I recently purchased a 2500 (3/4 ton) Chevy Suburban. It came with new Michelin tires. The truck specs call for the tires to be inflated to 50 psi front and 70 psi back. Darn, you feel every bump or rock on the road. What a rough ride. Any suggestions on fixing this? Changing tires or load range? The truck calls for a load range of E. These tires are as hard as a rock.

Thanks in advance

 

With that high of air pressure they will be hard as a rock. Where did you get the pressure specs? If you got them off the side of the tire that is the maximum pressure the tires are rated for. My decal on my Tahoe calls for 32psi but I
keep them at 40psi and they too are pretty hard. I would think that 38 to 40 would be more that adequate for you.What size tires do you have?

 

Jim,

It sounds like you have a 1/2 ton (1500) Tahoe, my older 1/2 ton Suburban called for 32 psi also.

The label on the door panel says the pressure on the front tires should be 50 psi, the label calls for the rear tires to be 71 psi.

The tires are Michelin LT245/75R16 with a max pressure of 80 psi cold.

Believe me I feel every crack in the road. I knew there would be some difference in the ride between a 1/2 ton and a 3/4 ton, I just didn't think it would be that big of a difference.

 

Welcome to the forum.

I believe the 2500 also has a stiffer suspension. I'd try dropping the pressure to about 40-45psi unless I needed the extra load capacity.

 

Yes 4wheeler ,I do have the 1/2 ton and I agree with 73shark's comments. Tire pressure affects ride comfort but go too low and tire wear can be affected as well as heat build up.

 

Shark,

I tried dropping the air pressure on the rear tires to 50 psi, the low air pressure warning light came on on the dash board and stayed on. I checked the owners manual and I could not see a way to turn that warning light off. If anyone knows how to turn this light out please let me know, I would appreciate it.

 

I think that I read somewhere that the parameters for the TPM system are set in the Bcm but it is surprising that 50 psi is the low value.

 

the harsh ride is product of the 2500's torsion bars and the E range tires. I'm running 265 duratracs on my 2500. I'm running 54psi front and 66 psi rear. the ride is no worse than the stock 245 transforce tires that came stock

 

Another thing to consider is this. Are your tires the same size as stock? If you have bigger or smaller tires then what is stock(also what is labeled on the door frame) then you want to go off of what it says on the tires. If you inflate you what it says on the tire, then your golden for towing and such. If your just bummin around with less or no load, you could drop the psi but 10-15 psi

 

Mercracing,

Yes the tires are stock, the same size as called for on the door panel. And like I said it also says 50 psi front, 71 psi rear. If I lower the press more than 10 psi I get a lower tire pressure warning light on the dash. As far as I know that light stays on until you inflate the tires.