6 Ply Tire air pressure question

[DaveTM]

So...this year I upgrade my rear tires to a Gator mud tire for my hunting cart. The tire size is 22x11x10, and I had a local tire shop mount them on my rims. This weekend I went mountain hunting and the access road has a lot of flat rocks and is very bumpy (to say the least) and about 1/4 mile uphill to get to where I need to be. In fact, with just me on the cart, consumes about 20% of the battery charge. (48-V, 8-T105's) (the cart fortunately does sit in a nice unheated but new garage that maintains about a 45-degree heat level the night before I pull it out to drive up said hill....errrr....mountain.) However....when I pull it out of the garage, it's 12 degrees and a bit windy!!!

On day 2 about half-way up, my drivers side rear (new) goes flat...off the rim. . To make the story short, when I get it home (we only hunted a few hours on day 2) I checked the air pressure on the "good" tire and it was 2-lb. So, I filled the "bad" tire once I took it off (yes, it popped right back on the rim...tubless mind you) and re-filled to about 25-lbs of pressure.

I then ran soapy water around both rims of each tire and valve to check for leaks and found none.

Now, I look at the tire pressure and it says (to my surprise) that the "bead seat" pressure is 36-PSI and the "Run" pressure is 7-PSI. So, I'm pretty sure that the tire pressure was practically NIL as when the tires were mounted it was 75 degrees, and when I drove up the mountain, it was 12 degrees.

So....my question is....I'm thinking of running this tire in the 15-PSI to 20-PSI range, even though the tire says 7-PSI. I'm certain that what happen (as I see no puncture, sticks, rock puncture in the tire) is the tire pressure went well down because of the extreme cold and I was essentially riding on a tire with no pressure and on very rough conditions.



Any thoughts or comments on my massive brain power idea???

Dave

[cgtech]

Dont run 20+ psi, tire wear and traction will both suffer. Try 10 psi. Pressure does not really decrease too much with cold (something like 5%).

[Sir Nuke]

Dave, the tires I have on my cart are low pressure off road tires as well.....HOWEVER, I do run them a bit "hard" (over pressured like 15 psi) like you are considering.....and I have had no issues at all....but just be aware that after it warms up you may be needed to let some pressure out.

[JohnnieB]

Tire inflation pressure changes about 2% for each 10°F change in temperature and the temperature change was about -63°F, so a 12.6% drop in air pressure would have occurred, which would be less than 1 PSI if they had started out at 7 PSI.

The "Good" tire with only 2 PSI in it leads me to believe they weren't inflated to 7 PSI originally, or you have some very slow leaks.

I'd add checking tire pressures to my monthly maintenance checklist.

As for pressure to run at, I'd stay below 15 PSI.

[DaveTM]

Thanks Gent's. I really appreciate your feedback into this matter. So, after careful consideration....like about 30...or perhaps even 40 seconds of thought.......I think I'm going to split the difference between what Sir-nuke has suggested and what JohnnieB has stated, and run the tires at 12-lbs. And since checking tire pressure is much easier than say.....scrubbing battery terminals, I will do that on a weekly basis during my "climb a mountain" while trying to "whack a bear" hunting days.

It's just easier to load 'em up with good tires than trying to drag 'em out on steel to rock traction.

Dave

[Swan]

my 22x11x10 6 ply tire I run at 12 psi . I grabbed one on the grandkids sidewalk chalk and colored in about a 6 inch area across the tires ( all 4 ) and then ran down the street to see what the wear pattern was , 12 psi wears perfect across the tire .

[kab69440]

That is an ingenious idea Swan! How often these simple solutions elude us...

[labatt50]

Originally Posted by DaveTM

Thanks Gent's. I really appreciate your feedback into this matter. So, after careful consideration....like about 30...or perhaps even 40 seconds of thought.......I think I'm going to split the difference between what Sir-nuke has suggested and what JohnnieB has stated, and run the tires at 12-lbs. And since checking tire pressure is much easier than say.....scrubbing battery terminals, I will do that on a weekly basis during my "climb a mountain" while trying to "whack a bear" hunting days.

It's just easier to load 'em up with good tires than trying to drag 'em out on steel to rock traction.

Dave

I have the same tires tires. I run them at 14/15psi. Hell of tire. Just ran my buggy through stuff I shouldn't have but it kept on moving.... never got stuck. to say the least i'm happy. Ive ran them t 20psi when I'm traveling gravel roads, it does help battery life. I run a similar route, 1/2 mile up hill to the stand, at least the home is a breeze. I'm not concerned with wear, I bought them so I wouldn't get stuck, and I'm sure you did too.

[DaveTM]

Originally Posted by labatt50

...I'm not concerned with wear, I bought them so I wouldn't get stuck, and I'm sure you did too.

Yup.....getting stuck can ruin a day of hunting. And since there is only (for me) really about 6 to maybe 7 actual days I can get out in rifle season....a little overpressure isn't going to mean much.

[DaveTM]

Since the old tires I took off were still in decent shape....or good enough to run in the summer, plus the fact that I now realize I DO need a spare considering where I go, (even though I have tire plugs and air pumps, and CO-2 air canister's) when the tire comes off the rim....I'm in it deep!!! So, I ordered two steel wheels to mount the old tires on. In the summer I'll swap 'em on, and then I will carry one tire as a spare no matter what. I always have a mid-size ammo can with "stuff" that I think I will need should I break down back in the deep, dark, scary woods.....but an extra tire will be helpful should I need it.

FWIW

Dave