goldtr8

I have been to the sand dunes at Silver Lake several times now and I have learned the following.

1st time I aired down to 20 PSI and I got stuck even with lockers. So I went down to 15 PSI and I still got stuck sometimes.

Second time there I had place that rents jeeps put on the Evap Skid (same price if I did it or he did it) , he told me to air down to 8 PSI and will will be able to go anywhere I wanted.

Guess what I went to 10 PSI on the gauge then a couple of extra seconds of extra air out and I never got stuck and had a blase.

So number 1 is really low air pessure, however, the PSI he recommended was based on I have a Rubi with very stiff sidewalls.

Also Brake Lock Diffs are not good in the sand in my opinion. If you start spinning one and it tries to stop the spinning then the Jeep starts to shake as the dirveline vibrates real bad from the alternate locking forces. So if the BLD starts get you foot out of the gas and hit the clutch in a stick and back up and start over ya want to have fun not broken stuff.

Also did I mention run really low air pressure.

Cheers

JerseyJK07

ESPMike,

one thing i would do is check and make sure you do not alraedy have a trans cooler. i did not think i had one untill i actually got down and traced the lines. I have an 07 X auto and did not have a tow package. I run Island Beach State Park all summer and winder suf fishing. I usually air down to 15 lbs and turn off my O.D.. Never had a problem yet! even when my tire tread was about 1/8 in deep i still powered thru it with ease. Ever want to run to IBSP some time let me know. ussually a few guys with jeep old and new and we hang out, plus its open 24/7/365 to drine on the beach

ESPMike

Thanks for the invite Jersey! I dont have the IBSP permit, just too expensive when I can pay 50 and have the entire souther half of the island open to me, including Holgate.

I know I do already have the stock cooler, I think all the autos did, but it obviously is not doing the job. For the $50 it costs the extra cooler might just be worth the peice of mind.

KJ6MZE

Even stock the jeeps tend not to have too much trouble with sand. The lockers are great in sand. But airing down does give you more surface area and prevents sinking.

07armygreen

I live on the beach near Dayona Beach FL and have driven her on a few different types . I have 33's with about 2.5" lift.I have never had any problems with sand on a public beach. As for 4HI vs. 4LO...I (and most stock Jeeps here) never even put it in 4-wheel. If you get stuck, throw her in 4HI and boom, your out. IMO you are more likely to mess up your clutch or tranny putting it into 4LO just for some sand than anything. 4LO should really only be used in VERY steep or extreme (deep mud) situations. IMO driving around a nice flat beach with any speed in 4LO is insane and hard on your Jeep.

jeep08ham

I added a temperature gauge for the A/T so I would have some warning before it overheated. I run 4LO a lot and never see my tranny temps go above 220 degrees. I have had it go a lot higher in the mountain trails in Colorado when in 4 LO for a long period of time. The Extra Cooler is a good item to add.

cufojeep

X2 on turning off the OD. I'm not sure if that would impact the issues the OP was facing, but it's a good rule of thumb.

Ben

you probably don't have a stick with 3.21 gears do you? Those of us who do have to use 4 lo if we are ever offroad in almost any situation because there is not enough gear in 4 hi to even spin the stock sra's in loose sand or mud, it will just bog down and die, and burn your clutch up also. And what extra strain would it cause? it is just the addition of another gear, nothign magical. In 4 hi or my idle speed is about 7 mph on flat ground. That sucks.

jcmrubicon

Air um down! Got it!

07armygreen

Ben, you are the man...I learned alot from your breather thread (thanks) and hope to try it soon. However, on this thread...I DO have a stick, and I still DONT KNOW about my gear, the previous owner did several mods and he may have, I dont know. But, ....."Those of us who do have to use 4 lo if we are ever offroad in almost any situation..." seriously? you HAVE TO USE 4lo in ANY SITUATION. I see Mustangs driving around on public beaches from New Jersey Massachusetts to Florida, sure they get stuck parking in the deep soft stuff all the time. But, in this case this guy is talking about surf fishing on a public beach and he didnt list any mods. I have heard a lot about automatics overheating in general maybe that is the case here. But I have seen everything from stock to extreme tooling around the beach in 2wd alongside Ford Focuses. Unless this guy is fishing on the most hard-core public beach in the world, I would think he would be ok without 4lo. But I am a weird person who likes to use my 4wd once I am already somewhat stuck in 2wd. In this case, I could be totally wrong, I would love to do so wheeling with you though brother I am always trying to learn.