Stuck in the Sand?

So many people who get stuck in sand don't air down there tires to try and get out. Or air them down in the first place.

Airing down to like 16PSI in soft sand gives you a lot of traction. Also having a set of Maxtrax's helps a lot.

I also try to drive in sand in 2WD until I need 4WD. Here in Florida we have a lot of people who try and use nothing but momentum. Well that's all good till you hit a set of humps so hard you break your radiator or set off your air bags.

I do a ton of sand driving have yet to get stuck anywhere.

 

If you're in Florida and haven't been stuck in the sand, you're staying on the packed trail.

 

No not true, people who get stuck in sand in Florida don't air down there tires and bury themselves in 2WD then try 4WD get buried further then ask to be pulled out. I have seen it myself.

You air down you will not get stuck. I have been buried, aired down my tires and crawled right out. If you drive in sand you need to air down and carry a compressor to air back up when you're done.

Did it last weekend.

 

Come on over to Davenport, I'll show you my "sand trails" 2 feet in, no 2wd.

 

Look I am not going to argue with you.

The vast majority of people you see stuck in sand are running at stock PSI in there tires. They don't air down they bury themselves deeper and have no traction boards to get out.

I am telling you from my experiences driving in sand that if you air down your tires you will significantly reduce your chances of getting stuck.

But you do you =)

 

That’s what happens when you put big rims with small side walls on your truck.

 

No argument here, airing down is the first thing you do in the sand. Going in aired down in 2wd is asking to get stuck, then engaging 4 wheel drive after all momentum is lost....You do you.

 

12PSI and it's an easy drive.

 

You guys with your sand and us up in Canada can tell you lots about getting stuck in snow. Before we got our Tacoma our main go to vehicle for camping and fishing was our 4wd Honda Pilot (which we still have). So one cold winter day my son and I went ice fishing (4,5' of ice,drill an 8" hole and you fish...drive the vehicle right on the lake)...on the way out I managed to get stuck in 2,3' of snow right on the lake. This was evening so most people left already...i said to myself...I'm screwed!, luckily for me a Toyota Tundra was in the distance...flagged it down and after a few tries managed to get us out. Luckily I had a tow strap with me that I was so happy to have. The guy told me that another way would have been to drill a hole in ice, drop like a 4x4 piece of wood down the hole and with a winch or come-along one can pull himself out...so now we use our Tacoma and I guess I'll need to equip it ...

 

Just my personal experience, and maybe it’s my tire choice that’s saved me, but I don’t air down. I’m on my second set of Nitto Trail Grapplers 35x12.5x20. 58k on my first set. Run 33-35 psi. I have an onboard HF compressor with a 2.5g receiver just in case.
I’ve only been to Assateague and Fenwick,DE. I usually run 4lo in S3. I carry all the recovery gear just in case.

 

That pic Mike posted reminds me of the beaches back east when I used to drive to find a more remote surf spot.
The downside of beach driving is the rust, even if you hose it off it seemed to happen.

As said earlier, airing down for pretty much any wheeling is the way to go. The bigger footprint flexes and floats better on the sand and will wrap/grip rocks better, and less drivetrain stress.
The great thing about 35x12.5s is the huge footprint when you air down....if you have stupid tires with no sidewalls stay at the malls.


I totally understand that style is personal and at times irrational but one of the saddest sights is a 4x4 with large rims, no sidewalls and for the triple threat...lowered.
The opposite of that can be just as silly, but at least that can go through deep water!


Forgot to mention, always carry a shovel, something to Air up (pump, scuba tank) tow strap or at least rope......and ideally a buddy to assist.

 

What is s-mode 3? Is it the crawl control or terrain control the TRD OR automatics have? If so, does it work in 4H? I thought it was just a 4L thing.

Manual guy here. I just have A-TRAC in my TRD OR.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_6UAIIes8Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgWUDnMpvQ4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUSpD_waiEQ

 

That 4runner wasn't stuck in sand as much as he just drove into a hole. I just watched that. I can't imagine why he drove where he did.

 

He manually puts his automatic transmission into third gear.


Don't really need many gizmos for sand. Like stated above, airing down and 4wd does the job 99% of the time.

If not, good thing you brought a shovel.



Sand driving is a piece of cake.

 

Ohhh, duh. I know what s-mode means now.

I am well aware. I've driven in lots of sand here in UT, and been stuck several times in my younger days before I realized the value of airing down. Our sand is different than beach sand, but still possible to get stuck if you don't know what you are doing.

 

My 12year old drove for his first time at the beach in Oregon! And yes its a manual!