Should Tire Pressure Be Adjusted to Account for Heat While Driving

Question:

I have a grand design 2500RL with st 205/75/15 D west lake Tires max cold psi 65 tje tires always heat up when driving. My question is how much psi should the tires heat up to and still be safe? I currently fill my tires to63 psi because they heat up. Is that a good practice or should I fill them to 65 psi? Thanks in advance!

asked by: Anthony

Expert Reply:

Your tires like the # LHWL300 should still be inflated to 65 psi. When the manufacturers set the cold fill rating they account for variations due to temperature change from weather and driving. As a general rule of thumb, tire pressure increases by 1 psi for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit of temperature change. A 10 psi change is fairly normal, and anything over 15 psi is where you should be concerned and address it.

If you find that your tires are overheating it is likely due to improper inflation or exceeding the speed rating. A tire like the # LHWL300 has a speed rating of L for 75 mph. It is a good idea to check your tires to see what they are rated for. If you don't already have one, I recommend adding a TPMS system like the # TM89FR which will monitor your tire pressure as well as the temperature.

expert reply by: Robin H