Different tire pressures on front tires?????

[KliersLC]

So I was airing up the 94 80s tires after a family snow trip, and noticed that the two front tires show different recommended pressures. The rears and the R/F show 44 PSI and the L/F shows 35.......Tires are 265 toyo open country TXRs or something along those lines from schwabs. all four are identical with the exception that on the end of one of the smaller numbers on the side, the low pressure tire lacks a "B" behind it. The other three have the same number as the low pressure tire, but they have a "B" This "B" is not an important "B" ie not load rating speed rating etc, just a lot number it looks like.

Anyhow, I took it down to schwabs and they said "Oh, thats no problem, just air the one up to 40 and the other three down to 40 and you'll be fine, that number just indicates when it was produced." It sounds like BS to me, and as this is the car, I don't want to take any chances. So I figured that I'd ask the experts. Any advice other than staying away from schwabs
Thanks,
Dan

 

[Romer]

Try contacted the manufacturer to be sure. IF they are all the same tire, they should take the same pressure. You do want them all at the same pressure for ride, gad mileage, tire wear, etc.

I run my BFGs at 35 PSI

 

[Fochdog]

No tire shows a "recommended pressure". The only pressure you will see is the air pressure required for the maximum load rating.

Look at the tires closely & make sure they are the same size and load rating.

 

[Bear80]

I disagree with running all the tires at the same PSI. There is no question that the front of an 80 is heavier than the rear. In my case I have no rear hitch or spare tire (around town). I take the max load/psi for the tires and adjust for either front or rear. Since mine is a fridaynight/datenight driver I run the tires low for a very noticeably smoother ride, 29psi front, 26 psi rear. Usally for a trip I take it up to 34 psi front, 30psi rear(depending on load)

 

[BOUNDER]

Try contacted the manufacturer to be sure. IF they are all the same tire, they should take the same pressure. You do want them all at the same pressure for ride, gad mileage, tire wear, etc.

I run my BFGs at 35 PSI

I agree to the extent I've been told. Living in the land of sunshine, Palm Trees, Maybachs, Bentley's and Roll Royces, my veteran wheel man told me to keep my tires (Mich stockers) at 35psi all the way around - he knows heavy road cars best and the Land Cruiser is the closest thing to the feel and weight of a Rolls there is. So 35 it is.

 

[Darwood]

Can you take a picture of the number for us? Also when did you get these tires? It does sound like you could be looking at a date code.

 

[Bear80]

I've never seen a tire with a "recommended" PSI. Usally the only thing listed is the max PSI under full tire load.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

I think the psi may be listed on the vehicle info plates, ie vehicle specific. IIRC

 

[alaskacruiser]

2ndGen is correct- max PSI is listed on tire, recommended PSI listed on vehicle doorjamb.

 

[KliersLC]

Thats what I meant..(max pressure)

The correct pressure to run them is not the issue, it is why there would be a 9 PSI difference for max pressure in an "identical tire" and is it safe to run like that. IE. running the odd tire at max will likely result in different ride/handling characteristics than the other three at 9 under max.

 

[IdahoDoug]

Without being there it's unfair to speculate, but personally I would call BS and if I'd recently bought them there I'd request a sit down with the manager. Two tires with different load/PSI ratings are two different tires. For instance, I can buy the original LandCruiser Michelin Pmetric tire in two different load ratings. I like the higher ones with (I think) a 44psi max because they're internally different and have higher load ratings. The factory ones I believe are 36psi max or something. You can find these two versions on many tire sites. So, you have two different tires with the same tread and they'll react slightly differently at the same PSI. If a manager gave me flack about it, I'd ask him what his job was worth because I'm sure a nice polite letter to corporate mentioning SUV rollover incidents, mismatched Les Scwhab tires, and that I contacted this guy is visibility he doesn't want.

As for different front/rear pressures from the factory numbers, reconsider this strategy. For a ton of reasons I won't go into, this is an extremely bad idea that bears reconsideration. If you are going to vary tire pressures from factory recommendations there is one number you HAVE to keep constant - the ratio of front to rear pressures. This is absolutely critical to vehicle stability in sudden maneuvers.

DougM

 

[KliersLC]

Thanks Doug, I plan on going back by there this week, the tires were installed a little over a year ago and about 8k