Towing off-road trailer in SAND

[teotwaki]

and here is what Mario said:

The goal in sand is to "float" on top of the sand and eliminate wheel spin. When you drive over sand and leave a perfect imprint of your tire tread, you have reached that goal. Be mindful that different types of sand require different pressures i.e. coarse hard packed moisture laden sand on a beach vs. fine almost silt like sand that would be near a dry lake bed. We did some experimentation a few years ago in some dune sand in Arizona in order to find the "traction sweet spot" for my Comanche and trailer. The truck weighed in at 4250 lbs and the trailer at 1400 lbs. Tire size on the truck and trailer was 285/75R16 E rated, BFG AT. We made several attempts at climbing the small dune, first at "dirt road pressure" 20 psi on the truck and 15 psi on the trailer. We were stuck instantly due to wheel spin. We lowered the truck down to 15 psi and left the trailer at 15 psi. We got a little further up the dune but still bogged down and got stuck. We made several more attempts, gradually reducing pressures to find the "traction sweet spot" until finally with pressure down to 10 psi front, 12 psi rear and 8 psi on the trailer, we climbed the dune without heavy throttle and leaving a perfect imprint of the tires in the sand all the way up.

If you have the opportunity, I would suggest going through a similar exercise with your tow rig and trailer to find your traction sweet spot for sand. A fun way to spend a few hours and learn a lot about your rigs capabilities.

[Mark Harley]

The guys down at Nags Head run Airplane tires on their sand retrival tow rigs.
They bounce like hell on the way to the beach, but extract vehicles easy!

[LaOutbackTrail]

Roger, you'll be good deflating the tires.

For the hell of it, you should experiment and do a quick write up based upon your findings.

[teotwaki]

Roger, you'll be good deflating the tires.

For the hell of it, you should experiment and do a quick write up based upon your findings.

And pictures for all of us trailer junkies!

[LaOutbackTrail]

That too.

[teotwaki]

The guys down at Nags Head run Airplane tires on their sand retrival tow rigs.
They bounce like hell on the way to the beach, but extract vehicles easy!

Wondering if the airplane tires are just big and fat and provide a large contact patch without the need to air down?

Speaking of strange things out there:



Giant C.R.A.B.S.

[adventureduo]

I'd like to see a picture of how a tire "cuts" through sand

Don't think i have any or else i would have posted it.

I will still stand behind my post of not-deflating. Our trailer is 1400 lbs dry and it's not heavy enough to matter. Of course, huge trailers like the ones pictured above get aired down. Not arguing that point, heck those trailers weigh as much as our tow vehicles For our trailer weight it doesn't make a big difference airing it down other than it's ride characteristics and absorbing vibration. It's being pulled, not motored. It doesn't care if it's deflated or aired up, i use less resistance by not deflating.

There's many schools of thought and to each their own. Do what works for you and what makes you comfortable in the situation you're in. Like i said also, i do air down the trailer on every trip. Not for traction but to lessen the vibration and abuse on the suspension. Or if we're headed through rocky conditions where we need the footprint. Same as you would for the tow rig.

[candyapple]

I go to N. Padre Island all the time. Have a great time and bring a buddy or two...

[teotwaki]

Don't think i have any or else i would have posted it.

I will still stand behind my post of not-deflating. Our trailer is 1400 lbs dry and it's not heavy enough to matter. Of course, huge trailers like the ones pictured above get aired down. Not arguing that point, heck those trailers weigh as much as our tow vehicles For our trailer weight it doesn't make a big difference airing it down other than it's ride characteristics and absorbing vibration. It's being pulled, not motored. It doesn't care if it's deflated or aired up, i use less resistance by not deflating.

There's many schools of thought and to each their own. Do what works for you and what makes you comfortable in the situation you're in. Like i said also, i do air down the trailer on every trip. Not for traction but to lessen the vibration and abuse on the suspension. Or if we're headed through rocky conditions where we need the footprint. Same as you would for the tow rig.

Okay, based on what I have seen with my own trailer in deep soft sand the tires did not cut through the sand. They tended to build a "bow wave" of sorts that to me indicated that the tires were sinking down and not easily able to climb over the sand that piled up while being towed. This was observed when I got out to look over things so no pictures. LOL... self-skewered!

I have no problem with there being different schools of thought because those thoughts are triggered by a very valid but specific personal experience with a particular trailer. Mario also had a trailer that weighed in at 1400 pounds and detailed how he had to air his trailer down. So what is going on? I don't want to try to say Mario is right and you are not.

I feel that looking at the details would be educational. Dammit, I'm an engineer and not one of the sand people Dave! Ha-Ha

I want to pick things into pieces and understand how they work. So I'd submit that to truly understand we have to consider that the trailer's total weight, weight ratio front and rear of its axle, tongue weight, track width compared to the tow vehicle, tire size, tow vehicle wheelbase/weight/tire type/horsepower, sand granularity and moisture content, % grade and so on are all variables. Almost too danged complex so each person should pay attention to what their trailer does and air up or down as needed.

[LaOutbackTrail]

I want to pick things into pieces and understand how they work. So I'd submit that to truly understand we have to consider that the trailer's total weight, weight ratio front and rear of its axle, tongue weight, track width compared to the tow vehicle, tire size, tow vehicle wheelbase/weight/tire type/horsepower, sand granularity and moisture content, % grade and so on are all variables. Almost too danged complex so each person should pay attention to what their trailer does and air up or down as needed.

Isn't that what we should all do for every instance? Experimentation is the best way to figure it out for there are always too many real world variables to take too much advice from the internet...

I've always laughed when people ask "what pressure should I run my truck on the rocks/sand/mud/etc....." Figure out what works best for you and your setup.