Hi there,

I've always used my 4x4 onroad but I want to start doing adventure trails. does anybody know which tyres are best for driving on sand?

My preference for driving on sand is an all-terrain tread. Mud-terrain treads will work and in some cases are better; as long as the sand is damp. However, in dry, loose sand, the MTs tend to dig holes.

The key with tires is not so much tread style but tire pressure and tire width.

With lower tire pressure, you distribute the weight of the vehicle over a broader area and tend to ride on top of the sand without digging in.

The wider the tire, the broader area of contact with sand which helps keep the vehicle from digging into the sand.

So, wide tire and low tire pressure.

As stated, tire use is a compromise based upon the terrain(s) that are traversed. The best sand tire is a paddle, but can't be run on the street. I've had luck in coarser sand using regular passenger car tires. However, when the sand is finer-grained and dry, something with a little tread is good. If you have something local similar to the Yokohama mud tire with a chevron-pattern tread, or an equipment tire, this type of tread also helps to lift the vehicle out of soft conditions by compressing the sand within the tire footprint, rather than pushing through.

Something really rowdy like a Simex or Swamper brand may be too aggressive.

Thanks guys.
That helps alot.
The next question would be - how low can yuor tyre pressure go?
I know that driving on tyres that are underinflated can be dangerous and damage your tyres - but how low a pressure is too low?

Half normal pressure is OK under most conditions.. Watch out for hitting large rocks with any speed.. can cause pinch cuts to the tire (tire being compressed all the way in to the point it's pinched between the rock and the wheel rim).

Since you are off road, assuming your speeds will be kept low enough to avoid tire heating problems while running low pressures.

As you drop to lower than half pressure, the risk of spinning the tire on the rim or, rolling the tire off the rim increases...