I have an F250 4X2 with a 460 and I was wanting to make sure I don't get stuck. Is there any need for "beefy" tires up front?
I was just wondering becaise if I step off the pavment on Gecko I'm screwed. and I've seen 4X4's dig in their front wheels barried at "Pismo". So I'm not all that big on getting a 4X but I'd rather dig out two wheeles than four! Any sugestions on a good set up for towing your stuff out and not getting stuck would be apreceated.

Thanks
JR

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Damage INC

Well you ask a dumb ass question and you run the risk of a dumb ass answer. But since I seem to be just about the only person on this board who isn't at Glamis right now....

Drop pressure, drop pressure, drop pressure. If you've got 16.5 rims don't. Get a winch or stay on the pavement, they've got no safety bead and won't stay on at low pressure. How low you can go depends on the weight of your truck and load. With my Ramcharger I can geet down to less than 8 and not pop a bead - I'd go lower but my guage has a 6 psi range of error

Even a few PSI can make a major difference. I've got a friend who will drive his Crown Vic further in the dunes than some people can get a rail.

Other than that try to keep the weight down. If you can unload the toys and ride them to camp it just may help.

It sounds like you've got the power just need to work on making sure it can do what you want it to do.

For a 4x2 just air down your rear tires to about 10-15 lbs just before you go off road, leave it no less than 12 if you need to return to town to air up. You will see 4x2's all over the dunes, I have a friend who has a 4x2 and it goes almost anyplace a rail will go. I have a 4x4 and a 4x2 and I like the 4x2 in the dunes because you can slide the real end around which you can't with a 4x4. HOWEVER, be very careful if you are towing something and you go into the sand, a 4x2 will get stuck much quicker than a 4x4 towing something

Just think if you get stuck in 2wheel drive your just stuck. If you get stuck while in 4wheel drive well your up the proverbial creek if you know what I mean. Been there done that...

Paleale

Thanks for the advise BUT I was wondering if I should keep the stock tires up front or get wider ones?

Thanks again
JR

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Damage INC

It all depends. How much are you going to drive it on the sand ? Wider is better (bigger footprint=more traction) Is this a daily driver? (Wider = more friction = more gas money.) If you don't care about the reduce in gas mileage go for as wide as you want. Plus it looks better too And it will help in the sand.

Paleale

Since you have a 4x2 you don't need wide on the front but to keep it looking good you might want the same as the rear, wider won't help on the front to keep you from getting stuck

I have two trucks, one is a 1996 long travel ford ranger and lifted 1987 F-250 4x2. needless to say whoever told you not to drop tire pressure on 16.5's is wrong unless they are really skinny. My 33x12.5x16.5 BFG all-terrains get the best traction at 6to7 lbs. of air per tire. I can even make it up comp with the open differential, a 5.0L engine and a 4 inch lift!! Good luck

Party Boy, didn't mean to diss your 16.5's but I will clarify by saying that MOST 16.5 tires don't have a usable safety bead. The only friend I've got with 16.5's can't go any lower than about 20 PSI or they just pop right off...moving or not.

As for getting around in the sand. I hardly ever use 4WD in the sand. My RamCharger will get up comp with 15psi in the tires if I gun it in 2WD....or it will get up comp with 8psi if I drop in in 4Hi - the difference is I don't even need to touch the gas with 8psi and 4Hi, I can creep up anything (Mostly thanks to the incredible low range Dodge decided to bless the RC with for some model years).

Last memorial day at El Golfo one of my friends was dying to race me up lighthouse hill (I can't even begin to spell it's real name!). I kept refusing telling him "Look I know you've got a built motor and I've got a stocker with almost 100,000 miles, no race". Finally I gave in when he offered to do a "no gas" race. Whoever could make it farthest without touching the gas would win. He made it about halfway before the lead came back to his foot while I just sat back and enjoyed the ride....and I still got to the top at the same time as him I had to do it a few more times with witnesses in my truck because no one would believe I got up it without using the gas pedal.

I would disagree with some and agree with others. The front should be as wide as the rear for preventing nose digging. The smaller the tire the less the footprint. Which means the less floatation= more dig or drag. Ever seen someone dragging not rolling their trailer tires across the sand? Small tires will sink and act like land anchors. Most 16.5 rims will blow beads as they do not have a nice inner "hump" to hold the tire bead firm against the outer part of the rim. A 4x4 is the way to go for Glamis. Your rear tires will push and the front will pull.This is critical if you are getting stuck and need to turn the wheels. A 2x front tires if turned create more dragging and will compound the stuck problem. This is why so many 2x get stuck. They start turning thus create more drag against the back tire that is pushing. Keep in mind that a 4x4 can be left in 2 wheel drive, and, upon getting stuck engage 4x to get out of the soft stuff. If you have a 2x think about a rear locker. This will give you true 2 wheel traction. As 95% of trucks run open diffs, you are only ever really receiving power to one tire. If this is not affordable, pull the E brake until the brake force equalizes the drag on the rear. You will get both tires to turn. A poor mans locker. Not the best solution as this creates more drag ( resistance) to the driveline thus increases broken parts like U joints. Most 2x guys swear by their rides, but 4 tires are better than 2. The 2x's that go well are the ones who apply inertia to get them across stuff that would get them stuck if they stopped. A tow rig is where 4x4 really helps out. Nice and slow and twice the pulling traction.

Here is my two cents.....my friends that have two wheel drives get stuck and my 4x4 pulls them out everytime. I never get stuck, even when I am towing a 10,000lb trailer. Just don't stop. 4x all the way.