Run the pressure your truck maker lists, not the number molded into the tire. That number sits on the placard on the driver’s door edge or post and in the owner’s manual. If your mud tires are a different size from stock, the right pressure comes from load and inflation tables, and a tire dealer can work it out. Read on 29 October 2026.
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- 0 universal numbers
- By Mud Tires Editorial Team · Last reviewed 29 October 2026
What tire pressure should mud tires run on the highway?
The pressure on your truck’s tire placard, found on the driver’s door edge or post and in the owner’s manual. As of October 2026, NHTSA says the correct pressure is what the vehicle maker lists, not what is printed on the tire. If your mud tires are a different size from stock, BFGoodrich says the number comes from load and inflation tables for your tire size, load index and vehicle weight.
That is why no site can give one honest psi for every mud tire: the number depends on your truck and your tire, and the sources point you to the placard and the tables, not to a single figure.
Rules and tables change, and your own placard and tire dealer have the final word. Check them before you change anything.
Where do you find the right pressure?
Three places, in this order.
| Source | What it tells you | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Tire and Loading Information label (the placard) | The vehicle maker’s recommended pressure for the original tire size | When your mud tires are the stock size |
| Owner’s manual | The same recommendation, plus notes on loads and towing | When the placard is missing or hard to read |
| Load and inflation tables for your tire | The pressure that matches your tire’s size, load index and your vehicle’s weight | When your mud tires are not the stock size |
NHTSA’s TireWise page puts the placard first and says the correct pressure is the one the vehicle manufacturer lists, not the one on the tire. BFGoodrich’s tire-size page sends changed sizes to load and inflation tables.
Is the number on the tire sidewall the pressure to run?
No. The psi molded into the sidewall is the maximum cold inflation pressure that tire can hold. Tire Rack puts it plainly: it is not necessarily the right pressure for any vehicle, and almost all vehicle makers recommend less than the tire’s maximum. The “right” pressure comes from the vehicle maker, not from the tire.
What if your mud tires are bigger than stock?
Then the placard number was set for a different tire, and it may not suit yours. BFGoodrich says that once you change size, the correct pressure comes from load and inflation tables matched to your tire size, load index and vehicle weight, and that its dealers can look the number up and calculate it for your setup. We do not publish a psi for specific truck and tire combinations, because none of the sources above does. Our 35-inch and 37-inch guides cover those sizes, and the mud tire specifications list each tire’s specs.
What about airing down, then driving home?
Trail pressure is not highway pressure. The only industry guidance we found says tires must be re-inflated before you resume highway or higher-speed driving, and our airing down guide covers it. Your tire pressure warning light will not catch a forgotten air-up either way, as that same guide explains.
A five-minute check
- Find the placard on the driver’s door edge or post, and read the pressure for your tire size.
- If your tires are not the stock size, ask a tire dealer for the load and inflation figure for your tire’s size, load index and truck weight.
- Measure with a gauge, because a warning light only trips well below the placard number.
- Ignore the maximum psi on the sidewall unless a load table says to use it.
- Write the number down so you can compare it next time you check.
Related on Mud Tires
Airing down mud tires · Sidewall plies and ply rating · Towing on mud tires · All Mud Tires answers
Sources
- NHTSA, TireWise: tire safety ratings and awareness (nhtsa.gov), “Maintaining proper tire pressure”
- Tire Rack, Checking Tire Inflation Pressure (tirerack.com)
- BFGoodrich, Changing Tire Size on a Car (bfgoodrichtires.com), FAQ on pressure after a size change
All three pages read 29 October 2026. This is a summary of manufacturer and agency guidance, not engineering advice for your vehicle.
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