4WD Newbie needs "Virtual Lessons"

[MichaelD]

Allright!

[testosterone]

Next weekend, I finally get to take my 4WD truck down to the beach. The beach is actually one of the reasons I bought the truck in the first place. I got tired of giving some Bubba $20 and a beer to yank my Accord out of the sand. LOL! I'm not PLANNING on hitting any dunes..."not planning" being the key phrase, here. What I'll be doing is driving on very loose, soft sand. My old Civic hatch rarely got stuck (too light) and the Accord sunk like a damn rock. :Q (See Bubba reference, above)

Years ago, I had some 4WD fun in mud/sand...but that was a long time ago, I was um...not completely AWARE of my surroundings () and it wasn't my truck. Nuff said there.

The "mechanical specs" for the truck (Trooper) are:

1. Slushbox
2. Limited-slip rear
3. 4WD Hi (engages front wheels and automaticlally transfers power b/t the front and rear axles (up to 50/50 split) depending on which axle has most grip)
4. 4WD Low (locking center diff/self explanatory)

What I want to know is:

1. Do I not worry about engaging 4WD at all until the truck starts bogging? One of the principle rules of driving in snow is NOT TO STOP...I'd imagine it applies here too...I dunno, that's why I"m asking.

2. Do I engage the 4WD High before even getting on the sand, and then if I get stuck, switch to 4-low and just hammer it?

I learned to drive in the snow and know how to avoid getting stuck in sand/snow in a regular car..but this is my first foray into the 4WD world.

ps
I already have a 25-foot towstrap in one of the truck's storage bins..........hoping it gets to stay there. How embarassing.......

Thanks!

[/testosterone}

EDIT
Forgot to shut off the testosterone...could culminate in a really big explosion....

 

[Calcio]

I would have to say, keep it in 4WD hi all the time. If is starts to bog, kick it to low.

 

[MichaelD]

Well, the issue is that in order to switch to 4-LO, you must come to a complete stop and with the trans in neutral, shift the transfer case from 4-HI to 4-LOW. You stop, you sink.

 

[Fatdog]

I would engage 4 hi as soon as you hit the sand.

Bring a shovel.

Air down your tires to 5-8 pounds for better flotation, and be sure to bring a 12v portable compressor to fill them back up.

Bring an extra shovel for a friend.

Avoid sudden stops or starts, to avoid digging holes, and don't stop halfway up any hills.

Bring a shovel for every person in the truck.

More as I think of it.

Good luck!

 

[Kilgor]

Let some air out of your tires when you go into the sand (bigger footprint). Don't forget to reinflate them before you drive it on the road.

 

[Calcio]

Where are you planning to go? Is it compact or loose? It all depends on the conditions of the sand.
Don't forget to air down also.

 

[MichaelD]

<< Where are you planning to go? Is it compact or loose? It all depends on the conditions of the sand.
Don't forget to air down also. >>



South Padre Island, Texas. Condition of the sand will vary. "Packed" is a relative term for me, as the only vehicles I've driven on the beach are cars. In a car, all sand is evil.

Since getting this truck, I've been thru some deep water, jumped some curbs (shhh! dont'tell the cops!) and ran over some stuff that would've left the Accord for dead.

I need to buy a 12V compressor...I have a 120V shop compressor at home, but that will do me no good 200 miles away.

 

[Calcio]

You kinda have to play it by ear. Use your best judgment. Don't get too crazy. Do not try donuts with the low tires. Pops the bead and the rim digs in. Ouch
Just try to stay out of the throttle in the loose sand. Nothing worse then spending hours upon hours digging out your truck.

Heres a pretty good site
Here's another

 

[GooberPHX420]

<< Well, the issue is that in order to switch to 4-LO, you must come to a complete stop and with the trans in neutral, shift the transfer case from 4-HI to 4-LOW. You stop, you sink. >>



LOL, wow, good advice..lets go absolutely nowhere!

In sand u dont want to use 4 low, too high of RPM for going NOWHERE. basically pop it into 4hi before you hit the sand. You shouldnt have any problems at all. If things start bogging down, toss something in front of the tires. I use little 2 foot 2x4's. These will give you traction enough to get movin, and will cost you about a buck, instead of askin "Bubba" for a tow.

You dont really need to lower your tires either, its a light enough vehicle..I take my bronco in the sand all the time and Im sure it weighs damn near what your trooper does. Altho I have BFG mudders, which Im sure helps pretty drastically. Do you have decent tires? or are they meant for the street? if so, ya mihgt wanna air them down a weeee bit. Dont forget to bring 12 volt air compressor just in case

Edit: I CANT BELIEVE NO ONE ASKED ABOUT HIS TIRES!

 

[markjrubin]

I'll loosely quote the movie, Better Off Dead.

Go one way really fast. If anything gets in your way, turn.

Mark

 

[Pacfanweb]

Set the air pressure to around 22-25 lbs. That will work just fine. 4 High is all you need, 4 low isn't necessary.

 

[MichaelD]

<<

<< Well, the issue is that in order to switch to 4-LO, you must come to a complete stop and with the trans in neutral, shift the transfer case from 4-HI to 4-LOW. You stop, you sink. >>



LOL, wow, good advice..lets go absolutely nowhere!

In sand u dont want to use 4 low, too high of RPM for going NOWHERE. basically pop it into 4hi before you hit the sand. You shouldnt have any problems at all. If things start bogging down, toss something in front of the tires. I use little 2 foot 2x4's. These will give you traction enough to get movin, and will cost you about a buck, instead of askin "Bubba" for a tow.

You dont really need to lower your tires either, its a light enough vehicle..I take my bronco in the sand all the time and Im sure it weighs damn near what your trooper does. Altho I have BFG mudders, which Im sure helps pretty drastically. Do you have decent tires? or are they meant for the street? if so, ya mihgt wanna air them down a weeee bit. Dont forget to bring 12 volt air compressor just in case

Edit: I CANT BELIEVE NO ONE ASKED ABOUT HIS TIRES! >>




Thanks much, GooberPHX420 (what a nick, BTW!) the tires are stock. Bridgestone Desert Duelers P245 70R 16's. They look like "compromise" tires to me. I know what mudders are and I've seen the $200 Michelens' that come on the Mercedes/Lexus SUV/s...the tread on mine seems somewhere in between.
Thanks much for your help.

 

[Kwatt]

I am don't know about sand but in 10+ years of mudding with 2 blown engines,1 burned transmission, a truck load of broken universal joints, the broken windshields and rearview mirrors, the 5 gallon cans of touch up paint, ripped off exhaust pipes, uncounted nights spent wet and miserable sleeping in the back of my bronco(after the mud-breast stoke with a shovel under the truck failed to get me free) ,serveral long walks back to the road having to listen to all the whinning, b!tching, moaning and complaing(and some of it from the passangers ).

I learned the second most valuable lesson i ever learned about 4WD

>insert drum roll here<



Leave the truck in 2WD until you start to have problems then engage 4WD and























GO THE HELL HOME




Might not be what you were looking for, but i figure i saved several thousand dollars after learning this trick.




Kwatt

 

[ATLien247]

<< I learned the second most valuable lesson i ever learned about 4WD
>insert drum roll here<
Leave the truck in 2WD until you start to have problems then engage 4WD and
GO THE HELL HOME
Might not be what you were looking for, but i figure i saved several thousand dollars after learning this trick. >>



Hehe... my grandpa used to tell me that all the time. Funny thing is, the one time I didn't take his advice, I ended up stuck in big mud hole!

 

[MichaelD]

<< I am don't know about sand but in 10+ years of mudding with 2 blown engines,1 burned transmission, a truck load of broken universal joints, the broken windshields and rearview mirrors, the 5 gallon cans of touch up paint, ripped off exhaust pipes, uncounted nights spent wet and miserable sleeping in the back of my bronco(after the mud-breast stoke with a shovel under the truck failed to get me free) ,serveral long walks back to the road having to listen to all the whinning, b!tching, moaning and complaing(and some of it from the passangers ).

I learned the second most valuable lesson i ever learned about 4WD

>insert drum roll here<



Leave the truck in 2WD until you start to have problems then engage 4WD and >>





INTERESTING! Not only did you sign up exactly a year before me; you also have the same Avatar. How cool is that? (very.) Judging by your post count, you don't frequent AT very often, huh? You obviously have better things to do! LOL!

Good advice, though. It sounds like you are a man with some serious experience under your belt. There's no substitute for practical experience.

Busted UJ's huh? Mine had better not break; it's a new thirtytwo thousand dollar truck, which for me, is the equivalent of selling my soul, becoming religious, eating only vegetables and worshipping the moon. IOW, this truck better damn well do whatever my stupid right foot tells it to do. Heheheheheh.

I've been muddin' with some Bubbas (no offense). It's a lot of fun. To go muddin, you follow these steps.

1. Get up at 0700 on a rainy Sunday.
2. Skip church (not that I go...)
3. Sneak out of house (pisses off wife, who calls your mother, then hers)
4. Buy beer (approximately 24 cans per individual)
5. Find 34 square mile pit of 4 foot deep mud, with no payphones anywhere close
6. Park at edge of mudpit
7. Crank stereo (if so equipped)
8. Guzzle as many beers as you can within a 34-minute period
9. Urinate (method is left to urinator)
10. Aim truck towards mud
11. Nail throttle
12. Stop only if fuel supply runs out or solid object (tree or boulder) is encountered

That's my interpretation of it. YMMV. Sand is slightly more evil than mud, and only b/c it's real stealthy.

 

[ScoobMaster]

Hey M.D. -

Make sure that rule #7 is followed with 80's HEAVY METAL!!!!!

 

[LAUST]

Don't call that tranny a slush box if you have the Torque to power it, in mudding conditions and rock climbing I've overcome many obsticles over guys with manuals, I was mudding in a place back when I was in high school and I guy tried to follow me up a long hill covered in mud, when he had to hit the clutch he lost all his momentum and good bye, he never got up the hill, I took it like it was nothin.

Plus the 4L60-E that powers my truck is about .5 seconds fasted in the 1/4 mile then other Whipple charged trucks are of the same type..

Plus tow factor is better

Auto's DO have their place, and trucks are one of em, the massive torque we have makes that torque converter go real good.

 

[Soybomb]

<< Leave the truck in 2WD until you start to have problems then engage 4WD and >>


In my experience thats a horrible idea. By the time you're stuck, 4wd might not be of any use. Anyway.......

I've never enjoying "mudding" or driving through sand much, I'm more of a trail rider/rock crawler so my expereince might not be as valid. I would advise that you read up about your 4wd system as I'm guessing you've got it pegged wrong. Most transfer cases are either:

awd: x-fer differential is open and will transfer varying amount of power to front and rear axle

4wd hi: x-fer case is locked front and rear with normal gearing

4wd lo: x-fer case is still locked front and rear but with a different gearing to give much more power and control at lower engine speeds, but limiting the top speed considerably

I'm guessing your transfer case does 2wd-hi, 4wd-hi, and 4-lo but i could be wrong.

Most importantly be sensible and tread lightly!

 

[GooberPHX420]

<< Leave the truck in 2WD until you start to have problems then engage 4WD and
In my experience thats a horrible idea. By the time you're stuck, 4wd might not be of any use. >>



^^^^ Fella knows what he's talkin about - thats why i say just pop it in 4-hi. You wont have any probs man, dont be a pussy. LOL


edit: Peep the post count

 

[snut]

my toyota tacoma is set up for the dunes...Im 2wd only and I have no problems keeping up with 4x4 guys in the Pismo Dunes...Experience makes a great deal in the dunes...Many ppl I talk to think Im 4x4..I usually air down to about 5-4 pis in the back and front...at that low press I wouldnt advise you to make SHARP suddent turns..I have a on bord C02 tank in case I de-bead or need to drive on pavment afterwrods

 

[MichaelD]

<<

<< Leave the truck in 2WD until you start to have problems then engage 4WD and >>


In my experience thats a horrible idea. By the time you're stuck, 4wd might not be of any use. Anyway.......

I've never enjoying "mudding" or driving through sand much, I'm more of a trail rider/rock crawler so my expereince might not be as valid. I would advise that you read up about your 4wd system as I'm guessing you've got it pegged wrong. Most transfer cases are either:

awd: x-fer differential is open and will transfer varying amount of power to front and rear axle

4wd hi: x-fer case is locked front and rear with normal gearing

4wd lo: x-fer case is still locked front and rear but with a different gearing to give much more power and control at lower engine speeds, but limiting the top speed considerably

I'm guessing your transfer case does 2wd-hi, 4wd-hi, and 4-lo but i could be wrong.

Most importantly be sensible and tread lightly! >>




Hi there,
Yeah, you are correct about the transfer case thing. I explained it wrong...I know the diff modes; I just didn't word my original post correctly.

Depending on how the beach looks (packed down or freshly "upended") will determine how I approach driving on it. I will most prolly put it in 4-HI the moment I hit the sand. I don't have mudder tires, but I'm not planning on venturing into the dunes with my new truck. I'm pretty sure there's nothing I won't be able to get out of with 4-LO, should the need arise. If worst comes to worst, I have my towstrap...there's usually a Bubba or two with a jacked-up sandigger pickup looking to make a quick $20.

LOL! I'll tread lightly, though. Thanks for the advice.