Ideal Tire Pressure
- Thread starter trailjeep
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Skinny Pedal
New member
It constantly changes here. I run 17x9 wheels and 37 1250 KM2s. Last weekend they were at 4 psi in the snow and 6-8 psi in the rocks. Thats with no beadlock. It all depends on the wheel, tire, sidewall and your type of wheelin.
Bounty__Hunter
Super Moderator
I never went below 15psi when wheelin radial tires without beadlocks, any lower and it felt like the tire was going to roll right off them rim.
With my bias swampers and no beadlocks I run about 8psi.
With my bias swampers and no beadlocks I run about 8psi.
phall92139
New member
I'd wheel my original 31" Goodyear MTR's w/o beadlocks at 12-15 psi, even down to 10 psi once in a while depending upon terrain and how much ground clearance I could sacrifice. Of course they were Load Range E and pretty stiff sidewalls. Now that my 35's are "locked" and the rig is lifted it's a differnent story.
before bead locks, with a 35" tire on 15" rim, I would run as low as 8psi at times. but the tires were 15" wide and the rim was a 15x8. I would not go that low with a 12.5" wide tire. 10psi would probably be where I would keep them. with my bead locks, I run between 3-5 psi.
Mooseknuckles
New member
I run my tires at 8psi for wheeling, but that's on sand.
ComitSteve
New member
If you are running beadlocked rims with very low psi, is the tire more susceptible to damage?
phall92139
New member
Sure, you've got the sidewall flexing a lot and more susceptible to rips and punctures. However, that is why there really is no "magical" recommendation as to tire pressures in that it depends on variables such as vehicle weight, terrain, and the tires themselves.
Starting with the tires, some makes and brands are known to have more puncture/tear proof sidewalls than others. Without getting into a debate over specific brand and model of tires it is pretty easy to ask around and get an idea of a tires reputation for withstanding sidewall damage. If low psi wheeling is in your plans look for heavier multi-ply sidewalls or plys of special materials like Kevlar. Also think about "load range." While having a stiffer (maybe too stiff for extremely light vehicles) sidewall, load range D or E tires may perform better than load range C tires in some situations.
Obviously, soft surfaces like sand, dirt and mud are going to be more forgiving to the tire than crawling over glass-like shale, volcanic rock, or gumbo-mud strewn with sharp sticks and debris.
So while the simple answer is "yes" to your question can low psi can make tires more susceptible to damage, it really comes down to having the right tires for the kind of wheeling you do and having the familiarity with your rig and experience to know how and when to vary the amount of tire pressure you run.
Since 2003, I'm on my 3rd set of Goodyear MT/R's (this last set with Kevlar in the sidewalls) and have yet to use my Safety Seal Off Road tire repair kit. I've loaned it out to others but have yet to punch a hole in my own tires. That either says a lot for the durability of the tires or the fact that they keep Mall parking lots so hazard-free, or hell, maybe I've just been lucky.
jfrabat
New member
IMHO, it depends on the terrain, tire and wheel. As Bounty mentioned, bias ply can go lower than radial. And as many have mentioned, the tire width and wheel width also affect a lot. But also, how likely is the terrain going to get the tire off the rim will also affect the decision. I only go down to 13 PSI on my radials (BFG KM2), and I have yet have them come off the wheel...
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