[Shaggy]

Went for a bit of the play on Redhead/Blacksmiths Beach today. Known as a very soft sand beach at best of times and today it definetely lived up to the reputation.
Still have the original 205/70/15's Highway terrains on it and initially dropped pressures down to 15 PSI. Couldn't even get up the 1st sand hill on the track to the beach. Realised that the tyres weren't even balloning out so we droppred pressures to 10 PSI and I sailed up the same hill.
Started playing in the dunes and had a few issues getting up some decent dunes so dropped them to 8 PSI and once again started getting up dunes that previously couldn't.

Had a dune that none of the 3 cars that went could get up. The Zook however made it up the furthest I got to about 90% of the way up and trust me reversing down it was quite steep.
I only live about 2 mins drive from the beach so we went back to my place for the air up and beer drinking session and noticed even at 8 PSI the tyres weren't balloning out much even on my driveway due to the weight of the car.

Got us all thinking how low PSI you can let a Zook down to considering its such light weight.
What do you guys generally air down to when playing in the dunes on the beach??
Here is 2 pics of one of the climbs I couldn't get up till I went to 8 PSI. I was the only one to attempt this dune and I made it.
Cheers
Jason.
P.S. Sorry about the dodgy photo was taken using my work phone.

[S13RR4]

i have 225's on mine and generally dont need to air down when going to double island, its only the cutting that is soft sand if you plan the tides right so i dont need to bother

[Shaggy]

S133r4
Granted this was my 1st time on a very soft beach with the Zook but it seemed tyre pressures where everything. Previously I have been on the same beach in my work Pajero with A/T's and can get most places at 18 PSI. Although today we did a few more serious dunes that I wouldn't have tried in the Paj.

To be honest i was shocked at how pathetic the zook was when even down to 15 PSI.
The 1st hill wasn't that big a hil and i tried everything 4L/4H etc etc and just couldn't even make it up 1/2 way.
A bad tradesmen blames his tools so I am happy at this stage to blame me, but just interested to see how low you can go.

[Armpit]

I have 235s on mine and I quickly learnt that I needed to drop to 10psi whenever I go near soft sand. Looked like a idiot trying to climb a dune at 15psi the first time. Aired down and had no problems.

[S13RR4]

i did let them down to about 15 once when we had a middle tide, and did notice the differnce, but i have 225/70's so they baged out a little easier than stocko's

[Shaggy]

Armpit,
Yeah trust me i felt like a true dick when i couldn't even get up the 1st hill getting onto the beach. Had about 4 attempts trying different gears and ranges till we tried letting down the pressure some more. Was starting to wonder why i bought it as a play toy when i can't even get up the 1st sand dune.

Seems like at present 8-10 PSI is the sweet spot, not far off getting 31's so will be interesting what that does to it on the beach.

Cheers
Jason.

[coilyzook]

i went to stockton and went up some pretty steep dunes out the back and i had my tyres at about 10psi and didnt get stuck once

[DMAC]

I was told its not how much they bag that counts its how long the footprint of the tyre is when deflated. Ie. the length is more important than width(bag).
Only way to do this is to use the two sticks method. Deflate put a flat stick at the front and rear of the tyre and measure between them. This will give a measurable reference to the effect of lowering tyre pressures.

[SuziBlu]

5psi, unbeatable

She is a lightweight, many of us use 15psi as blacktop pressure.

Get her down to 5psi, and you will kill every other vehicle there.

I have had my lil lass at 5psi sideways on two wheels, never ripped a tyre off. an, where others cannot go, she will leave tread marks.

I always air down to at least 6psi, as set by my straun defeaters, and, io what others cannot, in 4wd, whilst im in, 2wd.

Keep your revs up, way high, and you will slay it.

[mnemonix]

Jewells beach there is notoriously soft. It's a very fine powdery sand that causes many cars to get bogged.

Because my lwb ute is SPOA, I get axle tramp in the rear end on sand. This coupled with some silverstone mt117 xtreme tyres, It does nothing but hop and dig holes at any pressure over 15PSI.

I generally run 10PSI on this beach, however If playing in the dunes and there has been no rain I will sometimes go lower than this.
I've had these tyres down to 6PSI and haven't rolled a bead yet. Just go gentle with your steering input. That being said, I'll be investing in some internal beadlocks in the near future for a bit of safekeeping.

For comparison of how different beaches react, I can go on stockton beach via the Anna Bay entrance in 2wd, at 40PSI road pressure and drive all the way to the Signa without issue.

[woody1]

At Stocko I normally air down with 215 M/T's to 14 PSI without much drama until I hit the softer stuff. I used to go down to 10 PSI but I could hardly turn the thing.
I've never actually been wheelin on Blacky's but I've heard its soft.
Hey Jason, whats the best way to get on to Blacky's? Is it through the old gravel road towards the cemetery and shit pipe near Belmont South or can ya get on through Rainbow Sands (Redhead way) or is that blocked off now?
Cheers
Woody

[Shaggy]

Wow, pretty cool to hear that even down to 5-6 PSI is ok.
I was down to 8 and was starting to stress that i would l start to roll tyres etc.
At one stage i went back to 10 PSI just in case.
Yeah at 8 i was being careful on hard turns etc and had no issues.
This is the 2nd time i have used this car to play seriously and starting to be blown away that even as stock it outperforms 4x4's with some decent money spent on them. As a mate told me "His bill at ARB on a Prado was more than my whole car cost"

mnemonix
Well and truely a dry time down at Jewlls this weekend.
I agree with you about the difference of Stockton and Jewells.
Never been stuck at Stockton in the work Paj even going on at Lavis lane and playing in the dunes, been stuck on Jewells 2x in the work Paj and both times not even playing in the dunes.
It is a very soft beach.
BTW where do you live at in Newcastle??

Cheers
Jason.

[Chop]

Different tyres do different things, stronger sidewalls in some and harder in others.
The bagging affect is very different from tyre to tyre and size to size.

I let my 30" mtrs down to 8-6psi and it handles really soft sand beautifully.

Chop

[Shaggy]

Woody1
Yeah you can defeinetely still get on via rainbow sands (Redhead) way.
This is how we always get on and to date have never had an issue.
Other than the Paj getting stuck and looking like a dick when the Zook couldn't get up the 1st hill.

Is very soft and definetely a bit trickier than getting on via Belmont way.
However if you have a few beers in the esky we generally get on/off via Rainbow Sands and come back to my place to air up.
Only about 1-2 mins drive so we come back to my place and air up with my compressor and have a beer or 2 in the process.
Stocko is definetely an easier beach to play on.

Cheers
Jason.

[woody1]

Quote:

However if you have a few beers in the esky we generally get on/off via Rainbow Sands and come back to my place to air up.

Now that sounds like a plan

[Rusho]

DMAC wrote:

I was told its not how much they bag that counts its how long the footprint of the tyre is when deflated. Ie. the length is more important than width(bag).
Only way to do this is to use the two sticks method. Deflate put a flat stick at the front and rear of the tyre and measure between them. This will give a measurable reference to the effect of lowering tyre pressures.

I agree with ya on that one DMAC

[Tristan]

hey i just live at redhead as well i have been out the last few days, i have been letting the air down to around 10 but one time i had it on 8psi and it was fine also.. if you see me out say hello ! this is my rig below.. tired old and stock haha couldnt belive how far i could get everywere tho once i was down on the beach tho...

[atari4x4]

I am down to 8psi as soon as I hit the dunes at Beachport SA, I hardly leave an imprint in the sand & I never get bogged. These signs mean nothing to me...

[mnemonix]

Shaggy wrote:

BTW where do you live at in Newcastle??

Cheers
Jason.

I'm in Windale mate, just off the bypass.
Prime location for quick trips to Hillsborough quarry or Jewells beach

I get onto Jewells beach via the Rainbow Sands track besides the gate on Kalaroo road. Follow it in and climb the first dune then turn hard right. It's the easiest path to the water.
Exit via the cemetary at Belmont south, and straight to the Shell servo there to air up.


-Mark.

[zukenutter]

I regularly tow our camper trailer to Moreton Island and Double Island. I drop straight to 14psi on all 6 tyres before hitting the sand. If I get stuck I drop to 10-12. 10-12 is usually unstoppable.

[2stroker]

Hi Shaggy, mate a lot of people have posted what tyre pressure they run in the soft but don't forget that there are not many of us still runing 205 tyres, even going up to 215 or 235 will make quite a difference to how much you have to air down.

[BlueSuzy]

I never go under 12psi anywhere on my 33" balloon tyres.. Ok. Sometimes mates put suzy at 10 cos they can't read.. Never had any problems.


Suzy on 235's on 12psi also.




All at Stockton.

p.s. Jeep was on fire.

[Jamie]

have 235 goodyear MTR's and let them down to 4PSI in the tough stuff on the beaches, can beat anything then, even jeep wranglers. if you wanna go more places, diff locks are the way to go

[mnemonix]

Jamie wrote:

if you wanna go more places, diff locks are the way to go

Not always true on the beach. Lockers can just make it easier to dig holes if you're not sensible with your driving style.
That being said, I'm locked f+r and wouldn't have it any other way.

[SuziBlu]

Ive had lockers with sand, don't like them.

[atari4x4]

SuziBlu wrote:

Ive had lockers with sand, don't like them.

auto or air, i'm guessing auto as my air locker was awesome when i needed it?

[SuziBlu]

Detroit was first, ARB second, didn't like nor still don't, like locked diffs in sand.

Probably only ever been in a situation once where it would have been handy, but that was in me suzi and I was able to lift her sideways and out of trouble, but lockers would have been easier.

[HURST]

I went to the dunes this weekend for the first time.
Stock 205/70-15 tires.

I used 16 PSI and the Jimny climbed like a champ.
Sometimes, on steep dunes I had to reverse to the bottom and start with more speed, but that was all.

[Myles]

So I'm going to double island on saturday in my zuk with 235 all terrains.. will have 2 adults in it and a bit of gear.. i was planning on taking i down to 12psi but after reading all this im thinking ill just go down to 18 psi? I'm also thinking ill take it up from 22psi to 25ish psi for the highway drive up?

[MacDaddy]

SuziBlu wrote:

5psi, unbeatable

She is a lightweight, many of us use 15psi as blacktop pressure.

Get her down to 5psi, and you will kill every other vehicle there.

I have had my lil lass at 5psi sideways on two wheels, never ripped a tyre off. an, where others cannot go, she will leave tread marks.

I always air down to at least 6psi, as set by my straun defeaters, and, io what others cannot, in 4wd, whilst im in, 2wd.

Keep your revs up, way high, and you will slay it.

Hi SuziBlu,

When i first got my 215/75R15 Kumho AT's fitted, they had the normal radial tyre pressure in them 32 to 40 psi, and the ride was very hard, it would skip over train lines in the road and turn sideways, made the suspension work very hard... i took it to my Zook Specialist repairer, " Suzistore " here in Perth, to get some work done... and the guy in the know, happen to check my tyre pressures, and came back and told me that most Zooks are way to light for that tyre pressure, he said that a Sierra would work best with 18 to 20psi in the tyres for the road, and 20 to 24psi for Vitara's on the road, so i lowered my tyre pressure to 24psi road pressure, and boy did i feel the difference !

Zooks are very light, they just dont work well with normal road tyre pressures, so if you let your tyres down to 15psi on the sand, the zook doesnt have enough weight to make the tyres balloon enough... so i think 8psi would be about right for the soft sand, and even lower for the really soft sand...

So if any of you are feeling a hard ride on the tarmac, try lowering your tyre pressure a bit... and let out a bit more air when on the sand... your zook will ride much better !