---
title: "What Should RV Tires Be Inflated To?"
url: "https://camperfaqs.com/what-should-rv-tires-be-inflated-to"
author: "Tory Jon"
published: "2026-10-23T13:39:55-05:00"
modified: "2026-10-23T13:40:35-05:00"
---

# What Should RV Tires Be Inflated To?

Bring up tire pressure around a campfire, and it's guaranteed you’ll start an argument.

 

One RVer swears by the number on the sidewall. Another goes by the sticker on the camper. A third says you can’t know until you weigh the rig and check a load chart.

 

Here’s the surprise: depending on your RV and tires, any one of them could be right. The trick is knowing which rule applies to yours.

 

## Takeaway

 

**Start with the tire pressure listed on your RV’s sticker or in its owner’s manual. Check it before driving, while the tires are cold.**

 

Different replacement tires may need a different setting. Some manufacturers also give instructions for choosing pressure based on the RV’s loaded weight. Stay within the pressure limits of your tires, wheels, and valves, and don’t overload the RV.

 

**Keep reading for the full picture before changing your pressure**, including when to use the sticker, sidewall number, or a load chart, and what to do when pressure rises after driving.

 

## Start with the label on your RV

 

Look for the tire-and-loading information label or the tire information on the vehicle’s certification label. Your owner’s manual may also provide the recommendation.

 

As [Josh the RV Nerd explains in his tire-pressure video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIOEEvqJRc4), the pressure marked on the tire and the pressure recommended for the vehicle can differ. Front and rear tires may also need different settings, so read the recommendation for each axle.

 

Finding the sticker can sometimes take a little looking. Common locations include the entry door frame and the wall behind the driver’s seat on Class A motorhomes.

 

| RV type | Where to look |
| --- | --- |
| Travel trailer or fifth wheel | Driver’s side exterior toward the front, usually near the VIN tag |
| Class B or Class C motorhome | Driver’s door frame |
| Class A motorhome | Around the driver’s seat or the entry door frame; check the owner’s manual for the exact location |

 

Compare the installed tires with the specifications listed on the label. A different size, tire type, or load range means you should check replacement requirements before assuming the original pressure still applies.

 

## Weigh the RV even if you use the label pressure

 

The specified tires, wheels, and cold pressures are intended to support the RV’s rated loads. Using that pressure still leaves you responsible for keeping the loaded vehicle within those limits.

 

The [U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association’s RV tire-care guidance](https://www.ustires.org/sites/default/files/2024-08/Care%20and%20Service%20of%20Passenger%20and%20Light%20Truck%20Tires%202017_0.pdf) explains that weight must stay within the vehicle’s gross vehicle weight rating, or GVWR, and each axle’s gross axle weight rating, or GAWR. Individual tires and dual pairs must also remain within their capacities. An axle can be below its rating while carrying too much weight on one side.

 

Have the RV weighed as you travel, with occupants, supplies, fuel, and the water you normally carry. Individual wheel-position weights reveal imbalances that a total vehicle weight or axle weight can hide.

 

Exceeding a rating calls for removing weight or correcting its distribution before travel. Extra air cannot raise the RV’s GVWR or GAWR.

 

## When the sidewall pressure is the recommended setting

 

Sidewall markings describe the tire’s pressure and load ratings. The vehicle label gives the RV manufacturer’s recommended setting for its specified tires.

 

Sometimes those numbers match. For example, an RV label specifying 80 PSI cold and a tire marked with an 80 PSI maximum cold pressure call for the same setting.

 

Some tire manufacturers also specifically recommend the sidewall maximum for their trailer tires. [Carlstar’s trailer-tire FAQ](https://connect.carlstargroup.com/faq) directs owners to maintain the maximum PSI recommended on the sidewall, measured cold and in the shade.

 

An owner following that instruction may be using the correct pressure for those tires. Applying it to every travel trailer and motorhome would go beyond that guidance.

 

**Before using a sidewall-based setting, confirm that the cold pressure is within the tire, wheel, and valve ratings.** This check applies to original equipment and replacement tires.

 

Conflicting instructions need to be resolved for your combination. Give the RV manufacturer and tire manufacturer your RV’s year and model, full tire specifications, and the pressures listed on the vehicle and tire. Choosing whichever number is higher or lower leaves the conflict unresolved.

 

## Where load-and-inflation tables fit in

 

A load table shows how much weight a particular tire can support at different cold pressures. Some motorhome manufacturers tell owners to use those tables with measured wheel loads.

 

[Newmar’s instructions](https://www.newmarcorp.com/lifestyle/blog/tire-pressure-monitoring-and-adjustments) are one example. The company tells owners to load the coach for travel, including water, fuel, occupants, and supplies, then weigh each wheel position. Pressure is selected using the applicable tire guidance and the heavier side of each axle. Both sides receive the same setting, although front and rear axle pressures can differ.

 

Dividing an axle’s weight in half gives you an average. Selecting pressure from that average can leave the heavier side without enough tire capacity.

 

Other manufacturers give different instructions. For motorhomes fitted with LT-designated or medium-duty truck tires, [Toyo’s RV bulletin](https://www.toyotires.com/media/1496/tsd-12-013_rv_motorhome_tire_inflation_safety_maintenance_0.pdf) calls for maintaining placard pressure with original-equipment tires and direct replacements of the same size and load range. Toyo declines to recommend a lower setting simply because measured loads are below GAWR, explaining that placard pressure provides a reserve above what the actual load requires.

 

**Use a load-based adjustment when the instructions for your RV and tires support it.** Finding a lower pressure in a chart is not enough reason to reduce the placard setting.

 

The chart must also match the tire. [Michelin’s RV load-table instructions](https://business.michelinman.com/people-transportation/rv/load-and-inflation-tables) tell owners to match their sidewall markings to the applicable table and contact a dealer if they cannot find a match. Its RV tables report weight by axle end, including the combined load on a dual pair. Michelin also specifies equal pressure across an axle and warns against exceeding the wheel’s pressure limit.

 

Set all tires on an axle to the same recommended **cold** pressure. Different axles may need different settings.

 

“Dual tires” are two tires mounted side by side at the same axle end. A typical tandem-axle travel trailer has two axles, with a single tire at each end. Read the table’s units and single-versus-dual headings before comparing them with your scale weights.

 

## Changed tires? Confirm the pressure again

 

Replacing tires is a good time to have the installer confirm the required cold pressure, especially when changing size, tire type, or load range.

 

A higher sidewall number alone is not a reason to increase pressure. Use the confirmed recommendation for your RV and replacement tires, including any applicable instruction to use the sidewall maximum.

 

[Airstream’s replacement-tire guidance](https://support.airstream.com/hc/en-us/articles/360030786672-What-kind-of-tires-can-I-use-on-my-trailer-when-it-s-time-to-replace-them) calls for checking load capacity, wheel-well clearance, possible braking effects from a diameter change, and compatibility between increased pressure and the rim’s maximum rating.

 

Valve stems have limits too. The [USTMA valve bulletin](https://www.ustires.org/system/files/files/2024-08/TISB%2040%20No%205.pdf) warns against using a valve rated for 65 PSI in a tire-and-wheel assembly rated above that pressure. Inflation above 65 PSI requires a suitable high-pressure valve.

 

Confirm that the replacement provides the required capacity at the approved pressure. Equipment that cannot carry the load within its ratings needs to be corrected before travel.

 

## Check pressure before each travel day

 

“Cold” describes the tire’s condition when you measure it. [NHTSA defines a cold tire](https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/tires) as one that has not been driven for at least three hours. A warm summer morning can still be the right time for a cold-pressure check.

 

Before heading out:

 
- Use an accurate gauge, preferably before direct sunlight heats the tires.
- Check every tire, including inner duals and the spare.
- Replace missing or damaged valve caps with suitable caps.
- Investigate unexplained pressure loss.

 

Seasonal changes and trips between warmer and colder climates can change cold readings. Recheck and adjust to the recommended cold setting as temperatures change.

 

For a broader maintenance checklist, see our [RV tire-pressure tips covering routine checks, spare tires, TPMS, and inspections](https://camperfaqs.com/8-critical-tire-pressure-tips-every-rver-should-know).

 

## Leave normal pressure increases alone

 

Tire pressure normally rises as the tires warm during driving. **Do not release air just to bring a warm tire back to its recommended cold setting.** That can leave it underinflated after it cools.

 

[Michelin’s RV guide](https://cxf-prod.azureedge.net/b2b-experience-production/attachments/cmao65a3u04hn01oejyxmgeu9-rv-tires-brochure-e-may2025.pdf) explains this increase and recommends checking tires in the morning before long trips. The guide also says a tire pressure monitoring system can warn of low pressure but cannot replace manual tire inspections.

 

For a configurable TPMS, follow the system manufacturer’s setup instructions using the confirmed cold-pressure settings for your tires.

 

Unexpected pressure loss needs attention. A tire that has been run flat or seriously underinflated can have internal damage, and reinflating it can be dangerous. Get professional help before adding air or driving farther.

 

With dual tires, have both inspected after one has been run seriously underinflated. The companion tire may have carried too much weight while the other was low.