David Wilson, director and lead instructor at Adventure 4WD has been a 4WD trainer since a time before the internet. He lives and breathes life off the beaten track and is passionate about sharing his knowledge. We want to help Dave spread the word, so every Wednesday; Toyo Tires will be sharing one of his snack sized 4WD tyre tips.
Beach bogged with a rising tide and a setting sun? There’s a tyre pressure for that.
Beach driving might be one of the most fun things you can do in a 4WD. It might also be the most fraught. It has the potential to cause more divorces among 4WD families than maybe any other stress test.
Imagine, ambling happily along a section of coast looking for that ideal fishing spot. Before you know it you feel a little bit of slip and suddenly, BAM, sunk to the chassis.
“How’d that happen!” I hear you cry, especially since you let some air out of the tyres. It was obviously not enough; the footprint length of the tyre was insufficient to carry the weight of the vehicle on that surface at that moment.
Now add some complication to your situation. The tide is coming in and soon the salty waves will be licking those wheels. It’s time for “Divorce” pressures.
These are strictly emergency pressures designed to work for a brief moment and get you out of trouble. They are wholly unsuitable for anything other than this kind of no-option situation.
Try 12psi, try 10 psi, and even 8psi, maybe lower, for if everything else hasn’t worked this likely will.
Before you go letting down your tyre and trudging off through quicksand, a word of caution!
At at any pressures less than 15psi you run a serious risk of ‘debeading’, or forcing the tyre off the rim. When operating at these super low pressures make all your inputs measured, subtle and without haste.
Again, these are emergency pressures and once the drama is done, get them back up to a safe level where you’re making progress.
When it comes to dealing with tricky sand, Toyo Open Country A/TII’s are the best.
