How low can you go?

[Soggybottomboy]

Stock Rubicon K02's.

Beach driving season is here. I'm retired and ride on the beach at least 3 times per week. The ramp is about 6 miles from home. I have set the tire pressure to 20psi. There ain't no way I'm going to raise and lower the tire pressure for every time I go back and forth to the ramp. In as much, I'll be running around town a few times a week as needed. 35mph max.

My question, do you think 20psi is too low for the given scenario?
How low would you leave your tires in the same circumstance?

SBB

Sponsored

 

[oldcjguy]

You're not doing your tire wear any favors, but I don't think it will be dangerous. I would only go as low as you need for the beach you're driving on. If you don't need to air down that much then don't. If you need to go down to 20 you'll be fine.

$.02

 

[kah.mun.rah]

IMO 20psi isn't ideally low enough for sand and isn't high enough to prevent premature tire wear on pavement. If time and convenience are a priority, I would say to get some TeraFlex Nomad wheels for quick airing down and an onboard twin compressor and a 4 wheel Speedflate for airing up. That way you are less than 5 minutes going up or down with your tire pressure. Then again, you can buy a lot of replacement tires for what that setup costs.

 

[Carolina Jeeper]

I've driven plenty of miles on the North Carolina OBX beaches with normal air pressure in my Rubicon and had no issues. I had the KO2s just like you and used 4 high, traction control disabled and shifted manually through the gears of the automatic trans.

I'm not saying that not lowering tire air pressure is a good way to drive on the beaches, but I have no reservations about doing it. Set your Jeep up in the best way for you. I'm just making the point that I've had 100% success without lowering my tire air pressure.

I even tried getting stuck in the deep sand by disengaging 4 wheel drive. The rear tires really dug in. Put it back like I stated earlier and pulled right out. I was surprised at how fast it goes down into the sand without 4 wheel drive.

I know for sure that being loaded down with gear and people, the results will be less desirable with normal air pressure. At that point, lowering air pressure will definitely help. I lowered down to 20 PSI before when I didn't have a Rubicon and it was noticeably better.

I would only drive short distances on the street with lowered tire air pressure. At higher speeds on the street, the sidewalls of tires really heat up when air pressure is too low and your Jeep loaded with people and gear. I wouldn't risk it for very many miles.

 

[wibornz]

It sounds like you are not putting on a ton of miles on your Jeep anyways. I would have zero concerns about what you're doing. I put thousands of miles on tires that are aired down to 12 psi and yes, that is thousands and thousands of miles and still get 50,000+ miles out of the tires. I often run them at 60+mph at low pressure. It is not that big of a deal. Tires are just better quality and the ones we run on Jeeps typically have a stiffer sidewall. I off road at time 4 to 6 times a week when we do extended Jeep travel. There are times when my Jeep is aired down to 12 psi or lower for weeks on end.

For how low I can go. I run as low as 3 psi on Glamis dunes.......... and can easily put over a hundred miles on while there.

 

[Soggybottomboy]

It sounds like you are not putting on a ton of miles on your Jeep anyways. I would have zero concerns about what you're doing. I put thousands of miles on tires that are aired down to 12 psi and yes, that is thousands and thousands of miles and still get 50,000+ miles out of the tires. I often run them at 60+mph at low pressure. It is not that big of a deal. Tires are just better quality and the ones we run on Jeeps typically have a stiffer sidewall. I off road at time 4 to 6 times a week when we do extended Jeep travel. There are times when my Jeep is aired down to 12 psi or lower for weeks on end.

For how low I can go. I run as low as 3 psi on Glamis dunes.......... and can easily put over a hundred miles on while there.

That's a great example of what I had in mind.
I got the Jeep in January and i have just turned 5000 miles.
Wow! 3 psi!!!

Thanks for your post.

SBB

 

[Old Jeeper]

Stock Rubicon K02's.

Beach driving season is here. I'm retired and ride on the beach at least 3 times per week. The ramp is about 6 miles from home. I have set the tire pressure to 20psi. There ain't no way I'm going to raise and lower the tire pressure for every time I go back and forth to the ramp. In as much, I'll be running around town a few times a week as needed. 35mph max.

My question, do you think 20psi is too low for the given scenario?
How low would you leave your tires in the same circumstance?

SBB

A lot has to do with your tires and size.

If you are running OEM tires, you need to step to a bigger tire. I run 35 x 12:50 X 17 Goodyear Duratrac, best tire for street and off road I have used. It works great in Sand and asphalt and dirt roads.

If you have the right tire you don't to air down as much . As you go below 20 psi the chances are you are going to peel a tire on the rim and that happening out on the beach could be catastrophic if the tide is coming in and you have no tools to mitigate.

I run my Duratrac's at 30-32 and have no issues.

If you want to go Bead Locks you run as low as 3-5 psi with the RIGHT tires, for me those are BFG KM2s or 3s.

The other factor to consider is Rim width, so follow the TIRE mfg recommended rim width. My Duratracs are mounted on 9 in wide rims. Jeep wheels are around 7.5 inches and to narrow to go with wider tires and run low psi.

Let me suggest, you have but one chance to do this right the first time. Right tire, correct rim width and go for it and enjoy the beach.

I too am and old timer, been on beaches from FL Key West to Maine and Wash state to S Cali and the Gulf coast. Never had an issue of any kind because I ran the right tires and the correct wheels for the tires.

 

[Soggybottomboy]

"Never had an issue of any kind because I ran the right tires and the correct wheels for the tires."

Old Jeeper - I appreciate your post.
However, I'm running the right tires and the correct wheels for the Jeep.
Throwing away a brand new set of factory wheels and tires with 5,000 miles on them seem absurd. I rode almost every day on the beach from January to April this year at 22psi and it did great in all sand types. The tires and rims are not the issue nor the question. The question was is 20psi too low to ride around town on pavement all beach riding season.

The consensus is that I will be fine.

SBB

 

[The Last Cowboy]

I’ve used street PSI in my tires on the beach all my life. Never any issues.

If you’re going to drive the dunes, then maybe I’d consider lowering the PSI, but most places don’t allow you to drive in the dunes.

 

[C.Sco]

IMO 20psi isn't ideally low enough for sand and isn't high enough to prevent premature tire wear on pavement. If time and convenience are a priority, I would say to get some TeraFlex Nomad wheels for quick airing down and an onboard twin compressor and a 4 wheel Speedflate for airing up. That way you are less than 5 minutes going up or down with your tire pressure. Then again, you can buy a lot of replacement tires for what that setup costs.

I agree - get a good airdown and tire inflation system, and it'll not only be no big deal to air down and up, but it can actually be kind of fun in my opinion.

I use Staun tire deflators for airing down, and it couldn't be any easier. Just screw them onto the valve stems, and let them do their thing. They stop at whatever pressure you set them to, in my case 15psi. You don't even have to wait for them to deflate, you can hop back in and start driving as soon as you put them on, and even keep driving around with them on after they're done deflating, if you want.

For airing up, I permanently installed and hard-wired my 10.6CFM compressor, so all I have to do is connect the 4-tire hose system to the tires, flip the switch, and give it about 5 minutes to reach 30psi, switch it off, throw the hoses in the trunk, and go.

Much better solution, in my opinion, than trying to find a tire pressure that is acceptable for both sand and pavement, which doesn't really exist.

 

[Old Jeeper]

"Never had an issue of any kind because I ran the right tires and the correct wheels for the tires."

Old Jeeper - I appreciate your post.
However, I'm running the right tires and the correct wheels for the Jeep.
Throwing away a brand new set of factory wheels and tires with 5,000 miles on them seem absurd. I rode almost every day on the beach from January to April this year at 22psi and it did great in all sand types. The tires and rims are not the issue nor the question. The question was is 20psi too low to ride around town on pavement all beach riding season.

The consensus is that I will be fine.

SBB

LOL, there is that age old word: FINE. When I hear I run in the other direction.

Right tires and wheels, for your Jeep maybe as you have not specified I am to assume you are running OEM>

Gonna ask you, is that the right for sand???

As for 20 psi and the street, that's FINE and if you believe that I have bridges for sale half price today only LOL.

Anyhow: YOUR Jeep, your wallet, your tires and your psi, you can do as you see fit. Normally I back most 100% in their choice so you run with it, I am out of here...

 

[lashlee]

When I go wheeling at Windrock off road park here in Tennessee, I'll air down to 13-15psi at the trail head and wheel all day, then drive home 23 miles at that pressure. Only hurdle that I see you having is it'll be harder to turn on pavement.

 

[MinnetonkaJeep55345]

IMO 20psi isn't ideally low enough for sand and isn't high enough to prevent premature tire wear on pavement. If time and convenience are a priority, I would say to get some TeraFlex Nomad wheels for quick airing down and an onboard twin compressor and a 4 wheel Speedflate for airing up. That way you are less than 5 minutes going up or down with your tire pressure. Then again, you can buy a lot of replacement tires for what that setup costs.

Do you use wheel spacers to get your tires out that far? what size if you do.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

Do you use wheel spacers to get your tires out that far? what size if you do.

Nope. TeraFlex Nomad wheels have a 4.75" backspace.

 

[Zandcwhite]

We ended up driving home from moab at 20psi at freeway speeds up to 85mph...1100 miles. Forgot my compressor was borrowed by a buddy and not in the Jeep where it usually is. Stopped at 3 different service stations leaving town at 1:30am, none had a working compressor. Decided to hit the road. Every fuel stop was the same story, either someone camping at the compressor or it was non-functioning. Ended up driving all the way home. Same 37s lasted 35k+ miles after that trip for a total of ~50k miles so if it had an impact on tire wear is say it was miniscule at best.

Sponsored