Towing trailer on beach - Air down trailer also?

[alexrex20]

For those that tow trailers on beaches, do you air down the trailer as well? I'll be hauling a uHaul 6x12 tandem down the beach, which can be pretty soft. The beach is restricted to 4x4 only and even then, the best can still get stuck. The trailer weighs 1700lb empty (425lb footprint per tire isn't too bad) so figure with another 1000lb of trash on it, 2700lb gross.

I'm airing down my truck to ~15psi. Should I air down the trailer?

 

[Deleted member 9101]

For those that tow trailers on beaches, do you air down the trailer as well? I'll be hauling a uHaul 6x12 tandem down the beach, which can be pretty soft. The beach is restricted to 4x4 only and even then, the best can still get stuck. The trailer weighs 1700lb empty (425lb footprint per tire isn't too bad) so figure with another 1000lb of trash on it, 2700lb gross.

I'm airing down my truck to ~15psi. Should I air down the trailer?

I would, just to it gives it a larger foot print. I would also coast to a stop so I didn't dig in...lol

 

[adventureduo]

Usually we do the opposite. Leave the trailer at street pressure, or inflate more. Pizza cutters being dragged behind the tow rig is easier to pull and creates less resistance. Your trailer doesn't provide torque traction so you don't have to worry about it spinning and getting stuck.

Now toy haulers, i've seen air down at Pismo and i think that's because they weigh so much.

 

[Borrego60]

Usually we do the opposite. Leave the trailer at street pressure, or inflate more. Pizza cutters being dragged behind the tow rig is easier to pull and creates less resistance. Your trailer doesn't provide torque traction so you don't have to worry about it spinning and getting stuck.

Now toy haulers, i've seen air down at Pismo and i think that's because they weigh so much.

I am with Dave on this one.But would leave at street pressure.

 

[alexrex20]

Thanks for the tips. The trailer definitely has some pizza cutters!

 

[WeeJeep2]

I leave my tires at street pressure. I run loaded with water and fuel and have had no problems. With that trailer I'd be more concerned with dragging the axles through the sand. That will slow you down faster than the tire pressure. See if you can clear a buoy or two while you're out there.

 

[alexrex20]

You're from Spring also? I'm at Kuykendahl/2920.

Anyway, you've obviously been to PINS. Would you bring that Uhaul trailer out there for a beach cleanup, or should I go trailer-less? I think if I can stay near the water and out of the ruts, I will be OK.

 

[indiedog]

I think the configuration of the trailer will be the biggest challenge. I do mainly beach driving and let me tyres down to 20psi initially (15 sounds low). If the sand gets really soft then I go a bit lower. I also deflate the trailer down to 20 and it has tyres to match my Jeep. For yours, depending on how rutted the sand tracks are getting onto and off the beach, I'd let it down a bit. A bigger footprint on sand always helps.

 

[INSAYN]

Trailers with dual axles or more are actually better in the sand than a single.. Give it a go with street pressure, but if it starts digging a trench with the tires, air them down. The trenched effect is harder on the tow vehicle to overcome, than the lower pressured trailer tire's rolling resistance.

BTW - For the truck, I never go by a specific PSI to air down to. The weight on each tire can vary depending on the load at that given time. And this load can make a given pressure seem either useless, or overkill.

Here is how I go about airing down for soft sand.

While still on hard pack soil or pavement, measure the distance that the rim is from the ground (a rough measurement within an inch is fine). Now, remove air from that tire until you have decreased this measurement by 25%. Example... your rim sits roughly 6" above the ground. Lower the pressure until it is 4.5" above the ground. This will increase that tire's foot print by 200%. This will get all tires to the correct deflation without going too far, or not far enough.

Note: Low profile tires don't follow the same rules as your standard light truck tires do. The rule for those is "Stay on hard pack, or bring a recovery strap with ya". :coffeedrink:

 

[OutsideFamily]

Another question along these lines, Is it better to have a dual axle trailer for sand? Does the extra weight and drag negate the effect of a larger foot print? I would be curious to hear from people who have towed both on soft ground like sand.

I'm preping an M101 and was expecting to lower the pressure in the trailer for sand.

 

[JPK]

With an M101 A2 you can run 12.5" x 37" tires. The trailer alone weighs ~1350lbs. Add another 1,100lbs and you are still less than 1/2 the weight of, say, a four door Jeep JKU with some occupants.

I don't typically need to air down on the beach with my JKU with 12.5" x 37" tires, no matter what the load. In fact, my wife doesn't typically need to air down with her four door JKU with 32x10.5" tires, though her Jeep is more stock and weighs maybe 500lbs less than mine.

JPK

 

[WeeJeep2]

You're from Spring also? I'm at Kuykendahl/2920.

Anyway, you've obviously been to PINS. Would you bring that Uhaul trailer out there for a beach cleanup, or should I go trailer-less? I think if I can stay near the water and out of the ruts, I will be OK.

I'm east of I-45 off of Rayford.

If you're staying north of Mile marker 15 you should be fine with the trailer. I've seen 5th wheel camper trailers down to there with good size tow rigs. The Big Shell Beach area just south of that tends to restrict their progress further south.

If you can catch the tide low and ride the hard pack it's mostly smooth sailing. I'd go for the trailer for the beach clean up based on keeping all that sandy stuff out of your rig and in the rental trailer.

What's the date?

 

[alexrex20]

Saturday, March 19 at 7:00 am

I will probably bring a trailer. Thanks.

 

[Mr. Leary]

Another question along these lines, Is it better to have a dual axle trailer for sand? Does the extra weight and drag negate the effect of a larger foot print? I would be curious to hear from people who have towed both on soft ground like sand.

I'm preping an M101 and was expecting to lower the pressure in the trailer for sand.

Well... in any soft terrain... smaller is better. But... if you were comparing a tandem axle trailer to two separate single axle trailers, the tandem would be preferable due to the decreased drag.

I have pulled both on sand, and preferred the single axle, but probably more for the fact that it followed my tracks (the tandem had wide axles and they had to cut new tracks).

All else being equal, a tandem will dig in less then a single axle, at least when driving straight, but it doesn't make much of a difference if you stick to the wet stuff... might as well be pavement.

 

[Mr. Leary]

Saturday, March 19 at 7:00 am

I will probably bring a trailer. Thanks.

Alex, you should be fine with the trailer, but you will have to be a little careful at Big Shell Beach... those humps can get pretty big and you have to worry about bottoming out the tongue or rear end of the trailer.

I wouldn't worry too much. At the clean up there will be lots of people who can lend you a strap if you stick that trailer, and there is nothing south of Big Shell that you have to worry about if you stay near the beach.