[slowmover]

I'm just about a year into my new life, post-divorce, where the truck has become the "garage" for tools/supplies/equipment. About 4-500/lbs of this will be removed once a new travel trailer is purchased, but some stuff in the current TT will be moved to the truck (truck bed specific toolboxes). Both vehicles will be undergoing changes, maintained, upgraded, etc., and the 130-c/f truck bed is where all this sort of thing is stored. My time to work on projects is limited, thus a place where the dirty stuff can go is a priority.

A recent set of scale weights showed:

Steer Axle: 4,100-lbs (4,750-lbs GAWR)
Drive Axle: 3,860-lbs (6,000-lbs GAWR)
Total: 7,960-lbs (9,000-lbs GVWR)

Individual wheel positions were also weighed, and the truck is within 40-lbs at all four corners.

The second set of OEM-spec MICHELIN LTX A/S tires -- with 11/32's of treadwear remaining at 68k miles -- failed on a highway trip at just over [5] years and were replaced under warranty with all-season MICHELIN LTX M/S2 tires. Same load spec range, and -- while also looked upon by MICHELIN as being "LRR" -- have shown a decrease in mpg (highway) of around 1-1.5/mpg. Still in first several thousand mile break-in period, though.

I expected to replace the A/S tires (closed shoulder, highway rib) with the M/S2 (or BRIDGESTONE Duravis m500) by the seventh year with all season type as the OEM tires were not so hot for wet or loose surface traction. An expected move north in 2014 means snow, and -- short of dedicated snow tires -- the mpg hit was already an acceptable trade-off. Another 2WD CTD owner in metro Denver reported good results with this tire. But I wasn't expecting to take a (retail) "hit" of $1,300 on tires this year. C'est la vie . . . .

With the new tires I'm using the DODGE numbers of 50-psi FF (all conditions) and splitting the difference of from 50 to 70-psi rear at 60-psi at present. After purchasing a new spare tire, I'll rotate more often (expecting shoulder wear on these tires the closed shoulder A/S didn't have) and look to find the "lowest" tire pressure I can run when solo (per CapriRacer the test of: after 1.5-hrs steady-state driving a pressure rise from cold to hot of no more than 10%) where DODGE numbers (projected at 15% load reserve above RMA) are in use.

Highway fuel economy has (at a lighter 7,350-lbs) not been below 24-mpg on level, near sea-level, Interstate higways, with highs of 27 (on a dead-stock truck) when at 58-mph (reference numbers).

Truck handling characteristics being what they are -- and tire wear being low by following DODGE guidelines -- the "supple" quality of proper load range tires via recommended pressure is a distinct aid to handling. Too high pressure in the rear, for example, exacerbates tail-out tendencies (and rollover propensity). That the first set of tires went 120k, and that the second set was on track to exceed 150k (by treadwear) bore out this pressure strategy for high miles + high fuel economy when using highway rib tires of the highest quality.

Trailer towing sort of comes down to RR tire traction (in a very rough understanding).

The load carried by the truck when towing (trailer tongue weight properly distributed; a 1,100-lb TW expected) will have new individual wheel weights taken, and the truck bed payload shifted around to reflect best compromise of FF/RR and Port/Starboard balance versus accessibility. Pressure readings will be regular as WD hitch adjustments (and scale readings) will be necessary to get the TT payload also "equalled" on all four tires (or six, depending on purchase). This may change the TW somewhat, so the truck will have a an expected small range of tire pressure changes to reflect load or conditions. (TT tires are kept at a constant sidewall maximum).

I've updated my Fuel Log, but it is not so detailed as I was topping off every week (hurricane season) and feeling under pressure during my limited time off (oilfield trucking). Looks as though my short trip (mainly to work and back, about 12-14 miles depending on route) is at 18.5/mpg to be conservative.

I've purchased a 120V 125-psi/3-GL CRAFTSMAN air compressor to keep up with my ten tires (truck & trailer; possibly twelve tires). Fast, fast, fast on pressure changes with all these 80-psi tires! I've recently run the FF tires to 55-psi to see how it "feels" overall. A higher quality 100-psi air pressure gauge will be added to the toolbox.

Other changes, below.

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