BFG Tire Pressure

[acme]

I'm just curious what tire pressure you guys are running on 35 x12.50 15 BFG AT KO's in deep sand and silt? We've never had to air down the Bronco much but will be running some deep Baja sand/silt and just wondering how low you guys have gone on these heavy 4x4's without blowing a bead? Tks!

[AussieRod]

In sand, etc. I generally air down to 15 psi or so, depending on the tyre size (mostly no larger than 33"). Less than that will pop a bead if you don't take care. If you are using beadlocks, 10 - 12 psi could work.

[Stan the Man]

I've had good luck at 15 - 18 PSI on my 35" KO2s.

[acme]

No beadlocks, just trusty old Fcty Alcoas. Tks Stan! Any more input from others is appreciated!

[LvSteve]

Stan has it correct. I run the same

[PaulW]

After my last epic trip in the Jeep stuck in the mud for over 24 hours I did a bunch of research. (5 of us in Colorado with 12' deep mud on a hill). The result of my study was a recommendation of 1/3 of your normal pressure. This would be for rock crawling, deep sand, Silt, and mud.
IMO, using that low a pressure would require inconvenient fill up when your speed is more than just slow.
For my Big Bronco the pressure with 12" Baja's would have to be below 10 to feel any difference compared to 30. The result I seldom aired down. The suspension on that rig soaked up all the bad stuff at any speed and I just used low range for Silt, deep sand, and when the trans temp required.

Travel in Baja is a special case. Lots of the roads are bad washboard with some big rocks. For that situation if aired down for the sand we hold our speed to 40 or below to avoid airing up. For speeds 60 or above we use normal pressures and let the truck suffer. Of course the really bad stuff requiring low tire pressure is always followed by a long stretch of graded road. In that case air down when you get stuck.

Now days in the jeep, 12.5x15 KM2s, I run 12 or 14 for all off road travel depending on my prediction of road conditions. Occasionally I use 9/10 psi , but it is inconvenient to fill up for any fast driving (sure gives a smooth ride). To get back home when highway travel is required I have a CO2 tank. Sometimes the rock crawl place is close to a gas station. Getting back from the desert sand or US trails I just drive slow to avoid airing up and air up until convenient.