Mounting Sand Ladders (1 Viewer)

[SINCITY100]

I know that they are not the most popular off-road accessory, but does (or has) anyone found a unique way or location to secure Sand Ladders to your rig ?


I am looking to mount a pair "out of the way" , yet are still readily available for use.... ANY suggestions?

TIA guys !

 

[Count_Fred]

I've only ever seen them mounted to the side of the roof-rack basket as in here: http://www.pangaea-expeditions.com/images/vehicles/camel/CamelEngineer.jpg

However, I've been considering that if I needed them I might be able to mount them underneath the load bars that will support the roof tent and/or rack. Basically slide them in between the roof and the bars onto some sort of L mount hanging from the bars and then clamp them down.

Cheers,
JFS III

 

[SLOwag]

This may not solve your mounting issue, but in the latest 4WD Toyota Owner Magazine there was a pickup with the tailgate removed and at least one sand ladder was mounted where the tailgate would have been. I don't know if it was operational as a tailgate or not......but pretty cool nonetheless.

It was in the section covering the Morocco/Sahara rally where Scott Brady was the driver.

 

[SINCITY100]

I've only ever seen them mounted to the side of the roof-rack basket as in here: http://www.pangaea-expeditions.com/images/vehicles/camel/CamelEngineer.jpg

However, I've been considering that if I needed them I might be able to mount them underneath the load bars that will support the roof tent and/or rack. Basically slide them in between the roof and the bars onto some sort of L mount hanging from the bars and then clamp them down.

Cheers,
JFS III

Yeah, that seems to be the most common way to mount Ladders... I dont like the high profile and the wind noise/drag I`d imagine theyd cause though

I too have been looking at maybe mounting them flat and close to the roof ( between the roofrack and the roof) I`ve already checked and there is just enough clearance for them to fit, I even temporarily mounted them there with ratchet-straps with decent results....but they just arent secure enough to feel safe driving (the way I do) around on rougher trails.

I will look closer at the "L" bracket set-up you described...that might be all I need to compliment my tie-downs to make them more secure to the vehicle.


Other suggestions are welcome !

Thanks guys !

 

[Shahram]

Question is, how much are you going to be using them?

If you're going to be in a place where you'll use them more than ten times a day, you'll hate any method that takes too much time or effort.

If you have an ARB bumper, you could rig a small platform that bolts onto the antenna tabs, then have a number of bolts pointing upward from the platform in order to "catch" the ladders.A quick bungee between the pillars should keep the ladders stable at low speeds. This will probably affect your over-hood visibility to some degree, but the ladders will be handy when they are needed, and in an optimal spot.

Here is a rudimentary rendition of the idea. Red part is the platform and bolts, blue is the sand ladder.

 

[SINCITY100]

Question is, how much are you going to be using them?

If you're going to be in a place where you'll use them more than ten times a day, you'll hate any method that takes too much time or effort.

Here is a rudimentary rendition of the idea. Red part is the platform and bolts, blue is the sand ladder.

I am blocked from viewing the linked image @ work, but I will check it out at home

Yes, having a "temporary" mounting location for repeated use of the ladders is essential...I like the Bull bar idea a lot.

Thanks !

 

[Mace]

You really think they would help all that much in this area? Or is there somewhere else that you are considering going?

 

[SINCITY100]

You really think they would help all that much in this area? Or is there somewhere else that you are considering going?

I live by the adage " if you have it, you wont need it "


Actually Mace, I do a lot of solo wheelin` ... often in some very sandy areas in Southern Utah ( a LONG way from help ) so I consider them "insurance"



Plus, I look so damn HARD CORE driving around with them on my rig

 

[Mace]

Plus, I look so damn HARD CORE driving around with them on my rig

Ding ding ding


In most areas around here that a sand ladder is usefull you would be better off airing your tires down..

Seriously, it is amazing how much farther you can get with the tires deflated..

I have been wheelin around this area for a while. And never really had a use for a sand ladder..

The roll up chain matts tend to be a better option IMHO..

 

[SINCITY100]

Ding ding ding


I have been wheelin around this area for a while. And never really had a use for a sand ladder..

Obviously, you dont wheel where I do Last year, I was out on the Colorado Plateau, and a long stretch of seemingly bottomless sand appeared under my front tires....I made it 80% across but it didnt matter how much air I let out, I could no longer maintain forward momentum, I know for a fact that a wide set of ladders would have gotten me the rest of the way trough with MUCH less effort than it took with that damn shovel

I know that they are far from "standard" off-road equipment out here, but they are still considered a "must have" on long expeditions in unforgiving terrain (right up there with a winch).


Oh well... They still look cool up there

 

[Mace]

How much air did you let out?


Think of the tires that most expedition rigs run

 

[RHINO]

ya know sincity, sand ladders are pretty much useless unless you are in a real desert with no branches available to place under your tire, however, if your gonna do it do it right and buy BRIDGING ladders.

 

[SINCITY100]

I was down to around 10 PSI, I didnt want to go lower than that ( at hat point sand was already getting in the beads which gave me slow leaks)

Now that I am running 34x10.5 SWAMPERS, I`m gonna need ALL the width I can get for the sand

 

[Mace]

lemme get my 60 done and we can go out.

Those swampers work great in the sand actually..
Nice large footprint..

 

[SINCITY100]

ya know sincity, sand ladders are pretty much useless unless you are in a real desert with no branches available to place under your tire, however, if your gonna do it do it right and buy BRIDGING ladders.

Am I the ONLY person that goes into the real desert ?

No, there werent any dead shrubs coveniently located next to my Cruiser so I could start stuffing them under my 7500 lb rig...plus I was in a designated wilderness area whre ANY collection of plant life is highly illegal.


This thread was about mounting sand ladders, not ...

" SAND LADDERS... NECESSITY OR NOVELTY "



BUT....

I will gladly trade my silly sand ladders for them fancy expensive aluminum bridging ladders....Of course, only if you pay the difference

 

[SINCITY100]

lemme get my 60 done and we can go out.

QUOTE]


Right on... I will have to find some sand to get you stuck in, then make you beg me to borrow my ladders


Seriously though...It really would be great to wheel with ya sometime Mace !

 

[Mace]

lemme get my 60 done and we can go out.

QUOTE]


Right on... I will have to find some sand to get you stuck in, then make you beg me to borrow my ladders

right

 

[GeoRoss]

I spend alot of time in the sand. As other have said, I lower the pressure in the tires and I am not afraid of the skinny peddle. I just do what it takes to keep forward momentum. Granted I rarely encounter times when I need to climb dunes, mostly I am in sandy dry washes. This has worked with crappy dodge motor pool trucks and my LC

I work alone about 90% of the time and often many miles from help. So far so good, maybe I just lucky.

EDIT: As to mounting, do it in a very visible location to maximize the bling.

Am I the ONLY person that goes into the real desert ?

No, there werent any dead shrubs coveniently located next to my Cruiser so I could start stuffing them under my 7500 lb rig...plus I was in a designated wilderness area whre ANY collection of plant life is highly illegal.




This thread was about mounting sand ladders, not ...

" SAND LADDERS... NECESSITY OR NOVELTY "



BUT....

I will gladly trade my silly sand ladders for them fancy expensive aluminum bridging ladders....Of course, only if you pay the difference

 

[Scott_sFZJ80]

I mounted mine to the roof rack by just using basic u-bolts. I can retrieve them rather quickly with a racket, but then again I am really not in any big hurry. Just out having fun. But I think mine might be slightly different because I use the fiberglass molded bridging ladders. I never noticed any wind noise either and they sit four inches high with the two stacked on each other. But I have other stuff out there as well otherwise I would mount them side by side.

 

[Mace]

I am thinking this must be a 100 series thing