Driving off-road is different than driving on flat road surfaces because it is uneven terrain with rocks, bumps, hills, grass, and other obstacles. To ensure you have enough traction to navigate this uneven terrain safely, you must prepare your 4x4 vehicle by installing the appropriate tires and filling them with the proper air pressure.
The best tires for off-road driving are radial mud and snow (MS) tires and radial all-terrain (AT) tires. They are explicitly designed to provide more traction for your vehicle while driving on off-road surfaces with rough terrain. However, depending on the terrain conditions, you may have to inflate or deflate the tire pressure at various points during your off-road driving adventures to maintain good traction.
What PSI Should Tires Be for Off-Roading?
Most of the time, you will drive your 4x4 vehicles on flat road surfaces. You should always follow the recommendations of your vehicle’s manufacturer regarding the ideal PSI for your tires. The best PSI for on-road driving is usually between 30 to 40 PSI.
As for off-road driving, the tire pressure must be lower than 30 PSI to improve your vehicle’s traction. The exact tire pressure depends on the terrain’s density and texture.
Here is a breakdown of the recommended off-road tire pressure for various types of terrain:
|
Off-Road Terrain Type |
Standard PSI Recommendation |
|
Deep Mud or Sand |
22 to 24 PSI |
|
Rocky Terrain |
22 to 26 PSI |
|
Loose Desert Sand |
22 to 26 PSI |
|
Deep Snow Surfaces |
26 to 28 PSI |
|
Marshy or Boggy Conditions |
12 to 15 PSI |
These PSI recommendations should provide your 4x4 vehicle with ideal traction for most off-road driving situations. But if you are in an off-road emergency where the traction is still terrible, you could deflate your tires even more to maximize traction.
Here are the tire pressure recommendations for emergency off-roading situations:
|
Off-Road Terrain Type |
Emergency PSI Recommendation |
|
Deep Mud or Sand |
10 to 12 PSI |
|
Rocky Terrain |
20 to 25 PSI |
|
Loose Desert Sand |
8 to 10 PSI |
|
Deep Snow Surfaces |
8 to 10 PSI |
|
Marshy or Boggy Conditions |
8 to 10 PSI |
The emergency PSI recommendations are for temporary situations with terrain conditions that are too severe. Once you get out of those conditions, you should immediately inflate your tires to the standard PSI recommendations. Otherwise, prolonged low PSI will force your tires off their rims and cause them to go flat.
Purchase a portable air compressor and keep it in your 4x4 vehicle. That way, you can inflate and deflate your tires at any point off-road without stopping at a gas station. The newest model air compressors for tires can connect to plastic-covered 12V-socket built into modern 4x4 vehicles. It runs on the car battery and alternator, allowing you to fill your tires with air remotely.
Why Deflate Tires in the Field?
The purpose of deflating tires in the field or some other off-road environment is to allow the tire treads to expand on the surface below. Since deflating tires makes them softer, they can more easily expand and grip the unevenness of the terrain below them. That means you can drive over rocks, gravel, snow, sand, and dirt with more ease and control.
Deflating your tires in the field to the recommended PSI amounts outlined above is the best way to prevent poor traction, tire damage, or an accident. If you were to maintain the manufacturer’s recommended PSI during off-road driving, you would lose control over your vehicle relatively quickly.
Tire pressure over 30 PSI makes the tires harder and denser, which is not a good combination when driving over uneven terrain. Not only will it cause your tires to slip and slide easily, but your tires are more likely to get punctured and turn flat. Then, unless you have a spare tire in the trunk, you will be stranded off-road until you can find someone else to help you.
Cell phone service does not always work out in the field, especially if the field is many miles away from the nearest town and city. You could find yourself walking several miles to get help if you don’t have a spare tire or a cell phone signal. So, remember to pack your air compressor and use it to deflate and inflate your tires in the field whenever necessary.
What Should the Tire Pressure be on a Dirt Road?
Many people wonder whether dirt roads are technically “off-road” surfaces. After all, dirt roads contain many rocks, dirt, sand, tree branches, and other natural debris that make driving conditions more difficult. Your tires can suffer much damage and wear if you drive on dirt roads too frequently.
Dirt roads are surfaced roads. Even though they are not even and smooth, they are still leveled and plotted to prevent extreme driving conditions. However, the obstacles and debris on the surfaces can still damage and wear down your treads if you use the manufacturer’s PSI recommendation for the tires.
For this reason, the ideal tire pressure on a dirt road is 24 to 28 PSI. It is not a drastic reduction from the manufacturer’s PSI recommendation. Still, there is enough air pressure to balance the durability and expansion needed for the tires to maintain traction on a flat dirt road with an unsmooth surface.
Final Words
If you are new to off-roading, the best advice is to start on simpler off-road terrains with sand and dirt. As you gain more experience driving your vehicle off-road, you will know how much to deflate your tires under various off-road driving conditions. Then, you can start off-roading on more challenging terrains with rockiness, hills, deep snow, etc.
Most importantly, don’t forget to inflate your tires to the manufacturer’s recommended PSI after reaching normal paved roads again. If you don’t inflate them, your vehicle could suffer traction problems on flat highways and streets. And since there are other cars and people to worry about on public roads, you’ll have an increased chance of an accident.
