Best Tires for Sand…

[0REDSOX7]

Hi all,

New to my JT - picked up a 2022 overland on Monday. Sadly, it comes with these amazing on road Bridgestone Dueler H/T 255/70R18.

I bought it because we moved to the beach and missed the top down / doors off while driving out on the beach.

My off-road menu consists of solely driving out on the beach. That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less.

Coming from a Toyota Tacoma with the Goodyear Duratrac tires, I know I need something better than these Bridgestone tires.

I was planning to go with the BFG KO2s, but not sure. I’m reading they don’t like sand too much.

Given the Jeep will be driven 90% on regular roads, I’m struggling for a good on road tire that’s good off road in the sand.

Any thoughts? Here are my options / choices. All will be in stock size since I don’t want to mess with recalibrating or messing something up.

1) Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac
2) BFG KO2
3) Falken Wildpeak AT3
4) Yokohama Geolander M/T (a top rated sand tire, apparently)

Any thoughts or preferences on the above based on my driving needs?

I’m struggling here.

thank you.

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[Jaxmax]

M/T tires as a rule don't do good in sand they are designed to dig down and find traction while clearing tread, sand can be deep.. I have the Falken AT/3 tires they are ok but square shouldered, the Bridgestone you have with street tread might be better then the ones you are considering. I have run East Coast beaches for years with many trucks. I have found the best sand tires are not with very aggressive tread, not overly wide and the shoulder of the tire should be slightly rounded not square which can dig in instead of floating, My wide Falkens on my Mojave push a lot more sand in front then my last truck which had narrower tires, you do need to let air out of your tires in soft sand , and most people think it makes the tire wider to float, but really the big difference is the flat spot on bottom which is sitting on the sand is much longer also increasing the foot print but not creating more drag on front.
Take it out on the beach with tires at 20lbs. to start and check it out before doing anything else....Jack

 

[0REDSOX7]

M/T tires as a rule don't do good in sand they are designed to dig down and find traction while clearing tread, sand can be deep.. I have the Falken AT/3 tires they are ok but square shouldered, the Bridgestone you have with street tread might be better then the ones you are considering. I have run East Coast beaches for years with many trucks. I have found the best sand tires are not with very aggressive tread, not overly wide and the shoulder of the tire should be slightly rounded not square which can dig in instead of floating, My wide Falkens on my Mojave push a lot more sand in front then my last truck which had narrower tires, you do need to let air out of your tires in soft sand , and most people think it makes the tire wider to float, but really the big difference is the flat spot on bottom which is sitting on the sand is much longer also increasing the foot print but not creating more drag on front.
Take it out on the beach with tires at 20lbs. to start and check it out before doing anything else....Jack

Interesting. What’s you’ve said makes total sense.

Would there be a risk these all season tires don’t have sufficient sidewall strength to go down to 20??

 

[JamVox]

Got a 2020 overland and replaced the Bridgestone Dueler H/T 255/70R18on mind with Cooper Rugged Treks 255/70/18. Love them and smooth and quiet on the highway.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Interesting. What’s you’ve said makes total sense.

Would there be a risk these all season tires don’t have sufficient sidewall strength to go down to 20??

Not likely, not at those low speeds.

 

[CerOf]

You can take your stock tires to 15psi, probably 10 if the sand is crazy soft.

Just don’t go crazy carving turns.

 

[Gren71]

The duelers will do fine on the sand at 20psi - 25psi.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Stop that, now I wish I still had my Comanche...........

 

[glassjawkid32]

Taking the geolandars to the dunes for the first time tomorrow. I'll report back.

 

[NC_Overland]

My experience? Aired down. I’ve done fine in the sand with M/Ts, A/Ts, and all seasons. The M/Ts were the worst in my experiences when not aired down.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Conservative.

 

[Acano363]

Milestar Patagonia. Source, Matt's off-road recovery, he uses them daily to recover vehicles in/near hurricane UTAH and has said "there's nothing better". He has them on two different vehicles a Jeep Cherokee and a custom built Corvair.

 

[jeepstertim]

I'm running the BFG KO2 in 35" and air down to 15 psi in the sand, zero complaints, the JTR is phenomenal in the sand.

 

[dcmdon]

But seriously, get whatever tires you want. They all work fine as long as you AIR DOWN.

But avoid mud / MT tires.

Your stock tires are fine. Unless you want something that looks better. But functionally it sounds like they do what you want.

I'm running the BFG KO2 in 35" and air down to 15 psi in the sand, zero complaints, the JTR is phenomenal in the sand.

Wow. Now that is sand.

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