Huge Ride Improvement - Cost? $11

[creativepart]

Last month I finally got around to weighing my 2017 Adventurer for the first time. I was able to weigh each position separately and with a full tank of gas and a full tank of fresh water. The coach was loaded for a normal trip except for food in the fridge and my wife not being on board. It cost $11 using the CAT scale app at a Pilot 25 miles from my home. (Of course, I added estimated weights for clothes, food and my wife to the weights, don't worry.)

I've been running my tires a tad higher than the max posted on the placard next to the driver's chair. 95 psi on the fronts and 103 on the rears. I travel with an EEZ TPMS system and keep track of my tire pressures and temps on the road.

We have installed Sumo Springs all around and a Roadmaster Steering Stabilizer. These have improved drivability but not the hard, jarring, banging ride on even moderately bad roads.

With my four-corner weights in hand I was able to consult the Michelin tire inflation charts and decide what PSI settings would be safe for my RV. The charts suggested MUCH lower tire pressures than I was running. Really low. But lower than I felt safe in using. So, I settled at 80 psi on the front tires and 90 psi on the rears - Michelin's numbers were 70/80 front/rear.

We're on a very short 4-day getaway trip 150 miles from home. But the ride here was MUCH more pleasant. It was pretty instantly noticeable on the ride side of things, but quieter as well. I also found it easier to drive.

Naturally, I'll keep an eye on the wear patterns on the tires and make sure they don't lose a little air and dip even lower. I certainly don't want to risk a blow out.

If you haven't weighed your Motorhome and determined your tire pressure I suggest you make it a priority, not only for safety's sake, but for driving/riding comfort as well.

[BobC]

From what I've read, the table pressures are minimums and the best practice is to inflate to 110% of the table pressures for a given weight.

Additionally all wheels on an axle need to be inflated to 110% of the PSI indicated for the heaviest side of the axle. For example, if the weight on the left side of an axle is 5700# and on right is 6000#, you'd inflate each tire based on the PSI indicated for a 12000# axle weight instead of the actual 11,700# axle weight. This will ensure that 1) all tires on an axle are at the same psi and 2) no tire is inflated below the psi required by the weight it's carrying.

[creativepart]

Yes, of course, I weighed each side and used the highest weight as the base number for both sets of tires on a axle.

Also as indicated in my post. I’m more that 10% higher than the psi chart per axle. Michelin says 70psi on the fronts and I’m at 80 (81 actually) and the chart says 80psi rears and I’m at 90 (92psi actually).

I always set my pressure on the high side a pound or two.

[Meridian42e]

I did the same thing - love that new CAT app "weighmytruck" that lets you pull on the scale and do it all from your phone.

Dropped mine to 90 in the rear (from 120). I had to keep the front at 110 as the front axle is pretty loaded.