I was wondering what my tire pressure should be around when i go to drive on my local beaches. im pretty sure its a mixture of soft and hard sand.
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tire pressure on beach?
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r3bl
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when i go on the beaches in north carolina really soft sand i go down to the 15-18psi range. it all depends on the sand. my advice start around 18 and if you have to work your way down until you find out what psi works. I would highly recommend a good tire gauge and bring a shovel and tow rope. i have both and never have had to use it but the one time i forgot i got stuck thats how it always happens
George355
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i drive my 2007 xlt 4x4 on the beach just about every weekend here in delaware, the first time i ever went onto the sand i didnt air them down(37psi) just so i could see how it did. it was cold out so the sand was hard and it did ok, only got stuck making a tight turn and driving up a hill to leave, but after i changed the angle of approach i made it out.
when it first got warm out i didnt air them down at all and tried to drive onto the beach and got stuck, so i backed out and aired down to 25psi and it did ok. the sand was alot more softer
next time i went i took them down to 20psi and again it was much easier than 37psi.
now every time i go i air down to 18psi, drives like a dream. i dont even have to put it in 4wd, although as soon as the back slips the front engages. i've heard stories of people going below 10psi and the tires break the bead so i stay away from going that low.
when i go this weekend i will air them down to 15psi just to see how it does. but i wont go any lower than that.
when it first got warm out i didnt air them down at all and tried to drive onto the beach and got stuck, so i backed out and aired down to 25psi and it did ok. the sand was alot more softer
next time i went i took them down to 20psi and again it was much easier than 37psi.
now every time i go i air down to 18psi, drives like a dream. i dont even have to put it in 4wd, although as soon as the back slips the front engages. i've heard stories of people going below 10psi and the tires break the bead so i stay away from going that low.
when i go this weekend i will air them down to 15psi just to see how it does. but i wont go any lower than that.
delexploder
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George355 hey were do you go? I cant find a beach to ride on without getting in alot of trouble. Im south of Milford.
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Welcome to the club...
I run on the sand a lot. I don't use radial tires, I use All Terrain tires with 2ply side walls and I go down to 13psi on the sand and inflate to 40psi on road. I find that at this pressure my truck rolls comfortably on top of the sand rather than pushing through it, building massive transmission temperatures.
At 13psi pressure I'm able to pull out other stuck trucks and climb to the top of the highest dunes (60' plus) with plenty of right boot of course! With the SOHC engine I recomend using the 4x4 high setting then if you ever find yourself buried up to the axels and your tires wont spin or only spin slowly, and you will if you drive enthusiastically enough, use 4x4 low and back out. Beats using the shovel every time!
I can't see any reason to take any more gear then what you already have, besides maybe an air compressor. I bring one with me at peak times because of the lines at the service station or if I'm going to a remote beach that is far away from from a service station because I don't like to run at 13psi on the road for any more than a few miles.
Remember if you get stuck and there is no one to pull you out, let your tires down more before spinning your wheels digging yourself deeper and deeper. Some people go right down to 5psi to get out of a bog. Then inflate them once out or go real easy on them until they can.
These trucks are awesome on the sand! Thats one of the many reasons why I bought an Explorer. People with Landcruisers and Patrols laugh at me for driving an Explorer and tell me to buy a "real" 4wd but I always have the last laugh on the sand and the highway too! I doubt you could get a Land cruiser to rev to 6000rpm or run up to 120mph in under 20 seconds....
Here is picture of my truck at 13psi. It was raining for about a week and the sand is quite firm even right up high almost a mile from the waters edge.
Oh, and as always Happy Explorations..... Luke
I run on the sand a lot. I don't use radial tires, I use All Terrain tires with 2ply side walls and I go down to 13psi on the sand and inflate to 40psi on road. I find that at this pressure my truck rolls comfortably on top of the sand rather than pushing through it, building massive transmission temperatures.
At 13psi pressure I'm able to pull out other stuck trucks and climb to the top of the highest dunes (60' plus) with plenty of right boot of course! With the SOHC engine I recomend using the 4x4 high setting then if you ever find yourself buried up to the axels and your tires wont spin or only spin slowly, and you will if you drive enthusiastically enough, use 4x4 low and back out. Beats using the shovel every time!
I can't see any reason to take any more gear then what you already have, besides maybe an air compressor. I bring one with me at peak times because of the lines at the service station or if I'm going to a remote beach that is far away from from a service station because I don't like to run at 13psi on the road for any more than a few miles.
Remember if you get stuck and there is no one to pull you out, let your tires down more before spinning your wheels digging yourself deeper and deeper. Some people go right down to 5psi to get out of a bog. Then inflate them once out or go real easy on them until they can.
These trucks are awesome on the sand! Thats one of the many reasons why I bought an Explorer. People with Landcruisers and Patrols laugh at me for driving an Explorer and tell me to buy a "real" 4wd but I always have the last laugh on the sand and the highway too! I doubt you could get a Land cruiser to rev to 6000rpm or run up to 120mph in under 20 seconds....
Here is picture of my truck at 13psi. It was raining for about a week and the sand is quite firm even right up high almost a mile from the waters edge.
Oh, and as always Happy Explorations..... Luke
delexploder
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Not this year do you drive or just fish cause im looking for a place to ride. When I was a kid we would go up to the C@D cannal and go from rt9 to summit but last time we tried denrec ran us off.
George355
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nice pic sedition, i use just regular street tires, although i will be buying all terrains soon.
delexplorer, i go out there early and drive up and down "looking for a place to fish" so the beach ive been to has 3 entrances, i'll drive in the first one and drive to the last one on the beach, fish for how ever long i stay out there then drive all the way back to the first entrance (the last one doesnt have air pumps). plus the beach is open 24hrs for surf fishing, although when i've went out at night i havent seen denrec, but i have during the day. one guy got a ticket next to us last week for not having his line in the water. but i would stil get a surf permit.
i might as well post a pic.
this is at 20psi
delexplorer, i go out there early and drive up and down "looking for a place to fish" so the beach ive been to has 3 entrances, i'll drive in the first one and drive to the last one on the beach, fish for how ever long i stay out there then drive all the way back to the first entrance (the last one doesnt have air pumps). plus the beach is open 24hrs for surf fishing, although when i've went out at night i havent seen denrec, but i have during the day. one guy got a ticket next to us last week for not having his line in the water. but i would stil get a surf permit.
i might as well post a pic.
this is at 20psi
delexploder
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Lol I think I know the place not that its hard to find anything in Delaware love the pic that's a pretty ex
George355
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thanks, it was dirty when the pic was taken but it looks alot better after i detail it. yeah if you get lost in de then you shouldnt be driving. i've been looking for places to really get it dirty but only found 1 place and i had to pull my bro in law out of a mud hole there, he has a new ram 1500. i never let him live that down
feared100
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Thanx for the advice!!! And I will be driving in 6 different beaches this summer. All on Long Island. I got all the essentials. Paid the ridiculous price for the pass. And to stay at night everyone in my vehicle MUST have a fishing license and fishing gear. Good thing i have extra fishing rods xD
Oh! And do you think my tires will perform well? Because my mechanic(good family friend) said I should get wider tires. I respect his advice (although I would like some) but I think I should do fine...look at my truck on my registry. And tell me what you think!!! Thankssssss
Oh! And do you think my tires will perform well? Because my mechanic(good family friend) said I should get wider tires. I respect his advice (although I would like some) but I think I should do fine...look at my truck on my registry. And tell me what you think!!! Thankssssss
George355
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nice explorer feared, i looked at your registry but it doesnt say what size they are or i just missed it. judging from the pictures they should be fine.
but take into consideration if you have a wider tire it will give it a bigger foot print in the sand, which means it distributes the weight over a bigger area so wider tires is a good thing.
i have 245/65/17 on mine now and i dont have any problem. i will be getting new tires before the end of summer and will be getting 255/65/17. which comes out to i think either 1/2" or 1" wider. only reason im getting new tires is because i will soon need them.
but take into consideration if you have a wider tire it will give it a bigger foot print in the sand, which means it distributes the weight over a bigger area so wider tires is a good thing.
i have 245/65/17 on mine now and i dont have any problem. i will be getting new tires before the end of summer and will be getting 255/65/17. which comes out to i think either 1/2" or 1" wider. only reason im getting new tires is because i will soon need them.
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