P or LT tires on 2013 Silverado 1500 1/2 Ton

[CTcummins24V]

About time to get some new tires on the company truck, 2013 Silverado 1500 1/2 ton, about 60k miles on these BFGoodrich Rugged Terrains P275/55R20s. Any advantage going to LT tires? I have maxed out payload and towing with this vehicle, although I don't load it up every week. Only issue I keep having is punctured tires from nails/metal.

[Haggar]

CT,

 

What I have found is the Passenger rated tires, while riding well, don't give me the confidence when pulling or loaded heavy.  (sidewalls seem soft.)  We have put a set on Helga's suburbasaurus, and for family trips and other stuff it is fine, but I won't pull a trailer over 1k lbs with it.   Snow and rain have been fine though.  So we are happy with them, but I definitely wouldn't put them on the rattle monster. 

 

Just my $0.02    hope it helps

 

Hag

[Mopar1973Man]

I would personally stay with LT tires. P tires are to risky with possible towing and cargo weights.

[CTcummins24V]

A couple months too late for responses. I just replaced P tires with P tires. If I have to tow "heavier", I'll just use the dodge. Anything more than a couple thousand pounds and the 5.3 chevy with 3.08 gears can't handle it anyways. 

[Haggar]

Wow,

 

Sorry CT!!!   I didn't notice the date!   Didn't mean to drag something out of the Crypt.  It showed up as unread.  I guess it had been awhile since I browsed this part of the forum.  

 

Hope the new ones work great for you!!

 

Hag

[dorkweed]

My 2016 has P-rated tires;  P265/70 17 and they're just OK with my small work trailer (3500lbs.) and my fishing boat (2500lbs.).

[CTcummins24V]

I just swapped the P275/55r20s for some LT275/70r17 Es on my 2018 chevy 1500 crew cab 4x4. Door sticker says run 35psi for the P tires, do I need to run higher pressures for the Es for daily driving? 35psi on the Ps wore well on my other 1/2 ton, while 40-42psi wore the centers out quicker. But 35psi with these Es makes the front tires squat like crazy so now I’m running 40-45psi and it still feels a little squishy...

[Mopar1973Man]

Here is a way to get the pressure close to right.

 

Edited November 5, 2018 by Mopar1973Man

[CTcummins24V]

GVWR 7200 lb

Front GAWR 3950 lb

Rear GAWR 3950 lb

 

Tires 80 psi max, 3195 lb max load

 

This comes out to 50 psi all around...

[AH64ID]

New tires often feel squishy for 500-1000 miles, so it may not be the air pressure. A 70 series sidewall will also flex a lot more than a 55 series. 

 

I use this chart quite often. 

 

https://www.toyotires.com/media/2125/application_of_load_inflation_tables_20170203.pdf

 

Top of page 23 has your tire size. 

 

35 psi will give you 4000lbs per axle, loaded evenly. 

Edited November 6, 2018 by AH64ID

[Mopar1973Man]

4 hours ago, CTcummins24V said:

GVWR 7200 lb

Front GAWR 3950 lb

Rear GAWR 3950 lb

 

Tires 80 psi max, 3195 lb max load

 

This comes out to 50 psi all around...

 

Wrong... Scale weight of each axle NOT GVWR!

 

[CTcummins24V]

Thanks guys. Don't know when I can hit the scales, so I'll run them around 35-40psi for now. Out to work yesterday, ran 50psi, way too bouncy. Ran 40psi on the way home, ran pretty good. My main concern is even tire wear. 

[Mopar1973Man]

Scales are needed for either method.

[AH64ID]

54 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Scales are needed for either method.

 

To do it properly yes, but you can set it for GAWR and watch the wear pattern. Luckily on a 1/2 ton the empty weight and the GAWR won’t be that different. 

 

I’d guess 35 is where he ends up for even wear. 

[Mopar1973Man]

Even my little 1500 Dodge has different front and rear pressures because of very different axle weights. 

[AH64ID]

Absolutely, but finding a scale isn’t always that feasible for many people. 

 

There are plenty of good ways to determine proper pressure without a scale. I like the chart as a starting point if you don’t have easy/free access to a scale. 

I wouldn’t go much below 30 anyhow for any rig that might see 55+ frequently, regardless of weight. 

[Mopar1973Man]

Just remember GAWR is the absolute maximum weight of the axles. So even using that number it will be below that specified pressure.

 

As for scales... Just in my travels, I know of at least 4 free scales I pass 3 times a week. Truck scales are every where and if you simply ask a lot of times the shop or shop will hand write down your numbers. Like I know of another scale on a public road in Nyssa, ID you can access and scale on your own. There is another trucker scale over in Horsebend, ID that is always on. Just drive up and look at the display. Scales are everywhere just most people just don't think about it.

[CTcummins24V]

I just hit an individual wheel scale at our test site today, I’ll do the math later

1320 and 1430 for the rears

1720 and 1730 for the fronts

that’s 6,200

 

 

[AH64ID]

2 hours ago, CTcummins24V said:

I just hit an individual wheel scale at our test site today, I’ll do the math later

1320 and 1430 for the rears

1720 and 1730 for the fronts

that’s 6,200

 

 

 

Those weights are off the bottom of the chart. 

 

Run 35 psi and see how it wears.