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RV trailers are built under the guidance of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). When the trailer leaves the factory the manufacturer must provide a certification label that all safety standards have been met.
Within the safety standards there are provisions that require the trailer manufacturer to select tires/wheels. For RV trailers the standard says that the tires/wheels must support the maximum weight of the vehicle certified GAWR axles. The standards direct the trailer manufacturer to set a recommended cold Inflation pressure for those tires that is appropriate for the GAWRs. That final manufacturer recommended inflation pressure is displayed on the vehicle certification label and is the minimum inflation pressure for those tires.
Inflating tires to the load carried defeats having load capacity reserves. The trucking industries have their own tire regulations and inflate to the load carried at the heaviest end of an axle. The results can be seen throughout the USA with big black “gators” littering our highways.
Whenever going to a higher load capacity tire of the same designated size, options become available. The options are to use any cold inflation pressure between what is recommended and tire sidewall MAX. Of course safety steps must be taken. The wheels and valve stems MUST have the capacity to support the increased inflation pressures.
Whenever going to approved “plus sized” tires there are a hand full of steps that must be taken to ensure the plus sized tires have a recommended cold inflation pressure that will, - at the minimum – support the load capacity the OE tires provided.
Do tires that have never been on the ground “blow-up” while mounted as a spare on a trailer rack? Yes, and I’ve never seen a valid answer as to why.
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