To Air Down or Not to Air Down

[MerkL]

I'm going out to the February Frenzy at Gray Rock this coming weekend, and I'm wondering if I should air down my tires for the trails? I ask this because this is my first time on an actual trail, most of the time I play in big open muddy places.

Thanks

[far_right]

yea... take em down to 15 or so psi

[Sully]

15-20 is pretty good.Just make sure you bring something to fill your tires with.

[Utah_jeepster]

It really depends on the trail conditions. If your just playing on the easy trails airing down isnt needed. But if your having traction problems then yes.
A quick call to your local tire store who carries your brand of tire should be able to inform you how low you can safley go.
Ant time you run your tires in the low teens you take a chance of "popping" a bead. Make sure you have a full size spare handy and a good jack that can handle the rugged, out door conditions you might face.
Good luck...and dont forget to take lots of pictures to make us all envious of your trail ride.

[Tug-n-pull]

I would hold out till it is needed. Why bother if you can go where you want to go at full pressure and then you will not have to wiorry about airing back up at the end of the day. Letting air out is so ez why do it untill you need to. Just my 2 cents tug

[jps4jeep]

When I had stock sized tires, I always aired down to at least 20 psi for two main reasons,
One, more traction when small obsticles came about.
Two, less impact on the environment. When aired down, the weight of the vehicle is displaced over a larger contact patch., displacing less "material" (term used loosely, perhaps terra firma is a better word)

[White]

also makes the ride nice and smooth. Like a 72 buick

[MerkL]

I think I'm taking Utah and Tug's advice. Thanks for the input guys. I'll get y'all the pics as soon as I can.

[avyoung]

I would pick up a pump that plugs into you cig lighter just in case you want to air down. The cheep ones are slow but my $10 pump does the job.

[MerkL]

Yeah, I have one, and I have a tank too

[graewulf]

I wouldn't air down unless you need to... let the terrain and your jeep determine if you need to or not.

[Snitty]

i agree.... i don't see a purpose for airing down unless it is needed

[TwistedCopper]

I would just air down to about 20 psi at the end of the pavement if you have an air source to refill them. Seems like a no-brainer to do it if you've never been on the trail before. Otherwise it's "beep beep hey hang on guys while I air down." If you end up not needing to (well then it was a waste of time LOL) then filling them back up is no big deal. If you get out there and wish you had done it you'll have everybody waiting for you. I say when that Jeep leaves pavement it should be ready to go!
(That's my opinion)

Seven P's of life: Proper Prior Planning Prevents **** Poor Performance!
(That's a fact)

-TC

[jeepin916]

dont air down till you need to, i think its mroe of a pain to air down and risk poping a bead and then trying to put on a spare. when does the tire normally pop a bead? normally in some place thats a pain in the a$$ to change the tire, if your tires are stock i would just take it easy... if there over sized and wider then i would leave them at normal pressures, i have 33x 12.50 and i have never aired them down and iv takin my jeep thru mud sand rocks mountains and all kinds of krap. never saw the need to air down .... take the advice from the people that wheel ther alot, if everyone is airing down them maybe u might need to but normally trails youll be fine with regular pressures

[Snitty]

i see it that if your wheeling partners are not willing to wait while you air down... then they are the wrong people to be wheeling with