Baja Beach 4WD: 32 psi to 15 psi, see the difference!

Different sands require different deflating, if any...
As I mentioned above, desert sand seems to require less deflating as it compacts better. Beach sand requires more if it is a steep slope beach or one with a lot of shell or coral in it.

My tires (265/75-16 Hankook DynaPro ATM, P-Rated) do excellent and float with more air in them than a stiffer or mud tire. 44 psi Max rated, I have them at 34 psi for daily driving... Off Road at 20-25 psi and sand at 15-20 psi.

If they were a mud tire or 3 ply sidewall tire (I ran Cooper Discoverer STTs in the past), then the pressure would need to be dropped to 10 psi or less to achieve the same degree of floatation as the other tires at 15 psi.

 

Thanks, David. Sounds like your tires are similar to mine with a 44 psi max. I'll take your advice.
Looking forward to my trip to Anza Borrego.

 

Have fun... and no beach at Anza Borrego, so 20 psi may work just fine! Devil's Slide is the main sand area there.

 

That's why I gave a range of 2-3 minutes. I have 32" tires (265/75-16) and it takes 2.5 minutes to add 15 pounds of air (6 psi/ min.).

 

This is an old-old thread, but like old me, still can help teach about sand driving!

 

What I use to refill the tires: https://youtu.be/LRyXleGxrmQ

 

That is probably the most unreliable portable air compressor available still to this day... just a level and a half above the Harbor Freight equivalent of an air compressor. I this know from experience after going through three with in a few short years, one of which I hard mounted in the engine bay. I'd consider this the entry level air compressor..

 

Too bad for you but thanks for the warning for others to weigh.
I had the Harbor Freight one first (form like 2006) and it melted the inline fuse holder in short order.
When I got the MV-50, it was flawless up to when I moved it from one side of my truck to the other... I pinched the fill hose accidentally, while running... Blew the unit's internal valve. I got another MV-50, being careful to turn it off between tires! Been wonderful all these years, otherwise.
A Jeep-owning friend got a really pricey one... and after bragging... my 'el cheapo' MV-50 was faster and easier to use at refilling my tires. I measured the fill rate at 6 psi per min./ or 3 min. per tire from sand pressure to street pressure.

 

It was 12 years ago that I made this post... and really nothing has changed, other than the tires I now use (Hankook DynaPro ATm) will float at 18 psi (that it took the stock BFG Rugged Trails to be at 15 psi).

Naturally, the load in the truck, the weather humidity, and heat all can affect the actual pressure you will need to drop to.
My 15 or 18 psi is just a quick go-to point and if you still bog in or spin the tires, let out MORE!! Friends who run BFG All Terrains need to go to 10 psi... It has to do with the 3-ply sidewall, most likely. Mud-terrain (aggressive treads) tires also must go right to 10 psi as a starting point, from my experience.

I still have not had my MV-50 fail during regular use... but I do not use it as often as others might. For the Tacoma driver who may only go to the beach or dunes a couple times a year, it may last you a dozen years?

My last time driving on Shell Island was before Covid shut downs: