Recommended Trailer Tire Pressure for ST235/80R16 Tires For Trip From Cold North to Warmer South

Question:

Provider ST235/80/16 E Recommended Pressure. Montana Travel Trailer 2400# measured load at each tire. Max Pressure 80 psi Side wall Notes. I am traveling from the Cold North to the Warmer South. What should my starting Pressure be at 40 deg F? As I travel there is some natural Pressure rise from the normal heating of a rolling tire and the air temperature is getting up to 65 deg F. Tires on the Sunny side get to 114 deg F with Pressures up to 96 PSI. Tires on the shady side run about 97 deg F at 90 PSI. Is this safe and OK? Now that I have TPMS and Temperature Scanner I have more Data than ever before. Thanks for you opinion.

asked by: Richard S

Expert Reply:

This is one of the times where too much information can make you uncomfortable. You should always inflate your ST235/80R16 tires like the Provider ST235/80R16 Radial Trailer Tire # TTWTRTM2358016E to the max psi, so you will want to set your tires to 80 psi before starting your trip. The tires absolutely will heat up from the friction with the road as well as the ambient temperatures as you stated.

As you travel south to the warmer climates, I recommend checking your tire pressure after a prolonged stop, like if you stop for a meal. Before getting back on the road, check your cold tire pressure to reset as needed to your 80 psi. Checking or adjusting the pressure when they are hot will not help as the tires are made to handle the fluctuation in temp and resulting psi increases.

expert reply by: Jason S