ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum
ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: ShawnQ on December 01, 2005, 09:21:00 PM
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What's known to be the best SAND tire for a samurai, and still be 'streetable'?
Most of my samurai's use will be on the beaches of south texas chasing after monster sharks. I do a lot of shark fishing from the beach and my reason for buying the samurai was to keep my $40,000 truck from rusting out and getting beat up in the sand, go figure! ::)
Just curious which tires are best suited for powdery sand. It seems the BFG A/T's are the most popular on the beach, but that may be because these are for 'daily drivers', and larger trucks.
I plan to drive the truck 18miles before it hits sand, so they don't have to be too street friendly, but friendly enough. As long as they aren't paddles, they should work.
Thanks in advance.
Shawn
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Swamper Boggers or some Swamper LTBs
would be a good sand tire choice
(http://www.tyres1.com/images/products/tyres/bogger.gif)
(http://www.tyres1.com/images/products/tyres/ILTB.gif)
Both are street legal, the LTB is less $$ than the Boggers
Wild
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me and my buds would go to a tire shop and find some of the old armstrong tru tracks(directionals)that were almost bald,we would air them down untill they wrinkle and then add three pounds to each one, the guys up here are now useing hosiers(spell check) I think they are 15" wheel 20" wide and the tire is 15x24" they have a checker type pattern and when aired down you could roll them up into a ball, real thin and light weight, I think there is a picture of one on the rocky road site under readers rides or something, it's the ugly green one.
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I run the dunes in a 2wd lifted van as well as other rigs. I agree with mrfuelish about the less agressive "almost bald" tires. In the dunes a softer less agressive seams to just roll over the sand without digging in. Digging in is a bad thing in deep soft sand.
I have done well just running a larger tire in a less agressive design like the BFG "Land Terrain" or Uniroyal "Liberators" (Walmart). Even a "P" series has worked ok for sand.
(http://www.overlandvans.com/files/testvan06.jpg)
Blue AWD van running "Land Terrains" at about 20 PSI
(http://www.overlandvans.com/files/testvan07.jpg)
(http://www.overlandvans.com/files/BigBump_dunes2.jpg)
My 2wd van on Grabber ATs running at 12 PSI
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Thanks for the help guys.
Shredder, cool vans!
Here in TX we aren't allowed to ride in the dunes due to Sea Oats, turtles, and other plant life that would be devastated. Some of the dunes are massive, but driving in them is a punishable by a huge fine, something like $1200.00 per sq/ft that you damage. :o I've seen a few guys arrested for it since I've been fishing down there.
So, without the dune driving, everyone has to drive the beach. This causes ruts, sometimes up to 12-14" deep. When the beach gets narrow, sometimes your only choice is to drive in the rut. I'm a little worried that an aired down 'bald' tire wouldn't grip very well when it's in a rut instead of 'floating'.
I have noticed that MT type tires tend to dig more as they push your vehicle. I've got BFG Radial Long Trails on my 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 Diesel 4wd, and I can get that heavy truck through the sand without a problem. Then again, it's got a lot more power then my sammy.
Thanks again
Shawn
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I have Mickey Thompson Baja Claws on my Trooper and love them in sand. Guess that's cause that's what they were made for. ;)
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Has anyone run the TrXus STS All Terrain by Interco/Super Swamper?
They are supposedly excellent in the sand, but I've never tried them.
I was thinking about a set of those in the 29 or 31" height. The 29"s are only $92/ea.
Not bad!
Thanks
Shawn
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In sand floatation is king, wide will help
more than anything, and inflation pressures
are important too, low is good, I run 2-3 PSI
in the 33 13.5 LTBs , I really like those tires
climb loose and sandy stuff with good results
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My 31 x 10.5 BFGoodrich All Terrains do excellent in the sand. They aren't designed to dig like swampers and other mud terrain tires are, so they move me through very nicely while others with mud type tires struggle. I have watched a F150 on 35" BFG Mud Terrains dig itself a hole in a place I went right over without spinning a tire or losing traction at all.
Of course, since I am mainly in mud I would prefer mud terrains, my A/Ts just don't clean their own treads could enough for me and become racing slicks. The sides do bite pretty well though, so I haven't managed to get too stuck. Going with 33 x 12.5 BFG Mud Terrains next though, or maybe some swampers.
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In sand floatation is king, wide will help
more than anything, and inflation pressures
are important too, low is good, I run 2-3 PSI
in the 33 13.5 LTBs , I really like those tires
climb loose and sandy stuff with good results
Wild,
You are running 2-3PSI in your tires? Are they beadlocked?
That's 'WILD', lol
Dihnekis, The BFG A/T seems to be the main tire I see on the beaches down here...but I often wonder if it's great advertisement from the company or if the tires are that good. BFG did a great job marketing that tire.
I wonder if I can fit 31's?
SQ
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I've heard good things about the Interco Swamper TrXus STS's in the sand. They're an AT and sand was one of the main things Interco designed them for. I've had bad experiences myself in the sand with mud tires (on my Ranger) so I think my next set of tires might be for dry playing.
HINT: Check out Interco's website for their "blemished" tires that they sell. They had some bias ply 33x13.5R15 STS's for $89 each last I looked. Might have something you can fit for even cheaper. 8)
At any rate, you've got a light weight 4x4 with not a lot of power. Remember that at best you've got half the power to spin your tires that Wild has available to him. Any AT will be good for you and should keep you on top of the sand.
This last summer I went wheeling with some friends. The vehicles were a Bronco II, my Ranger, a similar Ranger, and a Grand Cherokee. I had the most agressive tires and promptly buried it in the soft sand. After releasing half my air pressure I could follow all of their vehicles around but none of them had to reduce air pressure. Two had run of the mill radial muds, one had AT's, and the other had either all seasons or highway treads. If you can stay on top of the sand you can go anywhere. Aggressive tires will just dig down unless you have the power and traction to use them as sand paddles.
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You are running 2-3PSI in your tires? Are they beadlocked?
No, 8" rims keep the tires from spinning, and even if
I popped a bead, I could drive on a dismounted tire,
LTBs have a stiff sidewall, and don't look aired down
at 2 PSI
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In sand floatation is king, wide will help
more than anything, and inflation pressures
are important too, low is good, I run 2-3 PSI
in the 33 13.5 LTBs , I really like those tires
climb loose and sandy stuff with good results
Dihnekis, The BFG A/T seems to be the main tire I see on the beaches down here...but I often wonder if it's great advertisement from the company or if the tires are that good. BFG did a great job marketing that tire.
I wonder if I can fit 31's?
SQ
They are very good tires, incredibly tough and respond great to all terrains save mud, which they do decent in for an A/T tire. That and they handle amazing on road.
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Like Shredder, I've spent almost 20 years driving he sandunes here in Michigan (Silver Lake!). The last thing you want to do in sand is to dig (unless you have 100's of hp's under the hood). Wide is the best, not traction.
When you get to the sand air down ( I've alway ran 5 in front, 3-4 in back). So get an air pump so that you can air back up when your back on the road.
I ran 235's for a couple of years and did great in the dunes with aired down tires. The secreat is in the pressures. I've seen a lot of trucks get stuck because they were afraid to air down.
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Like Shredder, I've spent almost 20 years driving he sandunes here in Michigan (Silver Lake!).
Hey lil_Truck where do you live? I am from the Muskegon area. Do you take your Tracker to silver lake? I will have mine there this summer.
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Hey, I live in a little town called Goodrich (south-east of Flint). I had a cabin at Siliver Lake for 10-12 years. And before that my brother-in-law had one.
With the kids getting older (10 & 7) and getting into so many activities, also the dunes getting so busy, we sold it and got a motor home.
We still make a couple of trips a year and camp out there. And yes, we take the little truck up there. You could say It grew up there ;D.
Started out stock and still growing.
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i've had good luck with bfg all terrain 31 10.50s . even almost bald drop them down to 9 pounds good for rock and sand. just broke down and bought a new set
Ross
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I like an AT tire in sand and use them with great results in the Florida Sand. My tracker being light with good sized ATs stays on top of the sand and tends to climb up over holes rather than dig in and spin. I've gone wheeling with heavier rigs like heavily equipped Jeeps and they are constantly getting dug in and having to really power out of holes and ruts or use the winch while I just float over the same obstacles. The other bonus of light vehicle and less aggressive tires is I dont create as many new holes and ruts as the other guys do. So in a way I'm not adding to the problem, sort of treading lightly I guess you could say.
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Here's the super swampers LBT looks like in sand, Maui-Hawaii
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Holy old thread! 7 years guys.....