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Tire Pressure (My 1st 3/4 ton)


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Just purchased a used 2017 Silverado 2500 4wd diesel.

 

The dealer replaced the tires with 275/70-18 Toyo Open Country RT's. Of course they filled the front to 78 (max 80 rating) and 76, while leaving the rear at 62 and 64. Any bump hits pretty damn hard on the road.

 

My question is what is the lowest you can go before you get the TPMS light  and what pressure do you suggest?

 

For the most part I drive without towing, but when I do its about 5,000/6,000 lbs only.

 

I've only had 1/2 ton's and drove around at about 35-40.

 

With a 3/4 ton should I sit around 60? (I want good mpg as well as a softer ride)

 

Thanks everyone!

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Hi New Member "mayer7196":

 

Let's parse this out for clarity:

1)  Your Vehicle: 2017, Silverado, 2500 4wd, diesel;  mine is a 2015, Silverado, 25004wd gas;  I cannot say whether there are any significant differences relevant to your topic but I'd say no.

2)  Your tires 275/70-18 Toyo's; my tires 265/70-18 Michelin's

3)  Your avg PSI 77F/63R; mine were 70F/70R; now are ~ 50PSI all around.

4)  Your road bumps pretty hard; mine same thing but I also raised the front end about 2½" using the factory adjustment bolts.

5)  Lowest pressure before TPMS light triggers.  This is a function of programming within one of the body control modules.

6)  Your typical towing:  mostly do not tow, but only 2-3 tons when you do.  Same with me.

 

Here's how I solved this.  I lowered the PSI to 50 all around.  The Driver Information Center tells me this deviates up to 6 PSI from the hottest Summer day to the coldest Winter day.  I asked the dealer to fix the rough ride problem and their solution was to remove air (WHEN NOT TOWING).  On the rare occasions you need to tow, add air.  I got the dealer to reprogram the TPMS to ~50PSI.  After all, isn't it mostly about a flat tire, poor fuel mileage, and poor handling when a tire gets too low?  A TPMS device could trigger if the pressure is too high so get the dealer to advise you on the best range (low to high) for your application.  Mine has not triggered at all and the ride is much better even with the front end cranked up.  Hope this helps.  Expect to hear a few opinions on this.  All the best.

Edited by webshopper
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I just picked up a used 2017 2500 HD 6.0 gas w 17 inch wheels and I'm still figuring out the same issue.

On mine the TPMS warning light comes on somewhere around

50 front

60 rear

I'm still adjusting things. It seems sometimes the pressure can fall below without triggering the light as long as it goes and stays above these pressures more than it is under these pressures.

I've seen the light off with as little as 42 front but if I leave it there eventually the light comes on.

I asked the dealer twice about adjusting this and they refuse claiming federal law.

For the stock Firestone tires that came on mine, according to a local scale and the tire loading chart from Firestone I should be running 40 front 35 rear empty.

When towng / hauling it's usually an appliance for a short trip of a 6000lb trailer and when hauling that trailer or heavier loads, I know how to add air. I'm pretty tired of lawyers and being nannied.

 

Sent from the demons in my head

 

 

 

 

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13 minutes ago, dplarson said:

I just picked up a used 2017 2500 HD 6.0 gas w 17 inch wheels and I'm still figuring out the same issue.

On mine the TPMS warning light comes on somewhere around

50 front

60 rear

I'm still adjusting things. It seems sometimes the pressure can fall below without triggering the light as long as it goes and stays above these pressures more than it is under these pressures.

I've seen the light off with as little as 42 front but if I leave it there eventually the light comes on.

I asked the dealer twice about adjusting this and they refuse claiming federal law.

For the stock Firestone tires that came on mine, according to a local scale and the tire loading chart from Firestone I should be running 40 front 35 rear empty.

When towng / hauling it's usually an appliance for a short trip of a 6000lb trailer and when hauling that trailer or heavier loads, I know how to add air. I'm pretty tired of lawyers and being nannied.

 

Sent from the demons in my head


 

 

I am coming from a 2012 F150 that had mud tires on and sat at 35 psi without an issue. Wondering what others are running on theirs. 

I mean I can obviously run with the TPMS light on, but that shit is ghetto to me.

13 minutes ago, dplarson said:

 

 

 

 

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26 minutes ago, webshopper said:

Hi New Member "mayer7196":

 

Let's parse this out for clarity:

1)  Your Vehicle: 2017, Silverado, 2500 4wd, diesel;  mine is a 2015, Silverado, 25004wd gas;  I cannot say whether there are any significant differences relevant to your topic but I'd say no.

2)  Your tires 275/70-18 Toyo's; my tires 265/70-18 Michelin's

3)  Your avg PSI 77F/63R; mine were 70F/70R; now are ~ 50PSI all around.

4)  Your road bumps pretty hard; mine same thing but I also raised the front end about 2½" using the factory adjustment bolts.

5)  Lowest pressure before TPMS light triggers.  This is a function of programming within one of the body control modules.

6)  Your typical towing:  mostly do not tow, but only 2-3 tons when you do.  Same with me.

 

Here's how I solved this.  I lowered the PSI to 50 all around.  The Driver Information Center tells me this deviates up to 6 PSI from the hottest Summer day to the coldest Winter day.  I asked the dealer to fix the rough ride problem and their solution was to remove air (WHEN NOT TOWING).  On the rare occasions you need to tow, add air.  I got the dealer to reprogram the TPMS to ~50PSI.  After all, isn't it mostly about a flat tire, poor fuel mileage, and poor handling when a tire gets too low?  A TPMS device could trigger if the pressure is too high so get the dealer to advise you on the best range (low to high) for your application.  Mine has not triggered at all and the ride is much better even with the front end cranked up.  Hope this helps.  Expect to hear a few opinions on this.  All the best.

What did your MPG's go to from 70 to 50?

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No significant change.  It's about 12.5 which is horrible anyway you slice it, but better than the F250 Super Duty I finally gave up on.  My 2015 2500HD has ~18K miles on it so MPG isn't a huge issue for me.  It drops to about 6-7 when I'm plowing my driveway.  Didn't buy it for MPG.  It's been great for yard work, plowing, my fire dept. activities, and towing a trailer when needed.  Again, towing is less than 1% of the mileage but when I do, it's fire dept. gear, a boat, etc., but very low mileage with those activities.

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16 minutes ago, webshopper said:

No significant change.  It's about 12.5 which is horrible anyway you slice it, but better than the F250 Super Duty I finally gave up on.  My 2015 2500HD has ~18K miles on it so MPG isn't a huge issue for me.  It drops to about 6-7 when I'm plowing my driveway.  Didn't buy it for MPG.  It's been great for yard work, plowing, my fire dept. activities, and towing a trailer when needed.  Again, towing is less than 1% of the mileage but when I do, it's fire dept. gear, a boat, etc., but very low mileage with those activities.

I appreciate it. 

Might just try to drop it down to like 60 all around and see how she rides.

 

I wish i could get the TPMS to drop down to like 30 psi before i get a warning lol.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 9/13/2019 at 9:58 AM, mayer7196 said:

I appreciate it. 

Might just try to drop it down to like 60 all around and see how she rides.

 

I wish i could get the TPMS to drop down to like 30 psi before i get a warning lol.

Dealer will re-program...but not sure how low they will go at your request.  All you can do is ask.

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I axle weighed mine and did the math on based on the tire weight/psi specs and rounded that to come up with 55 psi front 50 psi rear. I also had a friends shop re calibrate my TPMS to be at 50 psi for recommended psi.

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On 9/13/2019 at 9:58 AM, mayer7196 said:

I appreciate it. 

Might just try to drop it down to like 60 all around and see how she rides.

 

I wish i could get the TPMS to drop down to like 30 psi before i get a warning lol.

Door tire stickers are for the tires the truck was born with.

The door placard on my 2500 calls for 60F/70R with factory LT265 70R18ES.

 

My 2500 also has TPMS setting changed.  

 

If your at 80 on the rears, you'll likely notice a huge difference dropping to 55 or 60. 

Might find that when unloaded you like the rears lower than the fronts. 

 

 

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I know you guys have K2 trucks, but drivetrain stuff is the same back to 2011. I run mine (when not towing/ hauling) at 40-45 in the rear, and 45-50 in the front. My I reset the low tire threshold with my scan tool to the lowest setting (34psi I believe). When I tow/ haul and have the tires up to 80, there is no warning for excessive pressure (which I've never heard of in these trucks anyway). Point being, when riding around in the 40psi range, the ride quality is vastly improved over the 80psi that the factory wants you to run empty.

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14 hours ago, carkhz316 said:

I know you guys have K2 trucks, but drivetrain stuff is the same back to 2011. I run mine (when not towing/ hauling) at 40-45 in the rear, and 45-50 in the front. My I reset the low tire threshold with my scan tool to the lowest setting (34psi I believe). When I tow/ haul and have the tires up to 80, there is no warning for excessive pressure (which I've never heard of in these trucks anyway). Point being, when riding around in the 40psi range, the ride quality is vastly improved over the 80psi that the factory wants you to run empty.

I dropped them down to 55 without a light, so we will see how that goes. So far, its MUCH better!!! 

 

Thanks!

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Best to get the load pressure chart for you tires from the tire maker and inflate according to actual axle weight.    I did this for my BFG KO2's.  I tend to run 50 PSI all the way around.  3 years on the same KO2's and they are wearing great.    Even 45 PSI in the back would be fine since back end is lighter than front when empty.   The lower pressures helped but it was the combination of doing that and  replacing the goofy Rancho shocks with a set of Bilstein 4600's that really did the trick.    I don't even change the tire pressure for light hauling or towing.  Only if I am really going to be loading up do I inflate more to match that.

 

I have become rather adept at ignoring any tire pressure dash light and I delete the warnings right after staring the pickup.  Most of time running around my rural gravel roads, I don't even have my seatbelt on and I ignore that warning light and chime also.  Amazing what you can train yourself to ignore.

 

Keep in mind, the OEM tire pressures in the door jam assume that the pickup is at max GVWR.  Very few times is the average 3/4 ton or 1 ton actually at full GVWR.    Actually, by running the tires at the OEM recommended settings can decrease tire life and safety when running around empty or light loaded.  That is because the higher pressures lead to more wheel hop and not as good of tire footprint in terms of cornering and braking.  This is why it is always best to follow the tire pressure guidelines from the tire maker themselves.  They did the R&D and made the tires.  They know what best to run in them at various loads.  Not some dweeb in a cubicle who writes operator manuals at GM.

Edited by Cowpie
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10 hours ago, Cowpie said:

Best to get the load pressure chart for you tires from the tire maker and inflate according to actual axle weight.    I did this for my BFG KO2's.  I tend to run 50 PSI all the way around.  3 years on the same KO2's and they are wearing great.    Even 45 PSI in the back would be fine since back end is lighter than front when empty.   The lower pressures helped but it was the combination of doing that and  replacing the goofy Rancho shocks with a set of Bilstein 4600's that really did the trick.    I don't even change the tire pressure for light hauling or towing.  Only if I am really going to be loading up do I inflate more to match that.

 

I have become rather adept at ignoring any tire pressure dash light and I delete the warnings right after staring the pickup.  Most of time running around my rural gravel roads, I don't even have my seatbelt on and I ignore that warning light and chime also.  Amazing what you can train yourself to ignore.

 

Keep in mind, the OEM tire pressures in the door jam assume that the pickup is at max GVWR.  Very few times is the average 3/4 ton or 1 ton actually at full GVWR.    Actually, by running the tires at the OEM recommended settings can decrease tire life and safety when running around empty or light loaded.  That is because the higher pressures lead to more wheel hop and not as good of tire footprint in terms of cornering and braking.  This is why it is always best to follow the tire pressure guidelines from the tire maker themselves.  They did the R&D and made the tires.  They know what best to run in them at various loads.  Not some dweeb in a cubicle who writes operator manuals at GM.

Coughchough, Ford Explorers and Firestone. cough.

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OP: "With a 3/4 ton should I sit around 60? (I want good mpg as well as a softer ride)?

 

Sorry - this was amusing. I keep mine around 70 PSI or so. Sidewall is 80, and I follow tire, not truck.

 

Mileage and ride quality comments are interesting. I went to a 2500 gasser from a 1500 Sierra. I am very impressed with the ride quality for a 2500. Doesn't seem much different than my 1500, and I like that it rides like a truck.

 

Mileage - well...I knew it would suck getting into it. :)

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