When It Comes To Pickups and SUVs, All Wheel Positions Are Not Equal

GREENVILLE, S.C., July 3 -- What's the correct tire air pressure for large pickup trucks and SUVs? Careful, that can be a tricky question. Because tire air pressure is a function of tire size and load carrying capacity, it is quite possible that the rear tires will require a higher air pressure (greater psi or pounds per square inch) than the front tires. This may be true even though the front and rear tires are exactly the same size.

"It's not unusual for identical tires to have different recommended air pressures when mounted on different vehicles," said Michelin engineer, Ron Margadonna. "Due to different weight distributions on large pickups and SUV's, it's also quite possible for the recommended tire air pressure to vary between front and rear on the same vehicle."

Failure to recognize this critical difference can result in poor tire performance, tire failure and undesirable handling characteristics in your vehicle.

So before you take your vacation road trip, "take" the pressure of your tires.

1. Be sure you know the vehicle manufacturers recommended tire air pressure for the front and rear tires on your SUV and pickup. (Check the vehicle door placard or owner's manual.)

2. Never assume the tire air pressure on the sidewall is the right one for all wheel positions on your vehicle. (This number is the maximum psi for the tire).

3. Double check the front and rear tires after each tire rotation to ensure that the tire air pressure has been properly adjusted.