
Originally Posted by
T.G.G. Moogly

Originally Posted by
Wiploc
My belief is this: If you have the axel loaded to maximum legal capacity, then you should have the tires inflated to the legal maximum (per the tire and the door). But if you have only half that much weight on the tire, you should have only half that much pressure in the tire.
Not that I check the axle weight or do that math, but that's what I was once told I should do.
That sounds like the tire would be under inflated. I've never heard of such an arrangement.
Suppose you have a tire rated to carry 5000 pounds when inflated with 50 psi.
If you inflated it to 100 psi, it would bulge in the middle (of the surface that is supposed to be flat on the road), causing reduced traction and uneven tread wear.
You could accomplish exactly the same thing by leaving the psi at 50 but reducing the load to 2500 pounds.
That said, let me make two points:
1. I'm no expert. I'm just parroting what I was told.
2. I have no way to weigh each wheel, so I just run at the pressure suggested by the door plate.