It all depends on the terrain and what you're running, what you want and what you want to accomplish. There are a TON of variables at play. The good news is the factory Moab rims hold a bead very well at low pressure. They are about the best rim I've run that holds a bead this well at low pressure in most conditions. Granted, you can still pop a bead, but you can get much lower on the Moabs than most other rims-at least in my experience. Lots of folks consider "airing down" dropping to 17-18psi. In my mind, that is nothing but a comfortable ride on a gravel road. You're not really gaining anything in terms of traction as the tire isn't ballooning out/expanding enough to do any good at that high a pressure. Keep in mind a tire elongates more so than it expands width wise when aired down. In the 10-12 range, you'll start seeing benefits. Drop to 6-8 range and you'll be amazed at what you can do that you can't even think about at 17-18. Depending on terrain, can mean the difference of struggling in 4 wheel drive, or crawling in 2wd. Or, being locked or not. If all you're running is gravel forest service roads, then by all means, have a luxury ride at higher pressures if you'll spend a lot of time on them. If you're really wheeling, drop it down. My Moabs hold 8 very well in about most all conditions. I like to run 6, and lower, but for me, at 6 it gets really dicey as to whether I'll pop the bead or not. Maybe a 50/50 chance if you will depending on terrain and if I'm really working them. I'd like beadlocks for this reason eventually.
As to popping a bead, a lot of folks fear this problem on the trail. I'm really not sure why. Popping a bead is by far the easiest thing to fix on the trail-at least in my opinion. If you have Co2 or a good compressor, just jack up that wheel and hit it with air. Clean the bead seat prior of course, but once that's done, work the tire around by hand till it's somewhat touching the rim and hit it with air. It'll pop back on in seconds. The ratchet strap method is a joke that I've never seen work so don't mess with that or anything you've heard. Just makes it harder to do right. Do it by hand, hit it with air and go. Be certain it's aired up and the bead is on, then drop pressure and keep wheeling. May have to massage it around a bit by hand, working different parts of the tire in or out with your palm, but with the air going in, it will seat. When you need to start plugging and patching, that's when it takes actual work and when it gets dicey as to whether or not your patch job will hold. My last took something like 13 plugs I think and held for a bit-till it tore up the tread block and wasn't worth messing with at that point as we'd wasted too much time already. Swapped the spare on and continuing down the trail without a second thought. Another problem I've had a lot is torn valve stems on my Moabs with long stems. Swapped them all out to shorter ones but still have the problem. Another reason I'd like beadlocks with a ring to protect the stems. This one really pisses me off on the trail to repair a torn stem as it means dismounting the tire, breaking the bead and pulling the stem, setting a new one then re-seating, re-mounting, dropping down again and going. Takes a fair amount of time. Would be great to have a tool that could insert a stem from the outside rather than inside the rim-would cut a LOT of work. Word of advice-carry spare stems in your tire repair kit-several of them actually. Reminds me, I used my last and need to restock my supply...
With your current tires, if you run rocks, my biggest concern would be having a good tire repair kit and a good air source-be it Co2 or compressor of some kind-or both. Pro Comp tires are notorious for weak sidewalls, and in the sharp or jagged rocks, be ready to slice and dice. I've seen many of them destroyed in rocks and sticks both, then running through muddy trails in the hills and catching a stick deep in the mud and coming back up with the stick through the sidewall of the procomps. My advice with them depending on tread life would be to run them till they're no longer serviceable the upgrade to a "good" tire, or if they are new with great tread, see if you can sell them off and put that money towards a "good" tire. Toyo MT's are excellent, Goodyear MT/R's are a great tire. The Nitto Grappler is another excellent tire though loud on the street. Depening on location, some folks like the new BFG MT KM2. Around here, they slice sidewalls too easy. Other folks have been happy with them in other areas. Just to name a few.
Something to think about. By different terrain, I mean things like snow or sand, I'll run nearly 0-basically pull the stem and wait for it to inhale, then plug and go. Anything under 4 for sure. I run most all terrain in 6-8 due to the Moabs. With beadlocks I'd likely be in the 4-6 range. General dirt trails, hill climbs and such, maybe open it up a bit to 6-10 depending on conditions. Gravel roads-15-18 is a nice smooth ride. Street pressure if you don't have far to go. Best thing to say for your setup is to run as low as you can go till you blow a bead, then reseat it and keep experimenting till you find the sweet spot you're happy with. Different tires like different pressures too-some more, some less. Start high and slowly work yourself down low till you find the setup that works best for you. Then, once it snows, do it all over again... :lildevil:
Best of luck,
Mike
As to popping a bead, a lot of folks fear this problem on the trail. I'm really not sure why. Popping a bead is by far the easiest thing to fix on the trail-at least in my opinion. If you have Co2 or a good compressor, just jack up that wheel and hit it with air. Clean the bead seat prior of course, but once that's done, work the tire around by hand till it's somewhat touching the rim and hit it with air. It'll pop back on in seconds. The ratchet strap method is a joke that I've never seen work so don't mess with that or anything you've heard. Just makes it harder to do right. Do it by hand, hit it with air and go. Be certain it's aired up and the bead is on, then drop pressure and keep wheeling. May have to massage it around a bit by hand, working different parts of the tire in or out with your palm, but with the air going in, it will seat. When you need to start plugging and patching, that's when it takes actual work and when it gets dicey as to whether or not your patch job will hold. My last took something like 13 plugs I think and held for a bit-till it tore up the tread block and wasn't worth messing with at that point as we'd wasted too much time already. Swapped the spare on and continuing down the trail without a second thought. Another problem I've had a lot is torn valve stems on my Moabs with long stems. Swapped them all out to shorter ones but still have the problem. Another reason I'd like beadlocks with a ring to protect the stems. This one really pisses me off on the trail to repair a torn stem as it means dismounting the tire, breaking the bead and pulling the stem, setting a new one then re-seating, re-mounting, dropping down again and going. Takes a fair amount of time. Would be great to have a tool that could insert a stem from the outside rather than inside the rim-would cut a LOT of work. Word of advice-carry spare stems in your tire repair kit-several of them actually. Reminds me, I used my last and need to restock my supply...
With your current tires, if you run rocks, my biggest concern would be having a good tire repair kit and a good air source-be it Co2 or compressor of some kind-or both. Pro Comp tires are notorious for weak sidewalls, and in the sharp or jagged rocks, be ready to slice and dice. I've seen many of them destroyed in rocks and sticks both, then running through muddy trails in the hills and catching a stick deep in the mud and coming back up with the stick through the sidewall of the procomps. My advice with them depending on tread life would be to run them till they're no longer serviceable the upgrade to a "good" tire, or if they are new with great tread, see if you can sell them off and put that money towards a "good" tire. Toyo MT's are excellent, Goodyear MT/R's are a great tire. The Nitto Grappler is another excellent tire though loud on the street. Depening on location, some folks like the new BFG MT KM2. Around here, they slice sidewalls too easy. Other folks have been happy with them in other areas. Just to name a few.
Something to think about. By different terrain, I mean things like snow or sand, I'll run nearly 0-basically pull the stem and wait for it to inhale, then plug and go. Anything under 4 for sure. I run most all terrain in 6-8 due to the Moabs. With beadlocks I'd likely be in the 4-6 range. General dirt trails, hill climbs and such, maybe open it up a bit to 6-10 depending on conditions. Gravel roads-15-18 is a nice smooth ride. Street pressure if you don't have far to go. Best thing to say for your setup is to run as low as you can go till you blow a bead, then reseat it and keep experimenting till you find the sweet spot you're happy with. Different tires like different pressures too-some more, some less. Start high and slowly work yourself down low till you find the setup that works best for you. Then, once it snows, do it all over again... :lildevil:
Best of luck,
Mike
