Offroad tire pressure

[broncosor]

For a 4D Badsquatch, what tire pressure would you recommend for:

- Slow rock crawling (Moab)?
- High speed off-roading (Baja style)?

I am thinking 15 PSI for rock crawling but really wondering about high speed off roading as I want a good compromise between ride/comfort and not blowing a tire. Maybe 25 PSI?

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[Lexo52]

I think if you rolling with 15 psi it's best to go beadlock

 

[Razorbak86]

For a 4D Badsquatch, what tire pressure would you recommend for:

- Slow rock crawling (Moab)?
- High speed off-roading (Baja style)?

I am thinking 15 PSI for rock crawling but really wondering about high speed off roading as I want a good compromise between ride/comfort and not blowing a tire. Maybe 25 PSI?

This is a very debatable issue, but I will offer my personal opinion.

For Baja runs at higher speeds, I would recommend no less than half of the maximum cold inflation pressure for your specific tires (e.g., 20 psi for the Sasquatch Goodyear Territory MT tires on my Bronco Badlands 4-door with 2.7L and 10AT, which has a maximum cold inflation pressure of 39 psi on the Tire and Loading Information label inside my driver’s side door below the B-pillar). I believe this is the tire pressure used in at least some of the Bronco Off-Roadeos, and they do Baja runs at the end of each event. Since the Off-Roadeos are OEM-sponsored events, it is reasonable to assume that their practices are conservative.

For slow rock crawling, you can go lower, but try to stay at or above the low-to-mid double digits (e.g., 12-15 psi) without beadlock wheels. Otherwise, you risk losing a bead unexpectedly bumping into or over sharp rocks or fallen tree limbs. If you have beadlocks wheels, you can go even lower into the single digits.

 

[@BadBlueBronco]

This is a very debatable issue, but I will offer my personal opinion.

For Baja runs at higher speeds, I would recommend no less than half of the maximum cold inflation pressure for your specific tires (e.g., 20 psi for the Sasquatch Goodyear Territory MT tires on my Bronco Badlands 4-door with 2.7L and 10AT, which has a maximum cold inflation pressure of 39 psi on the Tire and Loading Information label inside my driver’s side door below the B-pillar). I believe this is the tire pressure used in at least some of the Bronco Off-Roadeo events, and they do Baja runs at the end of each event. Since the Off-Roadeos are OEM-sponsored events, it is reasonable to assume that their practices are conservative.

For slow rock crawling, you can go lower, but try to stay at or above the low-to-mid double digits (e.g., 12-15 psi) without beadlock wheels. Otherwise, you risk losing a bead unexpectedly bumping into or over sharp rocks or fallen tree limbs. If you have beadlocks wheels, you can go even lower into the single digits.

Very helpful, thanks

 

[mbagne]

Believe it or not (for what it's worth) at Nevada Off-Roadeo they keep the tires at 28 PSI, and there are some pretty aggressive off-road conditions from crawling over boulders in canyons to sprinting on gravel roads. The guides are professional with years of off-roading experience and they seemed more than comfortable with 28 PSI. As Razorbak86 correctly points out, though, it is all debatable and please believe me when I say that you will get differing opinions on this subject from highly experienced folks. Probably a safe comment is "Air down some for comfort, but not so much that you risk losing a bead". Everything between 20 and 30 PSI is probably a good window.

 

[Razorbak86]

Although comfort is definitely a factor to consider, my primary reason for airing down is to gain traction by increasing the contact patch.

 

[Bronco cat]

At the NH off-rodeo they ran 18-20 psi on the GY and KO2 and we ran some pretty aggressive rock crawling trails. I’ve include some pictures.

 

[ZipZit]

Believe it or not (for what it's worth) at Nevada Off-Roadeo they keep the tires at 28 PSI, and there are some pretty aggressive off-road conditions from crawling over boulders in canyons to sprinting on gravel roads....

I too, attended the Nevada Off-Rodeo, and I could have sworn they told us they were using 25 psi, but that's close enough for government work.

With that said, what's the risk of driving up to 40 miles home from off-road fun site with tires at 25psi? (i.e. Am I destined to purchase an air compressor / or a power tank system? and yup, I know that's a different off road thread everywhere...) An no, I'm not trying to go off script here... Just want to know if its safe to drive on the street up to 60mph with tires at 25psi?

 

[Razorbak86]

I too, attended the Nevada Off-Rodeo, and I could have sworn they told us they were using 25 psi, but that's close enough for government work.

With that said, what's the risk of driving up to 40 miles home from off-road fun site with tires at 25psi? (i.e. Am I destined to purchase an air compressor / or a power tank system? and yup, I know that's a different off road thread everywhere...) An no, I'm not trying to go off script here... Just want to know if its safe to drive on the street up to 60mph with tires at 25psi?

I definitely wouldn’t go 60 mph down the highway for long distances with only 25 psi in the tires. First, it’s not good for the tires, and second, having a blowout at that speed is not something you want to experience. However, you can probably drive to a local gas station and air up there before driving home. As a last resort, you may be able to take some backroads home and drive at lower speeds.

Long term, though, you’ll probably want to get some type of portable air compressor that you can carry in a bag in the cargo bay or mount somewhere on the vehicle.

 

[bodean]

They discussed this at the Moab Off-Roadeo, they ran them around 25-28psi but we travelled 15 miles of highway to and from the location. They mentioned they would run them around 15-20 if it wasn’t for the highway.

 

[Happy]

If a chalk test shows the tire having full width tread contact at 30, is there more traction advantage by going a little lower on air pressure?

 

[ryridesmotox]

If a chalk test shows the tire having full width tread contact at 30, is there more traction advantage by going a little lower on air pressure?

On rocks, yes. It allows the tire to fold over and grip a rock.

OP-

I run mine at 16psi (on a Milton gauge) it shows 18psi on the dash (via TPMS). It varies a lot based on tire selection, load rating of tires, and terrain. For me. Out west here on hard pack dirt/granite and rocks. I have had good results with 16psi. I run a 285/70r17 KO2.

Below that, and I'd worry that I might roll off the bead on a side load without some kind of bead traction adder... like a beadlock or how the method wheels have those bead ribs (for your pleasure).

 

[Razorbak86]

If a chalk test shows the tire having full width tread contact at 30, is there more traction advantage by going a little lower on air pressure?

Yes, because width is only one dimension of the contact patch area, and even lower pressures will increase the length of the contact patch, too.

 

[okbob]

On my 71' without beadlocks, I run 15 in the front and 10 in the rear, it weighs about 500lbs less than a new 2D. That said, this on slippery loose rock like at Hot Springs and Windrock. Sticky rock like at Moab or K2 in Texas wouldn't require that low psi, 20 and 15. I've rolled one front tire off the bead at Hot Springs in the last 15y.

 

[Hemisfear]

This is a very debatable issue, but I will offer my personal opinion.

For Baja runs at higher speeds, I would recommend no less than half of the maximum cold inflation pressure for your specific tires (e.g., 20 psi for the Sasquatch Goodyear Territory MT tires on my Bronco Badlands 4-door with 2.7L and 10AT, which has a maximum cold inflation pressure of 39 psi on the Tire and Loading Information label inside my driver’s side door below the B-pillar). I believe this is the tire pressure used in at least some of the Bronco Off-Roadeos, and they do Baja runs at the end of each event. Since the Off-Roadeos are OEM-sponsored events, it is reasonable to assume that their practices are conservative.

For slow rock crawling, you can go lower, but try to stay at or above the low-to-mid double digits (e.g., 12-15 psi) without beadlock wheels. Otherwise, you risk losing a bead unexpectedly bumping into or over sharp rocks or fallen tree limbs. If you have beadlocks wheels, you can go even lower into the single digits.

Not to mention the softer than some sidewalls, you won’t get away running too low!

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