Tacklling the Beach

[cHiCo]

Hey fellas
Just wondering on your thoughts about beach driving. What tyre pressure, speeds and what sand density to stay on.And any other tips on driving beaches, how to not get bogged and what not. All advice appreciated. Cheers

[basserman]

i hardly travle on beches (its much quicker by roads ;D) but on the few time i have i have had the tiers at around 18-25psi and like to travle on the edge of the tide line as for speed as fast as you like ;D nah no need to go over 60km/h
one saying is the most on a beach and that is "every inch of momentmom is worth 1000 pounds of tourque

[DoubleD]

G'day cHiCo,

I live just south of Newcastle on the sand dunes of a 9mile beach. The beach has the softest sand around. I head over the beach at least 3 times a week, i have had 350 chev FJ40's Subaru's Hilux's and now a 4.5L Nissan.
I always let my tyres down to 12psi all round. I have never rolled any tyres and have never been bogged(in the sand ;)) Generally it is too late to let the tyres down once you are bogged, I have towed trailers on this beach with trikes and boats.
Always keep the revs up and try and stay in other wheel tracks where the sand is already been compacted. When going up/down dunes dont go on an angle stay straight. In saying all that i have just been up to Fraser again and didn't have to let the tyres down to under 18psi. Up north it seems a lot harder then down here.

Have fun :)

DD

[Gorilla_in_Manila]

Around 20 - 25 psi somewhere but measure it with a pressure guage and make sure all tyres are even pressure. Think about how far you have to go to get them pumped up again BEFORE going onto the beach.
Get your momentum up when going into soft sand tracks and just try to keep your momentum going. If you feel yourself stopping, get off the gas quick. Dont keep reving and screwing your wheels in coz you will end up sitting on your diffs, steps or bash plates and you will be going no where unless you get a tow out or do some really serious digging. Try reversing out gently. If it doesn't immediately move out, again dont spin your wheels and dig youself in. Jump out and dig the sand away in front of all 4 wheels in the direction you want to move for a distance for at least 2 feet and right down to the same depth as the bottom of your tyres. Get yourself back on to solid ground or sand and have another go with more momentum.
Dont drive to fast on sand. You can get an planing effect in a soft top layer or over wind ripples. You start tracking off and then you turn your wheels to correct and nothing happens, then you turn a bit more and suddenly it grabs and throws you sideways or in extreme cases you can roll it. 60kph - 70kph is pretty safe. You see absolute wankers all the time up Fraser Island screaming along like they are in the wacky races. Just hope I'm not nearby when they come unstuck.
Watch out for patches of weed. Old weed can get a layer of sand blown over the top of it and looks like normal beach until you are on it and then is like driving on ice.
Try to always follow a previous set of wheel tracks if you are going through softer stuff. I stay at least 3-5m below the high tide mark coz the sand immediately below the mark might have had just one wave over it and looks smooth and hard, but is soft underneath.
Bigger 4wd's usually set the width and depth of the wheel tracks. If you are in a little 4wd which is more narrow or less clearance, your probably better to put one set of wheels in the tracks and the other set outside of it (if possible), otherwise you will end up bottoming out on the high mound between deep wheel tracks.
Take it easy to start with and go with at least one other car if going even mildly remote. Preferably with someone experienced. Have your own recovery gear with you, big strong snatch strap, big strong D shackles. Remember, if anything lets go during recovery, its going to come flying straight at you or the other fellow at a hundred miles and hour, so don't use anything pissweak, cheap or worn.
Not so important if your car has power steering but a good idea anyway, drive with your thumbs up on the outside of the steering wheel (as you should for all offroading). If one of your wheels falls into a rut or hole or digs into a soft spot or bank, it can spin the steering wheel around and catch your thumb and break it.
Good Luck.
Cheers
Jeff

[neptune]

Tyre pressure will depend on what type of tyres you have. Some 10r 15's don't really start to slump much over 22psi, so you will have to let them down to 16 - 18 psi. It depends on the side wall construction and the profile of the tyre.

[jimbamb]

Different sand requires different pressures.The beach at fraser is good and usually doesnt require much reduction.Other places u have to go as low as 12psi.I experimented up Big Red near Birdsville Wouldnt look at it at 25psi Just made it at 18 psi and walked up at 15. The thing to remember is to have a good pump for when ya get back on the hard stuff.
ps. A tourist that died after being bogged at lake eyre a few years ago.When the resquers arrived they let the tyres down an drove their vehicle out of the sand where it was bogged.. Dont be afraid to let them down even to 5/6 lbs if necessary.

[Angel_Fish]

Here's something I learned the hard WAY!

Went down to Apollo Bay Area, locals got me on to the beach, Im driving a 80 series Land Crusier, with three girls and camping equipment (lots) in the back and top!

I was driving in the sand about 6 meters from the water when i noticed i was too close...so i pulled up to the sand (soft) and i was stuck! the sand was almost to the frame mind you i have 3 inch lift 33inch tyres. and the damn tide was coiming in close.

Dropped tyre pres to 8lbs......rocked back and fourth creating a track and off i went...

hope this helps

[jimbamb]

you got it right angel.Dont be afraid to let em down.If ya havent got a guage just let em down till they bag out at the sides.Dont spin them as ya will only go deeper.Even if ya havent got a pump ya can take it easy till ya can get some air in em Just check regularly they arent gettin too hot

[macca]

How do the pretend 4wd cope with the beach, the like of Ford escape, Mazda Tribute and Nissan X-trail.

I they any good, or should they be given a miss


Macca

[Gorilla_in_Manila]

Macca,
Not too good, but can be done. You got to look at skipping lightly over the soft sand with plently of speed, rather than having enough clearance and power to get through.
The problem is mainly with clearance and width of wheel track. You cant really follow in other sets of wheel tracks made by the large 4wds coz your diffs or sump or struts will get stuck on the hump inbetween if they are deep. Also your wheels will cave in the sides of the soft stuff in the middle of the wheel tracks. Better to put one set of wheels in and the other on the outside of the existing tracks, or start fresh.
Nothing is going to help you get back up a steep narrow entrance to a beach if there is soft sand and you have no choice but to follow the existing ruts.
The bigger 4wds wont be able to tow you up coz you will be pulling them back just short of the crest probably. Unless one person has a winch and parks up the top and skull drags you up, you're going to have to get up under your own steam. This usually means flying at it with one set of wheels between the ruts, the others ouside and hope you have enough momentum to bounce your way through at the point when you unavoidably have to fall into the ruts. Either that or you're looking at shovelling all the sand out of inbetween the wheel tracks before having a run at it, or having a winch and burying you spare tyre at the top of the rise as a ground anchor and winching yourself up against it.
Anyway, can be done, but can get you in a lot of trouble if you go somewhere your vehicle, your mates, or your experience is not capable of getting you out of.
If it was me, I'd be very wary of where I tried to go, and would always have a friend in a real 4wd with me. That way, push comes to shove you can always get back to safety in their 4wd.
Cheers
Jeff
PS Then again there are easily accessable beaches like north Minnie Waters where there is hard sand from the bottom of a gravel access track. Seen an old kingswood roaring up and down the beach at low tide there plenty of times. :D

[Reefmaster]

Hey guys i have writen an article in the lastest BushnBeach mag about beach driving and mainly towing boats and launching on the beach. Hope it helps.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #Cheers Greg

[Gorilla_in_Manila]

Hey guys i have writen an article in the lastest BushnBush mag about beach driving and mainly towing boats and launching on the beach. Hope it helps.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #Cheers Greg

BushnBush?
Sounds like a Presidential Biography. ;) ;D

[Reefmaster]

oh bugger i stuffed that one right up. I had very bad day.Thanks for that GIM i have fixed it up
Cheers Greg

[Gorilla_in_Manila]

Thats all right Greg, I've got your quote there to let everyone else see it!
;D ;D ;D

[mackmauler]

LMFAO gorilla, and to think u both drive for the same team ;D

[jimbamb]

Wat gim says about make believe 4wds is correct.Ive got a subaru forester now an driven it from noosa to rainbow,.Ya need to be really carefull where ya wheels are/Has plenty of power but the clearance will get ya in strife.Try an cut a new track an if ya cant try and have only one wheel in the grove if possible other than that just go hard an hope for the best ,an have the snatch strap handy

[xxxxhornet]

I've just been watching a video called "Big Red to the Beach" put out by 4WD monthly and TJM. Theres a bloke who does desert rescues/recoverys in the Simpson desert and he reckons he goes right down to 8psi in the soft stuff during the dry season. He says most people get bogged out there cos theres tyres are too high, or cop a puncture on the sharp stones cos their pressures are too high and the tyrecant just 'roll' over the stones.
Buy yourself a good quality air compressor to go with your recovery gear.

cheers.

[jono_69]

4WD monthly did an article on this from memory maximum footprint without significant risk of rolling the tyre off was about 10-14 Psi. Incidentally wider tyres made little difference it was more important to have a lower Psi to have a longer footprint rather than a wider one.

[porl]

i got lazy and didn't read the whole thread but noticed everyone saying let yr tyres down, all true, and someone said "until they bag out". Well don't look for the bag out as the benefit comes in the bag longways. Wide tyres cause waves you need to drive against, letting your tyres down improves the traction longways and the front of the tyre compacts down the sand so the rest of the the tyre grips. that's my experience anyhow.

[hoge]

Insurance companies recognise the beach as a road.Check the fine print to see if they will cover you if you have deflated tyres.
mick

[cooky]

might be a silly tip, but it's helped me out a couple times. I have been known as the King of the BOG - I've been bogged more times than.....

These days if I'm going anywhere remotely looking like getting bogged I throw a square section of Marine grade checkerplate aluminium sheet (about 50cmx50cm). This is because I can't be stuffed paying too much $$$ for something from ARB, etc -I don't go 4x4ing enough in my opinion.

If I get bogged I throw down the aluminium sheet, use the standard jack and jack the wheel up - then use rocks, trees, sh*t in the back of the tray (used carpet once) to put under the tyres (front 2 will usually do it). Then I'm off again to get bogged somewhere else.

Works in mud too.

Although I have been bogged on salt flats - broke through crust in a tidal area. I don't think anything would have got me out (we were putting whole trees :D under the wheels and they just kept dissappearing). had to call a friend to drive a long way to winch us out.

[Bozo]

Best to lower your tyre pressures to around 18 PSI, really depends on the sand. Here in Exmouth WA the sand on the beaches varies, important to have a decent air compressor, the KMART specials will drive you to drink. As Cooky said bog yourself, there is noth'in like learning the hard way.

Cheers
Bozo