Do Trailer Tires Need to Be Deflated Once They Get Hot from Driving

Question:

If inflating to 80 psi cold, what is the max pressure allowed while on the hwy hot? I have monitors and a 10 psi rise is common from cold to hot. At what hot psi should I be worried about? Should I inflate to 70 psi knowing they will be at 80 psi in 15 to 20 minutes of hwy running ???

asked by: Marc O

Helpful Expert Reply:

This is a great question. So the simplest way to look at it is to inflate the tires to the max psi when cold and as long as you are under the weight capacity for the tire and under the speed rating any pressure fluctuation is going to be okay. It is not recommended to deflate the tires when they are hot nor is it needed.

The generally accepted rule for psi increases with temperature is that for every 10 degree change there is a 2% change in psi. Typically tires get up to around 120 degrees when on the highway for extended periods of time so you'd be looking at an increase of right around 8-10 psi.

expert reply by: Jameson C