X60 Tyre Pressures

[Turnbacktime]

Just changed my Subaru for a 2018 XC60 D5. Anyone know what the recommended tyre pressures are for the XC60 when towing a caravan, max laden weight 1500kg, nose weight 90kg.
Subarus have a specific recommendation for the outback. Can’t find anything specific in Volvo documentation. Just want an idea what other people are using/where to start.

 

[Jcloughie]

My Volvo has a simple chart inside the driver's door on the centre pillar.

John

 

[otherclive]

Just changed my Subaru for a 2018 XC60 D5. Anyone know what the recommended tyre pressures are for the XC60 when towing a caravan, max laden weight 1500kg, nose weight 90kg.
Subarus have a specific recommendation for the outback. Can’t find anything specific in Volvo documentation. Just want an idea what other people are using/where to start.

As JC says the tyre inflation label is generally on the door pillar, and details in the owners manual. Not all makes of car specifically quote a towing tyre pressure. My Subaru Forester did. In the absence of a specific towing pressure you would use the fully loaded pressure for a loaded car when having the caravan in tow. The noseweight is really only a part of the cars general load. For Times when the car isn’t fully loaded you just have to experiment a little by working down from the max pressures.

This might help

XC60 Owners manual | Volvo Support UK

Get all the relevant information about your XC60 and discover all the available functions.

www.volvocars.com

 

[Hutch]

We had a similar question about tyre pressures regarding a Kia Sorrento.
On my Santa Fe the door post pressures only quote with passengers. But looking VERY much into the towing about trailers , it showed the pressure increases.
After many years of towing, I have found increasing the rear tyre pressures by 3 psi an acceptable drive.
I never drop them until I get home again and know I will not tow again for some time.

 

[Turnbacktime]

As JC says the tyre inflation label is generally on the door pillar, and details in the owners manual. Not all makes of car specifically quote a towing tyre pressure. My Subaru Forester did. In the absence of a specific towing pressure you would use the fully loaded pressure for a loaded car when having the caravan in tow. The noseweight is really only a part of the cars general load. For Times when the car isn’t fully loaded you just have to experiment a little by working down from the max pressures.

This might help

XC60 Owners manual | Volvo Support UK

Get all the relevant information about your XC60 and discover all the available functions.

www.volvocars.com

the note on the door pillar has nothing in relation to towing. Just 3 passengers or 5. The Volvo online manual just has one set of recommended tyre pressures. From memory for three occupants.

 

[otherclive]

the note on the door pillar has nothing in relation to towing. Just 3 passengers or 5. The Volvo online manual just has one set of recommended tyre pressures. From memory for three occupants.

Well, as I said not all makers put specific towing information for tyre pressures. Subarus do, Volvo it seems do not. So go with full load tyr pressures if you are loaded and towing, and reduce them accordingly if the car is not fully loaded when towing. The link I provided does give information wrt towing trailers and it gives tyre pressures for 1-3 and fully loaded. Worth checking it out in detail.

 

[Jcloughie]

Mine looks like this but on the car it shows bar:



I just go by max load. I also keep an eye on how the tyres wear. Centre region, = too high. Edges = too soft.

Therefore for my D3 it would be 260kpa.

I can’t see why a D4 goes to 290kpa as so far as I know, it is the same car but with greater power output.



John

 

[otherclive]

My link in #3 contains data specific to the 2018 XC60 model range and is as comprehensive as that in the above post which I believe is an older Volvo of JC.

 

[Raywood]

We use the full load pressures which is the best we have from our maker.

 

[RogerL]

Some car makers specify full load pressures when towing, a few specify specific pressures for towing but other car makers give no information.

I have usually just used the full load pressures but I find that that can give central tread wear issues over long periods, so I'm now experimenting with the Australian* method of monitoring tyre pressures and limiting the rise from cold to fully warmed up (after an hour's use) to 4 psi - this method gradually increases the cold setting if the rise is more than 4 psi until the rise is only 4 psi - and conversely reduces the cold setting if the rise is less than 4 psi.

* I'm not sure where the method originated but it's used by Australians towing their caravans quite a lot according to international forums.

Edit - this link to Cooper Tyres website may expain it better, Cooper are owned by Goodyear

https://www.coopertires.com.au/media/1400/cooper-drivers-guide-tyre-pressures.pdf

 

[ProfJohnL]

Tyre pressures are generally given to cope with the load the axles have to carry. When you add a trailer like a caravan, its nose load, it translates to additional load to mainly the rear axle, and becasue of the rear over hang of the tow ball relative to the tow vehicles rear axle, and the geometry means the the additional load of the trailers nose load will be roughly doubled at the cars axle.

If you use a 70Kg nose load for a caravan its roughly equivalent to having two extra back seat passengers, and most car manufacturers will prescribe a higher tyre pressure for such a load.

If you car manufacture does not specify tyre pressures for towing. its almost certain you should raise the pressures in accordance with the fully loaded values.

Before you set off with a trailer you should ensure the tyre pressures are adjusted correctly, and again when you uncouple the trailer.

The problem Roger L has described of central tyre wear, suggests the tyre pressures have been set too high when driving without the caravan hitched.

 

[RogerL]

The problem Roger L has described of central tyre wear, suggests the tyre pressures have been set too high when driving without the caravan hitched.

I don't think it's that simple as the car is fairly well laden when we're on tour, solo or towing.

I'm applying the 4 psi "rule" (actually 0.3 bar as I can then use my TPMS to monitor the pressures) to my solo use with just driver and one passenger - according to the rule, the front tyres need to be reduced below recommended but I'm not as the steering would get heavier - the rear tyres needed increasing above recommended by 0.1 bar to comply with the "rule" when there's just the two of us and 0.2 bar when we're 5-up with a bootload of equipment.

The recommended figures for my car, in bar, are 2.3/2.3 empty and 2.5/3.0 fully loaded so for our next towing trip I plan to use 2.4/2.6 and see how that works out.

All the above settings are done when the tyres are cold with no sun on them.

 

[Hutch]

Mine looks like this but on the car it shows bar:

View attachment 4129

I just go by max load. I also keep an eye on how the tyres wear. Centre region, = too high. Edges = too soft.

Therefore for my D3 it would be 260kpa.

I can’t see why a D4 goes to 290kpa as so far as I know, it is the same car but with greater power output.



John

John if you look at the chart again, the D4 does Not have higher pressures than the D3, the pressure differences are for the higher speeds. Both cars use the same pressures.

 

[Hutch]

Turn back time, after a little it of searching, I have found the relative bit that states when towing a trailer, set the tyre pressures for max load of passengers.
Here is the link.

XC60 Driving with a trailer | Volvo Support UK

Volvo Support for XC60 Driving with a trailer | When driving with a trailer, there are a number of points that are important to think about regarding the towbar, the trailer and how the load is positioned in the trailer.

www.volvocars.com

 

[Jcloughie]

John if you look at the chart again, the D4 does Not have higher pressures than the D3, the pressure differences are for the higher speeds. Both cars use the same pressures.

I did not spot that, thanks.

John

 

[otherclive]

Some car makers specify full load pressures when towing, a few specify specific pressures for towing but other car makers give no information.

I have usually just used the full load pressures but I find that that can give central tread wear issues over long periods, so I'm now experimenting with the Australian* method of monitoring tyre pressures and limiting the rise from cold to fully warmed up (after an hour's use) to 4 psi - this method gradually increases the cold setting if the rise is more than 4 psi until the rise is only 4 psi - and conversely reduces the cold setting if the rise is less than 4 psi.

* I'm not sure where the method originated but it's used by Australians towing their caravans quite a lot according to international forums.

Edit - this link to Cooper Tyres website may expain it better, Cooper are owned by Goodyear

https://www.coopertires.com.au/media/1400/cooper-drivers-guide-tyre-pressures.pdf

The off road world also use that approach. My SWB Pajero I fitted with 33 inch tyres on 15 inch wheels. It was legal and technically okay but way outside of Mitsubishi pressure recommendations for. the standard 30 inch tyres So I used the 4 psi increase when warm after 30 minutes driving at reasonably steady speed. Never had uneven tread wear.

 

[otherclive]

John if you look at the chart again, the D4 does Not have higher pressures than the D3, the pressure differences are for the higher speeds. Both cars use the same pressures.

My XC70 did not specify towing tyre pressures on the door pillar label, only light load, full load and high speed pressures. Only used the latter once when travelling back from Krakow via Dresden etc. But no caravan in tow for that journey.

 

[otherclive]

I found this in the XC60 2018 guidance. New one to me, anyone seen that before. I wonder if it’s a carry over translation from the Swedish manual:

Important

“When driving with a trailer, it is permitted to exceed the vehicle's gross vehicle weight (including towball load) by a maximum of 100 kg(220 lbs), provided that speed is limited to 100 km/h(62 mph). National legal requirements for the vehicle combination, such as speed, etc. must be observed”

 

[Hutch]

I found this in the XC60 2018 guidance. New one to me, anyone seen that before. I wonder if it’s a carry over translation from the Swedish manual:

Important

“When driving with a trailer, it is permitted to exceed the vehicle's gross vehicle weight (including towball load) by a maximum of 100 kg(220 lbs), provided that speed is limited to 100 km/h(62 mph). National legal requirements for the vehicle combination, such as speed, etc. must be observed”

My Santa Fe has a similar statement, but it is well hidden away in the hand book. But refers to the rear axle loading.

 

[otherclive]

My Santa Fe has a similar statement, but it is well hidden away in the hand book. But refers to the rear axle loading.

Do you mean yours refers to rear axle loading? The text I’ve quoted refers to “gross vehicle weight”. It must relate to a non UK situation as the 62 mph reference is above the UK trailer limit

 

[Tobes]

I found this in the XC60 2018 guidance. New one to me, anyone seen that before. I wonder if it’s a carry over translation from the Swedish manual:

Important

“When driving with a trailer, it is permitted to exceed the vehicle's gross vehicle weight (including towball load) by a maximum of 100 kg(220 lbs), provided that speed is limited to 100 km/h(62 mph). National legal requirements for the vehicle combination, such as speed, etc. must be observed”

Yes - that's in my Polestar manual too.

 

[Jcloughie]

I found this in the XC60 2018 guidance. New one to me, anyone seen that before. I wonder if it’s a carry over translation from the Swedish manual:

Important

“When driving with a trailer, it is permitted to exceed the vehicle's gross vehicle weight (including towball load) by a maximum of 100 kg(220 lbs), provided that speed is limited to 100 km/h(62 mph). National legal requirements for the vehicle combination, such as speed, etc. must be observed”

This is very odd.

I just tried to Google the whole phrase and it came up with an exact match for Volvo and Polestar. Though it is. Not something I have found in my V70’s manual.



It is like the manufacturer is trying to surpass the law.

Let’s hope Lutz has the answer.

John

 

[otherclive]

This is very odd.

I just tried to Google the whole phrase and it came up with an exact match for Volvo and Polestar. Though it is. Not something I have found in my V70’s manual.

View attachment 4146

It is like the manufacturer is trying to surpass the law.

Let’s hope Lutz has the answer.

John

I think it’s just something carried over in translation but not relevant to UK law. But it could lead a driver into illegal territory if they were not fully aware of the UK laws.

 

[Tobes]

I think it’s just something carried over in translation but not relevant to UK law. But it could lead a driver into illegal territory if they were not fully aware of the UK laws.

Not sure there is anything illegal about it. Here is the plate from mine.

Note that the sum of the axle weights is 2700kg.
The 1st number (2600kg) applies when solo.
The 2nd number applies when towing (4100kg).

The government page here indicates that the manual and plate have the relevant info, so the possibility to exceed the plated GVW when towing seems fine. The axle weights and train weight must still be adhered to.

 

[otherclive]

Not sure there is anything illegal about it. Here is the plate from mine. View attachment 4153

Note that the sum of the axle weights is 2700kg.
The 1st number (2600kg) applies when solo.
The 2nd number applies when towing (4100kg).

The government page here indicates that the manual and plate have the relevant info, so the possibility to exceed the plated GVW when towing seems fine. The axle weights and train weight must still be adhered to.

I can see how the maths works out with the difference in 2600 kg as GVW and the sum of the two axle loads being 2700kg. But I don’t see anything specifically in the HMG document that allows GVW to be exceeded. It’s certainly something I’ve never come across in my years of towing. Although there are numerous threads where people have asked if they can exceed MTPLM as the noseweight transfers to the tow car. But I don’t want to go there.