If you own a 4×4, sand driving is one of the best experiences you could have during your off-road adventures. Whether you’re driving on a coastal paradise or a sunny desert, sand driving will always be a part of driving off-road. Basically, a 4WD, or 4×4 as others call it is more than capable of tackling the soft sand when you know how to do it right. 4WD has more power compared to 2WD types, making it stronger in almost all terrain types.

If you’re planning to do an off-road trip on the beach or through the desert soon, here are some tips and gears that could help you a lot when you’re driving through that soft sand. Be sure to have your sunny day items ready such as sunglasses and your 4WD canvas seat covers for maximum comfort under the sun.

Decrease Tyre Pressure

Aside from your vehicle’s power, the tyre pressure also plays a big role in your capacity to drive through soft sand dunes. There are plenty of variables that affect driving through the sand the tyre type, tyre size, weight of the vehicle, and a lot more. You should also keep in mind that sand can have different densities depending on its moisture content.

Wet or moist sand is easier to drive on compared to drier versions. If you get stuck while driving through sand, one of the easiest yet most effective ways to solve it is by releasing air from the tyres. Release some air pressure but never go down below 16 psi since it can cause damage to your tyres. When you finally got out, be sure to pump up your tyre up to the right amount of pressure.

Traction Aids

One of the handiest gears you could have when you go off-road is a couple of traction aids. They work like first aid when your wheels get stuck in the sand. Instead of accelerating more to pull your vehicle out of the sand, just use traction aids instead. Dig out some space in front of the tires, place them like a wedge in your tires, and accelerate a little to drive out of that soft sand. No need to pump out the air from the tyres and inflating them back again.

Shovel

Although it may look like a common tool, a shovel can greatly help you out especially when you’re stuck in the sand. When you’re driving in sand, it is a normal occurrence to get stuck at it at some point. Don’t force your vehicle to drive itself out of it since it will only get you stuck deeper and harder to get out. You can choose to reverse out of it if it’s not that deep yet. However, you can simply get your shovel to work and dig a ramp out of the spot where you get stuck. It is pretty effective since your vehicle has something to follow through to get out of the hole.

Getting stuck in the sand can happen to anyone who loves going off-road. Be sure to have those gears and keep those tips in mind to help you out in case you get stuck.