Off Road Performance (Sand)

[quintology]

Hi Everyone,

I have recently purchased a 98 6.5lt turbo diesel suburban.

I bought it for the size as I have a large family without much consideration for its 4wd capability.

Can anyone tell me how the suburban performs driving in sand? Does the weight and long wheelbase prevent it from performing well or does the powerful motor more than compensate?

Any Suburban 4wd sites would be appreciative to look at.

I have yet to drive it on the beach and would like some advice before I embarrass myself with bogging the car unnecessarily...

Thanks all...

Peter

[dirty dan]

Have you driven on sand before????
You can be going along fine and then hit a soft spot and really ruin your day. Horsepower is not a real issue in sand. Wide foot print (tire) matters (best to run with low tire pressure). NOT spinning the tires matters. If you have to stop on the sand, make sure your tires are aimed straight before you take off. If you dig a hole with your tires and bottom out, you will spend the day at the beach. If you dig a hole with one axle, you'll dig a hole with the second trying to pull the first one out. Additionally, sand gets into everything and everywhere it shouldn't be like brakes, wheel bearings, transmission seals, engine air intake,etc...If you drive much on sand you will bog down. It's more of a matter of when, not if.
Bad thing about the beach... there's really not much to hook your winch to!

[T-Bear101]

My '94 sunk like a rock in the fluffy stuff between hard surface and more firm, damp sand. Had to be winched out. I had never had any trouble for many years with multiple Jeep Grand Wagoneers. It was suggested that I reduce tire pressure to 20 pounds but I have not tried again.

Hope you have better luck.

[TXAGG05]

Pretty much everything said here is accurate. I grew up spending a lot of time on the beaches on or near Galveston, Texas. I'll always admit that good tires and 4wd do their part, the best way to stay unstuck is to drive on the firmest stuff you can, even then you're not always safe.
Last xmas I was fishing on the backside of the Island behind Glaveston(Pelican Island) I got stuck in what appeared to be packed sand. The beach is only about 15 feet wide with water on one side and dunes on the other. I was driving at about 15 mph on what had been packed sand, when all of a sudden I slid to a stop in Auto4wd and was stuck before I had a chance to even realize that I had stopped moving. Turned out I had found a soft spot in the firm sand and broke through the crust. I had to wait for about an hour for someone to come and get me(was at a remote spot) In the meantime the tide started to come in and started to reach my sunk truck. So the moral of the story is, stay away from the soft sand and the water too!
Jeb
(hours of cleaning finally removed the salt from my truck)
Don't forget to wash your undercarriage when you get home from the beach!

[dirty dan]

My family used to have a camp at Crystal Beach. Had some great times over there as a kid!!! I remember my dad sticking a '65 GMC 1/2 ton there too!

[jfmctlaw]

All you have to do is reduce tire pressure to about 12-15 psi. Once you do that driving on sand is very easy. I've done it many times.

[uwe]

I agree most with dirtydan's post. Having driven in teh sand quie a bit, the key is not 4WD, but low tire pressure and flotation tires. I've gone as low as 12lb with Goodrich A/T's. Go slow, and make sure to not try tight turns or quick movements. I've towed 5000lb trailers through the sand without getting stuck.