to inflate according to the load that they will be used for...within reason of course. ST sidewalls are purposely stiffer, in my opinion because of the possibility of side loading when turning sharply at slow speeds. Cars and trucks (not semi's) do not have that same side loading that tandem axle or triple axle trailers have. My truck, as probably many of the trucks out there that run an "E" range tire, has that same stamp on the sidewall...80 psi, yet the plaquard on the door post tells me to run 65 psi both front and rear. Why is that? Ford (in my case) knows that if the tire is inflated to 65 psi, the tires will be sufficiently inflated to handle the GVW rating of the truck...10K To me, it's the same thing with the trailer tires. Sidewall says 80, my load conditions are shown to be approx. 10,380 for the four tires, so no need to run 80 psi, when something less (75 in my situation) will be more than sufficient to handle the load of the trailer and still have a 665 lb reserve for each tire.

Link for an article that is interesting....
http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/maintenance/article/story/2013/08/the-magic-number.aspx

A quick excerpt from that article....
"Donn Kramer, director of product marketing innovation at Goodyear Commercial Tire Systems, says tire loads determine inflation pressure.
“The specific pressure for a given load is available from tire manufacturer’s load and inflation tables,” Kramer says. “Fleets also can use tables provided by the Tire & Rim Association, whose members set technical standards for manufacturing tires and wheels.”

[Mike L123]

I have to ask ---- and I'm sorry if this is a bit of a hijack. I'm confused about why our 2008 Fleetwood Regal 325RKTS only has ST235/80R 16D wheels which are at max inflated to 65lbs. The RV weighs 11,000lbs empty and 13,000lbs when full of our "stuff". We are FT's so we have lots of stuff to drag around with us. Are the "D" rated tires on there because "back then" that's what they used or should I conceivably be crapping my drawers here and wondering every time I pull if the tires are gonna go BAM!

Should I be considering bigger "E" rated tires for the 16" wheels?

Cheers and Thanks

Mike

[sourdough]

sourdough....you're not getting into the middle of anything. We are all just stating our opinions in a friendly and respectful manner, and having a discussion here....that's what forums should be all about. One can do a google search and find many, many articles about tire inflation and loads. Naturally, some will stand firm and tell you that the tire should be inflated to the maximum sidewall pressure rating, others will tell you to inflate according to the load that they will be used for...within reason of course. ST sidewalls are purposely stiffer, in my opinion because of the possibility of side loading when turning sharply at slow speeds. Cars and trucks (not semi's) do not have that same side loading that tandem axle or triple axle trailers have. My truck, as probably many of the trucks out there that run an "E" range tire, has that same stamp on the sidewall...80 psi, yet the plaquard on the door post tells me to run 65 psi both front and rear. Why is that? Ford (in my case) knows that if the tire is inflated to 65 psi, the tires will be sufficiently inflated to handle the GVW rating of the truck...10K To me, it's the same thing with the trailer tires. Sidewall says 80, my load conditions are shown to be approx. 10,380 for the four tires, so no need to run 80 psi, when something less (75 in my situation) will be more than sufficient to handle the load of the trailer and still have a 665 lb reserve for each tire.

Link for an article that is interesting....
http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/maintenance/article/story/2013/08/the-magic-number.aspx

A quick excerpt from that article....
"Donn Kramer, director of product marketing innovation at Goodyear Commercial Tire Systems, says tire loads determine inflation pressure.
“The specific pressure for a given load is available from tire manufacturer’s load and inflation tables,” Kramer says. “Fleets also can use tables provided by the Tire & Rim Association, whose members set technical standards for manufacturing tires and wheels.”


I know what you're saying. I've followed that mantra for decades with my cars, trucks and playtoys. However, I've never seen any detrimental effect to running my RV tires at max. In fact, when I upgraded from LRD to LRE on my trailer, running at max pressure, there was a noticeable improvement in the ride of the trailer on bad roads. Like has been said, more or less, different strokes for different folks. Having had the underside of my trailer torn out by a trailer tire failure I'm not going to risk running contrary to what my tire maker calls for (Carlisle) which is max pressure on the sidewall as indicated as I recall.

[CWtheMan]

sourdough....you're not getting into the middle of anything. We are all just stating our opinions in a friendly and respectful manner, and having a discussion here....that's what forums should be all about. One can do a google search and find many, many articles about tire inflation and loads. Naturally, some will stand firm and tell you that the tire should be inflated to the maximum sidewall pressure rating, others will tell you to inflate according to the load that they will be used for...within reason of course. ST sidewalls are purposely stiffer, in my opinion because of the possibility of side loading when turning sharply at slow speeds. Cars and trucks (not semi's) do not have that same side loading that tandem axle or triple axle trailers have. My truck, as probably many of the trucks out there that run an "E" range tire, has that same stamp on the sidewall...80 psi, yet the plaquard on the door post tells me to run 65 psi both front and rear. Why is that? (Because your truck tires must have load capacity reserves via inflation. Your trailer tires do not.) Ford (in my case) knows that if the tire is inflated to 65 psi, the tires will be sufficiently inflated to handle the GVW rating of the truck...10K To me, it's the same thing with the trailer tires. Sidewall says 80, my load conditions are shown to be approx. 10,380 for the four tires, so no need to run 80 psi, when something less (75 in my situation) will be more than sufficient to handle the load of the trailer and still have a 665 lb reserve for each tire.

Link for an article that is interesting....
http://www.truckinginfo.com/channel/maintenance/article/story/2013/08/the-magic-number.aspx

A quick excerpt from that article....
"Donn Kramer, director of product marketing innovation at Goodyear Commercial Tire Systems, says tire loads determine inflation pressure.
“The specific pressure for a given load is available from tire manufacturer’s load and inflation tables,” Kramer says. “Fleets also can use tables provided by the Tire & Rim Association, whose members set technical standards for manufacturing tires and wheels.”

The red is where you're quoting FMCSA regulations. They are not applicable to the Standards used for vehicles built under the guidance of FMVSS standards.

Post #10 has the whole story.

https://one.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/Safety1nNum3ers/june2013/9719_images/9719_S1N_Tires_Nwsltr_June13_062713_v4_tag.pdf

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CWtheMan wrote:
(Because your truck tires must have load capacity reserves via inflation. Your trailer tires do not.)

It may not be required to have load capacity reserves via inflation, but they do. In my case, 665 lbs per tire while inflated to 75 psi and carrying the load that I carry. A very good indicator of under inflation is when the tire(s) heat up beyond a normal rise in temperature while being used. And with approx. 665 lbs reserve per tire, they are not being overloaded, so no significant temperature rise. Again, we'll just have to disagree about trailer tire inflation.

[CWtheMan]

CWtheMan wrote:


It may not be required to have load capacity reserves via inflation, but they do. In my case, 665 lbs per tire while inflated to 75 psi and carrying the load that I carry. A very good indicator of under inflation is when the tire(s) heat up beyond a normal rise in temperature while being used. And with approx. 665 lbs reserve per tire, they are not being overloaded, so no significant temperature rise. Again, we'll just have to disagree about trailer tire inflation.

Call or email any Maxxis area rep and the answer will be the same. "Follow the recommendations of the vehicle manufacturer." Nowhere in tire industry standards will you find a recommendation to use less tire inflation pressures than what has been recommended on the vehicle's tire placards.

Page #9

https://rma.org/wp-content/uploads/RMA_TireCareSafetyGuide_2013.pdf

[xrated]

And again, those recommendations are for a fully loaded trailer, loaded to the GVWR...13K in the case of my trailer. I'm not going to run 80 psi when the scale ticket for my trailer, loaded the way it will be loaded everytime I go out, is approx 10,380 lbs.

[CWtheMan]

And again, those recommendations are for a fully loaded trailer, loaded to the GVWR...13K in the case of my trailer. I'm not going to run 80 psi when the scale ticket for my trailer, loaded the way it will be loaded everytime I go out, is approx 10,380 lbs.

And that is a trucker's way of doing things. It's not compatible with a system that operates on standardized inflation pressures. Until you convert your way of doing things to the the part of the tire/vehicle industry that is governed by FMVSS standards you're going to always be lost in the conversation.

This thread is about trailer tires and has been drawn into their maintenance procedures. The language for those procedures is from the regulations that oversee their fitment and the industry standards established to insure a safe environment to operate within.

The RMA is a driving force in the tire industry and sits on all boards and committees that has anything to do with the rules, regulations & tire industry standards. Here is a PDF reference from them.

All is good information. Chapter four is about RVs.

http://www.mcgeecompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/complete-manual.pdf

[busterbrown]

And that is a trucker's way of doing things. It's not compatible with a system that operates on standardized inflation pressures. Until you convert your way of doing things to the the part of the tire/vehicle industry that is governed by FMVSS standards you're going to always be lost in the conversation.

This thread is about trailer tires and has been drawn into their maintenance procedures. The language for those procedures is from the regulations that oversee their fitment and the industry standards established to insure a safe environment to operate within.

The RMA is a driving force in the tire industry and sits on all boards and committees that has anything to do with the rules, regulations & tire industry standards. Here is a PDF reference from them.

All is good information. Chapter four is about RVs.

http://www.mcgeecompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/complete-manual.pdf

Thanks for posting the RMA document. It's definitely an excellent read for those who are RV owners, or for anyone who wants to adhere to the industry standards.

I did find this very interesting in Chapter 4, page 52:

"The Recreational Vehicle Safety & Education Foundation (RVSEF) has weighed over 25,000 motor homes and travel trailers in conjunction with RV
events. Of the RVs checked by RVSEF, more than 57 percent had loads that exceeded the capacity of one or more tires on the vehicles. Most of the weight was on the rear. In a separate survey conducted by a tire company, 4 out of 5 RVs had at least one under inflated tire, a third of which were significantly under inflated, and at risk of failure"

It's amazing how often load ratings are exceeded by your typical, albeit unknowing, RV owner. And one wonders why a tire failure is then immediately blamed on its respective manufacturer. :confused:

[xrated]

And that is a trucker's way of doing things. It's not compatible with a system that operates on standardized inflation pressures. Until you convert your way of doing things to the the part of the tire/vehicle industry that is governed by FMVSS standards you're going to always be lost in the conversation.

This thread is about trailer tires and has been drawn into their maintenance procedures. The language for those procedures is from the regulations that oversee their fitment and the industry standards established to insure a safe environment to operate within.

The RMA is a driving force in the tire industry and sits on all boards and committees that has anything to do with the rules, regulations & tire industry standards. Here is a PDF reference from them.

All is good information. Chapter four is about RVs.

http://www.mcgeecompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/complete-manual.pdf

After reading through the article from the above link ^^^^, I've probably come to some conclusions, and a couple of them stand out. It seems that the theme of the entire publication revolves around tire safety in different scenarios.....cars, trucks, Heavy trucks, and RVs. Some of what was written there I am familiar with, some of it maybe not. What I do take out of the publication is that, as with many other Government regulations, is intended to provide guidance/motherly love for folks that maybe don' know any better or simply do not have the common sense to figure out how to properly take care of their tires; from proper inflation, to tread depth, to sidewall cracking, to proper fitment of the correct tire for the load that they hauling/towing. It seems that common sense really isn't very common anymore and it also seems that the "It's not my fault...I didn't know" mentality has taken over in many cases. Add in the anxious to sue someone mentality, and many, many government regulations and guideline are born.

As with some other Government regulations that are written, I don't agree with this one, in the respect that they say that you should never lower the tire pressure lower than the safety plaquard on the vehicle. I don't agree, and most likely never will.

CW......you seem to totally agree with the safety plaquard issue, so I'd like to ask you a question here.

There is another scenario where we are regulated by the Government (and it's agencies), and we all know it as the Speed Limit....which is actually a safety Plaquard for the roads and highways. So, by your thought process we have an Interstate highway with a 70 MPH speed limit in effect. So if you go by the "Plaquard", 70 MPH is the speed to drive...that's what the plaquard says is the limit. So I'll compare that limit to the 80 psi "limit" that is stamped on the sidewalls of my four trailer tires. 70 MPH is the safe speed limit, and 80 psi is the "safe" limit for my tires. It doesn't require any thinking or deliberation or discussion.....70 is the speed limit and 80 is the psi.

So finally, my long awaited question! So, the above scenarios (let's take the speed limit one first), are there any limiting factors that should affect that limit, you know, like raining really hard.....snow on the roadway....heavy fog...heavy traffic....poor road conditions...you get the drift. Hopefully most everyone would say "Of Course" there are conditions that change the way I drive in a 70 MPH speed limited area.

OK, now the psi thing. So the "speed limit" (actually the safety plaquard on the trailer) says 80 psi (this is the actual number on my Toy Hauler by the way)......so I have to run 80 psi..right? Of course I do, it's the Speed Limit/Safety Plaquard and it the gospel law. So what about those extenuating conditions....you know like rain, snow, heavy traffic, fog, poor road conditions...all the things that should make you want to vary from the posted speed limit. The same is true when it comes to tire pressure....the plaquard says 80, but there are extenuating condidtions......something like my just scaled trailer that came in at 10,380 lbs which is 2660 lbs LESS than my tires are inflated to handle at 75 psi (which gives me a 665 lb reserve capacity at each tire). But wait, should I abide by some Government recommendation to run my tires inflated to 80 psi and have a load capacity of 13,680 lbs (825 lbs per tire reserve)....OR should I apply some Common Sense to the situation and inflate the tires to a reasonable pressure that is consistent with hauling my trailer with a significan reserve, no danger of overloading, and no danger or over-heating the tire because of excessive flexing because I'm underinflated?

In closing, I really don't expect you to agree with my thoughts on this, but thank God I have the ability to apply common sense when needed in most situations that I'm faced with......and this is one of them. As we both have differing opinions of this tire pressure topic, I really don't see any need to continue it from my perspective.

And BTW, thank you for posting those links, they did make for some interesting reading, even if I don't agree with some of it....and never will.

[CWtheMan]

And then, there is the Maxxis Tire Load/Inflation chart. Pick your tire size and follow the line across....

http://www.maxxis.com/trailer/trailer-tire-loadinflation-chart

On my particular trailer, I just came off the scales Friday with the trailer loaded just as it is when I travel. Trailer weight...10,380. I run 75 psi cold pressure, which gives me 3260 lbs per tire (ST235/80/16E tires). That is a total load capacity of 13,040 lbs. So I have a reserve of 2660 lbs which works out to 665 lbs per tire.

I'm wondering what brand tire you are talking about? I've never seen Maxxis tires as OEM for keystone. If you have another brand you may have more load capacity than you think you have. Keystone likes to use ST235/80R16E tires that have 3520# of load capacity @ 80 psi.Your tire's sidewalls will tell you what you have.

[Javi]

After reading through the article from the above link ^^^^, I've probably come to some conclusions, and a couple of them stand out. It seems that the theme of the entire publication revolves around tire safety in different scenarios.....cars, trucks, Heavy trucks, and RVs. Some of what was written there I am familiar with, some of it maybe not. What I do take out of the publication is that, as with many other Government regulations, is intended to provide guidance/motherly love for folks that maybe don' know any better or simply do not have the common sense to figure out how to properly take care of their tires; from proper inflation, to tread depth, to sidewall cracking, to proper fitment of the correct tire for the load that they hauling/towing. It seems that common sense really isn't very common anymore and it also seems that the "It's not my fault...I didn't know" mentality has taken over in many cases. Add in the anxious to sue someone mentality, and many, many government regulations and guideline are born.

As with some other Government regulations that are written, I don't agree with this one, in the respect that they say that you should never lower the tire pressure lower than the safety plaquard on the vehicle. I don't agree, and most likely never will.

CW......you seem to totally agree with the safety plaquard issue, so I'd like to ask you a question here.

There is another scenario where we are regulated by the Government (and it's agencies), and we all know it as the Speed Limit....which is actually a safety Plaquard for the roads and highways. So, by your thought process we have an Interstate highway with a 70 MPH speed limit in effect. So if you go by the "Plaquard", 70 MPH is the speed to drive...that's what the plaquard says is the limit. So I'll compare that limit to the 80 psi "limit" that is stamped on the sidewalls of my four trailer tires. 70 MPH is the safe speed limit, and 80 psi is the "safe" limit for my tires. It doesn't require any thinking or deliberation or discussion.....70 is the speed limit and 80 is the psi.

So finally, my long awaited question! So, the above scenarios (let's take the speed limit one first), are there any limiting factors that should affect that limit, you know, like raining really hard.....snow on the roadway....heavy fog...heavy traffic....poor road conditions...you get the drift. Hopefully most everyone would say "Of Course" there are conditions that change the way I drive in a 70 MPH speed limited area.

OK, now the psi thing. So the "speed limit" (actually the safety plaquard on the trailer) says 80 psi (this is the actual number on my Toy Hauler by the way)......so I have to run 80 psi..right? Of course I do, it's the Speed Limit/Safety Plaquard and it the gospel law. So what about those extenuating conditions....you know like rain, snow, heavy traffic, fog, poor road conditions...all the things that should make you want to vary from the posted speed limit. The same is true when it comes to tire pressure....the plaquard says 80, but there are extenuating condidtions......something like my just scaled trailer that came in at 10,380 lbs which is 2660 lbs LESS than my tires are inflated to handle at 75 psi (which gives me a 665 lb reserve capacity at each tire). But wait, should I abide by some Government recommendation to run my tires inflated to 80 psi and have a load capacity of 13,680 lbs (825 lbs per tire reserve)....OR should I apply some Common Sense to the situation and inflate the tires to a reasonable pressure that is consistent with hauling my trailer with a significan reserve, no danger of overloading, and no danger or over-heating the tire because of excessive flexing because I'm underinflated?

In closing, I really don't expect you to agree with my thoughts on this, but thank God I have the ability to apply common sense when needed in most situations that I'm faced with......and this is one of them. As we both have differing opinions of this tire pressure topic, I really don't see any need to continue it from my perspective.

And BTW, thank you for posting those links, they did make for some interesting reading, even if I don't agree with some of it....and never will.

As a note:... the speed limit is the maximum allowable and in most states there is also a minimum as well..

Placarded inflation pressure isn't a maximum limit... it is the recommended pressure... for instance the tires on my pickup are 80 psi tires but my placard says 65 psi...


Frankly I don't really care if someone wants to run their tires at below the recommended pressure.... but your analogy failed... :D

[xrated]

I'm wondering what brand tire you are talking about? I've never seen Maxxis tires as OEM for keystone. If you have another brand you may have more load capacity than you think you have. Keystone likes to use ST235/80R16E tires that have 3520# of load capacity @ 80 psi.Your tire's sidewalls will tell you what you have.

I purchased the T.H. new, towed it home (375 miles), then took the Trailer King China bombs off (towed it into town another 20 miles or so) and had the Maxxis 8008 tires put on. This is the third trailer that I've own that I put Maxxis 8008 tires on, although the others were Enclosed trailers, not camping style trailers. So yes, it didn't come with the Maxxis.....it had the China bombs on it.

[xrated]

Javi wrote:
Placarded inflation pressure isn't a maximum limit... it is the recommended pressure... for instance the tires on my pickup are 80 psi tires but my placard says 65 psi...

In my case, and probably many others, it's also the maximum limit, as the tire sidewall number is 80 psi maximum.

Also, we're not talking about truck tires here, we're talking trailer tires. My truck also has a 65 psi on the yellow sticker on the door post and the tires are 80 psi maximum inflation. That tells me that Ford, in my case is making a recommendation for tire pressure that will satisfy the load capacity of my truck 10K GVW. In the case of my trailer, they recommend 80 psi, when in fact, 75 psi will satisfy the load capacity of the trailer's GVWR. What I'm trying to point out in this whole long thread is that with a trailer weight of 10,380 lbs (remember, just took it across the scales last weekend), I don't need 80 psi just because it's recommended. In fact, I could get by with 60 psi and still be about 1000 pounds in reserve, although I don't want to push it that tight.

Javi wrote:
Frankly I don't really care if someone wants to run their tires at below the recommended pressure.... but your analogy failed...

And that is why I wasn't discussing the inflation thing with you, no disrepect intended, but if you don't care one way or the other, then why post that you don't care.

Analogy still intact.

[Javi]

Javi wrote:

In my case, and probably many others, it's also the maximum limit, as the tire sidewall number is 80 psi maximum.

Also, we're not talking about truck tires here, we're talking trailer tires. My truck also has a 65 psi on the yellow sticker on the door post and the tires are 80 psi maximum inflation.

Javi wrote:


And that is why I wasn't discussing the inflation thing with you, no disrepect intended, but if you don't care one way or the other, then why post that you don't care.

Analogy still intact.

I posted because I thought your analogy was flawed and I found it funny as in haha... :D I'll stay away now... :whistling:

[JRTJH]

xrated,

You might want to take one item into consideration that so far (in your posts), you've completely ignored. That's the actual loaded weight on each of your tires. You're making an assumption that the trailer axles are carrying 10,380 pounds, equally divided between the front and rear axle and also equally divided side to side. In other words, you're making an assumption (probably incorrectly) that each of your axles is carrying 5,190 pounds and each tire on both axles is carrying 2,595 pounds. In "real world conditions" you can easily find that one side of your RV is 1,000 pounds (or more) heavier than the opposing side.

I can almost guarantee you that if you weigh each tire position individually, you'll find that there is a statistically measurable difference between your tires. You may find that the side with the refrigerator is 600 or more pounds heavier than the "off side" and if the refrigerator is in a slide, that weight difference may well grow to 1,000 or more pounds. You may find that because of the way your trailer is configured (by floorplan, the WD hitch "tightness" and how "nose down/nose up it sits) that you have several hundred pounds, possibly much, MUCH more than several hundred pounds on one axle than the other. This will load either the front tire or the rear tire on that side significantly heavier than the other tire on the same side and completely throw your "calculated tire loading" out the window. You may find that one tire on your trailer is carrying 1800 pounds and the other tire on the same axle is carrying 2600 pounds. You may also find that one axle is carrying significantly more weight than the other axle. Now, when you "go" with a full fresh water tank and empty holding tanks and "return" with full holding tanks and an empty FW tank, you'll change weight loading enough to throw your load/pressure calculations for each axle/tire completely out the window.

So, to use a load chart based on a "superficial trailer weight" can (and probably does) place at least one or possibly more of your tires in an underinflated condition and can, using your "divide the weight by four" calculations, you could very well have more than one of your tires "overinflated" even though they aren't at the "factory recommended pressure". Also, keep in mind that every axle manufacturer, every tire manufacturer and every RV manufacturer stipulates that if pressure is calculated "per axle" then all tires on that axle must carry the same pressure.

For most of us, following the tire manufacturer's recommendation of "maintain pressure at the maximum on the ST tire sidewall (which in almost every situation is the same as the RV manufacturer's placard) is not only much easier than weighing every wheel position, it's the safest way to always assure that you're not underinflated.

I have no doubt that you're convinced that your method is the correct one for you to follow, I'd just urge you to realize that based on the information contained in your CAT scale weight slips, you don't have enough information to calculate either the "weight per axle" or the "weight per tire", so you don't have the capability to determine what load chart pressure/weight capacity to follow. Also keep in mind that the loading per tire will change (sometimes dramatically) just by placing camping equipment in the trailer or by loading food for a 2 week trip. So don't get too "entrenched" in your tire loading/pressure chart values unless you really want to "best guess it" or stop at the CAT scale for nearly every trip.

There is an easier, simpler way, it's follow the RV manufacturer's placard (which almost always corresponds to the tire manufacturer's recommendation).

Why make a simple task any more difficult than it needs to be ????

[xrated]

John,
Thank you for a very detailed reply and some things to think about that I do not know for sure, since the CAT scale tickets were not of each wheel or even of each axle. I will say, in my defense that I have tried very hard and thought about my loading of the trailer, even when I was still planning and setting up my locations of where to place things in it. For example, the trailer has two slides. One is a larger in size than the other and it contains a 93" sofa. The other slide contains the refrigerator and stove and microwave. I suspected that the "kitchen" slide would be heavier than the sofa slide, so when I set up the garage area, the motorcycle is loaded on the same side as the sofa....and the much lighter scooter (pit bike) is loaded on the kithcen side. There is also a 30 gallon onboard fuel tank in the back, but it looks to be pretty well centered under the trailer. A roll around tool box is centered in the garage from left to right. I also carry four paint buckets full of concrete that is used to help hold down my EZ up canopy in windy condidtions....those are on the same side as the sofa slide. The EZ up itself is on the opposite side of the garage. Even my spare motorcycle tires/wheels are mounted one on each side for load balance. It's still for sure an "unknown" unless I get it weighed, but I have tried very hard to do a side to side euaal weight distribution. As far as front to back...and how the front axle is loaded as opposed to the rear, I simply do not know, and as you said, will change dymanically as the liquids move from the fresh tank to the grey and black tanks and the fuel in the onboard tank is used.

You explanation makes a lot of sense for inflating the tires to the plaquard recommendation, that those points that you made were never entered into the discussion before, thus my reasoning for what I said in earlier posts.

[xrated]

OK, a couple of other question here....
1. just out of curiosity, where can you find a scale that weighs tire individually? Are they somewhat a rarity or are they pretty common?

2. As far as one tire being overloaded or one side being overloaded or not evenly distributed, would that not show up on the TPMS system by seeing higher temperatures in the tire(s) that were carrying more weight? Assuming that all four tires were inflated to the same pressure, it seems that temperatures would rise in the "under-inflated tire".

Damn it John, you've given me way too much to think about this late in the day, and my head is spinning. I'm going to bed....gotta get up at 3:30 AM for work!

[Bolo4u]

John,
Thank you for a very detailed reply and some things to think about that I do not know for sure, since the CAT scale tickets were not of each wheel or even of each axle. I will say, in my defense that I have tried very hard and thought about my loading of the trailer, even when I was still planning and setting up my locations of where to place things in it. For example, the trailer has two slides. One is a larger in size than the other and it contains a 93" sofa. The other slide contains the refrigerator and stove and microwave. I suspected that the "kitchen" slide would be heavier than the sofa slide, so when I set up the garage area, the motorcycle is loaded on the same side as the sofa....and the much lighter scooter (pit bike) is loaded on the kithcen side. There is also a 30 gallon onboard fuel tank in the back, but it looks to be pretty well centered under the trailer. A roll around tool box is centered in the garage from left to right. I also carry four paint buckets full of concrete that is used to help hold down my EZ up canopy in windy condidtions....those are on the same side as the sofa slide. The EZ up itself is on the opposite side of the garage. Even my spare motorcycle tires/wheels are mounted one on each side for load balance. It's still for sure an "unknown" unless I get it weighed, but I have tried very hard to do a side to side euaal weight distribution. As far as front to back...and how the front axle is loaded as opposed to the rear, I simply do not know, and as you said, will change dymanically as the liquids move from the fresh tank to the grey and black tanks and the fuel in the onboard tank is used.

You explanation makes a lot of sense for inflating the tires to the plaquard recommendation, that those points that you made were never entered into the discussion before, thus my reasoning for what I said in earlier posts.



Coming into this conversation late, and not knowing in which state you reside, most states and likely some larger municipalities, will have some form of mobile commercial law enforcement , and they usually have portable scales. Maybe call your nearest office and ask if they can do it.


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[xrated]

Coming into this conversation late, and not knowing in which state you reside, most states and likely some larger municipalities, will have some form of mobile commercial law enforcement , and they usually have portable scales. Maybe call your nearest office and ask if they can do it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Thanks for the tip. I'm in TN and I've seen THP set up mobile scales for truck inspections. I may check with them.

[JRTJH]

Every Michigan DOT inspector and many of the State Police traffic enforcement officers has a set of individual wheel scales. Many DOT weigh stations have a set as well. Many other states have similar setups, but getting access to those scales would probably be very difficult. Borrowing a set from a DOT officer "ain't gonna happen" and finding an officer who will take an hour or more to let you use his equipment under his supervision is probably a long shot as well.

You can buy a set, do a Google search for "portable drive over scales" and you'll quickly see that it probably isn't worth the $1500 cost.... At least it isn't something I'd want to spend money on.

As for CAT scales, the only way I know to weigh each individual axle is to pull "partly off the side" of the scale pads, pull the trailer up to the vehicle pad with front trailer axle on the front pad and rear trailer axle on the rear pad. That would give you an "approximate" weight, but since the scale pad foundation is sloped for drainage, the trailer will be "slanted to the side" which would alter the weight. How much? I don't know, but I'd guess enough to make the weight not worth the hassle.

[xrated]

John, I just found a link to a place that does mobile wheel position weighing....
http://rvsafety.com/weighing/weighing-schedule

They are going to be at a Rally in Crossville, TN the weekend of May 11-14 and it is approx. 85 miles from my house. Do you think it would be worth the time and trouble to do this ($60) for the weigh in, or just go ahead and run the tire pressures up to the 80 psi and be done with it?

[Bolo4u]

Every Michigan DOT inspector and many of the State Police traffic enforcement officers has a set of individual wheel scales. Many DOT weigh stations have a set as well. Many other states have similar setups, but getting access to those scales would probably be very difficult. Borrowing a set from a DOT officer "ain't gonna happen" and finding an officer who will take an hour or more to let you use his equipment under his supervision is probably a long shot as well.



You can buy a set, do a Google search for "portable drive over scales" and you'll quickly see that it probably isn't worth the $1500 cost.... At least it isn't something I'd want to spend money on.



As for CAT scales, the only way I know to weigh each individual axle is to pull "partly off the side" of the scale pads, pull the trailer up to the vehicle pad with front trailer axle on the front pad and rear trailer axle on the rear pad. That would give you an "approximate" weight, but since the scale pad foundation is sloped for drainage, the trailer will be "slanted to the side" which would alter the weight. How much? I don't know, but I'd guess enough to make the weight not worth the hassle.


Given I work for an agency who handles this type of enforcement, dealing with an individual commercial officer isn't as difficult as it may seem, especially if you explain your purpose and set up a date/time in advance. No, they won't let you do it yourself, but it wouldn't take more than about 30 minutes. Fwiw, individuals who take the proper steps and seek help with that goal to be within the law goes much further than just ignoring it.


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[JRTJH]

John, I just found a link to a place that does mobile wheel position weighing....
http://rvsafety.com/weighing/weighing-schedule

They are going to be at a Rally in Crossville, TN the weekend of May 11-14 and it is approx. 85 miles from my house. Do you think it would be worth the time and trouble to do this ($60) for the weigh in, or just go ahead and run the tire pressures up to the 80 psi and be done with it?

You really need to decide if you're going to be "fluid with constantly changing tire pressures based on weights" or if you're going to be "like the majority of the rest of us"..... That's not intended to be derogatory in any way, rather it's intended to suggest that you need to consider that you'll be "constantly weighing your rig and adjusting pressures based on load configuration and camping supplies or whether you want to do it the easy way, realizing that you'll probably never wear out a set of ST tires before they "time out" at the end of their usable life. At 11,000 pounds, you're not going to have a "rounded tread" that wears unevenly on the center when you're running 225mm wide tires. I'd be much more concerned with underinflation using your proposed system than I would with being overinflated using the Keystone placard and the Maxxis sidewall maximum inflation of 80PSI.

As for hauling the rig 170 miles out of your way and spending most of a day doing so, to pay $60 to find out what each wheel weighs? That has to be a personal choice, probably something I would never consider unless I was having a problem and needed to troubleshoot an individual wheel problem. So, for me, I wouldn't do it, realizing that as soon as I leave the "sophisticated weigh station" and go camping for a weekend, the trailer loading is going to be different than it was when I drove onto the scales, so it isn't going to be a reliable "forever" kind of reliable weight.

If I were you, I'd consider that Keystone's engineers have been putting placards on trailers for 25+ years and they've got well over half a million RV's on the road. Sure they get one wrong every once in a while and you can look at the recall information on their website to see how they handle those isolated situations. But, for the rest of us, they've got a reasonable, easy to follow tire pressure recommendation that fits the needs of all of our RVs, regardless of how we load them (within reason) and it already takes into account all of the load variability that's built in by usual and unusual circumstances that our RV will be subjected to as long as we keep it under the GVW.

If you do want to check your individual tire weights, I'd suggest seeing if Bolo4u's suggestion of finding a DOT officer in your area and seeing whether he can offer some suggestions on how to do the weights locally. I wouldn't spend most of a day, tow 170 miles out of my way and pay $60 for individual wheel weights if I wasn't having some mechanical issue that would lead me to think I need the information.

For me, I've never worn out an ST tire before it aged out and I average around 8,000 miles annually. That means 32,000 miles in the 4 years until I replace them based on manufacture date. Maybe some people might, but I would suspect abnormal wear that's identified will be from an unbalanced tire or a misaligned wheel/axle, not from overinflation from following the recommendations on the Keystone placard.

[xrated]

John,
Thank you AGAIN, for a very detailed explanation. I've never been one to just say OK, that what the regulations/guidelines say, that's what I'll do. I need to understand the reasoning behind something in order to get onboard and agree to do it that way. Your explanation makes perfectly good sense and I understand the reasoning behind it. I'm not going to go through all of the trouble of trying to fine tune the tire pressures each and every time, although as I stated in a previous post, the trailer will go out everytime in almost exactly the same configuration of loading and weight distribution. Everything in the trailer has a place and we take the exact same stuff everytime, so not a lot of variable there. Still, it will be easier to do the 80 psi thing and that is the route I am going.

Thanks again for your input.

Vern

[ctbruce]

Sure glad we got that settled! This has been a very good thread with a lot of great information for everybody. Bottom line: ain't none of us got time for that! Run the recommended tire pressure and be done. Do something crazy with your spare time. Like go camping or motorcycle racing. And enjoy the extra capacity and peace of mind your better tires bring you.

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[xrated]

LOL....sometimes it's a struggle getting to the final answer/decision, but one thing is certain....ask a lot of questions and get input from folks that know AND can provide proper reasons for doing something a certain way, and you'll feel positive that the right decision was made. I've always been a "why" kind of person, seldom just accepting the "that's the way it's supposed to be done" answer. A lot of it probably stems from my choice of occupation. As a Journeyman Electrician, it's imperative to know the "why" of how the systems work, and how to troubleshoot them effectively....without becoming a toasty brown lump of your former self. I'm sure that some folks may find my inquisitive nature a little bothersome, but I learned a long time ago (during my apprenticeship) to ask a lot of questions if you don't know, and to never take anything for granted.

[CWtheMan]

I've posted a lot of references in this thread. On page 56 of the one below you will find a procedure for weighing each wheel position. This reference was originally posted in post #18.

http://www.mcgeecompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/complete-manual.pdf

Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwxHt6NvArc

[talk2cpu]

OK, I understand that you either follow the manufacturers placard or the tire maximum psi. I replaced my 205/75 14 Towmaster, trailer placard for this size is 50 psi, as is the tire sidewall. I replaced with same size Carlisle Trail HD with a maximum side wall listed at 65 psi. The Towmasters were not overloaded and I now have even more tire capacity. For the last 1800 miles I have run them at 60 psi and have had no problems also the TPMS shows only a 3-5° temp rise over ambient air.

Now do I go by the placard on the trailer or the psi on the tire sidewall?

[slow]

OK, I understand that you either follow the manufacturers placard or the tire maximum psi. I replaced my 205/75 14 Towmaster, trailer placard for this size is 50 psi, as is the tire sidewall. I replaced with same size Carlisle Trail HD with a maximum side wall listed at 65 psi. The Towmasters were not overloaded and I now have even more tire capacity. For the last 1800 miles I have run them at 60 psi and have had no problems also the TPMS shows only a 3-5° temp rise over ambient air.

Now do I go by the placard on the trailer or the psi on the tire sidewall?

To fulfil the Carlisle warranty owner obligation, your new tires have to be maintained at 65psi cold, the stated max sidewall psi.

Maxxis is the only ST tire that "suggests" with their load inflation table that their tires can be run at lower than max stated sidewall pressure. I have received verbal confirmation from the Maxxis Canadian distribution center, but nothing in writing.

[CWtheMan]

You know, tire inflation pressures are among the hottest debated subjects discussed in RV trailer forums. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) probably produces more than a dozen documents a year about tire inflation pressures. A lot of that same information is in pamphlets under the heading SAFECAR. All vehicles, including RV trailers must have a tire safety section in their owner’s manuals. Who or how many owners actually read them?

Our trailers are all built using the same set of rules and standards. Most are found in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) written by NHTSA. What we must remember about them is they were written to insure minimal standards are met.

Another thing to remember is vehicle manufacturers have the sole responsibility for setting the correct tire inflation pressures for your trailer’s Original Equipment tires. The term, “cold tire inflation pressures” means correct.

Minimal standards, that’s what cold tire inflation pressures on your trailer’s certification label, tire placard and in it’s owner’s manual is telling you. When researching tire industry standards from any manufacturer or their dealers you will never - under normal circumstances - find a recommendation to use less tire inflation pressures than what has been recommended by the vehicle manufacturer and displayed on the vehicle and in it’s owner’s manual.

The Rubber Manufacturer’s Association (RMA) - a major contributor and tire rules committee member - also writes a lot of very useful documents. To reinforce the need for recommended tire inflation pressures I include this bit of information from the RMA. “Any tire found to be 20% below its cold recommended inflation pressure is considered to be in a “run flat” condition.” Further, it should be removed from the wheel and inspected for internal damages. That’s very useful info for anyone doing a PDI on a new trailer. To seat the tire bead 45 psi is maximum. Sometimes that never gets adjusted and makes it all the way to the showroom floor.

Under inflated = below placard recommendation.
Over inflated = above tire sidewall max psi rating.

For automotive tires there is always excess load capacity available above tire placard recommendations (via added inflation pressures). That provision in the standards is not applicable for tires fitted to RV trailer axles.

There is no provision in the FMVSS standards to inflate tires to the load carried. That’s a standard from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) regulations and not applicable to tires fitted to conform to FMVSS standards.

Tire manufacturers do not set recommended tire inflation pressures, unless they are installing plus sized tires. Then they are guided by the OE tire’s load capacity. Tire inflation tables/charts are developed from a collaboration between the builder and user and approved by the Tire & Rim Association (TRA). Consumers seldom, if ever, had access to them until the internet came along. Now they are widely use by consumers to set their own inflation pressures adding to the already higher than average tire failure rate for towed vehicle.

Precedent, often used to set a point. When the DOT has a regulation written it will set a precedent to be followed with similar circumstances. There is one that has an influence on replacement tire selections. It’s called “Vehicle in use inspection standards”. It’s purpose is to set a guideline for states to follow when they perform vehicle inspections. This is the “catch 22” under the tire section. “A mismatch in size and construction between tires on the same axle, or a major deviation from the size recommended by the vehicle or tire manufacturer, is a cause for rejection.” (When installing plus sized tires, the tire manufacturer’s representative (tire installer) is supposed to provide an auxiliary tire placard and place it next to the original tire placard to identify the new tire size and recommended tire inflation pressure).

[CWtheMan]

Maxxis is the only ST tire that "suggests" with their load inflation table that their tires can be run at lower than max stated sidewall pressure. I have received verbal confirmation from the Maxxis Canadian distribution center, but nothing in writing.

Partially true. But misleading. Maxxis supports the vehicle manufacturer's tire placard recommendations. However, plus sized tires with higher load capacities than the OE tires provide could be set below sidewall maximum. Maxxis trailer tire warranty does not require full sidewall pressures. And, the plus sized tires may provide acceptable load capacity reserves below full sidewall max.

[canesfan]

OK, I understand that you either follow the manufacturers placard or the tire maximum psi. I replaced my 205/75 14 Towmaster, trailer placard for this size is 50 psi, as is the tire sidewall. I replaced with same size Carlisle Trail HD with a maximum side wall listed at 65 psi. The Towmasters were not overloaded and I now have even more tire capacity. For the last 1800 miles I have run them at 60 psi and have had no problems also the TPMS shows only a 3-5° temp rise over ambient air.

Now do I go by the placard on the trailer or the psi on the tire sidewall?

You said you replaced them with "the same size", does that include the same "load range" (e.g. load range C I would guess here). It has been brought up in recent threads that Carlisle recommends full cold sidewall pressure on its tires and that includes warranty. Since no one else answered your question and the placard on your trailer was for OEM tires that we don't yet know were the same or different load range as the new ones, I would suggest running them at Carlisle sidewall pressure of 65psi, assuming your wheels are capable of that.

Edit - Since this thread is about Maxxis tire warranty I might have started a new thread considering your subject is different and might get lost in the shuffle.

[Desert185]

OK, I understand that you either follow the manufacturers placard or the tire maximum psi. I replaced my 205/75 14 Towmaster, trailer placard for this size is 50 psi, as is the tire sidewall. I replaced with same size Carlisle Trail HD with a maximum side wall listed at 65 psi. The Towmasters were not overloaded and I now have even more tire capacity. For the last 1800 miles I have run them at 60 psi and have had no problems also the TPMS shows only a 3-5° temp rise over ambient air.

Now do I go by the placard on the trailer or the psi on the tire sidewall?

Simply, on an ST tire inflate to sidewall pressure. LRD=65psi. LRE=80psi. Cold pressure.

On the TV, inflate to door sticker recommended pressure...unless...you have upgraded tires to an LT from a P tire. In that case, if you now have a LRE LT tire, 80psi on the rear when towing is more than likely recommended with the payload carried. When not towing, deflate rear to a lesser pressure that provides a good contact patch. You can research load carrying requirements vs tire pressure charts when not towing, but the contact patch method will provide a more specialized technique for your particular situation and tire rating.

I like metal stems on the TV and the trailer, particularly when 80psi is called for, with a TPMS on the trailer tires. No china bombs as an extra hedge on karma.

[slow]

Partially true. But misleading. Maxxis supports the vehicle manufacturer's tire placard recommendations. However, plus sized tires with higher load capacities than the OE tires provide could be set below sidewall maximum. Maxxis trailer tire warranty does not require full sidewall pressures. And, the plus sized tires may provide acceptable load capacity reserves below full sidewall max.

Thanks for clarifying CW.