Rough Rider

[ThePressureIsOn]

I bought a new Silverado 2500HD and man, does it ride rough compared to my 1500, it is stiff! I knew that a 3/4 ton would have a rougher ride but dang!

Question, the sticker on the door says to inflate the front tires to 60 psi and the rear tires to 70 psi. Why does the rear tires need 70 psi if I'm not hauling anything? Also, would the ride feel any different if I lowered the rear tires by 10 psi? I wouldn't think that lowering them by 10 psi that uneven tread wear would come into play because the front tires have a lot more weight on them.

Thanks for your feedback.

[Mighty Ming]

Have the same truck. My solution was a suspension lift... That was when I pulled a boat only. Later tried the travel trailer route and learned that due to my lift a 5 th wheel set up was risky without flipping axles on the trailer.... Which is also risky. Thd issue was bed clearance top of bed hitting bottom of 5th. So limited to pull trailers. However with the suspension lift my hauling capacity ( dirt rock lumber) increased and she rides like a caddy all the time. Give n take also cuz the oversized tires changed my gear ratio n makes the truck work harder when towing. If I did it over again I would go with an air bag system instead. Others I'm sure will give you plenty of input/advice here. Good luck.


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[Jim W]

Originally Posted by ThePressureIsOn

I bought a new Silverado 2500HD and man, does it ride rough compared to my 1500, it is stiff! I knew that a 3/4 ton would have a rougher ride but dang!

Question, the sticker on the door says to inflate the front tires to 60 psi and the rear tires to 70 psi. Why does the rear tires need 70 psi if I'm not hauling anything? Also, would the ride feel any different if I lowered the rear tires by 10 psi? I wouldn't think that lowering them by 10 psi that uneven tread wear would come into play because the front tires have a lot more weight on them.

Thanks for your feedback.

I run 45 PSI in my rear tires all of the time except when I tow my 5er or have the bed loaded with heavy objects.

My truck has two tire inflations figures on the tire inflation placard for both the front and rear tires. The light load (empty) states 60PSI front and 45 PSI rear. The loaded pressure (loaded in bed) 70 PSI in the rear and 60 PSI in the front.

The ride of the truck is improved with the light load; IE 45 PSI air pressure in the rear tires.

[Ken / Claudia]

I run the rear tires at 50psi when the truck is empty and up to 80psi with a load. That way the truck drivers better, look at the tries w/o a load at max. psi. if it was like mine you are driving on the center of the tire only and not the full tire.

[LittleJoe]

Take a piece of chalk and make a good wide mark across the face of the tire when in a good flat parking lot. You have the proper amount of air for the load when you get the whole tire face on the road as indicated by chalk wear.
Do not turn while much if possible.

You will find that 40-45 is about right for light load. you will have to inflate for heavier loads.
AT 70 you will burn the center out of the rears

[halfprice]

I run my tires at 60 and 70 as directed by the factory. 20k miles and they still look brand new. I'm not sure running them at 40-50 is a good thing.


Jerry

[ThePressureIsOn]

Thanks to everyone of you for your comments. I will try the chalk thing first, great idea. I can't believe that I need 70 psi in the rear tires unloaded. But too, I don't want expensive tires to wear out prematurely. Also, I will be taking a road trip of several hundred miles. Will the tires build up heat from under inflation? Sounds like damned if I do and damned if I don't.

[JRTJH]

Running too much pressure will wear the center of the tread just as rapidly as running too little pressure will wear the outer edges of the tread. A happy medium where the entire tread contacts the road will give you the best tire mileage and probably the best handling/ride. With any truck tire that I've ever owned, there is a different pressure requirement for an unloaded truck and a loaded one.

If you look at the tire manufacturer's website, you'll find a pressure/load chart for the specific size tires you're running. I'd take that information into consideration as much (or more so) than the generalized "run 70 PSI" that's in the owner's manual.

[jaydeb]

I traded my 1/2 ton Z71 in for a 2500HD and I don't think it rides rough at all. Rides good for a 3/4 ton. I only have 3200 miles on it but I think it is a workhorse! Mine is a 4WD Z71 just like my old truck but bigger. I run 70psi in the rear and 60psi in the front.