Hello Everyone,

I decided to post my question here rather than the 4X4 forum. I did a search first, but didn't quite get the answers I need. I drive a 2001 F350 PSD 4X4 and my tires are BFG All Terrain TA 295/75R-16.

Anyway, I'm heading down to watch the Baja 1000 and will be driving my truck out to the race course. Usually when I go down there the truck stays parked and I'll take either my 67 Bronco or one of the bikes/quads into the desert. (I learned the hard way that you should never play around in the vehicle you rely on to get you home!). This trip, however, I'm helping out a friend who's participating in the race and will need to take my truck out. I've driven off-road in the desert alot, just never in something this big and heavy.

My question is this: considering that the terrain will mostly be typical desert hard pack and the occasional deep sandy wash, how much should I air down my tires? I don't want to go too far down and risk pinching the tire on a rock, or having it come off the rim. But I also don't want to get stuck in the sand!

Other posts I've read have recommended airing down to anywhere between 25 and 10 lbs. But I don't think they were in trucks as big and heavy as the F350 diesel.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Melanie

p.s. I have a compressor, so airing back up is not a problem. I also carry two tow straps, shovels, hi-lift jack, etc.

 

Good Morning Melanie. I have yet to do this myself, but we have sand dunes here in Michigan, and the recomendation is always the same 10-25lbs, this is from guys with same trucks as ours.

have fun!!

 

10-25psi is what I used to run when we camped at Pismo.I also had a generator and air compressor to air up after we left the beach.

 

Maybe try calling a shop in South Cali or Yuma, AZ that specializes in sandrails, etc. and ask them what works best in the dunes since it's pretty much guaranteed that it's a common question they hear. Just a thought...

 

Cool, I guess I just wanted to hear this from folks who drive a big diesel! My concern was that the extra weight would be too much of a strain on the tires if they were aired down that far and the tire would pop off the bead or get pinched between the ground and the rim.

This is a good idea, they would have knowledge specific to my area too. The area where I'll be (South of San Felipe by Matomi Wash) is very volcanic and the rocks tend to be sharp. This was another of my concerns with flattened tires.

Thank you all for your help!

Melanie

 

I spend a lot of time camping and off-roading in the desert and I haven't aired down past 60#, but I don't do anything extreme either. I have yet to get stuck in the sand (except once on one of the hills on Goat Trail in South Anza-Borrego...I picked the side that was steep and soft and that didn't turn out so well for me). I had Pirelli Scorpion ATR 265/75-16 E rated at the time.

 

i go to the oregon coast area alot where the sand can be anywhere from hard packed (from all our rain) or extremely soft. i have only aired down once to 10# and that was to get un-stuck and i was towing some one out of the sand. if you do air down, i would not go to far. you should be fine. and have fun!

 

I agree. I'm thinking I'll start with 25lbs and only air down further if I need to.

I was just out on Goat Trail two weekends ago! We set out off 78 on Buttes Pass, to Goat Trail, Blow Sand, Cut Across Trail, Palo Verde Wash then out through Short Wash to Fonts Point. I was in my Bronco though; I think my truck would just be too big to make it through some of the washes we went through, aired down or not! Lots of fun trails in Borrego.

 

I used to go that way in my F-150 (2wd). Since I bought my 4x4, I usually go up Blow Sand and then go up Goat Trail (my 2wd would not have made it up the 2 steep hills with all the moguls) and it's on the South (left) side of one of those hills that did me in. Had to have my dad in his D-Max pull me out (it took both of us in 4lo to get me up the hill).

Basin Wash is also a fun run too. It used to be an exercise in momentum as it was mostly soft sand, but now it's a lot more technical since a lot of the walls have collapsed over the years. Definitely not a lot of extra room for error in my CC with a 13' wheelbase!

 

I go out sand camping on the OR coast myself - pull my camp trailer behind the pickup aired down all the tires to 20 psi works fine. Lower than 20 psi on the heavy front made me nervous because it flops around a lot on the tires when turning.

 

Kinda a hi-jack but kinda helpful info too. same air down philosophy for deep snow? I run 70-75 psi in my tires now and the wear on them is perfect. Last year I had a hard time getting to a friends private lake that is about half mile from a plowed road. Snow was about 10" deep. Would airing down help here?

 

Hey guys. I've got no experience vis-a-vis the 'desert', per se....but lots of experience running the beaches on the Outer Banks of NC. Now there we run A LOT in actual deep sand, with a few harder packed back (sand) roads. The only time you'll get harder packed sand is on the flat sections near the water at low tide. Mostly deep sand though (and I mean deep).

Now what bothers me is that the OP seems to be implying that the majority of his driving will be hard-pack sand with occasional deep sand, and occasional run-ins with rocky terrain. Personally, I think that under those conditions, 10-20psi is way too low.

I have a 2000 F250 psd. Similar in weight to the OPs truck. I'm running BF Goodrich 75R16 285s (all-terrain), and on the last trip to the Outer Banks last month, I had the tires at 35psi. It ran fine. Actually MORE than fine. Even where I really hit a deep, soft spot, the truck just worked a little harder and chugged right along.

Keep in mind, we're talking Deep, soft (dry) sand and running along a 25-mile barrier island. No improved areas. I was carrying a slide-in camper (2200 lb) and other equipment.

Now the OPs tires have a slightly wider footprint than mine. Again, I have no experience in the 'desert' like you guys, but it seems that 30 to 35psi would be fine for him.

OK. You can kick my a$$ now.

Oh. p.s. Are you running 'E' load tires? 'E' load will have a higher tolerance for running low air pressure than 'D' load. Mine are 'E'.

 

i have nothing intelligent to add but i must say i am very jealous that you are going to watch the BAJA 1000, i hope to ride the desert one day... have fun!

 

GLBLWMR - What's a trip to the desert without having to be pulled out? Lol. Ever been up this wash? This leads to Diablo Drop-off, which I had the pleasure of trying to drive UP!




20 psi makes me a bit nervous too. Mainly because of the rocks and, as you mention, the weight of the front end. I'm thinking now that I'll start with 35-30lbs and see how it goes.

Hey cmpd1781, I've read your posts in the 4X4 forum. I didn't catch that you were in a PSD also. (btw, I'm a she) Here's an example of what the hardpack is like where I'll be in Baja.



This picture is the best representation I could find. (and no, it's not cropped or zoomed in. This is why it's never a good idea to watch from the outside of a turn!) This is the type of road I'll mostly (60-70% of the time) be driving on. As you can see, they're sharp, volcanic rocks. These suckers will cut a tire like a hot knife through butter if you hit them right. The arroyos, or washes, of which there are many, are filled with the deep, dry sand, like you have in the Outer Banks. The difference may be that these washes usually aren't straight shots. You are winding sharply around big rocks and bushes so it's sometimes hard to keep your momentum up.

I think, based on the advise I'm getting here, that I'll start with 35lbs and see how I do. I'll have to check about the 'D' or 'E' rating on my tires, and I'll take that into consideration too. Thanks for your input!

BigJake - It's a blast! Watching it on TV or YouTube doesn't begin to show the true speed and power of these trucks! Drop everything right now and come see the race! There is always room for one more!

 

Mike, I can't help you on this, but I'm sure that others here have experience in the snow. The last time it snowed where I live was in 1986 and it stuck to the ground for a whole 5 minutes!! Lol!