Starcraft RV Owners Forum

Yes there is. Tire manufacturers want that tire set at 65 when cold, and have engineered into the tire expansion on a hot highway.

From our 4 wheel TT TPMS we have found the sun raises the tire temp more than rolling around does. Sometimes the sunny side is 10 degrees higher than the shady side.

My tires say 50PSI. When I take it into the tire place to have it checked before a road trip they check the ratings and say, 'yes' they the recommended psi is 50psi. Can't recall what tire brand they are. I suspect they came with the trailer, but not sure since the trailer was 6 months old when we bought it from the dealer that sold it (the original owners traded it in on a motor home). I enjoyed reading the tire pressure comments. Love this forum.

That is my understanding as well. The psi rating is what you measure and set COLD. Expansion is expected .

Underinflation makes the tires run hotter when rolling down the road. The flexing of the rubber heats the tires causing the failure.

Inflate all tires to the sidewall specs, performed when cold.

Your tires will get hotter when rolling down the road and as the sun shines on one side more than the other. The tire manufacturers are aware of this and build this into the tires. Hence the reason to measure the pressure on cold tires.

I upgraded the valve stems on my tow vehicle after a valve stem failure, such a small little bugger can be a real pain! Much better to do the preventative work ahead.

Didn't know that. I'll keep that in mind when I replace my TT tires.

The last time I blew a tire, I was lucky to be near a tire dealer that knew his stuff. The tire was shredded, so I thought the tire had failed. Not so, says this expert after he examined it. He said the valve stem failed first causing the tire to go flat in a matter of seconds.

According to him the weakest link in a tire is the valve stem. Ordinary run of the mill rubber valve stems are rated for 65 psi. Better ones are made of neoprene and have thicker inside shoulders and can handle 80-100 psi. Guess which type gets installed on RV trailers?

I always fill my tires to the max cold pressure listed on the sidewall which is 65 psi before I hit the road. I have a TST TPMS system on the tires, and during the summer in hot climates I see pressures in the low to mid 70 psi range. I've never had a problem. So my recommendation is to fill your tires to the pressure listed on the sidewall and maybe purchase a TPMS for your trailer so you can monitor them.

hikerjoe wrote:Have a new Starcraft 26.5 trailer. The maximum tire pressure on the tires that came with the trailer is 65. The required pressure as per the manual is 65. We are concerned with this. There is no room for expansion on the road with these requirements. What do you folks think?

Have the Tow Max tires on our 2014 AR; max pressure, 65. I run them at 65, no issues.
Matter of fact, this past winter I inflated them to 85 for storage. Forgot I had inflated them and drove the thing 30 miles to the house on the over inflated tires. Not the smartest move, but no issues with the tires.

I also found the recommended tire pressure on the data sheet to say 65psi cold. Called the dealer and they recommended setting them at 55psi. I did this but I'm not to comfortable with the recommendation.

STARCRAFT COMET - Model 1021 - 2014

Thanks,
Mark