Minimum tire pressure for off-roading

With E load tires you can go 12-15 psi no problem, with lighter load tires once you get down that low the sidewalls are likely going to be flexing to a dangerous point where they can tear and/or roll off the rim. It really depends on the tire.

 

I go to 12-15psi (LT tires) I've wheeled some gnarly trails with regular wheels and LT tires and never blown a bead.

I'd never air down offroad without a compressor and a ratchet strap through. If you do blow a bead you will need some way to re-inflate the tire. A ratchet strap around the circumference will help the bead get a seal before it can be re-seated.


If you dont air down offroad then you are seriously missing it. Your kidneys and back will thank you if you do. (25psi is not airing down)

 

Yup. Think 12 is the lowest Ive been a handful of times for deep snow and loose sand. Most likely you dont need to be that low on stock tires though

 

E rated tires have no business on a Taco or offroad. C or D at the most is plenty. I've wheeled hundreds on miles on C rated (EDIT: I guess they were D rated) tires at 12psi on all sorts of challenging rock crawling and never had an issue.

Although I guess with the recent fad off super heavy "Overland" vehicles that changes things.

 

Whatever you say buddy

 

No kidding, E's are 90% of LT tires for sale, especially in the tacoma 31-35" range.

 

Yep. Not to mention it's just funny when someone presents their opinion on something as a matter of fact for everyone else lol.

 

Well shit, now I gotta get rid of my 255/85R16 KM3's because someone on TW says they don't belong on my Tacoma.

You've wheeled "hundreds" of miles on all sorts of challenging rock crawling. Challenging due to actual rocks, or a few pot holes on a grave mountain road?

What size tires are you running that are C or D rated that are even tall enough to rock crawl with?

 

These are D rated, and what I currently run.
https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/goodyear-wrangler-duratrac/p/31930



33s long ago, but 35s for the past decade or so. Lots of trips to Moab and all over Colorado.

E rated tires are on my 3/4 ton Chevy tow pig, where they belong. Not on a mini truck tacoma. I feel bad for your ride comfort if you think E rated are ideal for offroad.

 

I drive through lots of alleys and construction sites, e rated tires = no flats.

 

Cute tires.

 

I’ve ran E and D and notice literally no difference in ride quality. People get too caught up on that load rating.

 

Long ago when I was buying duratracs I tried to find D's, the problem was inventory. They had to ship it cross country.

I like tires that are readily available incase I bugger one up.

I did a lot of blind river crossings in my duratracs and the extra ply didnt hurt.

 

Yup, you risk drowning in pussy when you do it right.

 

Exactly!

My ride quality improved between the factory shit Duratracs, and my KM3s. The E rated tires feel and perform much more sure footed around corners and on rough terrain.

I can safely air down to 12-15psi for the tread lengthening effect, but not have the squishy sidewall issue of the C, or even some D rated tires.

Oh, and my fuel eco is literally the same.

So, ZColorado why would the E rated tire have no business on a Taco? Mine are an actual improvement in almost every aspect possible.

 

I’m not OP.

my argument is off-road traction, not on road handling. Side bulge is what you want.

Body roll partly due to no sway bar and soft tires are my expectation. I purposely chose tires for maximum off-road traction. Not on road handling.

maybe I am confusing all you with people who go off-road, not commute to work and home and that’s it.

 

Maybe we can defuse the tension here with a good ole fashioned conversation about oil brands.

 

Weird, my old E rated tires had no problem conforming for off road traction.






And neither do my current D load





It’s almost as if *gasp* load doesn’t play as large a roll as you think.

 

My bad on the OP, should have looked closer.

Side bulge is NOT what you are trying to accomplish while aired down, and for several reasons.
Side bulge in and of itself does nothing to the effect of better traction. The lengthing of the contact patch is what is giving you the added traction. Excessive side bulge also has a direct relationship to tire instability.
Side bulge is a direct result of sidewall flex, which can over stretch said sidewall material repeatedly to the point of failure due to degredation from built up heat.

I am certainly not confused by offroad, vs onroad commute. My E rated tires spend their concrete miles at 36psi, while my offroad miles are between 12-18 ps (terrain dependant). The stability of my truck between 12-36psi the doesn't feel any different to me. Traction has been spot on when aired down as my tires are skinny, and sidewalls don't really buldge much at all, yet tread is lengthened appropriately.

If you look closely, my sidewalls don't really show much change when aired down to 12-15psi. What do your's look like at that psi?

 

I've aired down as low as 11lbs running E rated 33x12.50 -15 interco Super Swampers on old style 15x10 Jackman steel rims . No issues blowing a bead