Couple more N00b questions

[LagunaH1]

HI everyone,

When you guys wheel your trucks, what tire pressure do you air down to? Running stock tires and rims, what's the lowest safe pressure one can run without risk of popping a bead?

I'm not used to having to worry about the rear diff (former truck didn't have live axles) - is it common to add some form of protection to the rear diff?

[Snowsled]

My go to pressures on the stock wheels and tires are 50 fr / 45 rr on the road unloaded or lightly loaded. On the rocky trails we have here, no mud or sand to speak of, I run 25 fr and 20 rr. This improves the ride and contact patch without giving up much clearance.

The truck really needs 35's to help compensate, 37s would be even better with a 1.5" level and minor trimming in the front wells. The worst part of the new front suspension are the low hanging leading arms. Where you used to get some extra room under the axle vs the diff, now you might as well get that out of your mind. There is almost nowhere you can sneak that rock under now. Mine have taken several hits off road. No damage but they really do limit clearance under the front axle. The big 11.5 rear hangs down pretty good too but the diff pumpkins are pretty beefy front and rear. I haven't had any issues there though diff gaurds are always a good idea IMO. I have had it high centered on the skid plates too, they work... Again, bigger tires are the real solution, put them high on the list.

[LagunaH1]

bigger tires are the real solution

I hear ya... it's the ONLY way to buy more genuine clearance

[RustyPW]

Stock wheels and tires. When I had them on the PW. I dropped them down to 18psi front and rear. With 35's. I still drop them down to 18psi. Anytime you go off-road. You take the chance of popping a bead. No matter what the air pressure. Either that or punching a hole in the sidewall. Done both at road pressure and off-road pressure.

[walc]

My go to pressures on the stock wheels and tires are 50 fr / 45 rr on the road unloaded or lightly loaded.

My 2016 SLT, with stock tires and wheels, has a tire placard, on the door, that says 60 lbs front and 65 lbs rear is the correct pressure?

[Bill2014]

My go to pressures on the stock wheels and tires are 50 fr / 45 rr on the road unloaded or lightly loaded.

My 2016 SLT, with stock tires and wheels, has a tire placard, on the door, that says 60 lbs front and 65 lbs rear is the correct pressure?

You will get lots of differing opinions here on this site about appropriate tire pressures. I keep my pressures up near the tire max most of the time because it suits my driving style and loading conditions. And I still manage to wear out the tread uniformly from center to edge for the most part with a rotation schedule. In really loose soil or crawling, very low pressures (20 psi or around) do work better. The power wagon rims are designed differently to keep the tires locked on at these lower pressures.

[walc]

Bill2014, Thanks for the info.

[waldo]

I don't go too low in the front. I had them at 20 one time and I was creeping down a really steep incline, looked about flat with all the weight thrown forward on them.

[2wagons1driveway]

20 psi front and rear seems to work well it looks alittle sketchy sometimes on stock tires but if you keep the speed down you'll be okay seems to be a great pressure for 37's to run them at like 18psi in the back and maybe 20-22psi front


Sent from Canada

[2wagons1driveway]

I would seriously look at Carli diff gaurd for front and also a heavy duty 1:/4" diff cover for the rear of your truck to help with offroad accidents it happens so quick you'll peel the factory diff cover up just alittle and dump a ton of fluid on the trail!


Sent from Canada

[RAM4ROKS]

I have a Carli diff guard in the front, it takes a licking and keeps on ticking, LOL! (seriously, it has gotten quite a beating!) For the rear diff, I have a cover (I forget what brand, a reputable one though) but have not installed it yet due to the drain and fill plugs not threading in correctly. Once I fix that issue, I will install it. I am very cautious of my current lack of rear diff protection.

On stock tires (BFG all terrains), I don't recall going lower than about 20psi front and 15psi rear offroad. (60psi front and 45psi rear on road (light load setting according to stock recommendations on my 2012))
With my 37s (Nitto Trail Grapplers), I usually run 15psi front and 12psi rear offroad. (40psi front and 35psi rear on road)

Be careful when aired down as the vehicle will handle VERY differently and sudden maneuvers could not only peel the tire off the bead but could also result in a loss of control or a roll!

[LagunaH1]

Be careful when aired down as the vehicle will handle VERY differently and sudden maneuvers could not only peel the tire off the bead but could also result in a loss of control or a roll!

Yes, definitely. On my old truck I would usually go down to 18 PSI and get a nice comfy "floaty" ride off road.

[rgoode]

bigger tires are the real solution

I hear ya... it's the ONLY way to buy more genuine clearance

Portal axles are another way to buy more genuine clearance...but you definitely have to spend a nice chunk of change to buy it.

[Will]

I would love to have portals

[adeluca73]

I would love to have portals

it's my dream...

[LagunaH1]

bigger tires are the real solution

I hear ya... it's the ONLY way to buy more genuine clearance

Portal axles are another way to buy more genuine clearance...but you definitely have to spend a nice chunk of change to buy it.

I am very familiar with portal hubs. My old truck had them

[Snowsled]

My go to pressures on the stock wheels and tires are 50 fr / 45 rr on the road unloaded or lightly loaded.

My 2016 SLT, with stock tires and wheels, has a tire placard, on the door, that says 60 lbs front and 65 lbs rear is the correct pressure?

The sticker on the door also tells you the truck can only carry 1500 lbs payload. The sticker is government mandated, and like all things government mandated it is seriously flawed. There is absolutely no reason to run max pressure in the rear tires of an unloaded truck. Even with the full rated payload in the bed you do not need 65 psi to safely carry the load. If it makes you feel "safe" then by all means. The extra pressure does nothing but kill the ride.

Portals aren't very expensive. You can buy a whole truck with portals for under $10k... Adding portals to something not designed for them would be expensive however.

[Bill2014]

Yeah - still at 60-65 psi here - but not 80 like the standard 2500's (the stock tires can't handle that pressure).
If you're not happy with your rating, then do what you need to (equipment and other) to get it changed. If you're not a licensed engineer, then find someone to help you out. And most importantly, register for the higher rating to avoid overload tickets! (I'm regestered for 10,000 lb as opposed to 8,510)

[RustyPW]

Here's a 35" Cooper SST with 20psi at Moab.