Tire Pressures with stock tires

PowerTools

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I have a SuperCab with FX4, completely stock (except a bed cover). Traditionally when driving off-road I would drop the air pressure down. Does doing so interfere with the Terrain Management System (TMS). I left the tires at 38 psi when driving on Old NC 105 which is mostly just gravel with some washboard and a few bumpy patches. The washboard was horrible even in Gravel mode (4H). Backend sliding around gave me the willies even at relatively low speeds. The road is a wee bit narrow and is lined by trees and ditches. As such, I don't want to slide off. I'm carrying <300 lbs with driver, dog and camping gear included.

Do you all with TMS and stock tires still air down? What do you run for typical gravel road, chunkier rock and mud?

Sorry if already discussed, but I didn't find it.
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Mine has the Hankooks, 30 PSI normal inflation. I ran a short gravel road with a very muddy uphill and left them at 30, just in 4H with no problem.

Most of my Ranger off road has been in the sand at OBX. I deflate to about 20 PSI and have used sand mode with no issues. Sand mode holds the gears to higher RPM and allows more spin. I've also run it in 4H, which worked fine, but sand mode works better in the deep loose stuff. I have used 4L just to try it.

No issues at all with lowered tire pressure and sand mode.
 

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I have a non fx4 (worse tires) and on sand went to 18 psi. All I did was click the ok button when the TMS warning came up and it never showed it again. It would have helped a ton on the washboard and suspect we could all go a bit lower, just have not tested it myself. No issues as 18psi by the way.
 

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Lowering tire pressure for off-road is generally speaking a good idea as long as you have the correct tires to do so. The fact that you have an FX4 should mean that you have tires that can do it as long as you're not going crazy. I myself have learned to lower tire pressure when going off road because it makes it so much more comfortable and easier to get over certain obstacles. With the terrain management I'm sure it actually helps to an extent because I have traction.

Here is a video about tire pressures.

 

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FX4 with stock Hankooks here. Ive run mine both at full PSI and also at ~20 PSI as well with the TMS and there is no difference whether in gravel, mud, or sand modes. Just more traction and a more forgiving ride at the lower PSI. Can't imagine it would ever interfere with terrain management. Just my $0.02
 


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38 PSI ? Are your stock tires LT ?

I have Toyo LT E-rated tires normally at 37 PSI which is bone jarring on washboard. I air down between 18-25 depending on terrain and surfaces.
 

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Stock Bridgestone Duellers here. All season - not All Terrain.
Recommended normal driving pressure is 30psi on pavement and I try to keep it 30 to 32. Good and firm for mileage.

But off road I drop to 20psi. Handles gravel, chert rock, washboard, cattle guards with aplomb. I've even done some modest off-roading that required pretty precise angles and rock stacking to get over an obstacle and then not but 50 yards later was into fine sand. The 20psi handled it all very well. If I had / and when I do get the BFG ATKO's slapped on it, I'd be comfortable going lower but right now its a balance between comfort and ride height and traction and being good to the tire and side wall. Everything I've observed, trying multiple pressures and discussing here, leads me to believe that 22psi to about 20psi is the sweet spot for my rig, my equipment, my driving style, and my expectations.
 

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Sand mode holds the gears to higher RPM and allows more spin.
why the higher RPMs? clearly there is a reason but i dont know what it is.

i rarely use TMS, but recently going up some steep slippery gravel/sand in a wash i tried the gravel or sand mode. cant remember. i didnt appreciate any functional difference, but the engine was revving at least a thousand higher than normal and my wife and i just didnt like listening to it so we went back to 'normal' mode.

makes me feel for those tacoma folk. when we were deciding between ranger and tacoma, the interwebs was full of people complaining about how the tacoma revs high whenever its doing something that requires any power. even grades on the highway, etc.

i love how the ranger just sits at 1.5k and does anything i ask it to pretty much. like its purring.
 

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why the higher RPMs? clearly there is a reason but i dont know what it is.

i rarely use TMS, but recently going up some steep slippery gravel/sand in a wash i tried the gravel or sand mode. cant remember. i didnt appreciate any functional difference, but the engine was revving at least a thousand higher than normal and my wife and i just didnt like listening to it so we went back to 'normal' mode.

makes me feel for those tacoma folk. when we were deciding between ranger and tacoma, the interwebs was full of people complaining about how the tacoma revs high whenever its doing something that requires any power. even grades on the highway, etc.

i love how the ranger just sits at 1.5k and does anything i ask it to pretty much. like its purring.
The different terrain modes will do thongs like throttle control, lower power output different shift points, less wheel spin from ABS. It will even allow a lower gear to be held longer as needed. Now some of these terrain modes my not be needed for what you do but I have gotten used to them and it is choosing the correct mode for the terrain you are in. Basic offroad I use Grass, Gravel, snow. In rutted and rockie terrain I use Mud and Ruts. For sand...... Well I havent been in a sandy area to use it yet so I cant say. The point is the different terrain modes are ment to help you not get stuck. Hope this helps.


I should add that the 2.3L is a 4 cylinder(I know, very weird) and like any 4 cylinder out there(excluding diesel) they dont make great low end torque unlike V6 and V8 engines. That is another reason you will have higher RPM's Offroad.
 
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charwest

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The different terrain modes will do thongs like throttle control, lower power output different shift points, less wheel spin from ABS. It will even allow a lower gear to be held longer as needed. Now some of these terrain modes my not be needed for what you do but I have gotten used to them and it is choosing the correct mode for the terrain you are in. Basic offroad I use Grass, Gravel, snow. In rutted and rockie terrain I use Mud and Ruts. For sand...... Well I havent been in a sandy area to use it yet so I cant say. The point is the different terrain modes are ment to help you not get stuck. Hope this helps.


I should add that the 2.3L is a 4 cylinder(I know, very weird) and like any 4 cylinder out there(excluding diesel) they dont make great low end torque unlike V6 and V8 engines. That is another reason you will have higher RPM's Offroad.
ok. why is lower gear helpful for loose terrain?
torque doesnt seem like a problem with this truck,
 

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ok. why is lower gear helpful for loose terrain?
torque doesnt seem like a problem with this truck,
Quite simple, lower gears give more "Torque multiplication". The more Torque multiplication the easier it is for the vehicle to move. It is why Extreme Offroad rigs and other modified vehicles go for a lower final drive.
 

charwest

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Quite simple, lower gears give more "Torque multiplication". The more Torque multiplication the easier it is for the vehicle to move. It is why Extreme Offroad rigs and other modified vehicles go for a lower final drive.
well, i have no trouble moving forward in the ranger, despite the size of the step or the angle of the incline. still dont understand why TMS would run a lower gear/higher revs for loose terrain.
 

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well, i have no trouble moving forward in the ranger, despite the size of the step or the angle of the incline. still dont understand why TMS would run a lower gear/higher revs for loose terrain.
The lower gear is also meant for being slower(in general) while going over loose terrain. Make sense?
 

charwest

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The lower gear is also meant for being slower(in general) while going over loose terrain. Make sense?
nope. guess im a dummy.

if we're cruising along at 10mph the car is spinning 1.5k, and if i put on loose terrain TMS without a change in speed now its revving 2.5k, presumably keeping the car in a lower gear.

i dont understand why it does that.
 

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nope. guess im a dummy.

if we're cruising along at 10mph the car is spinning 1.5k, and if i put on loose terrain TMS without a change in speed now its revving 2.5k, presumably keeping the car in a lower gear.

i dont understand why it does that.
Perhaps these two videos can help explain. These are from an Offroaded in Australia that I watch and i like because it is general information to a lot of vehicles.





Obviously the vehicles in these videos dont have the Terrain Management.
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