Driving thru sand

[F18hornetM]

That was cool video. Loved the wave going in through the windows!! Looking at those pictures probably didn't need to let any air out. Looked like a lot of fun. Thanks for pics/video.

 

[swiss]

Glad you did not run over any of those small jeeps that might have been in your way!!!!!

 

[redneck20]

I probably didn't need to air down for sand traction ... But Definetly needed to for the rocky dirt road the rest of the 40miles

 

[F18hornetM]

True with no load makes for a better ride for sure. looks like you had fun. I wish we could take ours on the beach here. Would be a blast.

 

[Ford Mechanic]

Headed to Hatteras NC(beach) soon and plan on taking my M923A2 out on the beach. The sand there is fairly soft, anyone have any other tips or rode in those conditions lately? How low should I set my air pressure 35psi? I'm running singled 14.00's. Thanks!

 

[RustyM923]

Headed to Hatteras NC(beach) soon and plan on taking my M923A2 out on the beach. The sand there is fairly soft, anyone have any other tips or rode in those conditions lately? How low should I set my air pressure 35psi? I'm running singled 14.00's. Thanks!

25psi is the sand/mud setting on the CTIS.
12psi is "emergency" (for extreme situations)

Drop it all to "Sand/Mud" (25), shut the truck down, unplug the computer and drop the rears (unloaded) to 17psi. Leave the fronts at 25psi. The speed limit at these pressures is about 25mph. The rears have no load (sharing about 10k lbs between the 4 of them), so you can air them down quite a bit further than the fronts.

 

[F18hornetM]

I don't get to take mine on the beach here but I think your right Rusty on your pressure settings. You can always try at the CTIS settings and if pulls hard do as Rusty says and lower further.
I go to the outer banks every fall for 2 weeks and the sand there is just like here. I'd keep enough air in them to keep them on the rim..LOL. Its a 4 hr hour drive for me, so to far for a MV road trip for me. But it is soft sand and even regular 4x4s should be aired down.
Now that Im thinking maybe I should take the M813, it would be easier than loading the suburban and a lot more fun.

 

[RustyM923]

The tires will stay on the rim at any pressure. They have bead locks.

I look at it this way:

1. The front of the truck weighs about 10k lbs. It's supported by 2 tires (the fronts). 25 PSI is Sand/Mud. It works and looks pretty bulgy.

2. The rear is about the same (10k lbs), but is supported by 4 tires. Unloaded (or lightly loaded (less than 1 ton)), the rears need to be aired down further to match the "buldge" of the front. The only way to do this is to drop them all to 25psi (Sand/Mud) and then unplug the computer and drop the 4 rears to about 17/18psi.

That's what I'd do. Bulgy tires are your friend on sand

 

[Ford Mechanic]

Thanks guys, it's a 3 hour drive that far down the beach from me. We're taking the wife's Ram 2500 to pull the camper and my M923 just to ride on the beach. Been working like mad to get this truck ready to go down there for the last 2 months.

 

[F18hornetM]

Hope you have fun and weather good for you. We're going down to Salvo for 2 weeks in September after our season ends here.
Never had super singles on anything interesting about the bead lock.

 

[Ford Mechanic]

Hey guys we had a great time at the beach I aired down to 25 front and 18rear the first day and it did so well that the next day I just went down to 25 all around. Went every where I asked it too no problems or straining at all I even pulled a fully loaded F250 the had a 4x4 problem at the beginning of the ramp the whole way back to the asphalt. And typically you don't stop at the ramps cause that's where you'll get stuck, but I had no choice. It marched right on up and over with no problem from a stand still! I had a plenty of lookers and folks walking down just to see it and talk/touch/climb in. Plenty of kids around also.

The one problem I did run into was at the 4x4 permit office, the first one wouldn't give me a permit to drive on the beach due to it having 3 axles. Some rule stating must have 2 axles..... Well I told the owner of the campground that we were staying at and that sent him through the roof!! He ended up making some phone calls and rasing a fuss about it. Later I just took the other truck and the M923's registration to a different office and got the permit since they weren't inspecting the truck that they were tagging. This time I made sure to keep my mouth shut about what the truck actually was. I had no problem from park service on the beach, even had several stop to see the truck and talk about it.

Any way pics and video from the weekend!
http://s922.photobucket.com/user/rodeo_mike/media/DSCF4915.mp4.html
http://s922.photobucket.com/user/rodeo_mike/media/DSCF4937.mp4.html

 

[M35A2-AZ]

14.00x20's the way to go for sure!!

 

[F18hornetM]

Same problem we have here on Assateague national seashore. No 3 axle trucks. I cant figure why as one axle follows the other duh! 10+ miles of beach go figure. I remember as a kid seeing a DUCK riding down the beach. That was way before more govt rules. Keep making more laws will ya!!!

 

[F18hornetM]

14.00x20's the way to go for sure!!

Super singles are awesome but duals will do it too. Just 4 less tires to let air out of. LOL

 

[98G]

14.00x20's the way to go for sure!!

Why not 16R20's or 395's ? (serious question)

 

[jedawson1]

Thanks guys, it's a 3 hour drive that far down the beach from me. We're taking the wife's Ram 2500 to pull the camper and my M923 just to ride on the beach. Been working like mad to get this truck ready to go down there for the last 2 months.

Bet the Dodge Ram got good fuel mileage driving 55 with the M923. I'm always amazed at how much better my milage is when I drive slow, even in the M923 it makes a difference..... Thanks for sharing your sand experience.

 

[Ford Mechanic]

Bet the Dodge Ram got good fuel mileage driving 55 with the M923. I'm always amazed at how much better my milage is when I drive slow, even in the M923 it makes a difference..... Thanks for sharing your sand experience.

Seems like she said it got around 18 mpg for a average down and back. There is a 15-20 mile stretch on hwy 64 that we ran 70-72 mph !! Speed limit is 70 from Creswell to Edenton where we got off, and she still had some more throttle left. Indicated on the speedometer was only 62-65.

 

[Ford Mechanic]

Why not 16R20's or 395's ? (serious question)

Don't see why they wouldn't do as well also, I think it was more a singles better than duals thing.....

 

[VPed]

Used my deuce with new to me 395s w/ beadlocks on MRAP wheels out in the sand this weekend. Running 25 psi in front and 17 psi in the rear did pretty good. I think 20 front and 12 rear should be much better in the sugar stuff. I previously had 395s with tubes so airing down had its dangers of spinning the tire on the wheel. Point is: tubeless with beadlocks is the way to go. The comment about super singles having 4 less tires to air down is noteworthy. Those of us running trucks equipped with ITIS know how important that is. I am not sure if the tires on my M927A1 have beadlocks.

(Individual Tire Inflation System)

 

[F18hornetM]

Glad you all had a good time and things worked like they should. Great pics.
I don't disagree that super singles are better, I would choose them over duals. I just meant that duals will also go as well. Guess what I'm saying is no need to run out and spend $$$$ on super singles if your truck has duals, use them. Letting air out of duals is not bad, just pull valve core out. [get some spares] but takes forever to pump back up.