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Avalanche Tire pressure


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Got my oil changed yesterday at 4800 miles the light came on. The local Penzoil oil change facility asked me how much air I want in my tires. I said whatever is on the drivers side door. It read 30lbs for my 17 inch tires. This can't be right. He checked my tires and they had 40lbs in them and that they have never been changed so that is what came from the factory and told him to leave it in.

Does anybody else have 30lbs of pressure on their sticker on the door? What is the correct air pressure for the Z71 Avalanche.

???

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Well I have experienced Chevy dealer service departments, tire dealerships and quick oil change places that have repeatedly put 40 in my 98 Z28 when it clearly said 30 something on the door!  I have heard ride harshness complaints during test drives on GM trucks and SUV's and I would not be surprised if the tires were all overinflated.  There are many fools who only go by the max pressure on the tire sidewalls instead of the door placard.

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I've heard it's common that tires come "over-inflated" from the factory. My understanding is over-inflation causes tires to wear prematurely in the middle. I run my factory tires at the recommended pressure printed on the door jam.

 

Brad in SoCal

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Quote from bshef, posted on Oct. 21 2001,10:47

I've heard it's common that tires come "over-inflated" from the factory. My understanding is over-inflation causes tires to wear prematurely in the middle. I run my factory tires at the recommended pressure printed on the door jam.

 

Brad in SoCal

 

30lbs sounds low for a 7000lb truck??  Mine rides excellently at the current pressure. Any new AV owners check their tire pressure??

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what does the sidewall of the tire say for the max??  On my tires from the factory on my silverado (P265 fstones) I ran 35 all around like the door stated.  My new BFGS (11K miles so they arent exactly new) have a max rating of 65psi.  I run them at 52psi front and 50psi rear  (LT285's)

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I'd just about bet that 30psi is about right for those tires.  Not knowing for sure, but they are probably P-rated tires, or either C-rated LT tires.  Neither one of them is rated for very much air pressure, so 30psi would be in the ball park.  Just as long as the tires appear to be wearing alright.

 

btw, my tires are rated at 80psi max, and I only run them at 45psi front and 40psi rear.  I can't imagine running a 1500 truck empty with tires inflated more then this, they just don't weight enough.  Heck, at this pressure my tires are probably over-inflated.

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Hey All,

 Looking at my sticker is does same the same thing, 30psi.  Looking at the tire it indicates that the max pressure for the tire is 44psi.  My pressure is currently at the factory level, and so far appears to be wearing correctly (if you can really tell at only 3000 miles).  I have the Z71 Av so I think you are running a little over.  

 

Bear

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Yes, the 17 inch tires on the Avalanche are recommended to be 30, if you have the 16 inch ones they are recommended to be 35.  I currently have my 17's at 34 which is bumped up a little.  I would think 40 is a little high.  By the way, they didn't necessarily come from the factory that way, someone at the dealer may have set them during vehicle prep.  And that someone at the dealer may have been guessing instead of looking at the sticker on the door.

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Hey, I'm glad this came up.  I had the same question (just hadn't posted yet).  My Z71 Avalanche also specs 30psi on doorjam, but tires came inflated from dealer at 36-38.  (The least they could have done was get all 4 tires the same!)  So I wondered what was right.

 

This is our first truck, so I didn't know what to expect.  When I bought the Nissan 240SX (I know, totally different class) with its 16", 50-series, V-rated tires, the doorjam said 29, the tires say "max 44", and the dealer sent me home with 40!  No way.  They did wear uneven like that, but at 29, they felt mushy.  The Nissan dealer at the time said, "Yeah, the auto makers spec it real low on the door panel so you have a nice soft ride..."  Whatever.  I ended up running them at 32 all the way around, or sometimes the rears a little lower for better handling.

 

Anyway, I have no notion of motor speedway in the Avalanche, but I would like the tire pressure "correct".  I guess the consensus is to lower them toward 30.  I'll do that later on.

 

BTW, this is my first post, and I'm a proud 2-week old owner of an '02 Avalanche Z71 in Indigo Metallic Blue! See?

 

avalanche_on_driveway_small.jpg

 

Brendan

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  • 2 weeks later...

Tire pressures.. Please keep in mind that often the guy that washes your truck prior to delivery is the same guy that checks air pressures... he also makes sure that the garbage can in the lunch room is empty and runs out to pick up lunch for the Part Department when he has time.

 

Simply because your truck was delivered with this air pressure doesn't make it right.

 

The max pressure on the tire sidewall indicates how much air the tire can hold before it will be damaged. The rating on the door jamb takes into effect the weight and GVWR of the truck and therefore is the one to go by.

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