Beach sand driving
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Beach sand driving
Anyone here drive on beach sand?
I've got a 2000 X xlt 6.8l 4x4 with a 4.10 rear end. I'd like to start surf fishing again with this vehicle and I'm concerned about driving in soft sand without "LS". My Expedition I had worked great with the "LS" rear. Just wanted to see what you guys/gals think about this...
Thanks
Big Mick
I've got a 2000 X xlt 6.8l 4x4 with a 4.10 rear end. I'd like to start surf fishing again with this vehicle and I'm concerned about driving in soft sand without "LS". My Expedition I had worked great with the "LS" rear. Just wanted to see what you guys/gals think about this...
Thanks
Big Mick
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From: Second star to the right!
Just deflate your tires way down. I can usually get out on the sand with a 5000# trailer by going down to 25 psi. That is unless the sand is excessively dry in which I have on a few occasions needed to go to 15 psi. I do have an LSD, but I would be willing to bet that without pulling a trailer, the LSD wouldn't make much difference. I wouldn't worry to much about getting stuck. You can almost always deflate your way out of it. 8 psi will get you out of just about any situation, so long as you do not bury yourself trying to get out at too high of tire pressure.
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From: East TN
Don't forget to put the truck in low range. You will fry your transmission in 4WD high running in soft sand. If you don't have big, wide tires and wheels - get some. No mud tires. Street tires are better than mud tires.
I like to air down to 15 PSI right from the start. That way you won't bury your rig before you notice. When I used to do alot of beach running I hauled around a canister or two of spare air to get the tires back up for pavement.
Oh - and don't forget carry two shovels and a high lift jack with a sand base. You will need them eventually. A frisbee is better than nothing if you don't take the shovels.
Also - you didn't say where. Daytona Beach is like riding asphalt. The sand on the Outer Banks of North Carolina will suck you in and never let go in places if you aren't careful. Spot a local and follow them in and out till you get the hang of it.
Remember an X is a really heavy vehicle for sand. Be careful and good luck.
I like to air down to 15 PSI right from the start. That way you won't bury your rig before you notice. When I used to do alot of beach running I hauled around a canister or two of spare air to get the tires back up for pavement.
Oh - and don't forget carry two shovels and a high lift jack with a sand base. You will need them eventually. A frisbee is better than nothing if you don't take the shovels.
Also - you didn't say where. Daytona Beach is like riding asphalt. The sand on the Outer Banks of North Carolina will suck you in and never let go in places if you aren't careful. Spot a local and follow them in and out till you get the hang of it.
Remember an X is a really heavy vehicle for sand. Be careful and good luck.
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From: Second star to the right!
Originally posted by 97expy5_4
I for some reason had the idea that with the LS rear end and engaged in 4x4 that I would have 3 wheels turning and with out LS only 2 wheels turning.
Big Mick
I for some reason had the idea that with the LS rear end and engaged in 4x4 that I would have 3 wheels turning and with out LS only 2 wheels turning.
Big Mick
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remember
The only place a LS has an advantage is when one wheel has less traction then the other.. In many circumstances, such as sand driving, the traction is pretty equal and traction will be provided equally to both rear tires, allowing both to spin.
most LS in trucks today with very many miles on them dont work much better than an open diff anyway, unless its been maintained.
Ron
00 Excursion Limited 4x4 V-10
most LS in trucks today with very many miles on them dont work much better than an open diff anyway, unless its been maintained.
Ron
00 Excursion Limited 4x4 V-10
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From: East TN
I was out your way and down on the Outer Banks lot's from '83 - '89. Lifted red FJ60 Landcruiser with 34" X 9.5" BFG AT's, Bull Bar, Hella Lamps, big rod rack. Is there still as much beach to drive on, or have they closed alot of it like everywhere else?
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Outer Banks
I drove there alot last year, Both at Currituck and Hatteras.
Both are still legal and offer plety of driving.
Its a good time, but seems to get crowded at times, Our Expy struggled without airing down, so Airing the Whale Down will be a MUST before we go out, as it is SOFT sand.
Ron
00 Excursion Limited 4x4 V-10
Both are still legal and offer plety of driving.
Its a good time, but seems to get crowded at times, Our Expy struggled without airing down, so Airing the Whale Down will be a MUST before we go out, as it is SOFT sand.
Ron
00 Excursion Limited 4x4 V-10
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From: East TN
Try the south side of Oregon Inlet on the Outer Banks. You can drive out at Pea Island and cruise the beach all the way down to the Hatteras light house before you have to get off.
Oops - forgot the dunes and road got washed out last year. You probably have to come back on the road and then go back out to the beach at that point.
It's a great beach cruise though and used to NOT be very crowded.
Oops - forgot the dunes and road got washed out last year. You probably have to come back on the road and then go back out to the beach at that point.
It's a great beach cruise though and used to NOT be very crowded.
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From: Virginia Beach
Actually Spartan you can only get out on the beach on south side of Salvo and only go a few miles. You can no longer get all the way to the light from the north side. The largest area for beach driving is the south side of Buxton light to Frisco. The area for driving gets smaller all the time.
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From: Elk Grove
I have a 7.3L PSD and pull a 8500# traler onto the beach (Weekend Warrior Toy Hauler) at Pismo.
Had friends arrive before me the last trip and they couldn't believe they were getting stuck (bigger tires on their rigs.) Asked if they lowered their air pressure and they said YES! They were down to about 40 PSI
I told them 12-15 PSI. I pulled right in and right out without any issues.
That was a fun trip. . . I am usually the only Ford in our group. I was the only one that didn't get stuck
Even after that, one guy tried to pull out without airing down. Got stuck to the frame! Once we dug him out and he re-picked his trailer. . . he aired down and got right out. That one kinda ****ed me off because he left before me and was digging a big hole that I had to go through to get out of there. Not
! That was a true Bone Head move!
Had friends arrive before me the last trip and they couldn't believe they were getting stuck (bigger tires on their rigs.) Asked if they lowered their air pressure and they said YES! They were down to about 40 PSI
I told them 12-15 PSI. I pulled right in and right out without any issues.
That was a fun trip. . . I am usually the only Ford in our group. I was the only one that didn't get stuck
Even after that, one guy tried to pull out without airing down. Got stuck to the frame! Once we dug him out and he re-picked his trailer. . . he aired down and got right out. That one kinda ****ed me off because he left before me and was digging a big hole that I had to go through to get out of there. Not
! That was a true Bone Head move!
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From: East TN
Bummer about the south side run on the Banks. That was my favorite beach run of all anywhere.
Can you still go north or have they built up the Duck area into a suburb away from home yet?
Last time I was there was in '93. I miss it, but it's a shorter drive from here to Florida.
Can you still go north or have they built up the Duck area into a suburb away from home yet?
Last time I was there was in '93. I miss it, but it's a shorter drive from here to Florida.
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From: Virginia Beach
I don't go up toward Duck very often but have heard it's getting crowded. You can still get on the beach at Carolla Light up to the state line but strickly patrolled for 4-wheelers and speeders (15mph limit). But it's still neet to travel through the neighborhoods that are all sand roads with street signs just like anywhere else. People are into owning 2 1/2 ton trucks who live there. I was fishing off the beach a few weeks ago and must have seen 5 different trucks make a run to the store. A coworker goes there all the time and said they are all over the place. Big money there, Tom Cruise as well as a few other big money people have 2nd homes there.
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From: East TN
Yeah I know - my ex wife bought a house up there - after we got divorced. She shilled me out of a house that I bought and remodeled, turned a 100% profit on it, got her inheritence money, married her high school boyfriend turned accountant to manage it all and started having kids.
Wouldn't change a thing though. She looked great, performed as required, but had the personality of a rock - OK that's an exageration, but she was pretty lame. She liked to paint eggs. I liked to drink beer, surf fish and go 4 wheeling. We didn't match.
Now I hear she looks 50 years old and still paints eggs. Thank God I got out of that one.
Wouldn't change a thing though. She looked great, performed as required, but had the personality of a rock - OK that's an exageration, but she was pretty lame. She liked to paint eggs. I liked to drink beer, surf fish and go 4 wheeling. We didn't match.
Now I hear she looks 50 years old and still paints eggs. Thank God I got out of that one.
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