Trust BFG or Chalk Test on tire pressure?

I have a stock 2010 Tacoma TRD Offroad and I recently installed 265/70/r16 BFG All terrains that have a max pressure of 65 PSI. The tire shop set these at 50 PSI and I felt this seemed high for this truck.

I researched this forum and tried the chalk test and set them at 35 PSI (could probably still go lower).

I contacted BFG directly to get their input and they said 50-55 psi (knowing what truck I have) because the tire has a stonger side wall.

Checked around with a few other places and this is what I got for answers:

Toyota Dealership-35PSI
Tire Rack Customer Support -What my door panel says =29-32 PSI
Another Tire installation Company- 38 PSI

Has anyone had problems with BFG All Terrains at sub 35 PSI? I feel uneasy about ignoring what the BFG is telling me but suspect I should.

 

Chalk test, with and with out a load in bed

I chalked tested my tires (not BFG's) with no load and then with about 450lbs in bed (normal daily load). I found that 32 psi was what I needed.

 

Go by what is on the door panel. That is what toyota recommends. I run 30/32 front/rear.
The pressure on the tire is the max. pressure. You don't need that much for such a light truck.

 

If I keep going down based on the chalk test I would probably end up close to what the door says. This value is just greatly different than BFG and the tire installer give me.

What is the max PSI your tires are rated at for comparison?

 

I would go with chalk. The door jam is based on everything being stock and brand new, BFG support is probably based on computer information and possibly customer input. Doing the chalk test will give you an idea of what exactly works for your truck, right now. It would be the most accurate for your unique set-up.

 

I have the bridgestone dueler revo 2's and the max pressure is 44psi.
Before i got these i had the toyo open country all terrains and the max pressure on those was 50psi. I run and ran 30/32 like is on my door panel on all the tires i've had on this truck. That will get you very close and may take a little tweeking to get it just right.(via the chalk line test)

 

If you're tires are at 50 psi, is your tire pressure light on?

50 psi is a little overkill. You'll wear the center tread out much faster than the rest of the tire and you're gonna have a rougher ride, too. 32-35 should be the range to aim for.

 

The psi your tires will require has alot to do with the weight of your truck. Doesn't matter so much as to what tires you have because your truck will still weigh about the same. Now when i load my truck or pull my trailer i always put more air in the tires. It helps to stiffen the sideway up and decrease the amount of flex in the sidewall. Too much sidewall flex can lead to your tire getting to hot and failing.(blowout)

 

How did you arrive at 35 psi with the chalk test? Did the center part start rubbing off at 36 psi? I believe the proper way is to iteratively increase tire pressure until the center starts rubbing off.

 

I only had it at 50 PSI for the ride home and the light was not on.

 

At 35 PSI it was still wearing more in the center than the side so I could still lower the pressure some, but was hesitant because what BFG and tire installer is telling me.

 

Trust me man, you should put them to what is on your door jam. Then adjust them from there by doing the chalk test.

 

Any idea how much lower I can go on these BFG 's before this really is a concern? That is really my fear.

 

i wouldn't go any lower than whats on your door jam. Unless your offroading or in snow and going really slow and need the extra traction.

 

Thanks for the rereassurance, I will take them down a little more

 

Stronger sidewalls give you the OPTION to run more pressure for heavier weight and loads. It does not mean you should run it that high at lower loads.

Just because you have 400 HP does not mean you SHOULD drive 100 mph everywhere... just that you CAN if you wish to. Or just becasue a truck CAN haul 10,000 pounds does not mean you SHOULD haul 10,000 pounds all day long.

If you have the need for more presure due to a heavier trailer you CAN air them up to the necessary pressure for that load. For no load you will need 28-32 PSI.

 

Had anyone tracked gas mileage changes at different pressures? The standard line is MPG is reduced at lower pressures. FYI I have my BFGs at 40, which is what the dealer set them at coming off the lot (I negotiated for BFG A/Ts in place of the Rugged Trails).

 

Wish I had negotiated, I replaced the rugged trails at 8,200 miles.

 

You will get better mpg with a higher psi, because only the center of the tread is touching the pavement. 40 psi is too much on our trucks. Ideally you want your tires to wear evenly. Bfg a/t's are expensive an you definitely wanna make them last. On a side note, the bfg a/t's are 20 some pounds heavier per tire than the rugged trails. They will make you lose some fuel economy.

 

Well... I would put them between 35-45. It seems to smooth the ride out witout you jarring yourself. Unless you're fully loaded down both in the bed and towing, there's no need for you EVER run max inflation. I run my load range e km2s at 45psi with a smooth ride. Ifyoure on the stock size id go 35-40. Ifyoure 265-75-16, depending which load rating, either 35-45. It all depends on what feels smoky for your personal taste. Feel free to PM with any other questions you may have.