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Deflate the tires for sand!

Discussion in 'Off-Roading & Trails' started by David K, Jan 5, 2012.

  1. Jan 5, 2012 at 11:47 AM
    #1
    David K

    David K [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Differential Breather Mod Light Bar: 4 Cree LED lamps Bilstein 5100s Ride Rite Air Bags
    Last year, I took photos of my Rugged Trails at 32 psi digging into the sand... and how quickly dropping the pressure to 15 psi made them float on top.

    I now have Hankook Dynapro ATms, and run them at 36-38 psi on the street... Did the same test a couple days ago on the beach in Baja...

    This is the gulf coast of Baja (Gulf of California/ Sea of Cortez) where the sand is made with a lot of tiny shell bits. It doesn't compact like pure sand, it just stays loose. So, even in 4WD... and even with A-TRAC... you still need to remove some air to prevent the digging in!

    So, I was able to drive over the dry sand and down onto the wet zone (between high and low tide... it was low tide)... but near the water, you can see how I was digging and slightly sideways at 38 psi:

    IMG_5368_6e06faad04574557e06cd9b30c87a96f90917d7d.jpg

    IMG_5369_79dc3170f1695d73a2190a595369d3d724c76d1d.jpg

    I dropped the pressure 50% (to 19 psi), and see the difference:

    IMG_5373_0a683bd0192b72712b18cdcb862fcdfd4b6c1b86.jpg

    IMG_5375_36adc40c34e33f951551c4b4743a07f56dafed71.jpg

    Air Pressure is everything in the sand!;)
     
  2. Jan 5, 2012 at 11:53 AM
    #2
    FLtaco

    FLtaco Well-Known Member

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    Awesome demonstrations. I was a believer it helped before I saw this but now I truly am
     
  3. Jan 5, 2012 at 12:07 PM
    #3
    Mr Salty

    Mr Salty "Give up the good to go for the great"

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    Deflate tires for sand, got it!

    Here's some more helpful advice...
    Turn on your headlights when driving in the dark. This makes a huge difference in visibility and helps keep you straight between the lines. One night I decided to drive with them off and I struggled to make it home safely.

    Use your lights when it’s dark out, they help a ton. You’re Welcome! :D
     
    Scott4032 likes this.
  4. Jan 5, 2012 at 12:27 PM
    #4
    Pugga

    Pugga Pasti-Dip Free 1983 - 2015... It was a good run

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    A Whipper Protege?!?! :eek:
     
  5. Jan 5, 2012 at 12:28 PM
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    Aw9d

    Aw9d That one guy

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    Nice post for us that have never drove in sand before. Thanks for the tip!
     
  6. Jan 5, 2012 at 12:32 PM
    #6
    twistax

    twistax Toyota Freak

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    make sure u have a compressor with you lol not good to operate at 15psi on highway ;p
     
  7. Jan 5, 2012 at 12:40 PM
    #7
    David K

    David K [OP] Well-Known Member

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    It is like the opposite of what goes up must come down... Don't go down (with air pressure), unless you can go back up (with a pump)! Naturally, if you got stuck on accident, and the tide is coming in... let the air out and drive slowly to where you can re-inflate!

    In Baja, we are always prepared for any situation... and by driving a Toyota, mechanical breakdowns aren't one of them!
     
  8. Jan 5, 2012 at 2:11 PM
    #8
    MonkeyProof

    MonkeyProof Power Top

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    didnt somebody break a rear ring and pinion on a previous baja trip with you, or was that an entirely different group that im thinking of?
     
  9. Jan 5, 2012 at 2:56 PM
    #9
    David K

    David K [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Yup, someone did (but it wasn't me... I was talking about how I don't worry about breakdowns driving a stock off road 4WD Toyota).

    In fact, the person who blew his diff. was 80 year old Neal Johns, the very same guy who strongly encouraged me to get a Tacoma Off Road when I was shopping for a small truck in 2000. His breakdown was with a 2003 (1st Gen.), with a very heavy camper, on the toughest road in Baja... one of them, anyway.
     
  10. Jan 5, 2012 at 3:23 PM
    #10
    MonkeyProof

    MonkeyProof Power Top

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    and to think all 4 of my 3rds have broken with in 5 miles of my house..the toughest roads in L.A. lol
     
  11. Jan 6, 2012 at 11:53 PM
    #11
    92LandCruiser

    92LandCruiser Well-Known Member

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  12. Jan 7, 2012 at 9:52 AM
    #12
    TacoMX

    TacoMX TW's Official anti body-lift pundit

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    [​IMG]

    one of these co2 inflators and a handful of 12gram CO2 cartridges work great if you dont have access to a compressor/pump.
     
  13. Jan 7, 2012 at 9:57 AM
    #13
    David K

    David K [OP] Well-Known Member

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    How many cartridges to add 15 psi to 4 16" tires? Getting an electric tire pump is probably way faster/ cheaper?
     
  14. Jan 7, 2012 at 10:17 AM
    #14
    TacoMX

    TacoMX TW's Official anti body-lift pundit

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    yeah, they aren't ideal, but they fit nicely in a small emergency road kit.

    IIRC it took me 2 cartridges to get from 15psi to 30 psi per tire.
     
  15. Jan 7, 2012 at 12:04 PM
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    Supra TT

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  16. Jan 7, 2012 at 12:16 PM
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    blackhawke88

    blackhawke88 wo ai ni bao bei ^_^

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    i have a masterflow 1050 and it takes me 20 minutes total to get from 12 psi to 40 psi after wheeling, all four tires
     
  17. Jan 8, 2012 at 11:28 AM
    #17
    4Wheelin4Banger

    4Wheelin4Banger Supercharged Toyman

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    Wow! That blows my mind. You had me this close * thumb and finger 3mm apart * to believing that A-TRAC could solve all of the worlds problems except overpopulation, world hunger & curring Cancer (they are still working on it though).
    Just think about it, if you go wheeling without A-TRAC you will get stuck in the middle of nowhere starve and die (you're dead reducing the overpopulation problem & being dead you don't need to eat reducing the world hunger problem).
     
  18. Jan 8, 2012 at 11:33 AM
    #18
    G scott04

    G scott04 ...

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    lol this is out of control
     
  19. Jan 8, 2012 at 11:53 AM
    #19
    RJALLDAY702

    RJALLDAY702 U MAD? OH U MAD

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    This helped a lot. I now have an idea about how much I should air down for my superstition trip. Never been in heavy sand.


    ^and at the haters.. Do you really feel the need to come into a thread where someone is giving information and just start being fucking asshats? I don't get it... :notsure:
     
  20. Jan 8, 2012 at 12:34 PM
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    MonkeyProof

    MonkeyProof Power Top

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    for that area i would suggest in airing down to around 18psi to start off with and adjust lower if necessary . what size tires are you running?
     

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