How to get vehicle out of desert sand

[TrainChaser]

I ran across this a while back and it stuck in my mind.  It's not ultra-quick, but it should get the job done when there's nothing to tie a strap to.  Runs 2.5 minutes. 
Link removed by moderator - youtube account closed

 

[DannyB1954]

If you have the clearance here is one of my favorites. You can buy commercial versions of this



Sometimes pressing on the brake pedal while giving it gas helps. The brake pressure on the spinning wheel forces the other tire to do some work.

 

[Grizzly708]

I know on GM vehicles if you put the transmission in D2 it reduces applied torque which helps to keep the wheels from spinning and keeps power to both rear wheels.

 

[Minivanmotoman]

Sometimes throwing water in front of the wheels will harden sufficiently to allow tires enough traction to get out

 

[Reducto]

Per someone's suggestion here years ago, I started carrying a good air compressor with me. When stuck, I deflate my tires down to around 8psi. I've always been able to drive right out and once on solid ground, re-inflate my tires. It works better than anything else I tried over the years and the compressor is handy to have anyway.

 

[highdesertranger]

"How to get vehicle out of desert sand"

shift it into four wheel drive. easy. LOL smart ass. highdesertranger

 

[bullfrog]

Unless you were already in 4 wheel drive. :huh:

 

[highdesertranger]

I wouldn't know about that, never been stuck in sand in 4wd. highdesertranger

 

[velojym]

At the dunes back home, I saw a farm kid get stuck in his old rustbucket. He used a ratchet strap and a short piece of board, which stuck out just a bit on either side of the tire... on both sides. He threw a lot of sand, but paddled his way back to firmer ground, where he had to immediately stop, as the boards didn't work so well on the firm.

These were mounted across the side of the tire, but I wondered whether it might be an idea to strap a smaller board across the treads instead, threading the strap through the wheel spokes. Now there are aftermarket versions of that available on Amazon.

I had plenty of time to watch, as I was sitting in my own sand hole with my old rustbucket, a kind Toyota owner whose 4wd was actually working (my front driveshaft was wrapped up and sitting behind the seat) was on his way over to pull me out.

 

[JamesAdam]

A suggestion for getting out of sand. If you have a winch... and nothing to tie off to. Dig a hole twenty feet in front of your vehicle that is big enough to bury your spare tire. Attach your winch cable to the spare tire and bury the tire in the sand. As seen on TV!

Or...

Bury the tire with a tow rope attached, then tie the tow rope to the wheel that spins. Use the vehicle tire like a winch!

I also like the one mentioned about tying a board to your tire, works in all kinds of slippery stuff!

 

[nature lover]

Since there was a new post here I went back a couple of post to get the gist of this thread. I saw HDR was one of the last posters. Yep it’s an old thread all right.

 

[MrNoodly]

Watch some videos by Matt's Off Road Recovery. He works out of Hurricane, UT, and a lot of people go out to Sand Hollow and promptly get stuck. Even with 4-wheel drive. He sometimes shows what the drivers tried — boards, floor mats, recovery tracks, etc. — without success.

The best thing is to just not drive on sand. There are plenty of places to go in the desert that aren't sand.

But if you come across a patch of sand on a dirt road, the trick is to maintain momentum without spinning the wheels. Speed up before hitting the sand, then let off on the gas.

You might come across some areas that look solid but they're just a crust over powdery sand.

 

[Ripper238]

Old tread but if you will be driving on sand ideally have a 4WD vehicle and be prepared. Bring a shovel, air compressor for airing down/up and more importantly a set of Maxtrax ramps. I invested in a set of Maxtrax since I travel alone and its the simplest thing to add that can be used for a multitude of situations. They basically remove the issue of no traction.

 

[DudeInAVan]

Gotreads are a good alternative to Maxtrax -- a good bit easier to store, and they can double as leveling blocks. About half the cost as well.

 

[MGfromBC]

I've been stuck in sand, snow or mud a few times. After the last time I bought a pair of heavy door mats for a house, made from recycles tire material, with grit material in them. I cut them to fit on my car floor for the 2 front seats. Since they have decorative cut-out in them, any melting snow goes through, instead of on my pants. Anyway, they are still on the floor. It's the second vehicle they've been in. Haven't been stuck since. If I do get stuck, I'm quite willing to sacrifice one or both to get out. Until then, I never have to remember to take them with me and they don't really take up any space.

 

[MrNoodly]

... heavy door mats... If I do get stuck...

If you do get stuck, I suspect you will be disappointed.

 

[crofter]

Even pavement can be challenging for some. Link to very short video on consequences of driving on pavement.
-crofter

 

[rruff]

air compressor for airing down/up

I spent 13 years camping in the desert in winter with RWD and no locker. I was rather adventurous about finding a good camp spot, and driving down washes was necessary. When momentum failed, I'd drop the air down to ~10 psi in all tires. It never failed.

Get a couple decent air pumps, and AIR DOWN.