235/75/15 on stock Vit Rims on sand

[eXc]

Hey guys,

I am going on the sand for the first time this weekend with my cousin's rodeo - He's been going out for years in it/his old pajero, so I am 'in good hands'

I have a standard LWB vitara. I have 235/75/15 BFG ATs on the standard rims. I know there is atleast 1 person on here that has the same.

What tyre pressures do you run on the sand? I hear everyone going down to around 10psi, is that going to be safe (and needed) with the big tyres on stock rims?

What pressure should I start at? We are going to go in at Lavis lane.


Cheers
Chris

[cj]

You should be fine with 10 -12 psi.

[want33s]

I would start by driving onto the beach and seeing how long it takes to get stuck.
Once you are stuck, get out and let your tyres down to 15psi. Then you will be able to drive out of the hole and will REALLY notice the difference.
Deflation should only be needed on dry sand.. Try to stick to the wet stuff and it will be heaps easier. Remember when you have less pressure in your tyres not to turn sharply or you may roll a bead off or roll the car!.

[Highway-Star]

My Sierra never got stuck at 22psi. With 4 people in the car and towing the trailer it was a different story I didn't let them down then, I just booted the two out of the back of car and she went again. Thats with 205/75R15 BTW.

Try it full pressure at first, you have a mate going with you if you get stuck; then let it down a bit if its a problem.

[eXc]

EDIT: above post was written while i was writing this post.

is it likely that I won't get stuck if I leave the tyres as is?

Does it make it easier or harder on the engine if the tyres are down?

Maybe I should just start at 20 and see how that goes?

My cousin doesnt touch his tyres when he goes on at Birubi, but he said he will need to at lavis.

[Longbaser]

Tyre pressures of a Sierra on bitumen are only supposed to be 20, eXc. That's according to the original tyre placard on the cars, I run 235/75 Pirellis on 15x7 alloys, 24 front and 20 rear on the road. I get good even tyre wear and it handles well without jumping all over the show!

If it gets stuck in soft sand, I deflate to about 10 or 12 and carry on. Like want33s said, on lower pressures take it easy - and remember to pump up as soon as you hit bitumen again.

HTH
Cheers - Longbaser.

[eXc]

Tyre pressures of a Sierra on bitumen are only supposed to be 20, ......

Interesting. This is a Vitara I have, so I'll have to check that out. cause I have been running I think around 40 in them (which is what the shop recomended) and had no issues in the bush or road.

The reason I am more worried than I would be normal, is that I have 235/75 on a stock (5" ?) rim. Where they recomend a minimum 6" rim for a 235

[cj]

Interesting. This is a Vitara I have, so I'll have to check that out. cause I have been running I think around 40 in them (which is what the shop recomended) and had no issues in the bush or road.

23psi is standard. Tyre places seem to think that just because a Patrol might run 40psi then all 4wd's must run 40psi

If the sand is firm then sure you can run normal road pressure. I did that that for some years on firm sand beaches but if the sand is soft drop the pressure, why wait till you get stuck

I've run 33 x9.5's on stock 5.5" rims and there is no problem running them around that 10 -12 psi mark unless you are wanting to do high speed sharp turns.

[want33s]

If the sand is firm then sure you can run normal road pressure. I did that that for some years on firm sand beaches but if the sand is soft drop the pressure, why wait till you get stuck

Firm wet sand can be as hard as bitumen but dry sand is a different deal altogether..
I suggest all learners get stuck at least once for experience.
Then they truly realise what a difference deflation makes.
I've seen so many inexperienced people up the beach get stuck and tow strap recovered 3 times in 30 metres and then let their tyres down and drive all day without a worry.

[r0ck_m0nkey]

Seeing as you're talking about Stockton, i've always found 15psi a good place to start with.

Don't drive on with hard pressures until you get bogged. It's Lavis Lane, you will probably just get stuck on the entry track and just block it up by doing so. High pressures are also what helps cause the corrugations on sandy tracks. Air down for the benefit of all.

[St Jimmy]

stockton beach 10psi and you will have no probs as thats what i use in mine on the beach let them down for that beach as the dunes get real soft

[Longbaser]

eXc, take careful note of everything said in the above posts, there is a lot of good sense being shared...

Just to let you know where I'm coming from, although my Sierra runs 24 Front and 20 Rear, the other car in my family is a Camry sedan on 215/65s running 34 F and 30 R. I'd run the same in a Falcon or Commodore, which I did when averaging 180,000 kms a year for three years in the '80s.

CJ says 23psi is standard for a Vitara, so start there. I just had a thought though, you are talking 235/75s on standard rims, so I would reckon around 26F and 22R...

Further to what CJ said, the problem really is many tyre shops dont know what the hell they are doing when it comes to Zooks! (Then again, maybe they do - at 40psi, your tyres will 'crown out' (wear through in the middle of the tread) very quickly. Hello Mr Tyreman, how many gazillions do I shell out this time??

rOck_mOnkey is also spot on about over-inflated tyres causing corrugations, the same applies on gravel roads.'Both tracks and gravel will be handled better at the lower pressures.

You should deflate before you need to for soft sand, but I also agree wholeheartedly with want33s about beginners getting stuck and getting out easy on deflation at least once - I still remember doing it in a Series I Landie about 1969!!

But to keep rOck_mOnkey happy, and no doubt quite a few others, don't do it on an entry track!

Sorry fellas, I rambled on a bit there. But I've discovered this to be a problem of getting older - you feel the need to pass on a bit of what you've learned before you cark it! LOL

Cheers - Longbaser.

[eXc]

thanks for the tips guys I'll let you's know how I go tommorow

[eXc]

went down to 15psi with no problems. Was a lot of fun, had to snatch out my mate's Hilux, but he wouldn't go below 20 with his tyres, they hadn't even started to bag, atleast mine had when i tried 20.

[rodw]

Chris,

You are on the right track. The most useful thread on tyre pressues Ihave found is this one:
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/vi ... p?t=113823

Just don't overinflate your tyres on the road, 23 psi is fine.

My stock rims on my Vitara are 16" and I have run 205/80R16's at 15 psi with no problems. 15 psi seemed about right on Bribie Island and Fraser Island. I started at 18 psi which got me most places, but 15 was much better. Recently I got some Super Swampers on 15x7" rims and have run them off road at 12 psi with no problems. Last Sunday, I headed up to Bribie Island and ran 10 psi in the front and 8 psi in the rear. Still waiting to roll a tyre off based on the advice keep going down until youl roll a rim and then go up 1 psi in the thread above. The Swampers start to really bag out at 8-10 psi, so I think that will do me for a lower limit, cos I don't think I need any more traction/flotation.

Cheers

[nicbeer]

i know these are bigger tyres but i have run mine at 5psi front and rear, 31s on 7" rims. worked really well plenty of traction.

i as well run 20 on road with mine. i up it to 22-24 for when camping with crap in the back.

Nic