LBZ: Suggestions for PSI with H2's and 285's when towing?

[306LBZ]

I tow a 36' fifthwheel 5 days a week with the truck in my sig and want to know what a good psi setting would be. I left them at about 60 or so for the first couple weeks and have been ok but today was icy and some hills took some finess on the pedal to get up. The fifthwheel weighs about (rough educated guess) 7500lbs-9000 lbs max when loaded. Trailer itself is 5500 Lbs and the cargo is roughly 2-3000lbs or so. Wheels and tires are 17" H2 Boulders onn 285 70 17 BFG AT's E Range (10 ply). What PSI is best for my situation?

[306LBZ]

That many views and not a single suggestion hey. Oh well I guess. Well I had set my tires at 55 psi all around when I was daily driving unloaded when winter hit and it worked perfectly for the weather. I left it like this for a week and a half while towing 5 days a week and it seemed to work fine too. The tires werent bulging much if at all with the trailer on. But yesterday I aired the fronts to about 55 - 57 psi and the rears to 65. It seemes ok but traction was better in the half foot of snow on the roads with the 10 lbs less before. The door sticker says 55 front and 80 rear (for stock tires) I thought bigger tires would need more psi but I seemed to have better results with traction with a little less psi. Not sure on the facts just going by feel here. Anyone got some solid info to lead me in the right direction or different options with reasons for running specific psi?
Ill add also im NOT at max load by any means. A good estimate for the trailer is 8000-8500 lbs loaded.

[Dmax 5th Wheel]

On my 245's when towing/hauling I bump my rears from 62 (empty) to 80 psi.

[ElCaminoManT]

i run my nittos at 60psi front and 80psi rear when my 5er is hitched up. however, at around 15k, its a bit heavier than what your hauling so you might not have to run so high. unloaded i run at 60psi front and 50psi rear. we dont have this 'snow' stuff you speak of either so i cant help with that part, sorry

[dozerboy]

Less PSI is always better for winter driving(traction) just don't go to low obviously.

Bigger tire doesn't mean more PSI. PSI is PSI it takes a larger volume of air to get a bigger tire to the same PSI as a smaller.

I would say you are fine at 55F and 60R if you really need the extra traction. 65R would be better. You could try and get some more weight on the hitch to get you more traction too.

[306LBZ]

Thanks for the opinion dozerboy , I know less psi is better but just am unsure of what too low really is... Ill probably put the rear back down to 60 next week and review the results again.

On another note my door sticker says fronts 55psi and rears 80 psi Am I the oddball out or is this correct? I was certain most guys say there 's says 65 front or am I just mixing something up here?

[dozerboy]

Ya they all say that, but its just a guideline. A lot could dictate what what you run the fronts at mostly how it feels on the road. 65 on them seem like a lot to me especially at your weight.

[306LBZ]

Right on thats what I was hoping to hear. Thanks man.

[plowboy_lbz]

on a 10 ply tire i would run at least 65 in the rear (loaded). if the load is squirrely or the side wall is really compressed (with a large load) you can go up to 80 psi. i usually run my rears between 65 and 70. on the front i never run more than 55 psi. any more than that and it ride rough. my tires wear just fine. all the front tire is supporting is the front of the truck, so its load is constant.

[buildingup]

Why not just look at the side wall and run the PSI they recommend when your towing? Then just lower down when unhooked from the trailer.