Wrangler SR-As in sand??

[Hawki1cr]

I will be driving the truck from Michigan to the Outer Banks in NC in May. I see there are beaches you can drive on. It looks amazing. Look it up on YouTube. Anyway, I have the stock Wrangler SRAs still. They have 30,000 miles on them but still have good tread.

Anyone have experience with these tires in hard packed and deep soft sand? I really want to take the truck on these beaches but I don't know if the tires are appropriate.

Yes, I know I need to air them down to about 15 psi.

 

[Blackram28376]

I went out on carolina beach, north end , it was sprinkling rain so it was packed in a tad. I also have stock LSD. Dont play with the beginning of the park, thats where people get stuck. I didnt air down any, however its recommended to 20 psi, i wasn't able to keep my steering wheel straight either though. This was in stock SR-As. Carolina and Fort Fisher is like playground sand.

Dont make your own path in the stocks, follow what is in front of you, or try to to what steering will allow.

Bring a shovel just incase.

Outer banks may be better, it stays wet and compacted from pictures Ive seen.

 

[AustinB]

I used to drive on carolina beaches every weekend.. Ive seen it all out there.

Theres always a hummer stuck in the sand.

Those tires will be terrible in the sand, plan to get stuck... Most guys run a/t and do just fine.

Get a good recovery strap and actually have a plan as to where you will connect it.

The sand is soft, and really only hard packed where it's wet.. Would be completely stupid go let that water touch your truck..

99.9% chance you'll be fine, but expect to get stuck, theres always someone willing to tow you out , just throw them a $20... The tow trucks will run you around $500 lol.

Shovel, straps, cash, beer, fishing poles...

Oh yea, it is customary to always back in towards the water when you park.

IMO

 

[Sir John]

The tow trucks will run you around $500 lol.

Yeah, there are always a couple sitting at the entrance to the beach just waiting...lol.

He should be fine with the SRA tires aired down. Just be very mindful where you stop...might not be able to get going again.

 

[AustinB]

Maybe lol.

Keep an eye on your engine temps too... They can jump up pretty high while trotting around in 4x4 all day.

IMO

 

[HemiPower36]

^ what he said. My truck gets very thirsty in 4x4 too. Anywho, my SR-As with 33,000 miles got absolutely shot out. Can't imagine yours are any better. In the sand, they didn't perform to well. As soon as you give it a little gas the truck kinda freaks the **** out with some of the electronics kicking in. So I would just slow roll through sand. Bad thing with that is momentum is your best bud in sand. Avoid the very soft stuff in the SR-As.

 

[AustinB]

Not sure if you're in the market for tires or not... But after reading all this, hopefully you will consider some good all terrains before going out..

Like I said earlier, you should expect to get stuck and if you dont, then thats even better...but it will be a more enjoyable experience when you can be the one helping the stranded trucks with ****** tires, rather than being the one helplessly waiting for a local to pull you out, while your spending your vacation digging sand out from under your truck.

Many, including me, will only try to pull out a stuck vehicle but so many times (about 3-4 pulls) before giving up, and leaving you for the next truck. You take the risk of getting stuck yourself, or breaking something on your truck. Which is why you should offer some cash or at least beer for any help.

And all while being pulled out, you will have to listen to a lecture from a local about driving on soft sand with commercial tires. (Especially with 30k miles on them, those tires should only be rated for the drive from the dealership to the tire shop.)

IMO

 

[Avgas]

I got stuck on solid pavement the other day with my SRAs....

 

[HemiPower36]

Thing with sand is the AT tires are great. Anything else kinda blows. I have a MT tire and those just grab and throw sand. The idea is to have a large foot print to compact the sand under your rig. Versus, for example, my MT (mud terrain) doesn't have as large a foot print because they are more knobby.

I think you are probably due for some new tire. So, buy a set of AT (all terrains) and post some photos of your trip in this thread when you get back.

Majority of beach life guards and police department beach teams run the BFG AT. Same tires that come on the Ford Raptor.

 

[Hawki1cr]

So no on mud terrains? I want new tires but can't afford to spend 1500+ on new tires. I want 35s (truck is leveled) but I also need new wheels as the stupid stock wheels are 17x7. I was leaning toward mastercraft courser mxt because I can get them for $240 a tire mounted and balanced.

 

[AustinB]

M/T is better than commercial...

A/T is best in sand... I ran BFG for the beaches... Tried the nittos and hated them.

If you're on a budget.. And getting rims too... You can easily snag a set of 17x9 0mm or -12mm with some 35x12.50 name brand tires, for less than $2200, mounted and balanced.

IMO

 

[jbr]

I still have my stock Goodyear on my 2013 with the 44-44 transfer case. It does ok, but I make sure to stay on any paths I see.

I air down to 20psi.
Put it in 4 low (disables traction control, supposedly).
Lock out gear +/- 3

To many people on Long Island don't air down so they did holes in the sand and make the rest of us suffer.

 

[AustinB]

The holes aren't making you guys suffer.. Holes and obstacles are fun!

Your tires are making you suffer.



IMO

 

[develand]

I didn't trust the SRA in the rain on the highway if that says anything. I replaced them within 1500 miles of buying the truck new and sold them for like $300.

 

[Hawki1cr]

Where did you sell the tires? Privately or to a store? Any suggestions for selling my wheels? Do tire stores buy used tires and wheels?

 

[AustinB]

Craigslist.

IMO

 

[HemiPower36]

^ that's what I did. Craigslist.

 

[develand]

Craigslist and FB is what I did.

 

[SitKneelBend]

Sell local, shipping will be expensive...

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

 

[gigabyte3]

The SRA Goodyear's make good tire swings.....but seriously, I got 250 for trade in when I bought new tires from Discount Tire.