Lowest tire pressure you are willing to run offroad (without bead locks)

[Winds of Change]

In my experience, I have run low teens on all my un-beadlocked plain steel wheels w/out ever de-beading a tire...however, I have had problems with mud/silt getting wedged into the bead area and causing slow leaks. Bad enough that I have had to break them down and clean the rim to get them to reseal. May be less of a problem on aluminum wheels...or could be worse...IDK I just know I wanted beadlocks right away for my 6g to avoid that whole deal! I would say 15 psi+ should be no problem, but can say from experience that 12 psi is danger zone for slow leaks. Even right at 15 I have had problems (w/steelies). The luxury of beadlocks is I can now go straight to single digits w/confidence!

Did you sdd the Ford beadlock rings?

Sponsored

 

[7sKnuckledragger]

What's the lowest pressure you'll run for a given tire wheel combination?
What's too low, and what is the story of how you found out?

For the 34.5" Goodyear Territory, it seems the conventional wisdom is no lower than 20psi on a heavy vehicle like the Bronco. Goodyear itself has told people no lower than 29psi.

**UPDATE**
I pulled the numbers from the thread, and here is what I see so far after categorizing the feedback and just drawing the average, min, and max. I included the number of responses below, and higher than the average.

Generally, most people who reported why they lowered pressure it was for comfort more than traction. We had a report from someone that they used low pressures on their Diesel truck that was much heavier than a Bronco. And there were a couple of notes on how important it is to be careful of excess wheel spinning or pinching the sidewall when lowering the air and generally just driving smart.

It seems a couple of things are clearer now than previously.
If someone is running higher than 17 PSI because they are concerned about losing a bead, it seems you don't need to worry so much.
On rocky terrain or Fire Service Roads, you likely could get way lower for more comfort.

One last point, if you air down more, that does mean more time to air up; as someone pointed out, they actually upgraded their air system due to how long it could take to air up.

	Average	Min	Max
Snow/Sand	13.2​	8​	20​
	3 lower
	2 higher
Rocky	13.47​	7​	22​
	9 Lower
	8 higher
Fire Service Road Average	17.2​	10​	25​
	4 Lower
	5 higher

In my jeeps I’ve ran down to 10 psi in snow and 12 in the rocks
35x12.5/15 (TJ) and 37x12.5/17 (4door rubicon)
In my Bronco I’ve gone down to 12 - 15 psi for desert and light trails, no rocks. Will do some snow this year and try 12 psi

 

[Bmadda]

Did you sdd the Ford beadlock rings?

Absolutely! I love them! Now I routinely wheel at single digit pressures w/zero worries, even thrashing through deep mud holes! My only limiting concern as far as pressure is whether or not there are higher speed portions of the trail I plan to wheel, which could overheat the tire...try not to run them too soft if you know you are gonna hammer down in a few spots!

 

[Winds of Change]

Absolutely! I love them! Now I routinely wheel at single digit pressures w/zero worries, even thrashing through deep mud holes! My only limiting concern as far as pressure is whether or not there are higher speed portions of the trail I plan to wheel, which could overheat the tire...try not to run them too soft if you know you are gonna hammer down in a few spots!

any concerns running them normally (highway etc,) on road?

 

[Bmadda]

any concerns running them normally (highway etc,) on road?

nope...just air up to normal street pressure. I check bolt torque at each oil change

 

[Winds of Change]

nope...just air up to normal street pressure. I check bolt torque at each oil change

I think I am being convinced to put the Beadlock rings on my want list.

 

[BigMeatsBronco]

depends on the terrain...rocks 12lbs snow or sand 6lbs...the 40s and beadlocks allow this with zero issues.

 

[Oldhippie]

In 50+ years of 4 wheeling I have never lost a bead (I know I’m not trying hard enough) on the heavy ass Bronco I start at 17 and adjust from there (have been down to 8)…in my 2a I started at 10…

 

[TEAMSLO]

12 cold on 37s for non beadlocks, but its always been on the same Mickey Thompson baja boss AT tires. Run this for comfort and grip/flex over rocks.

Would be different depending on tire and terrain.

On beadlocks, its been awesome running 6.5 cold on my other rig.

 

[Arrowbear Rider]

Ran the trails at Sand Flats in Moab at 20lbs and it was fine. Did scratch one rim as the tires got a proper work out. I’m not sure another 5-10lbs would have made a difference other that the rims taking more abuse.

I almost bought a windshield & wheels warranty from the dealer, mostly for the windshield coverage since it covered OEM replacements windshields; but decided against it. They would have refinished rings when damaged, but really, how big of a pain that would have been to do so just to go out do it again?

It didn't take long for a spotter in training to put my wheel into a rock and gouge the ring... and on the next obstacle scratch up another wheel too. Oops. My thought was "That's over with/done, whatever, first scratches and all, I'm glad I didn't color match the rings to my truck."

Now I look at the rings as more of a badge of honor than damaged and it doesn't bother me... Not the way curb rash on a nice wheel would.

 

[ArizonaGreg]

What's the lowest pressure you'll run for a given tire wheel combination?
What's too low, and what is the story of how you found out?

For the 34.5" Goodyear Territory, it seems the conventional wisdom is no lower than 20psi on a heavy vehicle like the Bronco. Goodyear itself has told people no lower than 29psi.

**UPDATE**
I pulled the numbers from the thread, and here is what I see so far after categorizing the feedback and just drawing the average, min, and max. I included the number of responses below, and higher than the average.

Generally, most people who reported why they lowered pressure it was for comfort more than traction. We had a report from someone that they used low pressures on their Diesel truck that was much heavier than a Bronco. And there were a couple of notes on how important it is to be careful of excess wheel spinning or pinching the sidewall when lowering the air and generally just driving smart.

It seems a couple of things are clearer now than previously.
If someone is running higher than 17 PSI because they are concerned about losing a bead, it seems you don't need to worry so much.
On rocky terrain or Fire Service Roads, you likely could get way lower for more comfort.

One last point, if you air down more, that does mean more time to air up; as someone pointed out, they actually upgraded their air system due to how long it could take to air up.

	Average	Min	Max
Snow/Sand	13.2​	8​	20​
	3 lower
	2 higher
Rocky	13.47​	7​	22​
	9 Lower
	8 higher
Fire Service Road Average	17.2​	10​	25​
	4 Lower
	5 higher

Mike, Thanks for pulling this data together. I was airing-down to 20 out of extreme caution, but now I'll feel very comfortable going down to 15. I do this for comfort only (i.e., the wife). I don't off-road anywhere where the added traction would be of any value.
Most interesting that NO ONE on this thread has broken a bead.

 

[mike8675309]

Mike, Thanks for pulling this data together. I was airing-down to 20 out of extreme caution, but now I'll feel very comfortable going down to 15. I do this for comfort only (i.e., the wife). I don't off-road anywhere where the added traction would be of any value.
Most interesting that NO ONE on this thread has broken a bead.

I was down as low as 10 psi at my last summer offroad which was mostly just trails and big elevation changes. No big obstacles other than some boulders all pushed together. It just kept things nice and comfortable. It's finally snowing in Minnesota, and hunting season is done, so I can get back out and play in the snow. I'll likely try 15 for the snow as it's more likely I hit something I didn't know was there.

As you get lower pressures you want to watch your tires that you don't pinch it against the wheel and cause a leak.

Sponsored