Airing Down for Sand

kj in a tight spot · **Posted:** Mon Oct 03, 2005 5:40 pm

Hey guys, this weekend I am taking a couple of girls

to Oceano Dunes in SoCal for some dune riding. I have never been here before and I was wondering what PSI most people who drive the beaches run on? I think most of the time it would be about 20 psi, but I thought I would check on it. I just got my air compressor today. Any other tips about driving in the sand would be appreciated as well...thanks so much!

not lookin' back · **Posted:** Mon Oct 03, 2005 6:19 pm

Just came back from a trip last month from Cape Cod. This was my first time in sand too. Here's what worked for me; 12psi or less (get a tire pressure gauge that goes to <5psi) get a 10"x12"x1" piece of wood(in case you need to change your tire)a good fold up shovel. I used 4lo at first but found that 4hi got us anywhere we wanted to go. Good luck and I hope this helps.
p.s. HONK when going up the dunes to let others know your comming.

Mark

kj in a tight spot · **Posted:** Mon Oct 03, 2005 6:22 pm

Thanks a lot Mark, I've already got all of that stuff, just never had a chance to use it at all since I don't live anywhere near a beach! Its going to be a blast. Any other help out there?

phxtoad · **Posted:** Mon Oct 03, 2005 6:31 pm

I had no problems with 20psi in my 265/75 MTR's. Sand is like water when in a boat - it feels heavy and sluggish at low speed, but handles better when you go faster and start to 'plane'. When slow, if you start to feel your momentum going, start turning the wheel back and forth to get more bite. DON'T spin your wheels. Rock forward and reverse carefully to prevent tranny damage. 4-low is too low. 4-hi should be fine.

kj in a tight spot · **Posted:** Mon Oct 03, 2005 6:39 pm

Those are some great tips. I forgot to pose a question in my first post that seems to be imprtant. What should I do when I come to a complete stop and then start accelerating again? Do I have to give it some juice or start slow?

khokhonutt · **Posted:** Mon Oct 03, 2005 6:52 pm

kj in a tight spot wrote:

Those are some great tips. I forgot to pose a question in my first post that seems to be imprtant. What should I do when I come to a complete stop and then start accelerating again? Do I have to give it some juice or start slow?

What you don't want to do is gun it. Wheel spin in the sand is not your friend. Ease into it steady and you should be okay.

Jeff

kj in a tight spot · **Posted:** Mon Oct 03, 2005 7:11 pm

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind too.

raceinfan · **Posted:** Mon Oct 03, 2005 7:22 pm

MADE 2 TRIPS TO CAPE COD LAST MONTH 11PSI WORKS ALSO, had to use 4lo though,put it in 4hi & the trans temp light came on after a while,no probs in 4lo though don't exceed 15mph either that's asking for trouble or breakidge

L.O.S.T. 4 LIFE
04 COLUMBIA ED. & 04 SPORT

kj in a tight spot · **Posted:** Mon Oct 03, 2005 7:35 pm

I'll keep that in mind too. Is 15MPH an accepted speed or should I be going slower/faster?

raceinfan · **Posted:** Mon Oct 03, 2005 8:02 pm

There may be a posted speed limit???,I do know when I went to cape cod it was 15mph,& on Daytona beach it's 10mph,which they are enforced by Rangers,I wouldn't go any faster than 15mph, & again you want your tires to ride on top of the sand not dig in,actualy I don't recall getting over 10mph on my last trip, & there will be alot of clean up after if your kj is stock with the stock skid plate up front it acts like a shovel literaly

L.O.S.T. 4 LIFE
04 COLUMBIA ED. & 04 SPORT

'05renegadeDave · **Posted:** Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:12 pm

when in the obx i start down at 20 psi, if you let off the gass and coast a ways you are fine. if you let off the gas and stop without using the brake let more air out. unless the sand is very soft 15 should be low enough, all you want is a wide foot print.

what is the best way to get all the sand out of the skids and engine bay?
I was at the obx sept. 10-17 i have hosed down the skids and engine twice and still have sand in there.

Fouros · **Posted:** Mon Oct 03, 2005 10:18 pm

Also

when you have stopped , Reverse back a couple of feet so you are parked on compacted sand. makes starting off again easier

WV(0)IIIIIII(0) · **Posted:** Tue Oct 04, 2005 7:53 am

4X4 Training
Here is a little help on different types of off-roading

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Tue Oct 04, 2005 9:02 am

I went all the way down to 8psi in the sand, and I went pretty much everywhere without problems. No lift, standard SR/As (235s). No reason not to go with a low pressure, there's nothing out in the sand to pop a tire on.

SethX9 · **Posted:** Tue Oct 04, 2005 9:30 am

Quote:

there's nothing out in the sand to pop a tire on.

wow, what beaches are you running on?

kj in a tight spot · **Posted:** Tue Oct 04, 2005 4:54 pm

There seems to be mixed feelings about how much to air down, so I will just stay conservative and keep it between 10-15psi.

Airing Down for Sand

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