Beach Driving/Essential Equipment

yep 18 psi for easy going 15 for average sandy beaches 12 for heavy going and down to 8 to get yourself out when bogged. Dont wait till your down before letting them down coz that creates wear on your vehicle. Correct pressure for the conditions will see you go past people digging and sweating like you were on bitumen

Davoes's right, if you want to talk sand listen to the guys with (WA) at the end of their name, they no all about it! LOL

If I see beach sand I whack the stuans on, they drop me tyres to 16psi. From their it's only down. I've had them as low as 5psi during a recovery and climbing some dunes fully loaded with camping gear.

yep,,

we not called sand gropers for nothing,, 15psi no ifs or buts just before I hit the beach, not only it makes it easier for you on the beach, but also protects the enviorment, nothing worse then trying to tackle a dune full of corragation from all those ppl that dont let there tyres down and creat wheel spins .

Clive

Well I have to join in since I'm in WA also.

Agree with all the above. I am not seeing myself as an expert but here is what I gathered from experience and talking to people or reading mags.

I usually start at 18psi and get lower if I find it not going well. However the best pressure for a given sand condition will vary depending on the vehicle. So if others are cruising at 18psi but you are struggling at that pressure, don't hesitate to deflate a bit more. When I first started 4wdriving I was told to put 20psi but that was not really working for the Courier I had at the time. I quickly found 18psi was far more better.
Try not to go lower than 8-10psi unless you really need it and only for short period of time because you could end up damaging your tyres.
Otherwise the trick is to keep up your momentum by selecting the right gear and maintain your revs up. Once again you will have to play a bit with your gear stick to find what's working best for your car depending on the conditions, unless you're lucky and have an automatic because then it does most of it by itself apparently.
Another thing to remember is not to be too harsh on the breaking, the acceleration or cornering and try to make gear changes as smooth as possible if not you're going to dig yourself in. Everything needs to be smooth. Also if you feel the car is sinking (and trust me you will now when it happens) don't try to accelerate like a maniac: it will only make it worst. See if either a gentle acceleration can get you going or come to a stop slowly as well (if you brake too hard then your front wheels are going to dig in further). You can then select a more appropriate gear to go forward or try to reverse in your tracks to try it again. You'll probably get stuck a few times at the begining but that's how you learn as well so don't worry.
Once you're stuck, then you need a good shovel to dig your wheels and axes out, trying to create a ramp so you can get out easier. If that's not enough then you will need another vehicle to pull you out using a snatch strap, shackles and rated recovery points.
On top of that you will need a tyre gauge and depending on where you plan to go a compressor to be able to pump up your tyres once back on the hard stuff.
Enjoy,

Sly.

I was going down this list & was suprised that mentioning the tide only came up here. Not too hard to get out of a bogging with the right equipment & other vehicles, but if you make your fourby a reef get a salvage crane. Maybe driving on the hard packed stuff where available would suit, look out for wash outs & other fourbys in dunes.

Cheers

Jackablue

I guess it depends on the beach but 60 - 80kph sounds way to fast especially on the crowded eastern states beaches. I usually am in high 2/3 or low 2/3 depending on how soft it is which limits speed to 20-40kph. Only once have I travelled on a beach in h4 60-70kph and that was on the deserted beach run from cape culver to Israelite bay which was hard packed due to low tides

beatit they also make a beautiful pop when they let you down not so gently. Use a jacking plate under a bottle or highlift jack as the $250 explosion of an exhaust jack is a danger. Mine didn't get past two uses.

JohnR, I've used an exaust jack for 5 years and used it many times even on the bitumen (when my bottle jack cacked it'self). It's Never "let me down" (exuse the pun LOL).

You have to be a little carful, they come with rubber mats to protect it but I find grabing the rubber mats out of the vehicle to be much thicker and larger. Don't put it near your exaust!! DEEEERRR! And don't put it anywhere where there are protuding bits of suspension etc. It's not that hard to take those procusions and they are very very awseome.

Oh yeah, but in saying all that if you get under any car supported only by a jack your and absolutebleep. Especially and exaust jack!

G'day JohnR,

what brand mate? Was it a puncture or did the bag just burst? I agree with your jacking plate suggestion, part of my normal stow.

Jeremy.

I was just talking about changing a flat, wouldn't dream of crawling under a car that was just supported by one of these. I've had mine for a few years and have had to use it twice (once on a dirt track) - no problems. My latest truck has one of thos big angled cut exhausts that doesn't fit the dam hose - had to get an adaptor to stick on the end of the exhaust seems to be servicable again. Hope I never have to use it!

Kind regards

We were using it on the beach at Robe and trying to unbog my Nissan - sand not stones, it had been on clay earlier. Just ask Member Lucy, he was beside himself after it went off. He was beside the yellow bag when it went off, nearly under.

a pop! indeed Mr R, my ears are still ringing

I can imagine if it did pop it would have made a bloody great big noise! What brand was that one? I spose different brands make different qualities in workmanship??
I can't even remeber the one I've got, it's an oldy though...

Guys, I guess you have Bonz testament it was a trifle noisy yellow bag that carried the brand Bushranger. I guess you could say it didn't hold us up for long :-(

Bonz says it would make a good spare cover. I don't think it would be tight enough for that. I don't really know what troggered the pop!

And afterwards plently of water pressure to wash the steed!!

A paj did should be an awsome weopon in the sand being far lighter than a 100 for instance and heaps of go. with low enough pressure it should be near immpossible to bog. That big camper of mine is crap on sand but I have never got it bogged on a beach coz I am not scared to let the tyres down

Pajero NM and NPs revell in sand work especially on the OE highway tyres. ATs are bit more aggressive and can "eat" in a bit more. Lower your tyre pressures and switch off ASC and others will be amazed what the Paj will do if you're just a little carefull.
Becarefull if you do get a bit adventurous on the dunes. A Number of NMsd and NPs have lost their rear bumbers. They seem to act as a scoop and come adrift.,