Sand Driving

I recently purchased a 2011 AC TRD-OR 4x4 and will be taking it up to the Silver Lake Sand Dunes in Michigan. I've been up there before with other trucks and know from experience dropping tire pressure to 10-15 psi is a must due to the extremely soft sand. I was wondering which of the nine 4x4 modes I've read about will be best on this terrain?

 

2wd and stay above 50mph. That should be your best mode.

 

x2.

 

Lol

 

Haha

 

It was a sand joke. Haul ass and you won't get stuck.

 

9 4x4 modes

I have an 07 4x4 with none of those fancy driving controls, no locker etc. I drive in the sand dunes pretty regularly and lowering the air pressure, 4x4 high and that's it...no problems for me. I've even gotten around the small dunes without lowering the air pressure.

 

Aren't we expecting someone soon with the 9 modes of 4x4 chart and atrac pie chart?

 

drove in the sand for the first time ever in my truck earlier thiis week at fort stevens state park near warrenton, or ... dropped rears down to 10psi and stayed near the beach on the hardpack ... no problems ... was highly amused by the high school kid in the 4x4 grand cherokee on 32" muds i seen get stuck .... he was even more pissed when he asked if i could pull him out and i said id like to but im 2wd and will likely get stuck.

 

True, sand is easy and is more about floatation than about traction. See my signature link: 32 psi to 15 psi below.

I will say that the TRAC (limited slip) in H4 did allow me to wheel in sand at full pressure whereas before, in my '05 open diff. Tacoma, I would need to deflate right away!

 

If you won't, then I guess I must!

Not 9 4X4 modes... 9 modes total... 3 in H2, 2 in H4, 4 in L4! You Sport and base Tacomas have #1-6, that is only 3 less!:

The following is what all 2009 + 4WD Off Road TRD Tacomas have to pick from, if they want to play with their trucks:

1) 2WD: VSC and TRAC active, engine regulated ('Limited Slip Lite').

2) 2WD: 'AUTO LSD' ('TRAC OFF MODE'). No engine regulation for 'strong' limited slip.

3) 2WD: 'VSC OFF MODE' (TRAC is off for 'open differential').

4) 4WD-Hi: VSC and TRAC active. No engine regulation for 'strong' limited slip.

5) 4WD-Hi: 'VSC OFF MODE' (TRAC is off for 'open differentials').

6) 4WD-Lo: VSC and TRAC are both off in L4 ('open differentials').

7) 4WD-Lo: 'A-TRAC' on gives a 'locker-like, super strong' limited slip, front and rear.

8) 4WD-Lo: Rear Differential Locked and open front differential (A-TRAC off).

9) 4WD-Lo: RR DIFF LOCK + A-TRAC on, 3 MPH limit.

 

hehe, yea, funny thing is, since you want to float, less aggressive tires seem better. When I had my dunflops I did better in deep sand than with my duratracs.

 

yea im on 235/75/15 bfg long trails ... good in sand and suck in other conditions