Driving in sand with 2wd?

[burkemotorcross]

I have a 97 XJ 2wd 4.0L linked to an AX-15 with the Chrysler 8.25 (not dana 30) rear end and in the next couple of weeks ill be going on a fishing trip In Matagorda Texas. Me and some friends went down there a couple of weeks ago and they got across in there Z71’s and Ford F-350s and only needed to engage 4wd in one spot, which is roughly 100 yards long. I was wondering if I could get across in my 2wd(properly equipped of course). My XJ weighs quite a bit less than their vehicles.

If it is possible for me to get across, what would be the proper way to drive across and what to set up(lower pressure, tire chains etc). If I get stuck my friends will be there to pull me out, but id rather make it across and show them what a stock 2wd XJ can do. J

What do yall think?

 

[Sniggs]

Full speed ahead!
:wow: Hit it at 100 MPH!

 

[XJoshua]

I remeber reading somewhere you want more pressure in your tires and less tread for driving in sand. That way your tires "float" over the sand instead of digging in and getting you stuck.

 

[Begster]

I remeber reading somewhere you want more pressure in your tires and less tread for driving in sand. That way your tires "float" over the sand instead of digging in and getting you stuck.

Sort of, but no. You want less pressure in your tires, so you need to air down in sand. This way, since you have lower pressure, the tire buldges more and you have a bigger foot print to float the tires over the sand. The bigger foot print means less pressure pushing down on the sand, so not as likely to sink in, and you have a lot more control. Less knobby tires are usually perfered in the sand, so you don't have all the digging down of the tread. Wider tires are also better.

I work at an offroad beach, and we require 18psi or lower. I would recommend using 15psi. If you don't have any air close by, like a gas station or portable air compressor, maybe around 18psi. Airing down DOES make a difference, I have driven on my beach aired up and down, and you have a lot more control aired down. Most of the people who get stuck are because they have too much air in their tires.

You can do it in 2wd. Some tips would be slow on the accelerator when your starting up, as not to spin your tires. And easy on the brakes as well, so you don't dig down. Don't turn sharp, especially not at good speeds, and momentum is key, keep it up. Using steady accel is best, not being sparatic.

 

[Sniggs]

What he said - It FLOATS!

 

[XJhabitat]

well driving in snow you want more pressure so you get less tread contact. so youd have less contact with the snow.. just speaking from experience

 

[burkemotorcross]

so the general consensus is to run 12-15 psi in the tires and drive cautiously? what is the lowest pressure i can run before i risk bead breakage? If I manage to get stuck, where is the best place to hook the tow strap?

Thanks for the information

 

[Begster]

Also, I would bring along a support board, piece of plywood about 3/4 in thick, and at least 12x12. If you need to change a tire, your jack would sink right into the sand without a board. A shovel is a no brainer.

If you get stuck, dig out the axle, and a smooth surface in front of the tires, not below the tire. You can use the jack to jack the car up some, so that the tires are lifted up, and shovel sand into the holes the tires dug, then let the car back down so you will be on level ground again.

The best place to hook the tow strap would be the tow hooks/receiver hitch. But if your asking that question, then I take it you don't have any. Cautiously pull it from the axles would be next, with no big jerks, or even from the sway bar in the front, very cautiously. Get tow hooks if you don't have any.

 

[burkemotorcross]

i have a 2" reciever hitch on the rear but nothing on the front. My dad has a tow hook that he took off his 04 Jeep Wrangler to put a reciever hitch on just hanging in his shop. Could i mount that on the front? Are Holes already drilled in the frame from the factory for a tow hook?

Thanks for the replies

 

[Begster]

Simple then, only get pulled out by the rear. And no, you can't put that tow hook on the front. You need brackets to mount hooks on an XJ, and the frame isn't pre drilled for hooks. You need stronger brackets to tie into the "frame" since it is a unibody, and the metal is basically stamped sheet metal.

 

[JohnX]

Stock tires and wheels? 10 PSI max. 6 if you like to take a risk. If you do donuts they will unseat abead, but if you drive normally you will be fine.

Cautious driving is not the answer for sand....sand requires some gusto. Speed is your friend. The faster you go, the more you "float". You probably won't get stuck on flat ground sand unless you go under 10mph.

 

[burkemotorcross]

so i should bring a tow strap, a 12 by 12 piece of 3/4 inch plywood, a jack, a shovel, and an air compressor, and run 15 psi in the tires, drive cautiously, and wish for luck, ill give it a try and if im not lucky, get pulled out from the reciever hitch? Sounds Like a plan.

Ill be sure to post up what happens after the trip

Thanks for all the help

 

[Waterhammer]

well driving in snow you want more pressure so you get less tread contact. so youd have less contact with the snow.. just speaking from experience

?!?!? That makes no sense. Now I want to see this amazing floating jeep you've had experiences with... Physics is physics dude, you just haven't driven through deep snow.


Anyway-
Decreasing tire pressure will in turn increase your footprint and decrease the psi per sq. in. under your tire, giving you more flotation. Good for loose, granular sand. On wet, well compacted sand you could drive with pizza cutters no prob. One consideration with sand or any other potentially "bottomless" substance is that when you get stuck- stop, THINK and don't make the situation worse by applying throttle therapy. Sand and snow have been some of the worse stucks I've gotten into. Snow is different in that there are two different schools of thought- skinny tires to dig down to terra firma or big soft balloons to stay on top. You should be able to air down to 10psi and not have to worry much, just remember that a sharp turn, or bump at speed will probably unseat your bead. I have the factory hitch as well and it's a great tow point. Go out with all the stuff that was mentioned and you should be fine

 

[XJhabitat]

well over the winter i was driving in snow with my tires aired down a bit and it wasnt fun so i aired them back up and i had a lot more control. all snow tires iv seen look sinny so they can cut thru to the road

 

[JohnX]

well over the winter i was driving in snow with my tires aired down a bit and it wasnt fun so i aired them back up and i had a lot more control. all snow tires iv seen look sinny so they can cut thru to the road

Skinny tires only work that way if there is road underneath. They will do you no good in deeper snow or sand. We are refferring to offroad operation, airing down to drive to work in two inches of snow is obviously a bad idea. Airing down to offroad in sand or deep snow works very well.

Now...15psi is too much. 10 will get you a lot farther. And quit saying "cautious" driving. You need to stay moving and stay on the gas pedal!

Have you ever seen a snowmobile driving on water? The faster it goes, the better it floats. Sand is basically the same, but less dramatic. If you go too slow in sand you only sink a foot, and you generally don't drown. SPEED!!!!!!

 

[MudDawg]

This is a topic I am very familiar with....being from Florida....and spent my childhood riding with my father in orange groves...followed by my teen years ecploring on my own.....Air down...as low as you dare....be very gentle with the throttle....do not allow the tires to spin more than "barely turning....BARELY".....do not use the brakes to stop. if you must stop...roll to a stop....but don't stop unless it's a major emergency..dont turn the front wheels unless you are MOVING! Do not try to move with the front wheels TURNED!
assuming you dont have posi or locker...apply a few clicks of parking brake...this will load the spider gears and will to some degree make both axles pull...do not try to go across a rut from any angle....either find a fresh spot or go in the existing ruts if they are not too deep to hang up....this is very important...if you hit a spot and start losing forward momentum....either look back at the rear tire or use the mirror...so you can gauge wheelspin...look down at he ground to see if you are moving....if you are moving you are not stuck yet....I have been thru stuff where it took 15 minutes to move 50 feet to get an idea of how slow it can go at times...if you stop moving, rock back and forth in the tracks to pack the sand....do not spin the wheels...it takes patience....a great unstuck aid is a bunch of carpet scraps...

 

[WB9YZU]

Yup.
It is interesting to watch someone climb a loose sand hill.
They air down, take a run at it and just before the tires break loose, they back off and back over their tracks, then do it again; each time going a bit further. The packed down track allows them to build up momentum for the next run ... if they make sure the groove is straight.

The ones that don't make it are the "Balls to the walls" folks. They burry it every time.

In addition to all the cool tricks discussed, they actually make a roll out grid for getting unstuck in the sand. You shovel out a path infront of the wheels as mentioned, then lay this grid down and it gives you 2-3 feet of good traction.

 

[JohnX]

The ones that don't make it are the "Balls to the walls" folks. They burry it every time.

Maybe my dunes are different, but I have had little if any trouble by going faster in sand...uphill, downhill, or sideways....speed has always kept me from getting stuck.

 

[WB9YZU]

Maybe my dunes are different, but I have had little if any trouble by going faster in sand...uphill, downhill, or sideways....speed has always kept me from getting stuck.

Perhaps...
But perhaps I wasn't very articulate.

Inertia is a fine thing, but if you don't have it, you have to find ways of getting it.
Packing down your path is the means to inertia. When you do run out of inertia, the best path path to recovery is usually not "Balls to the walls" as this usually just buries the truck up to the axles, atleast around here.

 

[JohnX]

Perhaps...
But perhaps I wasn't very articulate.

Inertia is a fine thing, but if you don't have it, you have to find ways of getting it.
Packing down your path is the means to inertia. When you do run out of inertia, the best path path to recovery is usually not "Balls to the walls" as this usually just buries the truck up to the axles, atleast around here.

10-4 on that.