Tyre Pressures

[sellit99]

I wonder if I could get some help?  I'm about to do the Oodnadatta and Birdsville tracks.  I have an 80 series that will be loaded and it's running 35"s all 'round.  What's the best tyre pressure to run on these tracks?  I guess that pressure would be right for any general dirt roads driving as well??  I realise that sand is a different matter and that slow rocky tracks is different again.  I run about 40psi on the road.

Thanks in advance.

[Vince]

Hi Sellit99....don't know if this message just thru from outback will have any affect on where you are heading. The ferry will not take Caravans or Trailers and is limited to 7m overall length on any vehicle crossing.

Good dirt sections - around 30 **** Sand sections - around 25 **** heavy sand sections around 16 to 20, plus if towing a camper drop same.



Cooper Creek Ferry Now Running
Submitted: Tuesday, Jun 08, 2010 at 14:08
Member - Stephen L (Clare SA)
Hi All
Just off of the phone from Jade and the Ferry is now officially running. Jade said that the Channel 7 crew were the first to travel across, but Jade and the Children were the first non official vehicle and pedestrians to cross.

Etadunna is a mad house at the moment, media every where. Jade was even taken up in the helicopter and see said it was unreal. She will try and get some picture to me today so I can post them.

The trip over on the ferry only took 7 minutes, which is quite quick.

I will be able to give a first hand story when I get back next Monday.

Here is the very latest from the Transport SA site.


Birdsville Track (Marree to Birdsville)
4WD Only - Marree To Mungeranie - No access across Cooper Creek floodway due to flooding. Ferry OPEN to suitable vehicles (see Special Notices for guidelines) Sand drifts on northern ferry access road.
Warning - Mungeranie To Birdsville - Caution at ponded water. Take detour around flood out area north of Moongarra Channel. Caution also between Mirra Mitta and Lake Suprise due to severe wheel rutting

Cheers until next time

[Diksta]

having done both those tracks and got the flats to prove it, i would be running about 28 in the front and make sure the rears have about the same size foot print.

i spent a bit of time at Roxby downs about 100ks off the oodnadatta track and when you heit the gibber rocks if your pressure is too high you will blow tyres easy, i saw one bloke do 2 in 5mins along the borefield rd which is just off the oodnadatta track

cheers

 

[Variflex]

I'm happy to sit in your passenger seat for the duration of this trip and adjust your tyre pressures when required just to make your trip more enjoyable 

[darren]

I was there last in sept
 The northen end of the oodnadatta get a little stony especially if you go straight through instead of my dare. I got a stone puncture at William creek because i was too lazy to let the tyres down from 30. As we got rougher i had 25 HOT. No probs.
Darren

[matt r]

I agree about 30psi but drive to the conditions 

[JCOJ]

I'll be going up the Oodnadatta Track in about 3 weeks.  I intend to run 28psi front, 30psi rear, and 28psi in the camper.  I too run 40psi on the bitumen.

These are the same pressures as all our group ran last time and we never got one puncture.

[Mitcon]

For normal driving on sealed roads try using the 4PSI rule to work out exactly the correct tyre pressure for your load and best wear as well as handling.

This is simple though alot find it mystical.
All you need do is inflate to the pressure recommended by the manufacturer, for a cold tyre reading and then drive about 100k. Then check the tyre pressures quickly while they are still warm. If your tyre pressure is greater than 4 psi from the cold tyre reading you took at the start, then the tyres are getting too hot and your starting tyre pressure was too low.  Under inflated tyres wear unevenly and lead to using more fuel as well this can also impair the handling of the vehicle in the areas of braking and steering/handling. 

If the tyre pressure is less than 4 psi from the cold reading you took at the beginning of your trip, then your starting tyre pressure is too high.  You will need to run the test again (once the tyre has completely cooled) with less pressure until you find the right pressure. If your unsure of this google it as there's lots of info about on the subject.

On dirt or gravel drop pressures to suit conditions the softer things get the more you will need to lower them. So many people drive with their tyre pressure way too high, even when on the blacktop.

[speewa158]

Work out how much you need to carry adjust the pressure , drive to the conditions . A bit lower & a bit slower is the go as Mitcon has described .
     Good seasens Good miles

[sellit99]

Guys, great advice from all.  I love this forum.  I won't be towing so a starting point of 28 looks the go.  I always drive to the road conditions anyway so no issue there, plus, too much speed means I miss things to look at and that's why I'm going in the first place.

Thx for the advice regarding Birdsville Track and Cooper Ck ferry.  Depending upon whether we get to the track from the north from Cameron's Corner or from the south we'll check things closer to our arrival date which is around 30th June.  There may be some drying out by then, although I expect not much.

Thanks also for your willingness to come along and act as tyre marshall...alas, I'll be full up.

 

[kiwipete]

For normal driving on sealed roads try using the 4PSI rule to work out exactly the correct tyre pressure for your load and best wear as well as handling.

This is simple though alot find it mystical.
All you need do is inflate to the pressure recommended by the manufacturer, for a cold tyre reading and then drive about 100k. Then check the tyre pressures quickly while they are still warm. If your tyre pressure is greater than 4 psi from the cold tyre reading you took at the start, then the tyres are getting too hot and your starting tyre pressure was too low.  Under inflated tyres wear unevenly and lead to using more fuel as well this can also impair the handling of the vehicle in the areas of braking and steering/handling. 

If the tyre pressure is less than 4 psi from the cold reading you took at the beginning of your trip, then your starting tyre pressure is too high.  You will need to run the test again (once the tyre has completely cooled) with less pressure until you find the right pressure. If your unsure of this google it as there's lots of info about on the subject.

On dirt or gravel drop pressures to suit conditions the softer things get the more you will need to lower them. So many people drive with their tyre pressure way too high, even when on the blacktop.

I did this last weekend and had 38PSI in the front and 46PSI in the rears, CT I wasn't that worried about. at the end of the trip the tyres were at 42PSI Front 4PSI difference and 52PSI in the rear 6PSI difference..  I was carrying a big load and the CT was loaded but should have put 50PSI in the rear in the end.

Does anyone else have to run such high pressures in the back when travelling... tyres are285x75x16 M/T 4 Rib   

[GU Rich]

I ran 30 psi in the front at 32 psi the rear. The camper was about 26psi too from memory on the Oodnadatta. I ran lower in the Bungles and about 28psi on the Gibb.

Never had one flat for the trip . I was away for over 4 months fully loaded for a family of 4. Although we run light and only take what we need.


Best bet is to call the Pink Roadhouse with your set up they might be able to point you in the right direction.


Rich

[Aaron Schubert]

I did this last weekend and had 38PSI in the front and 46PSI in the rears, CT I wasn't that worried about. at the end of the trip the tyres were at 42PSI Front 4PSI difference and 52PSI in the rear 6PSI difference..  I was carrying a big load and the CT was loaded but should have put 50PSI in the rear in the end.

Does anyone else have to run such high pressures in the back when travelling... tyres are285x75x16 M/T 4 Rib   

It has been suggested that 6PSI is what you really want, for heavier vehicles. I wouldn't be running my tyres at any more than 45 PSI - see how your tyres wear and go from there

Aaron

[Chris-Vi]

I did 2 tyres running 30psi. At the Pink Roadhouse at Oodnadatta other than the kick I was also given a sheet about pressures. Ended up running 20psi in the front and camper and 25psi at the back. No more problems and we did the Plenty Highway home and also the Mereenie Loop from Kings Canyon to Alice Springs. No more problems. Everyone has different ideas and what works for one mightn't work for the other. Have a great trip.

[SteveandViv]

Having traveled all these roads and more I have a view that people over inflate more often that not. Not the guys on here cause they have all done well (well all except Diksta - sorry mate  )

We did the 22k 6 Month thing as well with camper on tow and didn't have any issues also. In fact I have never ever had a flat tyre to date on our trip. We run MTZ's.

For the rough Gibber we tend to be at 22 front and 26 rear and 26 in the camper. I don't go up much from that unless on thr tar for a day. We run this along the Oodnadatta as well. It's just so much better to slow down and let the tyres help take out the bumps.

We also ran these pressures up to Mitchell Falls as well.

[D4D]

It's just so much better to slow down and let the tyres help take out the bumps.

For both the vehicle and the track

[camdyson]

So with these sorts of pressures - say in the mid 20's - what would you guys consider a "safe" speed?

Cheers,

Cam

[D4D]

Touring I run 25-30psi and travel at 60-80
Bush work I run 20-25psi and travel at 0-20

[darren]

So with these sorts of pressures - say in the mid 20's - what would you guys consider a "safe" speed?

Cheers,

Cam

 I still get up to 100 with 25 psi

[achjimmy]

I still get up to 100 with 25 psi

I do as well wallows a little but is quite drivable, just watch the corners

[SteveandViv]

Well towing the camper Easter up to Cape Leveque which has some really impressive corrugations, if you can call them that we sat at about 80-90K. There was some shocking stuff so we were down to 60-70 a few times. On the black top back into Brome we sat on 105.

Oh that was at 22 front, 26 rear and 24 Camper.