How wide of tires for soft sand with a 4x4 K20 LWB

[jwill226]

I will be picking up my new to me '84 LWB K20 4x4 with a 350ci and 4spd manual next week.  It has a lift already installed with 33's.  The tires on it are almost dead; only a couple months left on them.  I have a chance to get a set of almost new A/T 35's mounted on almost new aluminum wheels for $200 thanks to cash for clunkers but I am wondering how wide I will need to go to handle some soft beach sand.  I have a good fishing spot that requires I drive 5 miles up a beach.  Most of the beach can be done by an experienced person in 2WD with street tires running low air pressure on a small truck or jeep.  How wide do you think I would need to go for my truck?

I have no problem with running it in 4x4 if I need to.  The beach is flat the whole way and I have no plans of playing in the sand just going fishing and coming back.

I'm not going to lift it any further at this point.  The 35's will fit as it sits now.  Also if I can I would like to have them legally sitting under the trucks stock fenders. (in CA the tread patch has to be covered either on top or back by fenders or mud flaps.

[Chevalade]

12.5 wide should be plenty.

[4x4x4x]

12.5" on 8" rims will tuck under your truck, 10" wide rims will stick outside.

good luck with your new ride.

Alec
85k10 turbo diesel

[jwill226]

Sounds like 12.5 is the way to go.  Thanks guys.  This is my first full size truck so if it seemed like a noob question thats because it was.

[Jim Rockford]

Plus in soft sand you always want to air down anyway, that makes the contact patch larger.

[Irish_Alley]

what size lift does it have? i know its a k20 but just make sure you have plenty of room for the 35's, look at the 33's and make sure you still have at least 3-4 " while turning also keep in mind the tire width difference in the 33's and the 35's. you should be good but make sure