Hi, I told you I'd be back...

My husband wants to know if we still have to deflate the tires in the Tacoma 4x4 TRD for driving in sand? We're hoping for a "no" and hoping that this is, in part, an advantage of having the TRD.

Please feel free to offer any other sand driving tips.

Thank you,
Wif

 

Decreasing the pressure in your tires will help quite a bit with traction in sand (same reasoning as doing it for snow).

 

It depends on the type of sand. If it's hard packed sand,like near the water, then you probably won't need to. If it's soft sand then yes you do. Lowering the pressure will also ease the stress you put on the transmission and engine because you will has less resistance in the sand since you're floating on top.

I'd say try it out without deflating, then if the engine is struggling or you think the tranny is struggling then lower the pressure. If you think you're getting stuck, then lower the pressure before you dig yourself up to the frame.

 

But be carefull - wet sand isn't always firm. Don't know where you are (or will be) but watch out for quicksand type patches anywhere near a river or lake. The patches typically aren't big and you'll probably make it through, but the really wet ones will swallow a wheel quickly and won't let go without a fight. Coastal and desert dunes are usually safe (in this respect).

 

Is there a rule of thumb for how much tire deflation should be sufficient?

 

Something like 15 psi is what we ran last time we were in Pismo, on the sand dunes. Some people go way lower than that, some not quite so low.

 

Thanks. Yes, we'll be coastal, then we'll be inland just by half a mile or so. It's pretty fragile once we get inland b/w ocean and sound.

 

I would say go down to 15, you should be ok, but if traction is still bad, go down a bit lower. I bet 15 is ok though, and you'll still be fine at 15 psi if you have to drive a bit on pavement to go air up.

 

Just out of curiousity, do you and your husband know how to engage/disengage the rear locker?

 

This is kind of a long post that I think came from a Jeep site, hope it helps:

Letting the Hot Air Out of Tire Talk
Tire Pressures for 4-Wheeling
by Harry Lewellyn

Experiences Playing in the Sand

I guess I should cut those reluctant to lower their tires down to sand pressure a little slack. My first time onto the beach in San Felipe, Baja, I did the air pressure trick, with a little unwillingness, and wasn’t sure it was really necessary. Then, over the next three or four years, I would first tackle the mellow white stuff at full street pressure and when all my power, skill and finesse failed, I would let ‘em down and move ‘em out. Me, low range and low gear, would struggle along at a whole five MPH. Deflation they defied resistance as I sailed along in high range, OD, at whatever speed I chose! Time and again, year after year, I tested the softies with the same undeniable results. Low tire pressure just plain works in the sand!

What Affects Optimum Sand Tire Pressure

Optimum sand tire pressure is a combination of many things, of which old husband's tales are least productive. However, your tires, their construction methods and materials, what your car weighs, how it is loaded, and wheel width all play into the sand-pressure tire formula with predictable results. For this article, I will neglect tire temperature which I suppose could be critical if you test below freezing and play at +80°. Why low pressure works and how to determine your best sand pressure follows.

Why Low Pressure Works

It’s a simple fact, which some diehards still deny, the bigger the footprint, the softer the stuff you can travel. Mother Nature knows it. Take a look at the feet of camels, polar bears and marsh birds. They are big and spread out to distribute their weight over a larger surface area. For those who say skinny, hard tires are better for snow, mud or whatever, please tell me why they don’t use ten-speed bicycle-type tires on snowmobiles? Sand rail people and mud boggers know big feet work better too! With that out of the way, lets take a look at tire pressure and footprints.

Tire Pressure and Footprints

Right next to your wheel, on the tire, find the small black print that specifies maximum load pressure. For example, my BFGoodrich Radial All-Terrain T/A 30x9.50R15LTs state 1990 pounds at 50 pounds per square inch (PSI) cold. Most folks, generally including those who install tires, run them up close to this, and neglect the actual term, "MAX. LOAD" pressure. The street pressure, TREAD FOOTPRINT figure below represents Coyote assessed over inflation.

 

Skinny only works when there's something hard below the soft stuff. If you're plowing snow off of a parking lot, then try and bite through the soft snow to the pavement below - it offers much better traction. If you're cruising the beach or snowmobiling through the backcountry, then you want a wide footprint for flotation and maximum square inches of friction. The hard surface may be many feet below you. Mud is a toss-up. This is where it pays to know the local conditions. Is this a few inches of muck on top of rock or is this a billion years of swamp?

 

Good info guys!

 

Excellent. Thank you.

Once we leave the 4x4 area, there is a pump nearby but we don't have an established relationship with this location yet. My husband said he was going to get a bicycle tire pump. That sounds iffy to me. ??

96 Runner, I sure don't know how but we're devoting this weekend to familiarizing ourselves with "Ota."

 

The bicycle pump is iffy. It'll take forever to air up one tire from 15 to 35psi. I did a test with my 110psi airtank (not sure of the volume, but it's 18" wide by 24" long, give or take). I put 110psi of air in the tank and was able to take three tires from 15 psi to 35. The fourth tire would only get to 20psi. Last time I drove on the beach (Outer Banks, NC), I aired down to 20psi. I think I can get 4 tires from 20psi to 30psi with that tank. That might be a better option...

Chris

 

If you will be airing up infrequently, you could try one of those inexpensive air compressors that plug into your cigarette lighter/power port.

 

bicycle pump???? that is funny. If you drive fast on sand 40mph+ DO NOT air your tires down cause speed will carry you over the deep stuff and speed will pop a tire off the bead. When driving slow air you tires down especially if you don't have a winch or another vehicle. And watch stoping close to the water because it only takes one tide change to turn a yota into a sub

 

I agree that a bicycle tire pump really needs to be re-considered! Almost all service stations have an air station that is either free (some areas require it to be free) or else you put two quarters in the thing to start it up. Even if you had to drive a couple miles on the road at 15psi, if you're not going fast you won't hurt anything.

 

just make sure you dont air down too much...then you will have a worse circumstance on your hands.