Banjo (SA) replied:

You already know more about your tyres, than the "tyre place" Giggi ! (not uncommon - good advice can be hard to find). If you can post more detail on the vehicle and the tyres, plus the sort of surfaces you drive on, the feedback here will be worthwhile.

Giggi replied:

Thanks Banjo,

My car is pretty stock standard. Has got a Nissan Bullbar up front and the standard Brigstone AT tyres. Most of the time I spend on the Bitumen Highways, sometimes I go to the Flinders Ranges. I do let the tyres down on the dirt roads, forgot once and eh presto had a flat. Incidentely this was the very first flat I ever had and I did own a few 4wds before (mainly utes).

Nudenut replied:

I would most likely go with tyre placard on car and increase when needed or carrying extra weight for any length of time...
but 29 at front sounds a little low ...but try and then watch for excessive wear on outsides...if none leave....

Willem replied:

Rule of thumb these days seems to be around 32-34psi all round on bitumen and good gravel roads. I run these pressures in both the Kellys and my Cooper STT's, all 265/75/16's. On extreme dirt such as gibber I run 25-28 all round and and in very soft sand I run them at 15...have not had an issue so far after having switched from skinnys 6 months and 20,000k ago. I think my vehiocle is pretty well balanced weight wise. Carry 170lts fuel over the back axle and camping gear, and have bullbar, dual batteries and winch up front.

28patrol replied:

I normally run 32 - 36, up them to 34-38 with a full load then apply the 4psi rule. works for me

Banjo (SA) replied:

As you can see, most people start with the placard and take it from there - don't think anyone suggested the bizarre idea of higher at the front ! The last time I went to Bob Jane's tyre place to look at some budget mags for another the car, the first sentence offered as advice to me was completely wrong - we are being driven to the stage where we will have to know everything ourselves !
The much travelled Willem's advice is to be noted - I expect he keeps a very good eye out for those "problem" stones AND drives conservativley as a rule !

glenno(bris) replied:

I was told by bloke at tyre place (32psi on road) and (minimum of 22psi on sand).

Knight Patrol replied:

Tyre pressure is the one aspect of using a $wd that can make or break the moment. I run my Patrol 3L with 38psi all round on the road and the wear is pretty even across the tread (100-110kph). The upside is good fuel economy, road adhesion with the downside of a bit more road noise and slightly "lumpier" ride. Gravel road I drop them back to 32psi and usually slow down to 80-90kph tops. On the SOFT stuff I go as low as 12psi and watch the steering and braking (40-50kph tops). In all cases keep the pressures even as minor disparities between tyres can affect handling on unmade surfaces especially.

A valve air bleeder, good compressor and pressure guage makes the adjustment quick and easy and the tyre can get on with doing what they need to do in that specific situation.

Member - Jeff M (WA) replied:

I was fully loaded during the week, running bridgstone Desert Dullers and found that 30psi was very wonky, I was running 45psi all round at it was good, stopped and let some out for a corrigated road, no probs, back on the bitumen and after 60-70k's I stopped and pumped them up, felt like I was driving the HMAS Surf!

My pressures:
42psi round town, 45-48 loaded and 25-30 for gravel if rough, 10-18 for sand depending on load and condtitions.

Everyone is different, everyone's vehicles are loaded differently, run different rubber and have different driving styles, the above suits me, some people think I run a little on the extremes. My Bridgstones are looking pretty weathered but they've still got good tread have been absolutally hammered off road and have not had a puncture/flat (where's that wood!) since I've had it (which is only 14 months, but she's done a lot in that time).