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I just bought a stock 2018 F150 XLT FX4 and I am itching to get out to a trail this weekend. I am new to off-roading and I am not going to be doing anything too crazy, but I want your opinion on airing down and if it is absolutely necessary for this trail: Montana Mountain Loop in Arizona
Style #1 is to get off the pavement. air down your tires and shift into low. Since you have used all your tools out the gate. When you get stuck you are *Insert word that rhymes with stuck*
Style #2 is to go off road and leave it in 2 high. When the trail gets rough and you can feel your vehicle hanging up on things (Or get stuck). Shift into 4 high. When you feel your truck does not have the power to get over things (or get stuck). Shift into four low. when you get stuck. AIR DOWN YOUR TIRES AND PUT IT IN REVERSE.
I have used method number 2 since the 70's. Has worked very well. Not been stuck.
Don't rock crawl but I explore down roads, trails and paths or anything that looks interesting or I have not been down.
I wouldn't even mess with it. Everything in that video is pretty straight forward and you'll do fine straight out of the box. I was down in Cherry Creek to Ash Creek from Young in January with my stock 18 sport scab. 4 or 5 creek crossings and only had one run in with a random log that tore off my front diaper under the oil pan. This was all before I did all the 'crazy soft suspension experiments' in my member builds section. Pretty sure the stuff I was into down there is way more of an adventure than what is in that video and you should be golden.
Get after it and enjoy. Looks like a super cool place to go visit and maybe even camp out to watch the stars for an evening or two !!!
It is very helpful driving in soft sand, I wouldn't drive on a beach unless I aired WAY down. And for some more extreme off road stuff like rock crawling, but for general purpose driving I rarely air down. If you get into a spot where you think it will help then air down but unless you're really pushing the limits you won't need to often.
Two years ago I hunted in Colorado. There was about a foot of snow on the ground when we got there but after several days most melted. This left about 2" of soft mud on top of frozen ground underneath on the dirt roads we traveled on. I dropped from 40 PSI down to 25 PSI and it made a huge difference. I left it that way for 4-5 days and forgot to air back up for the trip home. Fuel mileage for the 1st tank of fuel sucked. That is when I remembered to air back up.
Buying the air compressor along with tire plugs and tools to plug your own tires is a great idea anyway. In the last 20 years I've only had to resort to my spare once. The tire was damaged too bad to save. But I've probably plugged 20-25 tires for myself and others without having to even take the tire off the truck. It is faster, safer and a lot easier if you ever have a flat. I keep a compressor and tools in all of our vehicles.
Running lower profile tires on 20" wheels there isn't much leeway for airing down. As mentioned airing down will help with rock crawling and in sand conditions. I've always aired down for beach runs.
Super helpful ingo guys. I really appreciate it. I'm going to have a tire repair kit no matter what, but you all have helped put my mind at ease when it comes to airing down.
I am going to be buying an air compressor and an air down kit, but I probably won't have those before this weekend
I'm going to have a tire repair kit no matter what,
I'm not quoting you to embarass you. Please. It's only to remind you of the obvious: that a tire repair kit is no good without a compressor... unless you're lighting fast, no! Superman! fast and can whip out that repair kit and plug a hissing leak before any appreciable, unsafe-for-highway-speed-in-summer drop in air pressure. In which case you just throw your full-sized spare in place of the damaged tire and wheel.
You know what I mean. Again, too, look on Amazon for the Viair 400P. It should be the only portable compressor you need until you might run 37" tires...
The best of luck to you on your journey with your new truck. Take some photos and post 'em here when you get back!
Airing down and then back up is a hassle even with a high output compressor.
I air down for any sand that concerns me, and or washboard roads of significant distance.
With sand, obviously, once yer stuck you've dug some deep holes for your tires. Airing down at that point might not get you unstuck.
Tire footprint size makes a big difference.
The trick in sand is to recognize when you're no longer moving, and stop digging. I've seen plenty of people get stuck and realize it quickly, get out and air down, and then pop right up out of the holes they were in. And then I've seen others bound and determined bury themselves to the frame rails and then spend an hour digging everything out.
So, soft sand you HAVE to air down. Hard sand, like what you find in much of florida, you don't. And generally off road you'll have better traction and more comfort with less air, but up to you. Most of what you'll be doing will be fine at street pressures, but if you're inclined, and even have a 12v plug in tire pump, you can air down a bit and then quickly air back up when you get back on the road.
And for what it's worth, when I'm down in OBX for the week fishing and aired down to 20psi, I leave it that way for the week even when I'm making runs up and down route 12 at 55-60. Just be careful.
06-18-2020, 10:17 PM
Downsides of not airing down?
Again, too, look on Amazon for the Viair 400P. It should be the only portable compressor you need until you might run 37" tires...
