Airing Down:

Tire Air Pressure and Deflating:

If you've looked into off-roading at all, chances are you've heard someone mention letting air out of their tires before they hit the trail. You may have wondered why someone might want to do that, and how and when you might do it. We'll try to answer those questions and more here:

Why Deflate?
Tires are made of a flexible rubber that is usually kept rigid by the higher air pressure inside, if we lower the pressure the tire becomes "squishier". The bottom of the tire will squish under the weight of the vehicle and make more contact with the road, this means you have better traction with the trail surface!

When Might I Deflate?
You won't need to air down for every trail you come across, and experience will pretty quickly teach you to recognize when you may want to air down your specific rig. There are a few helpful points to keep in mind though:

Never Drive on the Road With Under Inflated Tires:

Airing down on the trail has benefits, but at roadway speeds can cause uneven tire wear, and even dangerous steering conditions or loss of control, you should always re-inflate before hitting the road.

Off-roading Is a Game of Traction, and Airing Down is a Huge Boost!:

On softer surfaces lower tire pressure spreads out your weight and can keep you from digging in, on harder surfaces softer tires can conform around rocks and obstacles to really get a grip.
Airing down is a powerful tool, but:

Airing Down Has Limits and Downsides, Read on!

Any Downsides?
Airing down can lead to two major issues:

Sidewall Damage:

Since airing down puts more tire in contact with the road, it raises the chance that you damage the sides of your tires, this can be very difficult to patch or repair. Many off-road tires have tread or reinforcement up their walls to protect them, but you should be aware of the added risk.

De-Beading or "Losing a Bead":

When a tire comes off the wheel, it's called losing a bead, and it can be a problem to remount the tire. Without tools, a powerful air source and knowledge, it can be leave you stranded. Having a spare tire will help combat this, as will making sure not to air down too far.

How Low Can You Go?
It depends on your set up, but for most Jeeps, 12-15 PSI is going to be a good starting point, adjusting one or two PSI in either direction depending on the circumstances. The lower you go the more hazardous the above risks to your tire are, and leaving your tires more inflated makes for a bumpier ride with less traction, but minimizes the risk to your tires. Go slow, and play around with it a bit.

What Can I Use To Deflate?
You can air down with just about anything, your keys, a stick, you name it, but most people will opt to use a dedicated deflator of some kind. These are a bit more expensive, but are quicker and more convenient. There are two major types, Automatic Deflators screw onto a tire and deflate it without you having to kneel at each one the whole time, but aren't as easily adjustable. Manual deflators look like tire gauges and require you to use them to manually deflate each tire, meaning you decide how low you want to go each time.

What Can I Use To Re-inflate?
Any tire inflator will likely work to get you back on the road, but really cheap models will take an absurd amount of time, as well as being more prone to overheating. Spend a bit more to get something that will inflate your tires reasonably quickly. If your pump is so slow that it makes you want to avoid deflating, it's not really doing its job. If you want a cheap-ish option, we're liking our budget friendly Harbor Freight Tire Inflator