Lowering tyre pressure not the answer?

[Simon]

Heading to Arkaroola in the 110 with trailer in tow, there had been some talk from others at the previous camp not to lower tyres despite it being dirt / stones all the way from Copley. Thinking was it increased the risk of sidewall damage too much.

I was running pretty close to highway, just under 30 front and trailer, just under 40 rear.

Pulling into Arkaroola a trailer tyre was going down rapidly, with a hole on the inner wall. Annoying as it was a near new Continental AT.

The guys here reckon 37 is what they use on the station vehicles.

Think I'll be running higher on the way out, seems lower pressure may not always be good

[vnx205]

seems lower pressure may not always be good

Maybe it is just that lower tyre pressures are not a 100% guarantee that you will not suffer tyre damage.

It may still be the case that lower pressures reduce the probability of damage PROVIDED you slow down.

I saw a suggestion recently that your speed in km/h should not exceed three times the tyre pressure in psi. That sounds pretty close to the mark in a lot of situations.

EDIT: I hope that not very many people read the post before I remembered to include the words "three times". It makes quite a difference.

[PAT303]

If you ask 20 different people about tyre pressure you will get 20 different answers,there's nothing saying you would not have got tyre damage running any other way. Pat

[Eevo]

I saw a suggestion recently that your speed in km/h should not exceed the tyre pressure in psi. That sounds pretty close to the mark in a lot of situations.

what?!?

if i want to do 100km/h i need 100psi?
i generally drive around on about 40psi


you sure you dont mean kpa? (kpa doesnt work anyway)

[vnx205]

what?!?

if i want to do 100km/h i need 100psi?
i generally drive around on about 40psi


you sure you dont mean kpa? (kpa doesnt work anyway)

See the edit I did on my earlier post.

33 psi would be enough to do 100 km/h.
40 psi would be good for about 120 km/h
I didn't read my post carefully enough. Sorry about that.

[Eevo]

I didn't read my post carefully enough. Sorry about that.

all good!

however i wouldnt be doing 60km/h on 20psi

having said that, i once did 1000km @ 120km/h on 16psi by accident

[Blknight.aus]

Of those 20 people and their 20 different opinions not one of them will give you this bit of advise.

Slow the hell down.

ID love to have had the cost of the new tyre donated to me every time Ive been hassled for going slowly only to pass the hassler on the side of the track later with them changing a staked tyre. (actually the same could be said for suspension components, loss of vehicle controls, fuel stops)

Slow down, it costs less and is usually quicker at the end of the day.

[fitzy]

I was at mount Augustus last year and talking to the station owner. He runs 50 psi on all his station tracks and roads out there, he said the higher pressure has reduced damage and punctures significantly . I tried it and he is right for that country and type of roads but higher shock temps , higher bush and suspension wear rates put me back to lower pressures.
This is in the Gascoine region of w.a.

[PAT303]

Of those 20 people and their 20 different opinions not one of them will give you this bit of advise.

Slow the hell down.

ID love to have had the cost of the new tyre donated to me every time Ive been hassled for going slowly only to pass the hassler on the side of the track later with them changing a staked tyre. (actually the same could be said for suspension components, loss of vehicle controls, fuel stops)

Slow down, it costs less and is usually quicker at the end of the day.

Going slow on corrigations doesn't work. Pat

[Eevo]

going fast means less steering and breaking.