Air Pressure in Loaded tires.

[ruralruss]

I just had my rears on my B3200 loaded and I was wondering what is the proper air pressure to use. It seems I read somewhere that you need to drop it below non loaded recommended because of the reduced air volume. What is your experience?

Russ

[johnk]

I had mine loaded w/ rimguard and the guy said leave them be. If you go to check the pressure the rimguard will effect your valve stem and it'll leak because it won't seat properly.

[frogfish]

Why would you need to change the pressure? I know the air volume is reduced because of the added fluid, but I would think that the sugessted psi would remain the same.

[Bird]

Yep, the volume of air is reduced, but I would keep the same pressure. Regular tire gauges work, but getting any liquid in them may cause premature corrosion, so they make gauges specifically for air/liquid and they cost little, if any, more than any other gauge.

My personal preferred method to check the tire air pressure with loaded tires is to (1) stop with the valve stem at the top; 12 o'clock position, (2) give it one short blast of air from the compressor to clear the valve stem of any moisture, and (3) then use the tire gauge.

[ruralruss]

I had mine loaded w/ rimguard and the guy said leave them be. If you go to check the pressure the rimguard will effect your valve stem and it'll leak because it won't seat properly.

Eventually you will have to add more air! Why would it effect the valve stem unless it is gritty or something.

Russ

[ruralruss]

Why would you need to change the pressure? I know the air volume is reduced because of the added fluid, but I would think that the sugessted psi would remain the same.

The tires have to have some give to them. If you hit a rock with only air in the tires they give x amount. The fluid will not compress like air will so if the tires are fill with fluid up to 75% volume and you hit that rock the greatly decreased volume of air compresses much faster causing the tire to not give as much. This can cause shock loading on the rear axles.

Russ

[johnk]

No clue Russ. Just relaying what the tire guy told me that fills tires for a living. IMHO It may or may not leak but this is what he said...

[Bird]

I had mine loaded w/ rimguard and the guy said leave them be. If you go to check the pressure the rimguard will effect your valve stem and it'll leak because it won't seat properly.

Reminds me of when I was a teenager working in my dad's service station in the days when we pumped the gas, washed all the windows, checked the oil, etc. without being asked to. So many folks had low tires that I also got into the habit of checking tire pressure until one day, I started checking the tire pressure on a customer's car and he became quite irate; told me the tires were OK, but messing with valve stems would cause them to start leaking.

[gauthier]

Well menthinal and water mix don't make valve stem leak,,sounds like if you don't add a little air when you should you'll be spinning on your rims before long.

[merrickvilleguy]

I was wondering that myself ... I have a gauge for fluid filled tires (was the same price as the other pen type one at tsc) ... I just pinged the dealer to see what he suggests ... I would imagine they ought to be the same as unloaded but stranger things have been know to happen