Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2017 3:57 pm Post subject: Air down tires?
Planning a May camping/fishing trip to PINS so I've been trying to prep. I don't have much experience driving on the beach. Everything I read says to air down your tires. I've got a decent portable compressor I'm bringing. Just curious if airing down is a common practice for the experienced folks? I've got a 4X4 with a rear locker, recovery straps, shovel, and traction boards fyi.
Joined: 01 Nov 2011 Posts: 1714 Location: cc, TEXAS!
Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2017 4:18 pm Post subject:
I personally don't air down. I've never really needed to, even driving through some pretty soft stuff. I figure i can always air down if i need to. That being said, i have a buddy that airs down every time he hits the sand regardless of driving conditions. He says it gives him a smoother ride. I think as long as you dont bury yourself a shovel will be sufficient. If you geel like you've stopped moving dig yourself a little runway and get some momentum going. Also try not to stop in the really soft stuff because once you lose your momentum its hard to get back. Be careful driving the water's edge. What looks like packed sand can be seaweed with sand on top and you will bury your ride. You dont want to be stuck there with a strong incoming tide. So while that answer is far from a yes or no, i hope that helps. _________________ Great captains, the stuff of legend, are made not by what they have caught, but by what they have given back.
really depends on the condition of the beach. I have been to PINS where it is hard pack from the sticks all the way to the jetty with a few soft spots here and there. There have been other times where it is mostly soft with some hard spots mixed.
Just wait and see what the conditions are like and even thought you may not need to air down doing so with make it easier on your vehicle in the soft spots.
Joined: 09 Apr 2007 Posts: 5811 Location: Little Rock, Arkansas
Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 7:04 am Post subject:
IMHO, driving on the island(s) gets way overhyped by some. I may live in Arkansas, but I have lived down there many times, and did LOTS of fishing and surfing. Never had 4 wheel drive and only got stuck once... way back in the mid 70's when a few schmucks made a habit of tearing up the sand between the beach and the pavement on the beach side of the north Fish Pass jetty, so that they could charge people to pull them out!!!
If you use common sense you'll likely never have a problem. When in doubt, stop, get out and recon an iffy spot before continuing. And no, I never aired down either. One tip; when going thru a soft patch, keep your front wheels straight ahead if at all possible. Turning them even a little makes much higher rolling resistance/a wider profile for the rear wheels to push thru the sand. Same thing goes for mud and loose gravel. If you have front wheel drive, even better!
One thing to remember: Just because you have "4 wheel drive" doesn't make you bullet proof. If and when you DO get stuck and you're already in 4WD, you're REALLY stuck!!!!!! _________________ Dave
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein
If and when you DO get stuck and you're already in 4WD, you're REALLY stuck!!!!!!
All good advice, especially landlock's quip about 4WD. if you can, ride the existing trenches, no need to make everything soft and torn up.
I drove a Jeep for many trips down the beach and rarely/never took it out of 2WD. If it was iffy, it was always 4-High. I only used 4-Low one time, and that was just to get me a few yards into some 'less-than-powered-sugar' stuff.
Common sense is paramount. Momentum is second. And knowing North bound vehicles have the right-of-way on PINS will get you far.
Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 9:43 am Post subject: Thanks!
Thanks for the advice from everyone. I'll play it by ear as far as airing down. The momentum and don't feel bullet proof concepts make a lot of sense to me. Very much appreciated!
Joined: 09 Apr 2007 Posts: 5811 Location: Little Rock, Arkansas
Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 11:18 am Post subject:
Sometimes the toughest spots are right where the access road pavement ends and the sand begins. Those places are high, dry and soft. I NEVER go on thru without pulling up to the end of the pavement and giving things a good look. There are often torn/rutted up zones (where other, less wise souls have been stuck and dug out!!!!) that can be easily bypassed by simply going to the right time or left, but you'll never know that unless you stop and look first! This also gives a chance to check out the character of the sand on a particular day. Soft and powdery means you need to get a little steam behind you. Otherwise, not so much. _________________ Dave
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein
Just a note here. Billy Sandifer always had his tires down to 20 or 25lbs. Helps with traction but makes it easy to ruin a tire with a sidewall puncture.
That one weekend before Dolly hit several years ago down in South Padre, the Big Shell was so bad that I almost got stuck in 4 low. Just awful stuff.
Joined: 01 Jul 2012 Posts: 362 Location: San Antonio
Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 12:35 pm Post subject:
If I'm going to be on the beach for an extended period of time (overnight) I always air down. It makes for better piece of mind and a MUCH smoother ride. (Full disclosure: I run load range E tires and road pressure is 45PSI so I air down to about 20PSI.)
You mentioned camping so I assume that means looking for a spot up close to the dunes where the sand is softer. For me, I have noticed a difference between pressure levels. In 2WD, aired up, I would sometimes experience wheel-hop when trying to take off or slowly moving through the soft stuff. Aired down, the truck smoothly glides over the sand.
Hope my two cents helps. _________________ "Money will buy you a fine dog, but only love can make him wag his tail." - Kinky Friedman
Momentum on the sand may(?) help get through some situations, but my experience has been that momentum was unnecessary and dangerous. People usually gain speed in order to gain momentum on sand. This creates loss of control. A beach full of families is not a place you want to lose control of your vehicle.
Knowing you and your vehicle's limits and having tools to get un-stuck are more useful than momentum when driving on the sand. A capable driver and vehicle doesn't need momentum to travel through difficult areas. Knowledge, skills, ability, and proper equipment are needed to successfully negotiate the terrain.
Personally, I drive at or near () the posted speed limit. If I start to bog down...I stop, put in 4hi, and start going again. If I bog down in 4hi...I stop, put in 4low, and start again. With the right equipment, this will not fail. Street tires/non-aggressive treads are better for sand because they 'float' on top as opposed to mud tires/aggressive treads which dig down into sand and creates more resistance.
IMO it depends" your truck, suspension, tires, how you drive and how loaded down you are.
Driving a dodge 2500, the rear end will hop like crazy and force me to go top at least 4 hi,
Airing down tires gives a little softer ride and makes it easier to get through the fluff.
From experience, Michelin tires don't like riding low pressure, at least the side walls don't. BFG's no problem.
What I do see on my tires when I drop pressure down the sand kicks out of the tread much quicker.
But like land locked David said. Scope it out. Be safe and nut stupid. Conditions change out there with each tide and from others driving / call sites.
Drive according to you abilities and your ride. Else you will be stuck like Chuck.
Locking hubs are awesome when you do get stuck and were only on 2wd.
Very important, don't drive the surf line in little shell in 2wd. At least where the beach is not flat. Unless you want to lose your ride to the surf. _________________ Fish and Hunt Baby.... so tight lines and clear scopes.
Kinda off the tire subject, but, DON'T put your car keys in your shirt pocket. A little over a year ago a group from San Antonio in a new pickup stopped near the surf line on the way out at the 25 mm. There was an incoming tide and when he waded out to fish the 2nd gut, the keys fell out of his pocket and no spare keys. I used my strap to pull the truck to higher ground so the tide wouldn't get flooded. I took him to the visitor center to get cell service so he could call his wife in SA. The time was 5:00 PM when he called. Took him back to the truck to wait on a very upset lady.
Posted: Mon May 01, 2017 9:48 pm Post subject: Clay Mitchell's magic number
You don't always need to air down
You don't always need 4-wheel drive
If your going past the MM19-MM23 and its soft sand!!! air down to 28.5 PSI
Save your Tranny _________________ Fin in the wind
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) the posted speed limit. If I start to bog down...I stop, put in 4hi, and start going again. If I bog down in 4hi...I stop, put in 4low, and start again. With the right equipment, this will not fail. Street tires/non-aggressive treads are better for sand because they 'float' on top as opposed to mud tires/aggressive treads which dig down into sand and creates more resistance.
