Date:         Tue, 20 Mar 2007 16:16:16 -0700
Reply-To:     John Runberg <jrunberg@MAC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Runberg <jrunberg@MAC.COM>
Subject:      Re: Baja Syncro Chronicles vol 113
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Not Baja, but on the Outer Banks of NC there are several places where you can get onto the beachs and the sand is always very soft. In some places, if you stand, you'll sink a little.

Every single truck out there has let most of the air out of the tires. Speeds are low anyway (people, turtles, rules) so it doesn't matter. The trucks that don't reduce pressure get stuck - the ones that do have a battery powered compressor to fill 'em back up. Common sight to see a line of trucks at the access towards the end of the day, filling tires and talking about what they caught.

Vanagon content: I wouldn't put more sand / salt on my Westy if you paid me. Park and hike over the dunes instead. Syncro content: 4wd is nice here, but 2wd trucks routinely make it with no problems. Reduce pressure, go slow, you're fine.

john

>   Air cooled vans do go pretty well on sand with big tires.  An on-board
> aircompressor for re-inflating tires is a good tool.  Sometimes de-airing
> down to 10psi is what it takes to negotiate soft sand, if you must.