Safety Practices For PSI And Temperature For Trailer Tires And Wheels

Question:

Hi…I have load range G tires on my trailer which have a max cold pressure of 110psi. My trailer’s wheels also have a max pressure rating of 110psi. I noticed when I start towing at the max cold pressure my TPMS shows tire pressure increasing, approaching 120 and beyond. Do I need to be concerned about the trailer wheel’s max pressure limit? I figured the tire is designed to handle the increase but wasn’t certain about the wheel.

asked by: Chris

Expert Reply:

As you haul your tires will start to generate heat and the temperature and psi will rise. The rating you're referring to is for when the tire is cold/not in use and is not the actual capacity of the tire. The max cold pressure is set low enough to accommodate a standard amount of heat generated from use and would be the best rating based on the manufacturer's testing so there's nothing to worry about.

A typical trailer tire will run at about 158 degrees Fahrenheit, with 195 degrees being the cutoff point where the tire will start to degrade faster. Tire pressure increases by about 2% for every 10 degrees and each tire is designed to handle this increase as long as you're following the requirements of the tire. You should always fill trailer tires to the max cold psi rating (otherwise the weight capacity of the tire will be reduced) and that you don't exceed the speed rating of the tire.

The wheel itself is more than capable of handling the pressure and heat than the tire is so nothing to worry about there either. The only real rating to watch for the wheel would just be the capacity so that you're not overloading it. For example, the Aluminum Liger Trailer Wheel # LH39FR you were looking at has a 4,080lb capacity so if you got tires with a higher capacity you would still be limited to the lowest capacity of the components.

expert reply by: Kevin C