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4WD TIPS: SAFE BEACH DRIVING
Most people take their 4x4s to the waterfront, where there's much fun to be had -- but there are hazards. Here are some helpful hints about driving on the sand.
No matter how many times people see photographs of drowned 4x4s we still have a regular supply of beachfront disasters. The beach is seen as a 'soft' 4x4 destination, but nothing could be further from the truth.
If you get stuck in a mud hole on a forest track there's unlikely to be any serious damage as a result, but get stuck on a windswept beach with the tide rising and it's quite a different story. More than one vehicle has been floated out to sea by the tide and hundreds have been drowned and buried. The servo picture galleries on Fraser Island are full of images of these disasters.
The light-hearted approach to beach driving isn't helped by TV ads that continue to illustrate in glorious colour how NOT to drive a 4x4 on a beach. The 4x4 dealer network must hate these ad campaigns, because some dealers are faced every Monday by owners of towed-in 4x4s expecting warranty repairs on waterlogged machines. In some car dealerships salt encrustation and beach sand lodged in a 4x4's underbody is enough to have warranty denied.
Believe us, if you drive your 4x4 like the TV ad drivers do you'll be denied warranty under the heading of 'driver abuse' and the salesman who extolled the virtues of your new 4x4 will have become as forgetful as Alan Bond when you revisit him.
Sand driving is a wonderful experience, but there are necessary steps to take to ensure that your vehicle and its occupants are safe at all times. Strange things happen to some 4x4 owners when they experience the freedom of beachfront driving.
One of the biggest assets to the beach driver is tyre pressure. Lower tyre pressure helps the vehicle 'float' on the soft sand, while higher pressures will give the vehicle a tendency to dig in to the sand. Pressures should be lowered to around 18-20psi for a start. Remember, two of your greatest assets in sand driving are your tyre-pressure gauge and pump.
Speed is dangerous on a beachfront, because the soft nature of the ground means that all vehicle responses are slowed and steering has a delayed reaction. Because you've dropped your tyre pressures their speed capability is reduced drastically and their 'soggy' sidewalls won't resist vehicle sway.
Also, if you're travelling quickly you can't see obstacles far enough ahead to take gentle avoiding action. Sudden manoeuvres have led to many a beach roll over. Splashing through water looks great on TV, but it's dangerous -- hit a deeper or softer patch and the steering wheel can be jerked out of your hands and you'll lose control.
Water spray is harmful to vehicles -- at best it will pool underneath and start corrosion and at worst it will blast its way into mechanical components and damage them. Water passes easily through an air-cleaner element and into the inlet manifold, and can completely destroy an engine in seconds.
Fitting a snorkel will help keep water out of the inlet manifold, but won't stop it getting into axle
and transmission housings. There's a lively myth that 4x4s are somehow more water resistant than normal cars, but they're not -- they're just higher off the ground.
Sand dunes are a real trap for the uninitiated. However, with common sense and a little knowledge, they can be a heap of fun. Here are a few tips:
• Never drive over a dune without knowing what's on the other side. There might be a vertical drop-off, another vehicle, or worse, some people there.
• If you look like getting stuck on an ascent, don't try to turn around. Reverse back down on your own tracks.
• Don't try to traverse the dunes -- drive straight up and down. The added load on the downhill wheels can dig them in and cause a rollover.
• Momentum will get you up the dune but don't use too much. Just enough to crest the dune and you won't inadvertently fly over the top.
Remember, the beach is there for all users. Act responsibly and they won't be closed off to the responsible majority of 4x4 drivers.