Feature: sand driving
RECENTLY BOUGHT A 4x4? HERE ARE BASIC TIPS BEFORE YOU HIT THE DUNES
DRIVING on the beach in South Africa was banned in 2001, but there are still many locations where 4x4 enthusiasts can enjoy their vehicles on one of the trickiest surfaces. One such location is Atlantis Dunes in the Western Cape. We were invited by Toyota to test our skills in a Fortuner 2,8 GD-6 4x4 manual in the annual Toyota Atlantis Fun Day, where more than a 100 teams pitted their skills on eight obstacles … with the blessing of the environmentalists, of course.
In part one ( Rocks and inclines; July 2016), we discussed the importance of understanding your vehicle’s capabilities and looked at the basic, moneywise additions you should make to it before venturing off-road. In part two, we focus on how to become a sand master.
THE ESSENTIALS TO REMEMBER
• If you’re a novice, never attempt sand driving solo. Rather accompany a group that can offer expert advice and help with recovery. • Lower tyre pressures to improve traction because the tyre footprint lengthens and widens slightly. David van der Merwe, Gttire representative and Continental product marketing manager, suggests 1,2 bars at the front to prevent the tyre departing from the rim during cornering, and 0,9 bar at the rear for traction. During the competition, all the contestants dropped the pressures to 0,8 bar before attempting some of the more extreme sand obstacles, but we never cornered too hard lest we popped a tyre off the rim. Fortunately, all four tyres remained intact. • Switch traction control off
to prevent the electronic control systems from cutting power when it detects wheel spin. • A diff lock is very useful for the ultimate traction in sand, but does hamper cornering. • Momentum is a key word during sand driving. Use enough speed to enable the vehicle to oat over the sand. Keep the engine speed relatively high (many competitors were bouncing off rev limiters) to ensure there is enough power on tap when the going gets tough. Too much speed when cresting a dune will send the vehicle ying. Always walk up a dune rst to inspect the blind side. Remember, though, that reading dunes comes only with experience. • Try to drive up and down steep dunes at right angles and keep the front wheels straight to prevent a rollover. • When the vehicle gets stuck and stops moving, cut the power immediately to prevent the wheels from digging in. • Always park on a downhill section to enable an easy pull away. Never ght the slope when stuck, but use gravity to build momentum to get out of a tricky situation. When you have to park on level sand, remember to reverse slightly before switching off the engine. This will compact the sand for an easier start. • Sand driving is much easier when the sand is wet or cold. Hot sand during midday can be too challenging for novices. A quick test is to clamp the sand in your st. If the sand binds, the going will be easy; when it runs out, be wary. In a worstcase scenario, rather overnight and attempt recovery rst thing the next morning.