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beach use
- Thread starter 46wdx
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I have run in deep soft sand several times with 1500 lbs in the box and a trailer with 3 quads behind me as well (2800lbs). Only got stuck once, and that was before I switched to a 305/70/16 tire. The wider tire makes quite a difference in the loose stuff, especially when trying to get started with a bit of a load. Also if you have stock tires in loose sand, be careful where you decide to stop, as getting started without burying it was the hardest part. Momentum is your friend. I never aired down my tires b/c I don't have a compressor to air em up for the highway ride home.
BK
TDR MEMBER
I run stock everything... even tires. (except for maghytech pans, at the moment)
When I go out for the weekend or week on the beach I'm loaded to the hilt.
Trailer is about 6800lbs full (TT-26ft body),
have 60 gallons of fresh water in the truck, lots of firewood.
My wife packs like we're eating and dressing for a month.
Enough beer for everyone that stops by...
When towing out onto the beach I drop my tire pressure down to about 12lbs (all around), if it's a really dry summer and we have drought conditions I go down to 9lbs in each truck tire.
The trailer gets aired down to 20lbs. . worse case 15lbs.
when I'm not towing, I air down to 20lbs in the front and 15lbs in the back. If it's real soft from a drought, when not towing I"ll got down to 15lbs in the front and 9lbs in the rear.
At worse, I drag the bottom of my pumkins with stock tires/aired down.
I use 4low and take it easy. Speedlimit on the county owned areas is 5mph. So there's no speed to carry me through the real bad areas... (the rangers hide in the areas between the dunes and between daytripers, it's strange to see someone get pulled over in the middle of the beach. . )
Once I have the funds and the stock tires are worn out, 305's are going on. The more floatation the better. Not only are they wider, but when you air down they make a longer footprint. No matter what tire you have, airing down is essential to not tearing apart your transmission in the real soft stuff and treading lightly. Even with the stock tires, I can air down enough for the truck to coast to a stop (in neutral) even during the most driest times.
#ad
In case you pop a bead, make sure you have a compressor that can reseat a bead. Carry jack boards and a shovel. Fresh water and antifreeze incase you overheat, I never had. . but I always carry in case... this way it never happens.
If you do get stuck, rocking it can help or can get you stock more as the tires try and gain traction. .
So stopped, look, dig and air down more. 7lbs is the lowest you want to go, thats about how much air you generally need to keep the bead set. Get all 4 tires on an even plain, get your forward path clear.
With very low air pressure in the tires (below 15lbs) becarefull how you cross tracks and objects so you don't pop a bead.
Watch out for things in the sand. They can be a lot larger than they appear. A new bee to beach driving drove over what looked like a small 2x4 with his new Excursion, the LONG 2x4 popped up and knocked his fuel line loose and the brand new ford burnt to the rims.
46wdx, your profile on the message didn't say where you are from. But the org I'm with gives beach driving classes a couple of times a year. We have one happening this Sunday.
If your on LI, let me know. . email me. I can get you registered, it's free.
Bob
When I go out for the weekend or week on the beach I'm loaded to the hilt.
Trailer is about 6800lbs full (TT-26ft body),
have 60 gallons of fresh water in the truck, lots of firewood.
My wife packs like we're eating and dressing for a month.
Enough beer for everyone that stops by...
When towing out onto the beach I drop my tire pressure down to about 12lbs (all around), if it's a really dry summer and we have drought conditions I go down to 9lbs in each truck tire.
The trailer gets aired down to 20lbs. . worse case 15lbs.
when I'm not towing, I air down to 20lbs in the front and 15lbs in the back. If it's real soft from a drought, when not towing I"ll got down to 15lbs in the front and 9lbs in the rear.
At worse, I drag the bottom of my pumkins with stock tires/aired down.
I use 4low and take it easy. Speedlimit on the county owned areas is 5mph. So there's no speed to carry me through the real bad areas... (the rangers hide in the areas between the dunes and between daytripers, it's strange to see someone get pulled over in the middle of the beach. . )
Once I have the funds and the stock tires are worn out, 305's are going on. The more floatation the better. Not only are they wider, but when you air down they make a longer footprint. No matter what tire you have, airing down is essential to not tearing apart your transmission in the real soft stuff and treading lightly. Even with the stock tires, I can air down enough for the truck to coast to a stop (in neutral) even during the most driest times.
#adIn case you pop a bead, make sure you have a compressor that can reseat a bead. Carry jack boards and a shovel. Fresh water and antifreeze incase you overheat, I never had. . but I always carry in case... this way it never happens.
If you do get stuck, rocking it can help or can get you stock more as the tires try and gain traction. .
So stopped, look, dig and air down more. 7lbs is the lowest you want to go, thats about how much air you generally need to keep the bead set. Get all 4 tires on an even plain, get your forward path clear.
With very low air pressure in the tires (below 15lbs) becarefull how you cross tracks and objects so you don't pop a bead.
Watch out for things in the sand. They can be a lot larger than they appear. A new bee to beach driving drove over what looked like a small 2x4 with his new Excursion, the LONG 2x4 popped up and knocked his fuel line loose and the brand new ford burnt to the rims.
46wdx, your profile on the message didn't say where you are from. But the org I'm with gives beach driving classes a couple of times a year. We have one happening this Sunday.
If your on LI, let me know. . email me. I can get you registered, it's free.
Bob
Last edited:
Beach
I have run my one ton dually on the beach with fifty pounds all around and do not air down- in the owners manual it says not to air down for sand with the vehicle- it may be because the thing weighs so much the tires may be compromised or the handling- frankly with the OD off and the vehicle dropped dpwn in second I have been through Outer Banks NC deep sand- I keep the speed up- I was told the duallys are no good on the beach- I did note a lot of axle hop but this thing just powered through- I think if I went down to twelve pounds with these Michelins I would have trouble.
I have run my one ton dually on the beach with fifty pounds all around and do not air down- in the owners manual it says not to air down for sand with the vehicle- it may be because the thing weighs so much the tires may be compromised or the handling- frankly with the OD off and the vehicle dropped dpwn in second I have been through Outer Banks NC deep sand- I keep the speed up- I was told the duallys are no good on the beach- I did note a lot of axle hop but this thing just powered through- I think if I went down to twelve pounds with these Michelins I would have trouble.
Old trucker trick.
Bring a can of starting fluid. If you pop a bead, get your air compressor running, and build all the air you could. Spray the bead with either..... liberally. Hook up the air line (hopefully you have the locking type chuck... ) and light the either. Oh yea, dont forget to stand back. This is much more entertaining after several beers.
This is for the stubborn beads. If you have 305's it probibally aint necessary.
Eric
BK
TDR MEMBER
Re: Beach
I'm running the stock Michelins..... they are fine aired down (been down to 9lbs on mine while towing as described above), very strong bead.
you wouldnt have the wheel hop if you aired down more.
... if your powering through to make it and your getting wheel hop. . you can air down more... drive through slow and save both the beach and your truck. The wheel hop is hard on the drive line, UJ's and rear gears.
With the duallies, in the rear, you have more footprint than my single rears and your fronts.
The real danger of airing down a dually is that the sidewalls can touch, if they do, at higher speeds (don't really know a mph, but also depends on loads. . ) hot spots build which can cause sidewall failure.
After y2k or maybe '99 (don't remember what year for sure) , Dodge increased the spacing between the rear dually wheels to allow for more space between the tires.
I know from my friends dually, he sees a large difference between his street pressure (I think 60lbs) and the 35 he airs the rears down to. He airs the front down to about 25lbs.
3-5lbs of air can make a large difference in how the truck floats in the sand. I've taken folks that bury their SUVs and (cause they didnt air down) cant get out. . I've lowered them to 10lbs. . and drive their stuck SUV out. . while their in utter amazment.
The dodge with the cummins can power it's way through a whole lot... but with the right airpressure and 4x4 low, it can idle through the same thing.
I've seen the ether / bead trick... and I'll try it if I need to. . but I didnt want to mention it and be responsible for the burnt hairs...
It does work great.
I'm running the stock Michelins..... they are fine aired down (been down to 9lbs on mine while towing as described above), very strong bead.
you wouldnt have the wheel hop if you aired down more.
... if your powering through to make it and your getting wheel hop. . you can air down more... drive through slow and save both the beach and your truck. The wheel hop is hard on the drive line, UJ's and rear gears.
With the duallies, in the rear, you have more footprint than my single rears and your fronts.
The real danger of airing down a dually is that the sidewalls can touch, if they do, at higher speeds (don't really know a mph, but also depends on loads. . ) hot spots build which can cause sidewall failure.
After y2k or maybe '99 (don't remember what year for sure) , Dodge increased the spacing between the rear dually wheels to allow for more space between the tires.
I know from my friends dually, he sees a large difference between his street pressure (I think 60lbs) and the 35 he airs the rears down to. He airs the front down to about 25lbs.
3-5lbs of air can make a large difference in how the truck floats in the sand. I've taken folks that bury their SUVs and (cause they didnt air down) cant get out. . I've lowered them to 10lbs. . and drive their stuck SUV out. . while their in utter amazment.
The dodge with the cummins can power it's way through a whole lot... but with the right airpressure and 4x4 low, it can idle through the same thing.
I've seen the ether / bead trick... and I'll try it if I need to. . but I didnt want to mention it and be responsible for the burnt hairs...
It does work great.
Last edited:
Beach
Thanks- I think a modest air down is OK but I dread putting the air back in until I get an air compressor- the Outer Banks has a bunch of pay air at the gas stations but they don't work all the time and you need to put in $5. 00 worth of quarters to get twenty pounds of air back in the tires- how do you air down the rears? Does the inside tire have access? Mine is a 2002 with 4. 10s- see sig. BTW I grew up on LOng Island and have fond memories of fishing every beach from Jones, to Moses, Smith Point and Montauk. I would walk from the Moses parking lot at the Coast Guard station to Democrat Point and back with waders years ago. I must say NC sand is deeper and more treacherous and Hatteras is a must for all who fish the beach. No trailers on these National seashores but there are campgrounds to keep them at. Thanks.
Thanks- I think a modest air down is OK but I dread putting the air back in until I get an air compressor- the Outer Banks has a bunch of pay air at the gas stations but they don't work all the time and you need to put in $5. 00 worth of quarters to get twenty pounds of air back in the tires- how do you air down the rears? Does the inside tire have access? Mine is a 2002 with 4. 10s- see sig. BTW I grew up on LOng Island and have fond memories of fishing every beach from Jones, to Moses, Smith Point and Montauk. I would walk from the Moses parking lot at the Coast Guard station to Democrat Point and back with waders years ago. I must say NC sand is deeper and more treacherous and Hatteras is a must for all who fish the beach. No trailers on these National seashores but there are campgrounds to keep them at. Thanks.
BK
TDR MEMBER
I've done the insides ones on my buddy's dually, a bit tough and a tight squeeze but doable. I understand the issue of airing up ALL those tires!. geez
The org I'm with is responsible for donating commercial size air compressors to the outer beachs with 4x4 access (state and county) that we can get electric at. . So there's free air stations to air up at... so people will air down to help treadlightly. We also service the compressor to. Because of the lines freezing, we do shut them off during the winter.
My buddy tried two different valve extension kits on his rear dually . . but without drilling and mounting to the center cap. . they were a liability. They sell right angle vavle stems. . that's the answer for the inside wheel. Camping world carries them.
Been driving on the LI state and county beaches since 1980.
For the most part I agree with you that Montauk and the Robert Moses (Demo) beaches aren't that bad, aired down well enough you don't even need 4x4 - if your not towing. But large sections of Smiths and stretches of Burma Road on Smith's can swallow trucks. I've driven Montauk without the need to air down - on the bay side... a bit of wheel hop and need to back off... during the summer there is so many rocks (LI north shore style) and the tracks are pounded, it's not bad at all. Just the cut from the road in to the beach is bad... like a bowl of sugar. 15 years back that entrance used to be an up hill road over a dune. . now it's flat through the dune.
If you've been to Montauk county park, it leads into the state park, back "when" - you used to be able to camp on around the bend that faced the state park and looked at the light house. . that's nearly all gone. . no flat open areas anymore. To get to the state fishing area it's all fluid sand from what used to be a grassy plain.
It's the same up here, unless you have a slide in. . there's no trailers allowed on the state or fedral park beaches. Just county allows camping.
Here's some more Smith's pix to help some more memories... 1st year I got my ram. . still had the popup... out fishing / camping with some other friends.
http://www.tdr4x4.com/dt/
This was one of the nice open areas for camping (near the end of smiths, about 5 miles out, past Great Gun) before they started restricting where the campers could go... . cause some numb nuts that couldn't drive and didn't air down sunk their trucks on an off camber track where the beach was real soft and very narrow and up against the dunes... got at weird angles and flipped their trailers.
Hence why we give driving classes. . the more the uneducated drivers hurt themselves & or their property & destroy the beach. . the more access we loose by the state/county trying to protect people from themselfs.
The org I'm with is responsible for donating commercial size air compressors to the outer beachs with 4x4 access (state and county) that we can get electric at. . So there's free air stations to air up at... so people will air down to help treadlightly. We also service the compressor to. Because of the lines freezing, we do shut them off during the winter.
My buddy tried two different valve extension kits on his rear dually . . but without drilling and mounting to the center cap. . they were a liability. They sell right angle vavle stems. . that's the answer for the inside wheel. Camping world carries them.
Been driving on the LI state and county beaches since 1980.
For the most part I agree with you that Montauk and the Robert Moses (Demo) beaches aren't that bad, aired down well enough you don't even need 4x4 - if your not towing. But large sections of Smiths and stretches of Burma Road on Smith's can swallow trucks. I've driven Montauk without the need to air down - on the bay side... a bit of wheel hop and need to back off... during the summer there is so many rocks (LI north shore style) and the tracks are pounded, it's not bad at all. Just the cut from the road in to the beach is bad... like a bowl of sugar. 15 years back that entrance used to be an up hill road over a dune. . now it's flat through the dune.
If you've been to Montauk county park, it leads into the state park, back "when" - you used to be able to camp on around the bend that faced the state park and looked at the light house. . that's nearly all gone. . no flat open areas anymore. To get to the state fishing area it's all fluid sand from what used to be a grassy plain.
It's the same up here, unless you have a slide in. . there's no trailers allowed on the state or fedral park beaches. Just county allows camping.
Here's some more Smith's pix to help some more memories... 1st year I got my ram. . still had the popup... out fishing / camping with some other friends.
http://www.tdr4x4.com/dt/
This was one of the nice open areas for camping (near the end of smiths, about 5 miles out, past Great Gun) before they started restricting where the campers could go... . cause some numb nuts that couldn't drive and didn't air down sunk their trucks on an off camber track where the beach was real soft and very narrow and up against the dunes... got at weird angles and flipped their trailers.
Hence why we give driving classes. . the more the uneducated drivers hurt themselves & or their property & destroy the beach. . the more access we loose by the state/county trying to protect people from themselfs.
To All,
Thanks for the great replies. Heading out to the beaches of Rhode Island this weekend. Have been numerous times before but never with a thin tired Ram. Looking forward to seeing how the ram does but not looking forward to airing up with a tiny little compressor after. Could take quite awhile. Thanks again
Thanks for the great replies. Heading out to the beaches of Rhode Island this weekend. Have been numerous times before but never with a thin tired Ram. Looking forward to seeing how the ram does but not looking forward to airing up with a tiny little compressor after. Could take quite awhile. Thanks again
If you plan to spend alot of time in the sand and you could spring for a spare set of steel wheels than you could drill the rim about ever six inches and run self tapping screws into the bead. With that setup you can air downto 4 punds safely. Be sure to get yourself a good low pressure gauge. Any place that sells ATV's should have them. As long as I'm rambling when I spent alot of time in the sand I used to carry a tank of nitrogen that is pressurized to 2800 p. s. i You can fill alot of tires with one bottle and it only takes about a minute per tire. If you look at my signature you'll see I'm from Nevada. We have lots of beach here just no ocean
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Issue 128 – Digital Version
Digital Magazines
FREE!
TDR Test Drive - Digital Edition
Renew
Subscribe
Gift Subscriptions
Back Issues
Subscription Status
Address Change Form
Buyer's Guides
Ram Diagnostic Trouble Codes
The Perfect Collection
The Perfect Collection Vol. II
TSB Updates
Dodge/Cummins Historical Overview
Cameron Collection
What Makes Us Tick?
Product Showcase
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