M35A2 performance in Sand

[saltbranch]

Can anyone tell me how these perform in the sand? My main intention for use if I get one is for surf fishing/camping on Padre Island National Seashore. The beach varies from packed sand to extremely loose and sometimes deep sand. There is 60 miles of remote beach that we fish/camp. I only live 40 miles from the sand and my wife and I spend a lot of weekends and multiple nights on the beach. I am guessing running the super singles will greatly improve performance over the duals. I have zero experience with the 6x6's but they look like they perform well.
I am wanting a vehicle to dedicate for this hobby and I want one pre computer. I want something that can be band aided or jerry rigged to run if something goes wrong. I don't want sensors and computers shutting me down when I am 50 miles down the beach and no cell or communications down there. I was looking at early 70's trucks and came across the 6x6's and it seems to me this fits the bill? I could have large carry capacity, basic functional vehicle with only a few major replacement parts to carry. If I have read correctly the M35A2 Cargo should weight in around 13k? I know back when I drove OTR in 18 wheelers, the old diesels were simple,effective and ran forever. I consider myself very mechanically inclined and I feel confident I could learn the ins/outs of the truck pretty quick
What do you guys think that owns these vehicles?

 

[gimpyrobb]

Its not too bad, till you hit loose sand. Airing down helps a lot.

 

[Floridianson]

There is one rule I like to go buy when off road. Know that if I get stuck that it is going to take a truck twice my size to get me out.

 

[NDT]

A deuce will work well for that area, but you will need to upgrade the tires to single 395's and air down like was said. The stock rubber has too much ground pressure in the front and will sink in. Try to find a truck with a winch.

 

[mkcoen]

Real nice winch truck near you. The Goat is for sale too and with a couple of plugs you could probably use it for boat fishing

 

[Westech]

I have been out to Sliver lake a few times with my old Deuce. Airing down is a MUST and only using low range. I did have 900 duals and they worked just fine at 15 PSI. loose soil/sand EATS up horse power and the multi fuel is lacking to state it best. On flat ground your ok but if you hit a hill your toast.

 

[Duce]

Take the duce when you get their unload the UTV for the beach. It will be easier to get unstuck.

 

[saltbranch]

From what I have read these trucks weigh in around 13k empty in a flatbed configuration, would that be accurate? My current setup weighs around 10,500 loaded.
Are all these Multi fuel trucks? From what I have read some are with turbo and some without?
This is what I currently run down there fishing and my only complaint is tire size. By the time I put a lift, larger tires, regear it I am up to 6k or so and then be to tall to pull my G/N trailer. I figure I could buy a 6x6 or used lifted older 4x4 for that cost and save my new truck. Trying to decide the better option, I do like the 6x6's cargo capacity as my truck is packed when we go. If I got a 6x6 I would put similar style rack etc on it.

 

[red]

I drove mine in Sandy areas, 395's at 30psi worked great for me.

 

[Duce]

That rack would be the ultimate for a long range shooting platform.. Nice for the 1100 yard range we built out in the mines.
Do you have anyone in your area that will have something big enough to pull your duce out if you do get one and get it stuck. If so I would roll with one. I'm sure you may be able to find a member here to help you out if you needed it. I would love to get a duce but its seems cheaper and easier to find a 5ton in nice shape.

 

[saltbranch]

The rack-We use it for shark fishing, it helps keep our rods high and the lines off of the sand bars and helps to keep seaweed off the lines. We kayak baits out 200-1000 yards and drop them. I did use it for varmint hunting at our property over the winter and that was a lot of fun. I need to do more trim work with the chainsaw so I can get down more roads. The rack is built on same principle as a slide in cab over camper,so it does not take long to load/unload.

On getting stuck..the short answer is no. There are 3 dueces in the area now. I only know one of them and he just got his 2 days ago. He is working on getting plates for it now. When we go very far down, we usually go in pairs and no one I go with has a truck bigger than a f-250 crew cab. This has been a problem I have been trying to justify in my head. If I get stuck in one of these MV''s it will be a production to get it out and expensive I am afraid. No matter how bad I want one for this, I just cant seem to see a way around that fact. There is a 4x4 group that loves to go pull people out and they just pulled a Duece out 2 nights ago. the guy had framed it on the beach from the pics I saw. It took lots of digging and they say a dodge 1/2 ton 4x4 is the one that got him out.

 

[Duce]

The simple solution is to buy two and be sure one has a winch or maybe a wrecker. His and hers sounds sweet. And the duce or a five ton will get you up in the air much higher.

I'm a southern Indiana flat lander. So the shark fishing and beach camping sounds nice. Around here its limited to deer, coyotes, and small game. Fishing in freshwater lakes,ponds,or rivers. Getting access without leasing or hunting the over pressures public land is next to impossible. If it was for the sweet deal in getting on 47acers of my family's farm I would be looking to move to a western state with much less population density and more public land.

 

[M813rc]

I'm very familiar with that beach, as I lived in Corpus in my teen years, and went down toward the Mansfield cut regularly. Still go fishing down there sometimes.
A deuce and aired down 395's, as previously suggested, driven with common sense will get you in/out.
Back in the day, I carried a compressed air bottle in my pickup to air my tires back up when I got off the beach. The deuce makes it's own air.

A buried sand anchor (I used a board and/or an old wheel) and winch will allow you to self-recover most of the time. Sometimes you have to winch yourself to it, dig it up, carry it out to the length of the cable, and repeat as necessary. Don't ask me how I know this...

Let us know how you get along, maybe I'll see you down there one day.

Cheers

 

[saltbranch]

The simple solution is to buy two and be sure one has a winch or maybe a wrecker. His and hers sounds sweet. And the duce or a five ton will get you up in the air much higher.

.

That is pure Genius Sir!

M813rc thank you for the input with your experience from being there. Common sense plays a huge roll down there for sure. I have been going down there for 20 plus years now and I have been stuck twice. I will blame the beer on those 2 . I am going to the Texas rally next week to check out it out and maybe learn more from some of the guys there and see the different equipment. I went to my buddies house last night that just got the 70' Kaiser, I got to admit I got that "**** ya feeling" driving it around the block. Air ride seats would probably be in the top 5 mods if I got one.

 

[gimpyrobb]

I've got some air ride seats for when your ready, just send a pm.

 

[M813rc]

I only got stuck a couple or three times, always while exceeding my own skills and/or knowledge on how to drive in sand. Had to learn somehow!

Back in the mid-70's, the beach was a lonely place south of Malaquite, and you could go down there and not see anyone else for the whole trip. We would check in at the Ranger station and let them know when we expected to be back. The Coast Guard used to fly a helo down the beach twice a day, and look for you to give a thumbs-up to indicate all was okay. The only time we had to bring them down to us was when we had found a guy who had tried to surf Bob Hall Pier ahead of a tropical storm. Couldn't raise anyone on the CB, so we covered him to keep the seagulls off, then hung out nearby until the helo came along. My buddy turned pretty green in the face on that one.

Cheers

 

[QUADJEEPER]

I'd say a good set of sand ladders would be good to have along as well.

 

[VPed]

As has been stated, 395s aired down helps a bunch. The common sense part is to let up on the throttle before the axles or frame come close to touching down to figure a different approach to proceeding. That way, it does not take a vehicle twice as heavy to tow you out. Something like this is always nice: (pictures previously posted by another member on here)

 

[infidel got me]

YES, I second the idea of sand ladders. If your driving a f-250, as pictured, I don't see any problem driving a deuce w/aired down tires. Worst case the sand ladders will get you home.

 

[searls84]

A deuce will do just fine in soft/deep sand. 395's are nice, but 9.00's work just fine. I personally run 395's and drag my 30' camper through some pretty deep sand without issue, my buddy runs 9.00's and drags his 40' toy hauler through the same. The key to it, as previously stated, is airing down. A deuce does worse in sand than a 4x4 truck if the air pressure isn't dropped. Don't be afraid, get a good digital gauge and drop that pressure way down. In sand with my 395's I run 7psi in the rear and 10psi up front; my buddy on 9.00's runs 5psi in back and 10psi up front. We never have sucked in a tube or lost a bead. As a disclaimer though, the most aggressive tires and lowest air pressure etc. in the world cannot compensate for driver error, knowing your vehicle and its limitations are paramount.