Driving on beach sand

Alfa_Kilo · 10th June 2007, 22:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by BikerSG

4WD vehicles are not immune to getting stuck. They are just better at handling slippery conditions than 2WD vehicles.

When handling any condition, it is best to get out of the vehicle, plot a route and drive accordingly.

When driving on sand, you have to have wide tyres and also reduce your tyre pressure. Use of the brakes is also very important. Have given an example below using a 2WD drive vehicle. Same principle applies to 4WD also.

In case you get stuck in a 2WD vehicle where only 1 wheel is spinning, let the engine idle in 1st gear with clutch out. The wheel which is capable of traction will not spin as all the power gets transferred to the wheel with no grip (thats why the 1 wheel starts spinning). slowly apply the brake to reduce the amount of power going to the spinning wheel. At one point of time, the wheel which has grip (the one which is not spinning) will start moving, and help in getting the car out. This will of course work only if the wheel which is not spinning, is not on some slippery surface.

The important thing to remember is to do this slowly. If required you shud accelerate also while braking. This is for FWD vehicles. For RWD vehicles, use the handbrake instead of the brake.

This works with torque biased Torsen LSDs. Its barely effective on open diffs and conventional LSDs.

BikerSG · 11th June 2007, 11:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alfa_Kilo

This works with torque biased Torsen LSDs. Its barely effective on open diffs and conventional LSDs.

actually, for cars with LSD, this is not required.

LSD does all the work without you haveing to use the brake to transfer power to the non-spinning wheel.

Alfa_Kilo · 18th June 2007, 15:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by BikerSG

actually, for cars with LSD, this is not required.

LSD does all the work without you haveing to use the brake to transfer power to the non-spinning wheel.

Read up on Torsen diffs.

NIP · 2nd December 2007, 13:59

i have got stuck badly on the mahabalipuram beach in my gypsy king. the more you gas, the more it digs in. we ran the gyp on wet sand and on the waters edge without trouble, but where the sand is dry and loose, its all over !

but i also found it safe to drive on sand thats covered with weed or grass...i did this last week near auroville in pondy in my scorp. no issues:

Lukeskywalker · 3rd December 2007, 19:16

Tried this on a beach in Langkawi with a Proton Wira (hired), luckily did not get stuck, did some good spins and when the sand started getting deeper and deeper called it a day.
But the experience was not at all as thrilling as I expected it would be.

im_srini · 3rd December 2007, 20:02

Hi, in my opinion the stock tires our cars are shod with are too narrow to afford romps in the sand. I've tried the brake technique, where one applies the brakes, transferring torque away from a free-spinning wheel to one that is 'stuck'. When I tried it, the car just dug itself deeper into the sand ! Rocking the car works, plus reverse in some cars is geared down more than first.

I have a friend who likes to experiment. Confronted one day with SUVs playing on the beach, he figured that the sand should pose no issues to his all-wheel drive TT. Told me that he had to pay an obscene amount to a guy in an Explorer to winch him out

Murugan · 3rd December 2007, 21:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by NIP

but i also found it safe to drive on sand thats covered with weed or grass...i did this last week near auroville in pondy in my scorp. no issues:

Is this Scorpio a 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive?

NIP · 4th December 2007, 16:12

its a 2WD scorpio

vinod_nookala · 7th June 2008, 11:55

Never try beach driving on a 2wd. Just for the fun of it, i tried in 2wd and the vehicle dint move even a bit when i hit sand.I had to engage 4wd. 4wd is essential on sand. Once had to pull out a LSD equipped MM550 (with 4wd not in working condition) with my 4wd jeep. You need power going to all wheels on loose sand.

John · 10th October 2019, 14:19

Mercedes-Benz E-Class gets stuck on a beach. Rs. 15,000 to push it to safety!!

https://youtu.be/O78b6iQ9Qlg

ishan12 · 10th October 2019, 18:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by John

Mercedes-Benz E-Class gets stuck on a beach. Rs. 15,000 to push it to safety!!

Another case of people going to stupid lengths for Youtube/ Instagram/ Facebook.
Way too many of these "kind" can be seen at all the scenic/ touristy places these days.

2nd December 2007, 13:59	#34
NIP Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,179 Thanked: 152 Times View My Garage	i have got stuck badly on the mahabalipuram beach in my gypsy king. the more you gas, the more it digs in. we ran the gyp on wet sand and on the waters edge without trouble, but where the sand is dry and loose, its all over ! but i also found it safe to drive on sand thats covered with weed or grass...i did this last week near auroville in pondy in my scorp. no issues:
	() Thanks

3rd December 2007, 19:16	#35
Lukeskywalker Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,396 Thanked: 1,244 Times View My Garage	Tried this on a beach in Langkawi with a Proton Wira (hired), luckily did not get stuck, did some good spins and when the sand started getting deeper and deeper called it a day. But the experience was not at all as thrilling as I expected it would be.
	() Thanks

3rd December 2007, 20:02	#36
im_srini BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Portland Posts: 1,010 Thanked: 491 Times View My Garage	Hi, in my opinion the stock tires our cars are shod with are too narrow to afford romps in the sand. I've tried the brake technique, where one applies the brakes, transferring torque away from a free-spinning wheel to one that is 'stuck'. When I tried it, the car just dug itself deeper into the sand ! Rocking the car works, plus reverse in some cars is geared down more than first. I have a friend who likes to experiment. Confronted one day with SUVs playing on the beach, he figured that the sand should pose no issues to his all-wheel drive TT. Told me that he had to pay an obscene amount to a guy in an Explorer to winch him out
	() Thanks

4th December 2007, 16:12	#38
NIP Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,179 Thanked: 152 Times View My Garage	its a 2WD scorpio
	() Thanks

7th June 2008, 11:55	#39
vinod_nookala Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,737 Thanked: 431 Times View My Garage	Never try beach driving on a 2wd. Just for the fun of it, i tried in 2wd and the vehicle dint move even a bit when i hit sand.I had to engage 4wd. 4wd is essential on sand. Once had to pull out a LSD equipped MM550 (with 4wd not in working condition) with my 4wd jeep. You need power going to all wheels on loose sand.
	() Thanks