Thread: best tyres for kimberly trip

Dave - Whatever works for you. I have always aired down but also adjust my speed accordingly. Usually when I am travelling I am in no rush.

Yeah Mr Ploppy; I think if no rush, or towing so can't go fast anyway, air down is maybe ok (less rapid flexing means less heat). But be aware of the extra tyre flexing if you're overloaded.
When referring to speed too, just for peoples info, many roads in northern WA are gravel but it's like a brown version of blue-metal, not the round pebbles of down south - where high speed is a death-wish! Also a sand patch in some places can grab the tyres. Back off for sand! The northern gravel is often compacted and not so slippery. The catch is that you can round a bend onto a washed out creek bed and may hit it hard. The rocks in the creek bed may be larger and sharper than on the road. That's where my aired-down soft Toyo's which were fine down south packed themselves in.
Often I was just driving a-b, maybe 400-500km like stretches of Gibb River road, on a time-limited holiday, and wanted to spend max time at destination.
I can't be more serious when I say that experience with dirt road driving is paramount before traveling at speed.
In a safe place test brake response, do an unladen skid deliberately, try turning left and right in a smooth gravel pit or clay pan; you want to understand how to react in a skid. Better still, do a driving course.
Lastly, if it's a narrow or winding road you have to back off as you can't risk a head-on around a corner.
As a courtesy, if someone wants to go fast; let them past, and remember, due to dust, when you pass someone, they may not have seen you in their rear-vision and can get quite a shock or may pull right if they don't know you're there! Tap the horn horn or use a two-way if possible to warn them!
Having seen a mate roll a small hatch at 60Kph on a friends flat straight gravel driveway, I realise the risks!
A last tyre tip - big beach tyres for sand look tough but often have weak sidewalls so their footprint gets longer when they are deflated. Up north they are eaten alive by rocks and hard, dry sticks!

Have fun.

Dave