Stock tires are usually the best for beach/DD running. Haven't had a chance to try the JK out yet but on our other Jeeps we always aired down to 7 psi with gentle turns so you don't pop the bead. 17 psi is a very good option also as it will let drive home if need be as long as you keep speed down.
over the years (after much experimenting) I arrived at 18psi as the best balance of performance and flexibility. When you're there for 2 weeks+ it's a PIA airing up/down constantly.
Also, when you arrive and air down to 18psi, you are airing down a hot tire so 18 isn't 18. It's more like 14.
The conditions between beaches and even at the same beach change depending on rain and other factors. I have never needed to air down on the beaches here in Carolina beach. Maybe try it with out airing down first and if you start to have troubles, just don't dig yourself a hole before airing down.
I was wondering about different sand conditions. I'll be on the East End of Long Island, sand probably closer to your type in North Carolina. But airing down probably wouldn't hurt and better to be prepared than getting stuck.
A trip up the beach can be completely different than the return trip.... and sugar sand (that which is not hard pan for the uninitiated) is a whole other story.
Sometimes it isn't about whether you "need" to air down (I didn't for many years. Call me stubborn) BUT it certainly makes the trip easier on you and the Jeep.
It is night and day.
Any tire that comes stock in your Jeep will do, just air them down accordingly, if the sand is sugarish, you can go down to 15 psi on factory wheel/tires and navigate pretty much anything sandy, tires for sand doesn't need to be aggressive mud terrains or anything special unless you're in some sort of competition where you need tires with paddles, paddles, not mud lugs, in certain situations, those awesome lugs will do nothing but dig your Jeep down until it reaches China , though even MT tires will work just fine for the most part, it all comes down to PSI,the lower you go, the better the tire will "float" in the sand.
If you're talking about the entrance to beach in Corolla, I recall there being a small lot just before where the pavement ends. It had maybe about 8-12 parking spaces. I'm not sure what its intended purpose was, but that's where I aired down/up. There was also strip mall type area with a few different buildings in it maybe 3 miles before the beach entrance that I'm sure you can park in. It was opposite the Historic Village/Lighthouse area.
OBX is definitely a nice place. We're going back in June.
Also, I had zero issues driving on the beach with my Willy Wheeler (aired down) last summer. It will be interesting to see how my new Hard Rock does in the same situation without the limited slip. need to be in 4lo to engage the Rubi's locker and that might be too low on the beach (maybe??)
It'll do fine. Air down and shut the nanny off completely - 4Hi and roll.
June is nice. We go early and late now the kids are grown. Love sept-oct.
We actually got married on the beach in late sept '03 (week after the hurricane)
I'll be there the same week. Last year we were in Duck. Got a place in Nags Head this year. I think I'd prefer to go back to Duck, but I got over-ruled.
Don't forget Silver Lake sand dunes. Good time. We might forgo our almost yearly OBX trip for Drummond island in the U.P.
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