Winter time tire pressure

Hi to anyone who drives in real winters,
What's psi should i run in my bfg at tires during winter? This is my first truck and first rear wheel drive (it is 4x4 but I'm talking everyday crappy road driving). Thanks.

 

I think you'll get mixed reviews on this. My opinion, if roads are plowed, don't change a thing and use 4x4 when needed. If roads are consistantly not plowed, drop a couple psi from normal, nothing major, just enough to help fatten the tires out a little bit and give a little extra floatation. Regardless, I'd throw some weight in the bed to help out with traction.

 

I wouldnt have figured you needed to change the PSI?

 

I live in Calgary, and I air down to 29 psi, and it makes a real difference. I usually run 32-34 psi in the summer months.

 

So basically don't air down and all, and when it gets to like -100 up there in the Arctic your tires will shrivel down to the correct PSI.

 

Thanks guys, answers my "?". I did air down to 29 today, slippery like an ice rink up in northern AB today. I'll run 29 for the week and see how she feels. I was at 32 before.

 

Thankful to be living in Houston- high of 91 today

 

i agree, i drop my air pressure a few pounds in the winter.

 

Yea there is a nice veneer out there on the snow this morning.....oh the joys of being a student in Edmonton.

 

or if you're driving under conditions like this, they aired their tires down to around 5-10psi

sweet video BTW!
http://www.streetfire.net/video/the-full-episode-of-top-gears-polar-challenge_174761.htm

 

Do the chalk line test on the tires.

this will give you the best wear pattern and best traction.

the front and rear may vary with the bed being so light.

I run 34psi front and 24 psi rear all year

because those are the best psi for my tires on my truck

and yes i know snow - buffalo!

 

where are in northern alberta are you OP?
ill be putting mine down to 25 shortly

 

I maintian 30 psi over winter but i also got wider tires on wider rims for winter then my Dunflops on the stock steels

 

i always keep my tires at full pressure. i dont like floatation, im a skinny tire/ cut throught the snow kinda guy... i had a truck with 315/75s and it was f'n terrible in snow. i had another truck with 235/85s and you have way better traction. skinny tires at normal psi FTW!!!

 

ttylerr

I'm in Bonnyville. You?

 

?

 

go to a parking lot. chalk a line across the tire. when you drive forward a couple rotations it will wear the chalk off. if it leaves chalk in the middle tire pressure too low, if it leaves chalk on the outsides tire pressure too high

 

Draw about a 1 inch wide chaulk line across all 4 tires.

drive a short distance and then look at the lines.

if the center of the line is worn more than the edges - too much air

hense, if the edges are worn more than the center - not enough air.

this may take several attempts, but keep track of what the tires psi are

and also note how the truck drives and feels.

you want a nice even wear on the chaulk line.

the front and rear may be different due to the back end being lite.

I run 34 psi front, 24 psi rear on my truck

 

Do you tow anything with the rear at 24?

I would think if you had to do a high speed maneuver with the tires that low, the truck wouldn't perform as intended.. My truck recommends 32 in the rear.

 

if you tow or carry things in the rear i would bump up the pressure from the chalk test. On my load e tires i run 40 all around. the rear tires are a bit high. chalk test reveled clean center. but i always wind up with a couple hundred pounds in the rear so i dont mind a bit higher pressure