Driving My Truck On Dunes

[knipper_03]

Is it OK to drive a stock truck on sands dunes? They let you do it at silver lake sand dunes in Michigan....plan on cruising around taking it easy. Have a bachelor party camping trip planned up there.

[wtbrowne]

Why not? Take a tow strap and clevis in case you need help from a friend.

[knipper_03]

Sounds good....wouldn't think twice except this truck is the most I've ever spent on a vehicle...gonna take some time to use it properly, lol

[00_Extended]

Bring a shovel and air tank or small compressor that plugs into your acc. outlet or a bigger one if you have one. Air your tires down to about 18 PSI and have at it. If you have winch and your on your own, take tow strap and a spare tire with a wheel on it. If you get stuck you can dig a hole and place the spare tire/wheel in it with the tow strap around it, fill it back up with sand, hook the winch to it and pull your self out. It works!!

 

I would give the underside a good cleaning after you get back to get the sand out of everything. Sand will end up everyplace inside and out.

 

Have Fun.....Sand is pretty cool to drive in and can be fun and more challanging than you might think.

[95sanger]

The major factor here is AIR PRESSURE (or the lack there of). Air them puppies DOWN! You want the fattest softest footprint possible without popping a bead. Try 18 lbs and see if that works, if not go a little lower 14 to 15 ish. I have never been to that set of dunes and I am sure there are limits to how steep your rig will climb, just don't be stupid. It's a truck not an ATV. Keep up your momentum and if you find yourself loosing momentum, stop and back up before you are to the axles. You will be really surprised how well your truck will do. You shouldn't get stuck AT ALL in the flat areas....

 

 

I have been duning here on the West Coast since the early eighties. I drive a 31' Winnebago out on the the Beach at Pismo after airing down. At Glamis the "Wobbly Box" does just fine on street pressure. We then spend countless hours harrassing full sized un aired down trucks stuck everywhere in the dunes in my Suzuki Samurai.

 

 

Sand is sooo forgiving. I love it! Bring a tire gauge and maybe some deflators from a 4x4 shop and you will have a blast!

 

mike

 

P.S DONT BE AFRAID TO AIR DOWN YOUR TIRES, ENOUGH SAID????????

[RaddHazzard]

I drive in sand probably 100 times a year, and i will also stress airing down your tires if its soft. Your engine will and transmission and diffs will get HOT if you dont. I air mine down to 20psi.

[RyanbabZ71]

watch youtube

 

Back in 2000 there was a guy who had a brand new 2000 ext cab jumped a hill and put the engine partway through the firewall. Truck still fired up but it was pretty. Also pushed the doors back towards the rear.

[daylower]

Sand will end up everyplace inside and out.

 

 

serious PITA

[t3hquietkid]

A plus about dunes are not too many things to run into, you can really let loose.

[C. Charles Hahn]

Sand will end up everyplace inside and out.

 

 

serious PITA

 

 

Agreed. Not only could you sand blast the paint and the frame, but you'll be finding sand all over the truck for YEARS to come after just one trip out. I wouldn't take any vehicle you care about on sand unless you have no choice in the matter, personally.

[csheatz]

I am really thinking about heading over there this year, you can rent jeeps for a good price to ride the dunes with, but I was going to air down and take my truck. I cant take the dog in the jeep, but in the truck he will be perfectly happy riding with us. I dont like the idea but it could be fun. its still up in the air since I dont know if I want to do that in the truck.

[Rat4go]

Been there, done that in my '03 2500HD D/A. You've already seen all the recommendations to air down, and they're good ones. 15psi for me.

 

There's a little shop at the exit of the Silver Lake dunes with a compressor that is free, so airing back up is easy...you just have to wait in line. They'll sell you the flag you need, too. A pretty basic design that clamps to one of your front tow hooks. about $20 IIRC.

 

Just a couple other tips....lots of guys (especially with longer wheelbases) get high-centered at the tops of some of the hills as the wind makes some of them have a bit of a peak. Don't do that.

 

Some of us have been known to be sand-blind as well.....running up a hill that levels off then goes up again is sometimes hard to see. I had this problem and it cost me a fog light and some front facia damage (GMC, lower facia is body color) when I tried to use the nose of the truck as a shovel on the section of the hil that went up after the dip. Truck was 3 months old at the time. It sucked. Don't do that either.

 

Have fun!

[csheatz]

Been there, done that in my '03 2500HD D/A. You've already seen all the recommendations to air down, and they're good ones. 15psi for me.

 

There's a little shop at the exit of the Silver Lake dunes with a compressor that is free, so airing back up is easy...you just have to wait in line. They'll sell you the flag you need, too. A pretty basic design that clamps to one of your front tow hooks. about $20 IIRC.

 

Just a couple other tips....lots of guys (especially with longer wheelbases) get high-centered at the tops of some of the hills as the wind makes some of them have a bit of a peak. Don't do that.

 

Some of us have been known to be sand-blind as well.....running up a hill that levels off then goes up again is sometimes hard to see. I had this problem and it cost me a fog light and some front facia damage (GMC, lower facia is body color) when I tried to use the nose of the truck as a shovel on the section of the hil that went up after the dip. Truck was 3 months old at the time. It sucked. Don't do that either.

 

Have fun!

 

Does the flag have to go upfront? or can I get one that maybe uses the hitch? It would drive me crazy watching that thing flop around in front of me, and bounce off the grill and bumper.

[knipper_03]

Thanks for the replies....sounds like as long as I take it easy I'll be fine.

[ktosv]

On trucks the flag has to be ahead of the front axle. The most likely place is to attach it to a tow hook as previously mentioned. It also has to be a certain height, but as long as you buy a standard flag and it is attached at or above a tow hook you should be good to go. You will also need a state park sticker (day pass or annual) plus an ORV sticker. Those can be purchased at the entrance of the park.

 

The dunes can be alot of fun, but you also need to use your head out there. Too much speed and you can screw things up. My suggestion is to take it cool and explore the dunes and learn the area. Then go have fun.

 

I think the last time I was there I was airing my tires down to around 12psi.