Driving in the sand

We have a good bit of experience with over sand travel. It's lots of fun. When we air down, 20 psi front and 30 psi rear, shift into low range 4X4, tune the radio to bluegrass, and cruise slowly south on Assateague Island, MD, our troubles dim and pass away. Make wide slow
turns, always stop on level ground, not facing up or down hill. If you do hit a soft spot, let out some more air and backup a little and pull off slowly, don't spin wheels and dig down to the frame. We have stock 16" rims with Nitto Dune Grapplers for sand and 19.5" "H" rated delivery truck wheels and tires for the highway.

We operate in very soft beach sand, using the above techniques, we travel freely. There are lots of other 4X4 vehicles and all assist each other when needed. The NPS requires a tow line, a shovel, a jack capable of higher lifting than the standard jack, and a 18"X 18" 3/4" plywood pad to sit the bottle jack on. I too have a strong air compressor, there are a bank of high pressure devices at the jump off point at Assateague Island National Seashore. Also you'll need a larger pressure gauge. The Bluegrass is optional but is a great attitude adjuster.

SoCalDesertRider wrote:

Fastbrit wrote:

Tires: All 5 tires, including the spare tire, must meet or exceed the standards outlined below. NOTE: Many newer vehicles are being produced with temporary (smaller) spare tires; be sure to carefully, physically check your spare tire size for compliance before applying for an Oversand permit.

These standards are minimum acceptable tire standards.
19 inches wheel 265\50R19 with matching spare
16 inches wheel 235\65R16 with matching spare

Dual-Wheel Standards for R/V's and
Pick-Up Campers (including spares):

Self-Contained & Pick-Up Campers

LT245\70R16 Front with matching spare
4 rear wheels section width have to be 8 inches minimum with matching spare

These are some very interesting tire requirements.

I have never seen a 19" rim. However, 19.5" does exist, though they are not recommended to be aired down.

I have never seen a 235/65-16 truck tire size. However, 235/85-16 is a very common truck tire size.

I have never seen a 245/70-16 truck tire size. However, 245/75-16 is a common truck tire size.

8" = 196mm. I have never seen a 16" or larger truck tire size with less than 8"/196mm width. So far, this is the only tire size requirement listed that makes any sense. However, it is also completely unnecessary to even list it as a requirement, since there are no truck tires that don't meet the requirement...

Government intelligence at it's finest... :r

19" rims were a common split rim used on some old Winnebago's now they are upgrades for some trucks usually a 19X8.5

Fastbrit wrote:

Tires: All 5 tires, including the spare tire, must meet or exceed the standards outlined below. NOTE: Many newer vehicles are being produced with temporary (smaller) spare tires; be sure to carefully, physically check your spare tire size for compliance before applying for an Oversand permit.

These standards are minimum acceptable tire standards.
19 inches wheel 265\50R19 with matching spare
16 inches wheel 235\65R16 with matching spare

Dual-Wheel Standards for R/V's and
Pick-Up Campers (including spares):

Self-Contained & Pick-Up Campers

LT245\70R16 Front with matching spare
4 rear wheels section width have to be 8 inches minimum with matching spare

These are some very interesting tire requirements.

I have never seen a 19" rim. However, 19.5" does exist, though they are not recommended to be aired down.

I have never seen a 235/65-16 truck tire size. However, 235/85-16 is a very common truck tire size.

I have never seen a 245/70-16 truck tire size. However, 245/75-16 is a common truck tire size.

8" = 196mm. I have never seen a 16" or larger truck tire size with less than 8"/196mm width. So far, this is the only tire size requirement listed that makes any sense. However, it is also completely unnecessary to even list it as a requirement, since there are no truck tires that don't meet the requirement...

Government intelligence at it's finest... :r

Fastbrit wrote:
These are the minimum requirements to obtain a beach permit in Cape Code;)

Vehicles:
4-Wheel/All Wheel Drive Vehicles or Self-Contained recreational vehicles must have: a valid state registration, inspection sticker, insurance, tires meeting standards outlined in this brochure and all required accessory equipment.

RENTAL VEHICLES ARE PROHIBITED.

Vehicles will be inspected for required accessory equipment:

Shovel: Heavy-duty shovel equal to a military folding shovel
Towing Device: Any of the following which are at least 14 feet long:
Tow Strap: 1.5"; Rope: 3/4"; Chain 5/16"; Cable 1/4"
Jack: Standard size (e.g., vehicle manufacturer's jack)
Jack Support Board: Wood: 10" x 12" x 1.5" or Plywood: 10" x 12" x 3/4"
Tire Pressure Gauge: Must register to 5 p.s.i. or lower
SCV's and pick-up truck campers must also have a fire extinguisher and permanently mounted holding tanks for gray and black water.
Spare Tire: Must meet tire standards outlined below. Important Spare Tire Information
Tires: All 5 tires, including the spare tire, must meet or exceed the standards outlined below. NOTE: Many newer vehicles are being produced with temporary (smaller) spare tires; be sure to carefully, physically check your spare tire size for compliance before applying for an Oversand permit.

These standards are minimum acceptable tire standards.
19 inches wheel 265\50R19 with matching spare
16 inches wheel 235\65R16 with matching spare

Dual-Wheel Standards for R/V's and
Pick-Up Campers (including spares):

Self-Contained & Pick-Up Campers

LT245\70R16 Front with matching spare
4 rear wheels section width have to be 8 inches minimum with matching spare

Tire Pressure:
You are required to decrease tire pressure before entering the beach ORV. Tire pressure is critical for successful oversand driving. 11 p.s.i. is recommended. Friction may cause pressure to increase while you drive making it necessary to stop and reduce pressure again. Your beginning tire pressure should not exceed 15 p.s.i. An air compressor for inflating tires is located in the parking area between the north and south access areas at Race Point.

Thank you! great info. I actually meet all of those specs :) Eleven pounds. Wow that is low! I think I will try a little more than that at first.

30 psi rear and 25 psi front, I do it all the time with the TC on. Drive smart and you will be fine.

travelnutz wrote:
Remember that lowering the tire inflation with lots of weight on them makes the tire's sidewalls flex increasingly faster which creates heat and tire structure fatigue, lesser and lesser side to side stability, handing, and control(rocking action etc), and decreases the tire structure life dramatically which increases with the lowering of PSI. With the very heavy TC on the truck (the Lance 980) as we know so well as we have a Lance Legend 990 on our truck, you still couldn't drive on the soft beach sand even here on the flat Great Lakes shore beaches where we live and we see so many being cable towed that are buried to the frame every year even without any load on them at all. Just dare to drive off the pavement and then you get to use your cell phone to call a tow truck! Cars, vans, suv's, trucks, Jeeps, etc, doesn't matter! They are NOT soft sand dune/beach buggies! Lots of money will be spent to equip/change even an unloaded vehicle to be able to drive on soft sand.

Usually the rear tire beads have also broken free from spinning the wheels too from trying to move the truck with even a light 8' TC on them and the tires are ruined and won't seal again. Soft sand is so different from hard sand and only a fool would try to drive a heavy rig on it.

Look up (google) the extremely popular huge Silver Lake Sand Dunes in Michigan and it's self-explanatory in the pics of what it takes to drive on them even in the flat areas. Only 52 miles north of where we live and we were there yesterday (Sunday 7-24-2016) watching them and even many stripped vehicles had a hard time moving well or climbing grades with having huge wide soft flotation tires. Climbing the dunes separates the real men from the boys and their toys as vehicle weight means everything and dictates!

Travel

you sure are apocalyptic! I will not be driving in sand dunes. This area is basically flat. There are also towing services right there. I once got stuck pulling my 5th wheel in the sand and lowered the air pressure and drove right out. I was just curious for those that had done the same with their TC. I know there is chance I will get stuck but let the adventure begin!

These are the minimum requirements to obtain a beach permit in Cape Code;)

Vehicles:
4-Wheel/All Wheel Drive Vehicles or Self-Contained recreational vehicles must have: a valid state registration, inspection sticker, insurance, tires meeting standards outlined in this brochure and all required accessory equipment.

RENTAL VEHICLES ARE PROHIBITED.

Vehicles will be inspected for required accessory equipment:

Shovel: Heavy-duty shovel equal to a military folding shovel
Towing Device: Any of the following which are at least 14 feet long:
Tow Strap: 1.5"; Rope: 3/4"; Chain 5/16"; Cable 1/4"
Jack: Standard size (e.g., vehicle manufacturer's jack)
Jack Support Board: Wood: 10" x 12" x 1.5" or Plywood: 10" x 12" x 3/4"
Tire Pressure Gauge: Must register to 5 p.s.i. or lower
SCV's and pick-up truck campers must also have a fire extinguisher and permanently mounted holding tanks for gray and black water.
Spare Tire: Must meet tire standards outlined below. Important Spare Tire Information
Tires: All 5 tires, including the spare tire, must meet or exceed the standards outlined below. NOTE: Many newer vehicles are being produced with temporary (smaller) spare tires; be sure to carefully, physically check your spare tire size for compliance before applying for an Oversand permit.

These standards are minimum acceptable tire standards.
19 inches wheel 265\50R19 with matching spare
16 inches wheel 235\65R16 with matching spare

Dual-Wheel Standards for R/V's and
Pick-Up Campers (including spares):

Self-Contained & Pick-Up Campers

LT245\70R16 Front with matching spare
4 rear wheels section width have to be 8 inches minimum with matching spare

Tire Pressure:
You are required to decrease tire pressure before entering the beach ORV. Tire pressure is critical for successful oversand driving. 11 p.s.i. is recommended. Friction may cause pressure to increase while you drive making it necessary to stop and reduce pressure again. Your beginning tire pressure should not exceed 15 p.s.i. An air compressor for inflating tires is located in the parking area between the north and south access areas at Race Point.

Remember that lowering the tire inflation with lots of weight on them makes the tire's sidewalls flex increasingly faster which creates heat and tire structure fatigue, lesser and lesser side to side stability, handing, and control(rocking action etc), and decreases the tire structure life dramatically which increases with the lowering of PSI. With the very heavy TC on the truck (the Lance 980) as we know so well as we have a Lance Legend 990 on our truck, you still couldn't drive on the soft beach sand even here on the flat Great Lakes shore beaches where we live and we see so many being cable towed that are buried to the frame every year even without any load on them at all. Just dare to drive off the pavement and then you get to use your cell phone to call a tow truck! Cars, vans, suv's, trucks, Jeeps, etc, doesn't matter! They are NOT soft sand dune/beach buggies! Lots of money will be spent to equip/change even an unloaded vehicle to be able to drive on soft sand.

Usually the rear tire beads have also broken free from spinning the wheels too from trying to move the truck with even a light 8' TC on them and the tires are ruined and won't seal again. Soft sand is so different from hard sand and only a fool would try to drive a heavy rig on it.

Look up (google) the extremely popular huge Silver Lake Sand Dunes in Michigan and it's self-explanatory in the pics of what it takes to drive on them even in the flat areas. Only 52 miles north of where we live and we were there yesterday (Sunday 7-24-2016) watching them and even many stripped vehicles had a hard time moving well or climbing grades with having huge wide soft flotation tires. Climbing the dunes separates the real men from the boys and their toys as vehicle weight means everything and dictates!

dave I guess there's a feel to this kind of resolve. Any of us could give you a number (probably different numbers), but your goal is: not too low so as to flex the sidewall excessively, especially with any speed, or so low as to lose the bead (wheel to tire) air seal.

The starting goial is of course to air down from a flat hard road surface to allow the tire to flex and form around the softer, possible uneven surface (as the sand beneath the tire shifts it becomes the uneven so to speak).

If you have a compressor, experiment until you can answer this question for others. Drop it by 10 psi several times and see what works. Don't go so far as to need a tire repair shop in addition to your compressor.

The correct answer is based on extreme subjectivity (tire size and load rating, weight of truck and camper, moisture of sand, looseness of sand, your driving skill level and experience, etc.)

Truck camper will be on. The sand will be soft. Yes I do have a compressor to air up with.