22s on 37s on the beach?

[Minty JL]

Hello everyone I’m about to take a trip down to OBX and plan on taking the gladiator on the beach for the first time. My wheel and tire set up is 22s on 37s. From what I’ve researched is to air down to 20psi or lower, any advice for the noob. Or did I go too big on wheel size??‍

Are you going to be down there this weekend? We're going to be staying in Corova, so 7 miles off the road and up the beach.

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[Jaxmax]

Just be aware that sand is different ,a lot of people post that they did good on the beach, but in the pictures I can’t even see tire marks in the sand. Hatteras at places can eat your truck, Delaware has had a lot of stuck trucks this year. Your tires are not stretched on the rims I would air down to 25psi to start, and see how it goes, digging your truck out using boards is something you can do if needed. If you feel the truck is lugging too much hop out and look at your tires, perhaps drop a few more pounds. You will feel it when you have it right. Just have a light right foot, don’t turn sharp and have fun. I run the beaches a lot, don’t get stuck and help others out, if they are trying.
Oh yeah, your wheels look awesome….Jack

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

20 is not really airing down.

I'd go to 15.

 

[same_O_G]

Almost exactly what I have but 13.5 width

That's a lot more sidewall than I was picturing. Disregard my previous. You'll be good go. I used to run my Trail Grapplers at about 18 psi with pretty good results. Have fun man! Like others have stated, post pics!

 

[Sponge60]

With your tire width, you won't have to air down as much. Maybe drop it to mid 20's to be on the safe side. The sand in Carova is not too bad, but can be rutted up by the amount of traffic in the summer. I've seen two wheel drive vehicles make the trip up and down during low tide. On Hatteras Island you can drive south of Avon. It's not too bad either. Remember that the feds require a beach driving permit for everything from Oregon Inlet to the end of Hatteras.

 

[Minty JL]

Just be aware that sand is different ,a lot of people post that they did good on the beach, but in the pictures I can’t even see tire marks in the sand. Hatteras at places can eat your truck, Delaware has had a lot of stuck trucks this year. Your tires are not stretched on the rims I would air down to 25psi to start, and see how it goes, digging your truck out using boards is something you can do if needed. If you feel the truck is lugging too much hop out and look at your tires, perhaps drop a few more pounds. You will feel it when you have it right. Just have a light right foot, don’t turn sharp and have fun. I run the beaches a lot, don’t get stuck and help others out, if they are trying.
Oh yeah, your wheels look awesome….Jack

I added some recovery boards to my recovery kit for this year.

 

[SupSurfer78]

Are you going to be down there this weekend? We're going to be staying in Corova, so 7 miles off the road and up the beach.

Yes heading down Saturday staying in Corolla for the week?

 

[Rusty PW]

OP, you won't have a problem at OBX. The sand down by the water is like concrete. Now the closer to the sand dunes, the softer the sand. Most people get stuck next to the dunes. Most of the time, you will be traveling in someone else's tire tracks. Jumping from one set of tire tracks to another when someone is coming at you can be a challenge depending on how deep the tracks are. And watch out for the tree stumps. Especially at night. They can break an axle if hit with some speed.

 

[Rusty PW]

Yes heading down Saturday staying in Corolla for the week?

We stay up the beach, about a mile south of the NC/Vi state line.

 

[Tim]

That’s what a few people I’ve talked to had said that they didn’t even air down at all. But they didn’t run the same set up though.

Not airing down is a horrible idea and not for the obvious reason. OBX has some pretty soft sand, especially if it hasn't rained recently. Driving through this puts a lot of strain on the transmission. Every year several Jeeps/trucks burn up out on the OBX sand from overheated transmissions that blow a line which then drips on a hot exhaust which starts on fire. Do a little research and you will find numerous accounts of what I just wrote.

I've never been to OBX when it hasn't rained within a few days and in my experience 20PSI has served me quite well. If it has been very dry I'd air down to 15psi. While 22's aren't ideal you will still see a benefit from airing down. My compressor broke on my last trip to OBX in July and I saw a couple trucks with similar wheel and tire setups to yours at the air-up station after they left the beach. It only takes a few minutes. Don't skip it.

 

[Tim]

OP, you won't have a problem at OBX. The sand down by the water is like concrete. Now the closer to the sand dunes, the softer the sand. Most people get stuck next to the dunes. Most of the time, you will be traveling in someone else's tire tracks. Jumping from one set of tire tracks to another when someone is coming at you can be a challenge depending on how deep the tracks are. And watch out for the tree stumps. Especially at night. They can break an axle if hit with some speed.

The sand by the water is plenty firm but there are a few miles where driving along the water is prohibited and all traffic must drive along the dunes. That can get pretty rutted up along with the first few hundred feet where you have to make the turn right after the pavement ends.

 

[Coldtoes]

We stay up the beach, about a mile south of the NC/Vi state line.

I'm curious, those tree stumps you mentioned and i can see in your video. Are they drift wood washed up, or stumps from trees that used to be growing there? If they are stumps from trees that used to be there, what happened that there is not a single living tree on the beach any longer?

There is only one area anywhere near me (SoCal) that OHV are allowed on and I've never seen tree stumps like in your video.

 

[Rusty PW]

I'm curious, those tree stumps you mentioned and i can see in your video. Are they drift wood washed up, or stumps from trees that used to be growing there? If they are stumps from trees that used to be there, what happened that there is not a single living tree on the beach any longer?

There is only one area anywhere near me (SoCal) that OHV are allowed on and I've never seen tree stumps like in your video.

I was told a couple of different stories about the tree stumps. That was where the middle of the island was and the trees grew there. Over the years. The wind has blown the sand back to the towards the mainland. Covers the trees at one point, then exposing what was left. Another one is when there is a hurricane, and it hits the OBX. It moves the island back and forth.

 

[Jaxmax]

The ocean always seems to take the beach, they had to move the Cape Hatteras lighthouse pretty far to save it from falling into the ocean. Pretty impressive move on sand when you look at how tall and huge it is. The Delaware Cape Henolopen light house fell into the ocean, and some of the observation towers from World War 2 are in the surf now. The trees on the beach are usually old forest taken by the ocean, shipwrecks and structures appear and disappear with storms and years.
The whole Ebb and Flow thing..Jack

 

[Minty JL]

Yes heading down Saturday staying in Corolla for the week?

Solid, I will be dipping down into Corolla for resupply and activities for the kids. We'll probably be the only Mojito color matched JLUR w/ MD tags down there.

We'll be on the beach around mile 7

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