Off road tire pressure (for rocks)

[stagger_lee]

Wasn't trying o dumb it down chief.
I have popped a bead at 10lbs on my scout. I have popped a bead at 12lbs on rocks in my old FJ80. It depends a lot on the tires. The toyos seem to have a pretty stiff sidewall as well as the goodyear MTRs. BFGs aren't as stiff, and I had super Swampers before and they were like jello. I have not popped a bead on the H3 yet, because I haven't pushed my luck. There is really no perfect pressure. You can pop a bead a 15lbs if you hit an obstacle just right you know? I dont have the knowledge or experience in the H3 as some of the others on here, but I have been off roading my whole life, in multiple rigs and set ups, so I have really just come of with the perfect pressure that works for me and that I feel comfortable with.

I also would rather sacrifice a bit of extra traction by not running really low pressure in order to save me from down time on the trail. Im sure you could go lower then I do and be fine. Eventually I would like to get a set of beadies just for the trail to be used on the H3.

[deserth3]

Originally Posted by 03H3

Hey desert,

I hope everything is fine with your rig. We are planning to run some cool trails. I hope you can still make it. If you are just worried about loaning me your spare tire relax, I'll borrow Neo's.

Borrow my spare and it would look like you're driving on one of those donut tires.

[Hunner]

On my H3 with MTMTZ 33's with 3 ply side walls, which are 33.1 this shot is when I ran 20lbs. I was rolling over on the side wall alot and broke a piece off the edge of a couple of rims. I now run 26 in the rocks. I have one tire that got 4 slices in the side wall that run from the outside edge towards the middle. It is now on the rack for emergency use only.

[Hunner]

The second one is common where I wheel. Jagged shelves of shale and Ouachita stone, used to sharpen knives, stick out in narrow ravines and if you run too low with the sidwall pouched out, you get a cracked rim edge. 26lbs works for me.

[stagger_lee]

There you go perfect example of what works for you. You have loose rock, wet rock, solid smooth rock, jagged rock...you cant come up with a number that works for all situations. I like to run a little bit more pressure than what I think is a safe PSI, I dont want to be stressed out while Im wheelin.

Thanks for the pics Hunner. Looks like those (bridgestones?) have a little softer sidewall then the toyos, therefore higher PSI is ideal. Would you think that to be correct Hunner?

[Wisha Haddan H3]

Speaking of popping a bead at low pressures, has anyone ever tried (or seen) Staun beadlocks?

[RuggedH2]

Originally Posted by Hunner

On my H3 with MTMTZ 33's with 3 ply side walls, which are 33.1 this shot is when I ran 20lbs. I was rolling over on the side wall alot and broke a piece off the edge of a couple of rims. I now run 26 in the rocks. I have one tire that got 4 slices in the side wall that run from the outside edge towards the middle. It is now on the rack for emergency use only.

Damn that sidewall is much more flexible than the Toyo. I have read that the Goodyear wranglers are also very flexible. The pic I posted in the beginning of this thread was of the Toyos at 15. They aren't flexing over the rocks hardly at all.

I'm also glad that the rock here is not like the shale and knife sharpening stone you have there. You can still rip a tire here, but that looks heinous.

[RuggedH2]

Originally Posted by Wisha Haddan H3

Speaking of popping a bead at low pressures, has anyone ever tried (or seen) Staun beadlocks?

I have seen those, they look very interesting. The list didn't show a 16x7.5 though.

[Hunner]

I forgot to point out those "are" the Bridgestones in the pictures before I dumped them for the MTMtz. Its an age thang, senior moment. The Mt are stiffer side walls but Im still running 26 in the conditions I wheel. Had one H3 run 15 on Bridgestones and she got a rock stuck between the wheel and tire! Baseball size!
Here is another shot, with the Bridgestones and other stones in a "mine field" This is one of the reasons I decided on the MTmtz. It seems to be a tougher tire so far and grips on those side lugs which protect the sidewall. Guess I got over the new and have not shot many new "tire shots" oh boy now I have a mission..............oh and the Mtz got into those flares so I had to take them off. The side lugs rubbed in these conditions. They also rub my front sway bar in certain conditons. Thus Im glad I did not go for 35 in this tire.

[Hunner]

Sorry but I found a shot of the Mtmtz with 26 so I thought some might like to see that. I like that amount of bulge to protect the rim but not much more.

[stagger_lee]

Hunner The Mtz's, are they 305's? or 285's. I have read good reviews about sidewall strength on those tires. 03H3 you mentioned the Goodyears having a soft sidewall, were you refering to the MTRs or the RTS garbage that come on the H3s stock? Just curious because the MTRS have one of the highest strength rating for sidewalls 2nd only to the Toyos. The Toyos have just recently within the last year been recognized for the quality tire that they are and were rated above the Goodyears. Probably helps that Robbie Gordan runs them and help develop them and ran some crazy distance in Dhakar the year before without having a flat.

[Desert Dan]

The weight of the vehicle has a lot to do what pressure you can run.

A dune buggy or a 3500lb Jeep can run lower air pressure than a fully loaded H3 (assuming similar tire sizes).

PS You don't want to pop a bead on a side hill!

[stagger_lee]

Originally Posted by Desert Dan

The weight of the vehicle has a lot to do what pressure you can run.

A dune buggy or a 3500lb Jeep can run lower air pressure than a fully loaded H3 (assuming similar tire sizes).

PS You don't want to pop a bead on a side hill!

Weight is a huge factor. My sandrail weighs all of 1400 lbs. 5-10lbs isn't questionable to run.

Nomo - the last 4wheel drive mag or off road or whatever, that had the tire test, the Toyos were #1 all around! good stuff.

[RuggedH2]

OK, obviously the tire you are running is gonna make a big difference with what pressure you feel comfortable with.

The terrain and other variables should also enter into your decision.

With that in mind, the 35" Toyos on my truck have a thick sidewall and are just broken in, 10,000 miles.

I still believe that for the most part, the lower the pressure the better the traction. I have been looking for the balance of all around ability while remaining as safe as possible.

My conclusion only applies to my rig, the Toyo's, and in Moab. (frankly because I'm hooked, it seems to have it all, and as close as it is to me, why drive anywhere else?)

Now, I ran Poison Spider Mesa with 13 psi. Good traction, and some good flex in the sidewall. I ran Metal Masher with 12, about the same. Hell's Revenge and Seven Mile Rim with 11. I also drove highway and freeway with 11 psi. For me, 11 psi is safe and provides the level of flex in the sidewall without worrying about the bead. I had all the weight of the vehicle on two tires at severe angles, and I didn't worry about the beads at all. 11 psi provided great traction and conformed around the rocks well.

I personally wouldn't hesitate to run even a little lower in sand or for enhanced traction if required.

Sorry for the long post, maybe someone else can use the information in this thread someday.

[RuggedH2]

11psi

[RuggedH2]

Originally Posted by stagger_lee

Hunner The Mtz's, are they 305's? or 285's. I have read good reviews about sidewall strength on those tires. 03H3 you mentioned the Goodyears having a soft sidewall, were you refering to the MTRs or the RTS garbage that come on the H3s stock? Just curious because the MTRS have one of the highest strength rating for sidewalls 2nd only to the Toyos. The Toyos have just recently within the last year been recognized for the quality tire that they are and were rated above the Goodyears. Probably helps that Robbie Gordan runs them and help develop them and ran some crazy distance in Dhakar the year before without having a flat.

Stagger, I don't think I said "soft", I think I said flexible, not necessarily the same thing. For instance, fiberglass can be flexible, but doesn't have to be soft.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...+wrangler+flex