Stupid Move of the Day - Got myself stuck in sand (1 Viewer)

[Canyonero]

While many of you were enjoying time in the San Juan mountains I have been in Oregon spending quality time with my 90 year old father. This week I decided to visit the coast and headed over to Pacific Beach. The stupid thing on my part was my drive down onto the beach. I've done this a number of times before but always to the right in the area where the sand tends to be more firm. After being chewed about by one of the Dory boat guys for using "their side of the beach" I decided to move to the other side - where people, lots of people, had been hanging out an playing all day. There the sand was soft and fluffy. I was too lazy to air down and I wasn't down near the water where the sand is firm. (Too many people in my way.) Dumb, dumb, dumb. Once I stopped, I really stopped. Fortunately Maxtrax and 4Lo with Sand/Mud mode got me out without having to air down. But I learned (once again the hard way) that soft sand is, well, soft. Driving on beaches with lots of dry sand and lots of people and car activity is maybe not the wisest thing. And I can't blame it on too much Tsunami Stout from the Pelican Brewery as they were all out!

I would suggest a SMOD (Stupid Move of the Day) thread sort of like the Stupid Question thread but I expect nearly all of the posts would by my own.

More like Smartest Move Of The Day -packing Maxtrax. Few people do, but they are worth the price of admission, in sand or snow. Nice job. Anyone can get stuck—getting unstuck with your own equipment means you did it right.

 

[ToyotaIsLife]

@ToyotaIsLife Any thoughts on how concerned folks should be about sand getting into suspension components?

100% of my driving has been on sand on my land cruisers and I have never had an issue with sand getting into shocks, yes cosmetically they may get a little rusted espeically the springs but only in prolonged high speed abuse where sand is hitting the spring at very high speeds, also true for the frame.

Functionally never had an issue. I simply take the time to properly steam wash everything after every session.

However squeaky noises yes, most of my rigs get squeaky after about 5000 kilomters or so in the sand but not because of the shocks but the uniball on the upper control arms and other ball joints. I also take the time to properly grease them when it starts getting noisy.

 

[M1911]

About 14 of the 15 years I've been driving on the beach was done with standard highway all-season tires. Unless you are driving on super soft sand, you don't need any special tires to drive on the beach. Air down to 15 or 20 psi, use a little caution, and you'll be fine.

 

[ToyotaIsLife]

About 14 of the 15 years I've been driving on the beach was done with standard highway all-season tires. Unless you are driving on super soft sand, you don't need any special tires to drive on the beach. Air down to 15 or 20 psi, use a little caution, and you'll be fine.

100% agree 100%

I have seen corollas and camerys drive through the dunes here, turned out they aired down to 10 psi.

 

[ryanCA]

100% agree 100%

I have seen corollas and camerys drive through the dunes here, turned out they aired down to 10 psi.

Damn! I should have saved $60k and bought one of those instead! Here they can't even give them away

 

[TeCKis300]

About 14 of the 15 years I've been driving on the beach was done with standard highway all-season tires. Unless you are driving on super soft sand, you don't need any special tires to drive on the beach. Air down to 15 or 20 psi, use a little caution, and you'll be fine.

Funny cause highway tires are actually better in sand, than AT or MT tires, because they don't have big lugs to dig into sand. The tires that they run in the middle east tend to have smooth continuous tread profiles, more like HT tires.

 

[M1911]

Yup, highway tires are good in the sand.

 

[Dan Higgins]

Wow. I have not been reading this thread (or MUD for that matter) as I have not been places where I can use my Mac and my iPad for the past few days. This is great info. (Most of which I knew but was too lazy to implement - there is a lesson in that.

First, @mcgaskins, I KNEW someone was going to ask for pics - or better yet vids. But of course I did NOT think of that in the moment. Darn. I suspect I could easily recreate it though. I can say that I was in up to my hubcaps on soft sand and pointing "uphill" (away from the water). The sand in that part of the beach was very soft and full of dips and even holes people had dug while playing in the sand. And, yes, the best part about the experience was just that - the experience of actually using the MaxTrax, putting the LC in 4LO, and then driving out. No damage to anything but my pride.

On airing down. There were three factors that led to me not airing down. Laziness. The fact that I had done it before and not aired down. And lastly, laziness. I just didn't want to bother. I even had onboard air!

As for the Crawl Control trick, I had seen that vid and that would have been my next move. (Maybe airing down should have been my next move.) As it was I had it in 4LO and in Sand/Mud terrain mode. Actually, the first time I tried to get out I was in 4HI and Drive and the engine just bogged down. I think maybe it was the stability assist or something like that? I also had ECO 2nd on. But when that didn't work the guy helping me suggested turning off those systems. I simply put it in 4LO which does the same thing. So my second try I got out.

@Canyonero, you are spot on about carrying the MaxTrax. I carry them all the time because I know my tendency to do stupid things without thinking. I got the MaxTrax after getting our LR4 stuck in snow about three years ago. (Another learning experience.)

As for tires, in addition to not airing down, I have KO2s which were sitting at 42PSI.

Here is a pic of a different beach a few miles north. Different sand which much less activity on it - it was much firmer.

And here is a view of the beach I was on before I got stuck. There is a yellow circle around my LC. On that part of the beach I was OK but it was getting bad as more vehicles arrived and the dory boats were beginning to come in and chew up the sand as they attempted to pull their boats onto their trailers. Then there is a red circle around the part of the beach where I got stuck. That was where the dory boat guys were telling me I was supposed to be. (They had had a bad day and were frustrated by people driving on what they consider "their beach". I chose not to make a fuss and moved - which led to my lesson in getting unstuck from sand.)

This last picture is from of the beach where I first parked and was OK. The area where I got stuck was much worse.

But, hey, it was a beautiful day (before I got stuck.) Whale watching from the top of my LC followed by dinner and beer at Pelican Brewery.

 

[Markuson]

Hey guys,
new LC owner here - just picked up my 2016 with 35k miles on it. Going to the beach at the end of the month and was hoping to get some drivin done on the sand! So, i've been asking around about getting sand all over the underbody, suspension, etc and the dealer mech advised to just avoid sand driving. Obviously, lot sof people do it, but any issues with sand getting in everywhere? thanks!

I’ve played in the sand many many many times. Not a problem at all. Salty ocean sand that is WET should definitely be cleaned out...but dry or desert sand, etc. is no problem at all. Go for it!

 

[AntonLC]

Thanks, all. I know I am a bit late on following up. So, here's another question to throw in there - anyone have experience with using Fluid film on the undercarriage? It's supposed to be quite protective from rust / particles, etc. Worth the money? I found a local shop that would coat the underbody for a few hundred bucks... thanks!

 

[TonyP]

Thanks, all. I know I am a bit late on following up. So, here's another question to throw in there - anyone have experience with using Fluid film on the undercarriage? It's supposed to be quite protective from rust / particles, etc. Worth the money? I found a local shop that would coat the underbody for a few hundred bucks... thanks!

Yes it works well. I re-apply every 6 months.
You can go to Lowes, buy 4 cans and do it yourself for $45.

 

[AntonLC]

Yes it works well. I re-apply every 6 months.
You can go to Lowes, buy 4 cans and do it yourself for $45.

Thanks! Yeah, was thinking about it, but read that it stinks pretty bad and part of my bathroom/bedroom is right above the garage... Maybe give the shop a try once and then see if i can do it myself somehow down the road.

 

[Sandroad]

Thanks, all. I know I am a bit late on following up. So, here's another question to throw in there - anyone have experience with using Fluid film on the undercarriage? It's supposed to be quite protective from rust / particles, etc. Worth the money? I found a local shop that would coat the underbody for a few hundred bucks... thanks!

@GoISU is the MUD resident Fluid File guru.

 

[TonyP]

You can drive to a parking lot and do it. It doesn't smell bad at all. Kind of a fresh laundry type smell, hard to explain. Not bad though

 

[KLF]

I use it quite often, works great. The guy I go to for annual stickers says it smells like old people. No idea what that means.

For stuff you can see, I actually prefer Amsoil Heavy Duty Metal Protector. It dries in a day or so to a stiff waxy coating. Best thing for trailer hitches. Been squirting it on the hitch on our '04 Highlander for many years, it still looks new after 200k miles and 14 salty New England winters.