255 BFGs in Sand with 80 series

[jginutah]

I am posting a tire question in the LC section due to 80 series LCs are on the heavy side.

I have had mine for 2 years and have not had the opportunity to drive them in the sand. They have taken me everywhere I can go that I have ground clearance without a hitch.

So I would like a real world answer on how do 255 BFG MTs do in the sand (in general) when loaded?

 

[tyler93]

Your asking a very specific question and all I have is a general answer. I have a 93 FZJ 80, locked, with 255/85's Kelly MSR's about 30% tread, up here in the St. Anthony Sand Dunes of Idaho, it really doesn't take much to dig in and bog down. Heavy rig/lack of flotation. Hope that helps.

 

[hochung]

Just air down.

I've had 255/85-16 and 8.25R16 (equivalent to something like 235/95-16) under my heavy pig Disco and they do just fine in the dunes.

 

[djsixbillion]

x2 on airing down. I had 255/85 KM2's on my previous 80 and it did great at about 15 psi in the sand at Usal beach here in Norcal.

 

[shahram]

I have 255/85 KM2s on my 80. They do all right in sand, especially aired down, but they don't do as well as my A/T KOs did in the same sand conditions.

 

[jginutah]

shahram,

What size are your ATs?

 

[shahram]

shahram,

What size are your ATs?

My ATs were 285/75/16s.

 

[Rallyroo]

So I would like a real world answer on how do 255 BFG MTs do in the sand (in general) when loaded?

Pismo

I have the KM2's in 255/85R16 and it does okay once the tires are aired down. I was running at 15 psi.

 

[hieronymus]

There's sand and there's sand..........even my At's dug in into Sahara sand when aired down, mainly because of the weight of my truck (3000+ kg's) but I was glad I didn't mount my 255 muds.............

 

[o0synge0o]

I had 255 KM's(with the J tread pattern, not KM2's) on my FJ, and they did great in the sand for me when aired down to 13-15psi or so. Everyone around here seems to think that skinny tires, AND mud tires, are worthless in sand. My tires were BOTH and I stopped keeping track of the times that I snatched other rigs out of sand that were wearing wide AT's.

I did get stuck in some silt one time when bringing up the rear of a group, staying inside the tracks of the truck infront of me and I got high centered. It had rained two nights before and all of the sand was pretty hard packed, but had been churned up by 11 trucks all following each other in the same tire tracks, leaving the center section pretty solid. As soon as my skids slid up on a high spot I got stuck good, and then another guy got stuck pulling me out, created quite a mess.

I'm a big fan of skinny MT's for anything I've run into here in Nevada, Utah, or Arizona!

 

[jginutah]

thanks for the input from all

 

[greentruck]

Late to the conversation and not anything to add specifically on sand, but I expect no problems. Why?

255/85s are an extremely versatile tire. I've learned enough so far to believe if they're not feeling quite right, just adjust the air pressure. Dial it in like that, and you're good.

Now I've had tires that really developed a whole different character when aired way down. This is different. The 255/85, at least the KM2s, have a very broad range of psi adjustments that work effectively, depending on the load and ride you want.

I think because their load capacity is overkill on virtually anything likely to run them, this provides a broad range of psi where the air is adequate. You can get a different feel from them with a few pounds difference in psi.

Obviously, use common sense and don't head across the Mojave at a low psi in an 80 just because you like the ride soft, on either road or sand. But if you have air on-board and don't mind a few minutes to adjust, I'm sure you'll find the difference worth the time.