What is the correct tire pressure?

Hello everyone. In this first article, we answer a question we are often asked. Why lower the pressure in our tires? Is it really necessary and, more importantly, what is the ideal pressure? Hmm... the question is not as simple as it seems. If you are not doing "Off Road" lowering your tire pressure is more or less important. First of all, lowering tire pressure on trails and in deep snow significantly increases traction. There is no one size fits all when it comes to the ideal tire pressure. Certain parameters are VERY important.

1. What type of rims do you have? Do you have beadlock rims or not? This greatly affects the minimum pressure you can put in your tires. With beadlock rims, you can practically go as low as you want » without damaging the sidewall of your tire obviously » whereas with a conventional rim, if you lower the pressure too much the tire bead will come off the rim.

2. What type of terrain are you riding on? The ideal pressure for a forest trail will be different from that used on steep or rocky peaks.

3. Another factor to consider is the overall diameter of your tires. For example, a 35-inch or 33-inch overall diameter on a 20-inch rim will not be able to run as low in pressure as a tire with a 35-inch overall diameter on a 17-inch rim. The tire sidewall is simply thinner, so the risk of damaging the sidewall or wheel is higher with larger rims. A common and easy-to-understand practice says that the ideal overall diameter of an off-road tire should be twice the wheel diameter. Example: 17-inch rim x 2 = minimum 34-inch overall diameter. Again, we are talking about the ideal diameter for off-road riding.

What is the ideal pressure?

So, with that said, now's the time to figure out what pressure you should be running your tires at. Here are some examples.

· Forest roads or light trails (Level 0-3 of the Fc4x4Q). You can easily go down to 15 PSI. With conventional wheels (non-beadlock) as you are not on the pavement and your speed will normally be lower, there is no danger of damaging the tire.

· For moderate trail riding (level 4-7), you can go down to 12 psi. This will increase comfort and traction. On non-beadlock rims, 12 psi is probably the minimum psi you can go down. Any lower than that and there is a high risk of the tire bead separating from the rim.

· For harder core trails (Level 8-10) it is highly recommended to have bead locks so you can go down almost as low as you want and get extreme traction and grip. 8 Psi is a common standard for this type of trail.

· In deep snow it's a little different. For non-beadlock rims you can go as low as 10 or 8 psi. With beadlock rims 2-4 psi will do all the traction. Again, remember we're talking about an all-terrain tire that has an overall diameter at least twice the rim. A tire that lifts off the bead in deep snow...no one wants to experience that.

Finally, another factor that should not be overlooked is altitude. For example, at the base of the trail, you lower your tire pressure to 12 psi. The higher you go, the more the pressure varies. Let's say that at the top, you want to overcome an obstacle and you check your pressure. You will probably be around 14 psi, so you decide to readjust to 12 psi. Don't forget that as you descend, your tire pressure will also drop, and you will no longer be at 12 psi, but perhaps at 10 or less...

As you can see, the ideal pressure depends on many factors and can vary more than once a day. That's why if you're riding on the trail, it's highly recommended to go with an air management system. This will allow you to adapt your tire pressure according to the conditions you encounter. If you have any questions or topics you'd like us to cover, feel free to send us your suggestions at info@mapoffroad.com

Have a good trip!