hauling trailer through soft sand

Whoknows

Observer
I'm planning a trip to the National Seashore in TX and there is a 4WD only area that I've traversed before without issue. It is very soft sand that you can feel your vehicle sliding around on. I aired down and though I would spin tires on take off, never really felt like I was getting stuck. However, I wasn't hauling my trailer. I'm not sure what the effect of my AT will be. Anyone with experience doing this?
 

Willman

Active member
You can always put on a old pair of ski's instead of your tires...that wil do the trick:hehe:

:shakin:......J/K...(couldn't hold myself back on that one)
 

PhulesAU

Explorer
Air down as much as you can stand, and take some "sand ladders". ! minor tip, If at all possible coast to a stop. it will prevent making sand berms in front of the tires, that have to be overcome when taking off. hug the water line a little more and avoid the deep powder when possible, if you're really bogging pour a bit of that beach water on the sand to firm it up. make a couple track to take off on, for about 10 ft.
 

Whoknows

Observer
PhulesAU said:
Air down as much as you can stand, and take some "sand ladders". ! minor tip, If at all possible coast to a stop. it will prevent making sand berms in front of the tires, that have to be overcome when taking off. hug the water line a little more and avoid the deep powder when possible, if you're really bogging pour a bit of that beach water on the sand to firm it up. make a couple track to take off on, for about 10 ft.


Very helpful, thanks. Any recommendations on sand ladders welcomed.
 

Whoknows

Observer
Willman said:
You can always put on a old pair of ski's instead of your tires...that wil do the trick:hehe:

:shakin:......J/K...(couldn't hold myself back on that one)

Don't tempt me. :arabia:
 

Whoknows

Observer
tdesanto said:
No experience with the AT; however, I did want to let you know that some of us are planning a trip there the weekend of June 22-24.

Here's the thread: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5859.

In what part of TX are you based?

In Austin.

Thanks for the invite. We're fairly tied to the date, but otherwise we would join you. Especially interested in family-oriented activities since our 5 & 7 year olds are a big part of our passion for the outdoors.
 

Nullifier

Expedition Leader
If your runner has a rear locker you have nothing to worry about. I puled much heavier campa on many a mile of baja beach sand/gravel and had no issues. Just don't stomp on it let it crawl you will be fine.. Some rolls of indoor outdoor carpet are great in the dans. They fit tightly in the trailer and if you place a section ofrope with a clip on the end that attaches to the trailer you will just drag them along once you get unstuck so you do not have to walk back for them.

Have fun!
 

Martyn

Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Whoknows said:
I'm planning a trip to the National Seashore in TX and there is a 4WD only area that I've traversed before without issue. It is very soft sand that you can feel your vehicle sliding around on. I aired down and though I would spin tires on take off, never really felt like I was getting stuck. However, I wasn't hauling my trailer. I'm not sure what the effect of my AT will be. Anyone with experience doing this?

I've towed through the Namib desert and Kalahari. The trailer tire air down isn't as important as the vehicle air down as the trailer weighs less and isn't providing traction.

The trailer tends to float on the surface especially as it's traveling over just compacted sand.

At the same time doesn't hurt to air down the trailer tires as well but it will increase rolling resistance.

On long deep sand stretches we'd go into 4WD low and work our way through the gears. If you're in 4WD high and start to loose speed and traction you just don't have enough gears to go through to keep going. Once you are stopped it's all over.

None of this advice has any scientific backing, just years of painful experience behind it.
 

PhulesAU

Explorer
Now that I shoot my mouth off, I can't find the thread. 1x1" fiber glass grate, or Marston mat. Or you can really cheap it. 1' x 3' sheet of corrigated sheet metal.
 

OS-Aussie

Adventurer
Or you can just run bigger tires :wings:

normal_934487-R1-08-13A_009.jpg



PS
Nice to meet you on the beach Tony !!
 
Last edited:

OS-Aussie

Adventurer
CodyLX450 said:
Ooh, what size and type tires are those? Pitbull Rockers?

yep, 39.5 x 15 x 16.5 running street pressure of 16PSI, for real off road they go down to 4 PSI. The sand was not too bad so I did not bother to air down.
 

elcoyote

Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0004
Whoknows said:
I'm planning a trip to the National Seashore in TX and there is a 4WD only area that I've traversed before without issue. It is very soft sand that you can feel your vehicle sliding around on. I aired down and though I would spin tires on take off, never really felt like I was getting stuck. However, I wasn't hauling my trailer. I'm not sure what the effect of my AT will be. Anyone with experience doing this?

David,

All the advice here is good. As far as sand ladders go, you can be fancy or you can simply carry several pieces of 2'x 2' x 3/4" plywood. You'll get 8 our of a sheet and you can use them for all sorts of purposes such as getting unstuck, leveling out your trailer, putting under your trailer jockey wheel, cutting board, fire wood etc...all that for under $30. A deal.
 

jnelson4x4taco

Adventurer
i just towed my coleman popup through the beaches at lake mc conaughey in NE and it did surprisingly well. i never got stuck but i could feel the trailer bogging me down. my saving grace was the fact that i could park near the water on packed sand and i was then able to get a running start on harder ground before making my way up the beach through the soft stuff.
 

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