Best way to Birdsville

And reduce your tyre pressures when you hit the dirt so you don’t shake your van to pieces.

Good thought.
How much would I go down to starting at 40 psi for the vehicle and 60psi on the van?

Not a big van (2500kg) but 16" tyres.

Thanks

bill

I drive a Prado as well, I do the BT with 32 in my AT tyres. The main thing is to have a bit of a belly in the sidewalls so they can flex when they hit the rocks.
I was not heavily loaded so if you are full, then you could try a bit more pressure say 34, you don't want the side walls getting cut by a rock.
If you have LT tyres then you could go lower as they have stiffer walls.
Can't help with the van but others will or maybe have a look on a caravan forum.
If you are going just before the BB then the track should be in good nick as they want the tourists to come so they make it so a sedan can cope.
I have even seen an ancient Mazda bongo van acting as a back up vehicle for some off road bikers. It really is just a gravel highway when the events are on, easy as !!

60 psi in the van seems a very high pressure for normal running, particularly on a “normal” van. I would have thought that 40 psi would be better as a “normal” operating pressure. Having said that, as someone else has posted, LT tyres allow you to drop to a lower pressure without compromising the side wall.
I have a 200 series LC & tow a 2.5 T single axel Off Road caravan. Both have LT tyres, I start with 38 psi all round on the car, & 40 on the van. When I have travelled the Oodnadatta Track in the past, I have dropped the car to 28 psi all round, & 30 in the van. If corrugations are heavy/extreme, then 24 on the car, & 26 on the van.
Macca.

The van pressures are for carrying the rated load (2500kg). It is printed on the tyre.

I have weighed the van and it is 2500kg (single axle).

No one seems to be able to give a definitive answer about van pressures (everybody has an opinion) so I tried to come up with a calculated answer. The top pressure on the van is 80psi and went for 80% of the maximum. Hence, 60psi.

Too little pressure and the side walls will flex, developing heat. Not good.

But, no definite answer that I can reference, so I go with my calculations.

Cheers

bill

Bill, when you talk about tyres & tyre pressures, you really open a can of worms, because everyone has an opinion.

IMHO, each wheel will be sharing the load, this includes the ball weight which is transferred to the car or jockey wheel so you don’t have the entire weight of your van on each wheel. So if your van is 2,500 kgs, then each wheel will be carrying something like 1,200 kgs.

Also, I think you will find that the pressures imprinted on the tyre are maximum cold inflate pressure, and not “working” pressures. As your tyre heats up its pressure will increase by something like 6 - 8 psi.

The other thing to remember is that your car when fully loaded weighs more than your van, yet you run your car tyre pressure lower than your van.
Most tyre companies will have a tyre pressure guide on their websites. I think you will find that they will recommend something around 38 - 40 psi for your tyres.

Please take my comments in the spirit they were given, I am not intending to offend.
Macca.

Thanks Macca.
I appreciate your thoughts.

Good point about the relative weights - car to van. I can see the logic.

I run the car at 40psi so now I will adjust the van too. I have 16" wheels and tyres and the tyres are like a mud/rock pattern with a large load index and hence strong sidewalls.

I am thinking 50psi may be a good compromise and lower for the gravel roads.

Cheers

bill

Bill, remember the higher the pressure in the tyres, the harder the ride. To avoid damage to the suspension components, you need a lower pressure so that the tyre can “flex” & absorb some of the impact of a gravel road. This will also help to limit the effect of corrugations on the contents of the van as well.

My van is 2,500 kgs, I run 40 psi on the highway, & down to 30 psi on gravel/corrugations. Lowering the pressure will also increase your “footprint” on the road, thus increasing your braking capability & increasing your tyre life.

Macca.