Check the air in your tires when it turns colder

[sixdogs]

Cold air contracts and the perfectly fine air pressure of the summer can drop low enough to cause problems in cooler weather. Cold air contracts and warm air expands; you can look it up.

You can actually slip a bead off the rim and I once did just that on a 12 ply ag tire. The bead/cord was so stiff I spent part of a day try to re-seat the bead. Then another part removing the wheel, hooking up the trailer and taking it to a truck stop to get it inflated. It was a Sunday so no tire trucks to call and I needed it now.

Recently, while hauling a bigger trailer, my dash lights told me my tire pressure was in the middle 20's on the truck and that surely would or could have created a dangerous tire roll or overweight tire issue. You would have thought I knew better.

Anyway, check and pump up all of your tires for the cooler weather and add a little more if going into winer storage. I even pump up radials because I've learned some brands or lines can actually develop flat and hard to remove spots from from sitting. My 7psi rears now have 21 lbs till spring. Just my free and hard-learned PSA while I'm waiting forever for the wife to get out of the shower. This is like shopping for shoes with her.

 

[bmg88201]

Great topic, I always check my tires on my cars when the cold weather begins. I have found that my the tires will be 5-8 lbs low, which to me is a lot. Many folks seem to ignore tire pressure to start with, much less add air in the winter. I welded up some little stands to keep my mower’s weight off the tires while it sits all winter to prevent hard flat spots from occurring. Plus I put tubes in my mower tires so worrying about losing the bead seal was eliminated. You can get longer life out of your tires if inflated properly.

 

[sixdogs]

Great topic, I always check my tires on my cars when the cold weather begins. I have found that my the tires will be 5-8 lbs low, which to me is a lot. Many folks seem to ignore tire pressure to start with, much less add air in the winter. I welded up some little stands to keep my mower’s weight off the tires while it sits all winter to prevent hard flat spots from occurring. Plus I put tubes in my mower tires so worrying about losing the bead seal was eliminated. You can get longer life out of your tires if inflated properly.

Yes on the longer tread life out of tires. I can get 75,000 miles out of Michelin pickup truck tires because I rotate every 5000 mi. Some of my friends complain they only get 45000 miles from theirs. Of course, they don't rotate and I'll bet don't check the air pressure.

 

[oosik]

Thanks sixdogs. Soon as we get another clear day. I will drag the pump over to the tractor and check it out. Truck is much easier. Beyond the inflation monitoring system - I check them every month.