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Deflate / Re-Inflate

55K views 36 replies 21 participants last post by  Fordobx 
#1 ·
A couple questions...

1) Re-Inflating
I've read lots of posts on here about deflating your tires before heading out onto the sand, but not much is mentioned about re-inflating the tires once ready to head out on the road.
Do most of you 'limp your away along' to the closest filling station with an air hose - or do most people carry their own portable compressors? Fearful of causing damage to tires/rims/etc. driving on the road with 15psi.

2) Tire Pressure Sensors
Has anyone experienced any damage to the tire pressure sensors found on newer trucks after rapid deflating for beach driving? Do the alarms thrown by the pressure sensors clear themselves once proper pressure is attained?

Thanks,
Matt O
Virginia
 
#2 ·
Hey, self, why don't you use the search engine like everyone else?
For #1: Opinions seem to vary. Many just drive on the road (carefully) to a station with an air hose. Others use portable compressors. Looks like the ultimate answer is up to me, balancing road risks against compressor costs.
For #2: I found this post on tire pressure sensors: http://www.pierandsurf.com/fishing-...eaches-and-let-the-air-down&highlight=inflate. Looks to be a mixed bag depending on truck brands.
 
#5 ·
A couple questions...

1) Re-Inflating
I've read lots of posts on here about deflating your tires before heading out onto the sand, but not much is mentioned about re-inflating the tires once ready to head out on the road.
Do most of you 'limp your away along' to the closest filling station with an air hose - or do most people carry their own portable compressors? Fearful of causing damage to tires/rims/etc. driving on the road with 15psi. I know a few fellas that would go down to 15 PSI but they were primarily interested in keeping the vehicle in 2wd

2) Tire Pressure Sensors
Has anyone experienced any damage to the tire pressure sensors found on newer trucks after rapid deflating for beach driving? Do the alarms thrown by the pressure sensors clear themselves once proper pressure is attained?

Thanks,
Matt O
Virginia
I typically would drop the tire pressure to around 20 PSI and I say around cause I would deflate the tires by eye, I have not seen an air pressure gauge that stayed reliable in a salt/sand environment...... when the tires 'looked" to have sufficient bulge to allow safe and hassle free driving on the beach I would stop letting air out.

If you go down to 15 PSI and below you increase the danger of breaking the bead loose and you do have to go an re-inflate immediately after leaving the beach as 15 PSI is not safe to drive on roadways

I would not re-inflate the tires until I was done fishing for the immediate future, as in I would drive "slower than normal" on the road, and if beach fishing was planned for the next day(s) the tires would be left at 20 PSI until driving on the beach was not in the plans

I have no experience with the new pressure sensors, it is my understanding they are an irritation you have to put up with

On the OBX anyway there are air compressors available near most of the ramps
 
#7 ·
I cant add anything to what Garbo already mentioned here. I have driven my truck for days with 15 front, 10 rear as long as I was staying in the immediate vicinity of where I was fishing. You have to be very careful around turns or you will indeed throw a bead and that will ruin your year for sure. It can be done though.
Anything beyond the immediate vicinity and I re-inflate.
 
#9 ·
Awesome ....when I am in frisco I never touch the tires when I go down to 18-20 and I am going between Hatteras and up to Buxton. I have always aired up when I went up to Avon because of the 55 stretch between there and I was afraid of damamging the tires. Nice to hear a report on not having issues.
 
#10 ·
i keep them at 20 the whole time and just keep it under 50 between the villages. you'll have a lot of impatient people who will ride your butt between buxton and avon and avon and the tri village but heck with em. never understood why it was so important for some people to fly by and pass me in the few minutes to buxton from avon only to have me catch back up at dillons? guess some people just really need that extra 10 seconds they gain by passing.
 
#11 ·
I have not had a beach buggy in so many years it is pathetic. I had the little 12v compressor that took FOREVER to air up.
I am looking for a buggy now and will DEFINITELY have a 3 gallon 110 volt compressor run with an inverter.
quick convenient air is a MUST for anyone that frequently changes their air pressure.
A compressor like this one can be found at flea markets and ALL pawn shops for $50. New at the box stores for less than a hundred $.
Compressor Product Gas compressor Tool Outdoor power equipment
 
#12 ·
I have not had a beach buggy in so many years it is pathetic. I had the little 12v compressor that took FOREVER to air up.
I am looking for a buggy now and will DEFINITELY have a 3 gallon 110 volt compressor run with an inverter.
quick convenient air is a MUST for anyone that frequently changes their air pressure.
A compressor like this one can be found at flea markets and ALL pawn shops for $50. New at the box stores for less than a hundred $.
View attachment 13047
Or Harbor Freight has one for on sale for $39.99 right now.
 
#13 ·
I have 2 12v compressors. The small one takes about 8 minutes to inflate a 32" from 18-37psi. The larger takes 2 minutes. Both have been modified for speed and reliability. I run the "tire buddies" automatic deflators. The little compressor is $27 at harbor freight the larger one is 60 at pepboys it's a masterflow mv-1050 and there are plenty of threads on offroad forums on how to beef them up
 
#14 ·
Dang It !!!!! now I need that little Harbor Freight air compressor and it is not carried at my store any more !!!
besides, it is gone back up to $60 on line. The little white 3 gallon 120v one.
Life's Lesson #27. If you see it and you want it, BUY IT RIGHT THEN AND THERE !!!
Will explore the larger 12volt models as well.

oh well, the XJ Country Saga continues. :fishing:
 
#16 ·
I usually drop mine to 15. Here's a story for you. The only time I never deflated my tires I was heading to the point. My wife was riding shotgun and reading one of the local papers as we were heading out. She simply ask "aren't you going to take the air out" now I was making a quick trip out to meet up with a friend. My macho self said "No just going out and right back, no need. I'll be fine. I was following another truck and they made a quick stop. I hit the brakes and my Chevrolet burried to the frame. My wife kinda smilled but didn't say a word. Don't know what was worse. Digging out, being pulled out by a Ford or her not saying anything. Trust me after digging for an hour I was more than happy to hook to that beautiful jacked up Ford.
 
#17 ·
Recommend slightly more PSI in the front tires (2psi) to facilitate turning and not as hard on the steering mechanisms.
I leave mine aired down for the duration of the fishing trip (but not more than 5-6 days of routine driving). But I have a couple rules:

1-I always use Michelins on my trucks
2-Stay away from low profile tires.
 
#23 ·
265/70 wider then everyone else? Wtf? My ridgeline has 265/70's. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't make that assumption. I've tried to make the run on full tires in both my RL and exploder, stuck once and burned up the Trans fluid twice. I take the time to air down because air is free and transmissions aren't. Plus I hate the idiot ruts and don't want to be that tool. Just because u can don't mean u should. Think of other drivers too not just yourself.
 
#25 ·
Most people that don't air down at ff end up stuck before the cedar log. The people that don't air down are the ones that cause all those loopdy loops that make your teeth chatter and bounce your head to the roof. Again just because you can do it doesn't mean you should. These are facts not opinion. You do what you want since it's a free country. Airing down makes it easier to drive on the deep sand, doesn't cause ruts to get cut up, doesn't put undue stress on your transmission and is just good sensable practice for you and your fellow fisherman.
 
#32 ·
So I have a question for everyone to consider since this topic has gone into ruts and maintaining drivability of on the beaches. The FF approach specifically seems to get very deep tracks going from everyone driving in the same track, fully aired tires making it all that much worse from what I understand. Is it better to just follow the ruts or is it better to get on the high stuff and push the sand back into the ruts? I am very new to beach driving so maybe I'm asking a dumb question. I run a Cherokee with 12.5's as well so even at 20 lbs I still get almost no "squish" to my tires but I am pretty sure it does help by not displacing as much sand as it would at a normal pressure.
 
#36 ·
Nice video, Thanks. I have been playing around with running my Jeep at 20 psi all the time and even with a few trips up to Wilmington have not had any problems with just leaving them there. Might try lower yet for the sand to see if it makes driving even easier but then I'd have to air up before heading anywhere very far. I like it at 20 because it isn't my daily driver but if my wife jumps in it I don't have to worry that I've left it sitting unsafe for her to drive a little.
 
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