Silverado 2wd Able To Drive Around On Beach/sand?

[atxman]

Hello, I recently purchased a 09 Silverado Z71 2WD!! - yeah i know,... why would I do something like that, but in the past ive owned 2 Silverados all 4wd, and 2 Tahoe's z71 (4WD) and where i live and my lifestlye ive only activated the 4WD twice a year or so.

 

any how,, i occasionally go to the beach and have taken a wrangler 4wd 4.0L and driven all over sand dunes etc, with no problems and never gotten stuck,...

 

my question is, Is my truck able to be driven on sand without getting stuck? - i dont plan on riding any sand dunes like before, but just wanna have piece of mind before taking it out there and giving it a shot,...

 

 

thanks in advance.

[Dooner]

Airing down is the way to go, but even that in a 2wd may not help much.

[jro909]

with good tires, a g80 locker you should be fine...i drive my 2wd through feet of snow with no problem at all, i had the same sort of situation you had, i had 4x4 in my previous truck and i used it maybe twice...and when i went for a new truck i decided to shave my bill and not get the 4x4, if your super nervous put a few hundred pounds in the bed over the axel, but i think you should be fine...4x4 is overated to a degree, its nice but most of the time its just not needed

[welscher08]

Does your truck have the G80? Maybe this doesn't come on the Z71 2 wheel drives....but if so...I would think with the G80 and a little common sense you would be fine in sand.

[emejay]

I have taken my 07 GMC Sierra 2WD with G80 locker in sand dunes at Pismo CA and I was amazed at how well it did. I have the 20 inch rims with OEM Goodyears, aired down (about 12PSI). Compared to my 03 Silverado 4x4, the most noticeable difference is it didn't turn as well. Starting off in deep sand, I found having the wheels pointed straight ahead got things going quickly.

[atxman]

thanks for the input, by g80 do you mean "Locking Rear Differential"? if so, Yes... ill check the truck tomorrow morning to be sure

[Daryl LBZ]

If you have the G80 you should be fine. I load mine with two rows of wood up to the bed cover on the tailgate, and I can back up the hill on my front yard in 2wd in the snow without spinning either wheel. If nothing else a little bit of weight should be enough to work.

[lsuguy]

Real quick. Don't mean to steal the thread but, how do I know if I have G80 locker? What is the RPO code? is it G80?

 

Edit: I believe I just found my answer by searching. But if anyone would like to chime in the go ahead

[brims]

Yes, RPO is G80.

[pm26]

Forget about driving in deep dry sand with a 2WD vehicle. I live in Florida and many times I have taken a 4 WD vehicle into deep sand, deliberately placed in 2WD to see how well it would do. Every time I got stuck almost immediately, despite the limited slip rear differential. A locking differential can be marginally better, but will not get you too far. A 2WD with a locking rear differential may do OK in shallow compacted sand or wet sand, so driving on a beach may not be that difficult. But pray you do not hit a dry deep patch of sand at low speed. Just my 2 cents.

[kdixer]

Forget about driving in deep dry sand with a 2WD vehicle. I live in Florida and many times I have taken a 4 WD vehicle into deep sand, deliberately placed in 2WD to see how well it would do. Every time I got stuck almost immediately, despite the limited slip rear differential. A locking differential can be marginally better, but will not get you too far. A 2WD with a locking rear differential may do OK in shallow compacted sand or wet sand, so driving on a beach may not be that difficult. But pray you do not hit a dry deep patch of sand at low speed. Just my 2 cents.

 

 

I agree 100%.

 

The G80 has to spin before lockup, that is a big NO NO in the deep stuff. With sand, it takes very little spinning before you are axle deep.

[Stex]

Well I drive the beaches of which AustinTx would drive. You will be fine if the people watching does not run you off course....So far I have driven a '67, '69 '72 Gto, 78 grand am coupe, 72 Z, '90 Sub and now my '09 Sierra...no locker needed but helps, limited slip did well in my sub and positraction in the goats did fine...no need to air down, just make sure you have plenty of ice!

 

If you go past the 4w drive only signs on South Padre, you will be ok if conditions are right...if in a jam run the gray (wet) sand tell you can run the dry sand...do not stop on the gray sand...wash truck well after leaving the coast...enjoy while you can as the do gooders are always trying to get us off the beach...

[LeoS41280]

I've never driven on a beach or even live near one you can drive on. But I would think the weight of vehicle would be as almost important as 2wd or 4wd.

[trucc_boi]

lol i've seen f250's get stuck as well as jeep wranglers..

 

sand is a bitch.

 

weight of the vehicle matters because it's harder to get an f250 unstuck than a jeep wrangler.

 

my dad swears by putting slick tires on 4x4's for sand.. not my style.

[Jubei69]

I 2nd the undercarriage auto wash or car wash gun using the soap and then rinsing... Need to get rid of all the salts