Sand & Dunes Tire Pressure Guide
Sand requires the lowest pressures for most drivers. The goal is to float on top rather than dig in. A wider contact patch distributes your vehicle's weight across more surface area.
Recommended PSI
| Setup | PSI Range |
|---|---|
| Standard Wheels | 10-18 PSI (lower = more flotation) |
| Beadlock Wheels | 6-10 PSI with beadlocks |
Key Tips
Flotation is everything. Maintain steady momentum -- avoid sharp turns at very low PSI. The wider your tire footprint, the less you sink. Air down before you hit the sand, not after you're stuck.
Common Mistakes
Stopping on an incline in deep sand. Turning too sharply at low PSI can roll a bead. Forgetting to air back up before the highway -- soft tires + highway speed = blowout risk.
Heavier rigs -- a Rivian or another full-size EV -- float differently in sand, and the pressure math is unforgiving. Our Rivian R1T and R1S tire pressure guide breaks down how that extra weight moves your air-down numbers. And before you leave the dunes, onboard vs. portable compressor covers what actually gets you aired back up.
PSI by Vehicle
| Vehicle | Weight | Recommended PSI |
|---|---|---|
| Jeep Wrangler JL / JLU | 4,200 - 5,300 lbs | 12 start; 10 temporary, 2-door only |
| Toyota 4Runner (5th & 6th Gen) | 4,400 - 5,000 lbs | 12-18 |
| Ford F-150 / Raptor / Tremor | 4,500 - 5,700 lbs | 15-18 |
| Toyota Tacoma (3rd & 4th Gen) | 4,200 - 4,800 lbs | 12-18 |
| Ford Bronco / Bronco Raptor | 4,300 - 5,500 lbs | 12-15 |
| Rivian R1T / R1S | 6,800 - 7,200 lbs | 28 trail; 20 temporary extraction only |
| Rivian R1T / R1S (20" LT Upgrade) | 6,800 - 7,200 lbs | 20-24 |
| Jeep Gladiator JT | 4,600 - 5,500 lbs | 12-16 |
| Toyota Land Cruiser 250 / Lexus GX 550 | 5,000 - 5,700 lbs | 16-20 |