M35 capabilities in sand dunes?

[10mm fan]

I go to Dumont Dunes or Glamis once a year to ride dirt bikes. While there I usually air down my F150 and cruise around the sand dunes with little to no problems.

I am NOT buying a deuce to cruise sand dunes, but just like I do in my F150 it would be fun to do it on the annual trip.

I am sure tires play a BIG role. Anyone here have experience in sand dunes? Maybe its a bad idea and just stay out of the sand?

 

[GoHot229]

All I picture is the Jeep in Rat Patrol cresting the dune and landing, sorry to say, I dont think the Deuce will do that. lol. Serriously, I think the front axle will want to push instead of turn and likely want to sink in the sand if its loose. What you could however is run duals on the front axle as well, and I imagine you would do fine Kaiser M 109 had these pics. in another thread 'duals on front' in search

 

[Chevytruck]

Some people use bigger tires and that allows them better flotation


might want to read this.
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/36612-dragging-junk-cars-sand-deuce-5-ton.html

 

[Blood_of_Tyrants]

Lower the tire pressure down to about 15-20 pounds so the tire will spread out and give you more surface area.

 

[DeuceNewb]

I've taken my 109 to some sand dunes. If you're just crusing sand it's fine, but a non turbo doesn't have the power to make it up some steep dunes.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teRytJ9VHDE&feature=channel_page[/media]
and look at my other videos there are about 4-5 more

 

[bassetdeuce]

Lower the tire pressure down to about 15-20 pounds so the tire will spread out and give you more surface area.

Sure that is safe w/ stock split ring rims?

 

[GoHot229]

Sure that is safe w/ stock split ring rims?

Good point, but in sand I think ok, in hardpack Id wonder about banging the wheel and loosing the ring, but then again the whole idea was for Sand.

 

[DeuceNewb]

I just wanted to ad that when in sand with the front axle engaged it feels like you have power steering and the steering effort is much much less. If you are in ruts however, you have to turn the wheel all the way for it to grab and move over. I do lots of sand driving on the beach here in nc and I run 35psi with no problems ever, even on soft super windy days where my tracks 10 feet behind me were already erased by the wind.
and the dune in my video is a lot taller and steeper than it looks

 

[bassetdeuce]

When I moved down here to Florida, I found that sand can vary from soft and sugary, to hard and bumpy after a recent rain and some off road vehicle traffic. That was what I had in mind.

 

[chicklin]

Sure that is safe w/ stock split ring rims?

I think military recommends this in one of the TM's. In fact, I think they recommend 10-15 pounds. Lots of guys on here have done it, I think it's a pretty well established procedure.

 

[tiger422]

Not alot of fun in sugsr sand, big tires would help alot add weight to rear of truck also helps rear tires will not bag at 10-15 psi with out weight in rear. The rear of truck without weight spins on top will not push front without front locked in.

 

[1stDeuce]

Just like in your F150, you'll have to air down. And that's a LOT of tires to air down... (and up!!) Read the dash info, it tells you what to air down to for sand/mud/snow. I believe the sand pressure is 15psi. (I run the rears lower because there's more of them...) That's low enough you won't want to carve any tight turns at high speed, but high enough you shouldn't have any issues with rings or bead.

As for climbing dunes, you'll find that if you just pick a gear at the bottom that has enough power to climb and stand on it, you'll either make it or you won't. Getting a big run at it and trying to mash down through the gears on the way up just doesn't work any better, IME.

At 15-20 psi front and 8-10psi rear, my deuce doesn't even have any issues with bucking or whatever you want to call it... But it won't win any races like that. (Not even foot races!)

Have fun!!!
C

 

[tm america]

just read your dash plate it tells you what pressure to run in different situations but bigger contact patch helps out greatly

 

[yellobronc]

Check this video out: Pismo Dunes
4x4 Videos, Off Road Videos & 4x4 Video Clips at Off-Road Magazine

He ran 17 PSI front 45 PSI rears....I have taken mine out on the dunes running low pressure, its fun but I still have this fear of sticking a 13K vehicle in the sand.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/milita...26628-california-central-coast-beach-run.html

 

[bassetdeuce]

Check this video out: Pismo Dunes
4x4 Videos, Off Road Videos & 4x4 Video Clips at Off-Road Magazine

He ran 17 PSI front 45 PSI rears....I have taken mine out on the dunes running low pressure, its fun but I still have this fear of sticking a 13K vehicle in the sand.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/milita...26628-california-central-coast-beach-run.html

You MUST have a PLAN B when venturing out into the sand.

 

[100dollarman]

49"s with 10psi-

 

[Josh]

my plan B when im out in the dunes is 2 10ft long steel ramps i use for putting vehicals in the pack, dig out the rear end, and slide thoose under that back tires, and hope it bites, have a couple 2ft ones i made for the front tires also. but going out there with a few friends with F350's and what not does help tho.


as for playing in the sand, i droped the front to 15lbs, and the outside rears i droped to 15lbs, but i didnt have an airchuck to hit the inside tires, i left those at 50lbs, and i only had trouble on some long steep hills.

 

[yellobronc]

OK Hundy...Im guessing that was not recent. Im going to head out there this weekend if all goes well!!!

 

[100dollarman]

OK Hundy...Im guessing that was not recent. Im going to head out there this weekend if all goes well!!!

Yes- those bobbed- sand pics are from last year. Are you coming out this way???

 

[rmgill]

I suppose you could strip a deuce down, put in a bigger engine, add a roll bar system and get something like this: