STOP Setting Your Truck Tires to 100 PSI! (You're Destroying Them)

Radial tires on Class 8 trucks are engineered as a load-and-inflation system, meaning the correct tire pressure depends entirely on the actual weight each axle is carrying, not a universal round number like 100 PSI. The proper method is to weigh each axle, look up that weight in the manufacturer's load-versus-inflation table (such as those from Michelin, Bridgestone, or Goodyear), and set the pressure accordingly. Running all axles at the same 100 PSI is technically incorrect because steer, drive, and trailer axles carry different loads, and the correct pressure for each axle almost never lands on a round number. Under-inflated tires generate excess heat, cause sidewall flexing, and lead to premature tire failure, while over-inflated tires cause crown wear and reduce the contact patch. This practice, a relic from the bias-ply era, costs drivers significant money in premature tire replacement, increased fuel consumption, and potential safety hazards.