The local 4x4 club is headed out to the dunes on Saturday and I'd like to go along. But the only time I've gone in deep sand before was a brief accidental forray in a 3/4 ton pickup which ended with me sinking almost instantly to my axles. I'm not new to off-road, just new to sand dunes. I generally avoid them because I often wheel solo and they make me really nervous compared to rocks/gravel/dirt or even mud/snow.

So, any tips before I go? Obviously I'll ask other people there but I'd at least like a starting point, and perspectives from other Rover drivers. I know this has been posted before but for some reason I couldn't find it.

So far I've got:
Air down (how much? I'm currently on load range D 265-75s)
Keep up your speed somewhat
Accelerate/decelerate gradually
Center diff - locked or unlocked? My gut says unlocked so I only bury one wheel at a time, lol.

Any other tips?

 

Ugh, I hate sand. One of your guys going to have a compressor? I've never aired down much for sand, rocks maybe. Ladders are nice to have. Shoveling seems to never end if you get stuck. A high jack is nice. Sand gets into everything and will sand away in places you can never imagine. Spent a long time in the desert. Wash that baby good when you are done!

 

Yeah I've got a shovel, hi-lift, and compressor. I'm thinking I'd air down to 25 PSI in case the compressor dies, I can still drive to a gas station. Everything out here is desert, it's just not all sand.

I'm thinking of cutting up some useful sizes of plywood to put under the jack or tires in case I need it.

 

I also bought a dune flag with 8' mast and am now deciding the best way to fabricate a mount for it.

 

I do have some experience in sand so that being said. 15 PSI would be best and would still allow you to make it to a gas station just fine. YES bring some wood to lay down to set your hi-lift on if needed or to use as wheel ramps to get un-stuck. When you stop TRY and stop with your nose pointed downhill. CDL LOCKED my friend, one wheel drive will get you nowhere fast. Keep momentum up and once you start spinning LET OFF or the hole gets deeper. HAve fun, lucky bastard, atleast your getting out to wheel.

 

Yeah, thanks for the tips. It is certainly a new animal as far as I am concerned. Okay if 15 PSI is still safe for short distances I'll try that.

I do feel pretty lucky - I have miles of rocks, sand, mud, and rutted 2-track all within a 15 mile radius of my house. Seeing as it's my first season with the Disco, and things are finally starting to thaw, I've been bit hard by wheelin' bug. I thought I was an addict with my old Ford, I'm a hopeless junkie now. (PS I sold that old truck for enough to pay for the Disco, a Ranger for me to commute in, a parts car for my Nissan, and still have a little left for savings . Even such I took a bit of a loss on that rig.)

Once it's a few degrees warmer I'm hoping to cook up some weekend expeditions or at least overnighters that will allow me to combine some backpacking and even fishing with off-roading, and then I'll be in heaven. It's my therapy, lol... And thankfully I have a wife who enjoys the same stuff.

 

some good sand driving info
YouTube - 4x4 Driving: Sand Tracks

 

Where are you located?

I used to take my two wheel drive 67 Chevy Window Van with a 283 three speed on the tree into the sand dunes in Florida.

I carried a 2 by 12 board in the rear, if I got stuck we would dig a little, stuff the 2 by 12 under the power wheel rev it up and pop the clutch. The 2 by 12 gave me enough of a running start to build up enough momentum to keep it moving, then just power shift into second gear and go.

Use the Diff Lock and drive it like you stole it.

 

My tires are at 40psi, CDL locked in low, trans in 2nd gear.
A friend in the passenger seat and 3 kids in the back seat.
The front mud flap got caught on the tire, thats the noise you hear at the end.
Keep your speed up, with the trans in 2nd gear you will keep the RPM's up and thus keeping the engine at the low end of the power band and you will have instant power if you need it.
And remember that momentum is the key and if you start slowing down rock the steering wheel back and forth so the sides of the tires bite, stop and you're done.
Drive as fast as necessary but as slow as possible,

YouTube - Just messing around

 

In my old D2 I wasn't paying attention when driving with my wife in Rocky Point, MX. Went off the beaten path and stopped rather quickly. (Uh Oh). The D2 has T/C but nothing too much different than the D1, shifted into L and L4wd, pressed gingerly on the pedal and climbed out of the sand castle is was building.

Not too sure which dunes you're going to but sand is always tricky, keep your speed up, locked, if you stop, when you start, just go slow and feel the power till you pull out of your position.