RV OWNER’S FIELD GUIDE · TOWING, CHASSIS & ROAD
Tire Pressure by Load Chart
The number stamped on a tire sidewall is the pressure at maximum load capacity — it’s not automatically the correct pressure for your rig. The right pressure is a function of actual per-tire weight, and it comes from a load/inflation table, not a rule of thumb.
Using a load/inflation table
Every tire manufacturer publishes a load/inflation table matching PSI to load capacity for that specific tire model and size. Once you know your actual per-axle weight from a scale ticket, divide each axle by two to get per-tire load. That includes each axle of a tandem, since every axle has two tires. Only a dual-wheel axle (four tires on one axle, like a motorhome drive axle) divides by four. If you weighed each side separately, use the heavier side for both tires on that axle. Then match that figure to the table to find the correct PSI — not the tire’s max sidewall rating, and not a generic 80 PSI guess.
Underinflation relative to actual load is the single most common cause of RV tire failure — it generates heat inside the tire that the sidewall wasn’t built to dissipate at highway speed.
Setting pressure cold, checking it often
Always set and check pressure when tires are cold — before driving, or after several hours parked. Pressure rises naturally as tires heat up during driving; adjusting a hot tire down to your target cold pressure leaves it underinflated once it cools.
A TPMS gives you real-time pressure monitoring on the road, which catches a slow leak long before it becomes a blowout. Weigh your rig first using our CAT scale guide, then set pressure from the table — in that order.
Shop tire air gauges at Tire Rack →
OUR TOOL KIT
Tire pressure gear
AstroAI digital tire pressure gauge — Check pressure cold, before you drive.
VIAIR 300P portable air compressor — 150 PSI, enough to air up a low tire at the roadside. Same pick as our recommended gear page.
TST 507 TPMS (4 cap sensors, color display) — Pressure and temperature per tire, so a slow leak shows up before a blowout.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.