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I took the LX on the beach last weekend, took it right next to shore- at first i didnt lower the pressure on tires i thought maybe i would be ok- everything auto and it did well. But when i came to the soft parts of the sand i felt it had some trouble so i stopped right away adjusted the pressure - i was at 19 Psi and then drove.
The kids had a blast and it was fun- i have driven in snow storms but it was my first time on sand and to be honest it was a fun experience.
All the cars around be were lifted Ford F150s or Rams pick up trucks with huge tires and it was cool to a LX between them.
On the way out i almost got stuck to the same place where i parked, i felt the VSC kicked in and just stopped the car. Then i put her in manual gears and kept it at a low gear 3rd and it did fine.
Now question to the more experienced guys, do i need to turn the VSC off? do i lock the differential?
or just go to L4, from H4? -
Hi, you should indeed look the differential once you enter sand. Switch to L4 when you feel you are about to get stuck.
Your car also has crawl mode where it can get her self out when its stuck. I would suggest reading the owner manual to benefit your self more about the systems in the car.
I'd have to disagree with you on this... I have had a lot of experience driving Land Rovers in all kinds of sand conditions. Of course you lower air pressure if possible. But driving in sand I would keep it in 4H most of the time and keep your foot on the throttle. Low gear will only limit your speed and you don't need the extra low end power in sand, you need speed. Locking the center differential will negatively affect your steering. I'd only lock it if the vehicle felt like it was getting stuck. Definitely turn off all the VSC and electronic aids.
Originally Posted by See5
Hi, you should indeed look the differential once you enter sand. Switch to L4 when you feel you are about to get stuck.
Your car also has crawl mode where it can get her self out when its stuck. I would suggest reading the owner manual to benefit your self more about the systems in the car.
For the past 13 years, I've spent two weeks each summer on the beach in my '03 4Runner. I always lower my tire pressure to 15 psi and lock the center diff. I usually use 4 lo, not because I need the torque multiplication. Using 4 lo keeps my speed down, which keeps me from bouncing around so hard that I bottom out the suspension. But 4 hi works fine as well.
this is the way the car should cover from factory .I mean we didn't buy a RX for a reason. thanks for sharing the pics. looks great
I'd definitely suggest 17" or 18" rims/tires for off-road, including sand. FAR more capable tires available than oem mall-cruiser 20's. I tend to lower pressure to around 20 psi and keep the speed up to avoid floundering and sinking. I'm not sure the crawl mode would help in sand as I haven't needed to use it.
I'd definitely suggest 17" or 18" rims/tires for off-road, including sand. FAR more capable tires available than oem mall-cruiser 20's.
Agreed. The point of lowering your tire pressure is that the tire flattens out, increasing the contact patch. It is like the difference between walking on the beach in saddles versus heels. The 17 and 18 inch tires have taller, softer sidewalks that let the tire flatten out more than the short, stiff sidewalks on 20 inch wheels.
Agreed. The point of lowering your tire pressure is that the tire flattens out, increasing the contact patch. It is like the difference between walking on the beach in saddles versus heels. The 17 and 18 inch tires have taller, softer sidewalks that let the tire flatten out more than the short, stiff sidewalks on 20 inch wheels.
I haven't walked on the beach in heels since I moved from the SF area 25 years ago.
I'd also note that another advantage of smaller diameter rims is that a taller sidewall gives you more flex off road, and a consequently far more comfortable ride. Not to mention far less chance of denting a rim if you try something stupid.
I replaced the oem-size tires on my '01 LC with LT285-70x16R Toyo A/T's right after getting the truck. Yeah, it doesn't cut corners on-road like the oem tires, but if I wanted a canyon-carver I'd not have bought an LX in the first place.
So, these days you only wear the heels on nights out in the city?
Nope.
These days I wear heels a lot...but they're all made by Tony Lama, Justin, or Olathe.
Riding a horse is far easier with heels than without. In my neck of the woods, heels like mine are perfectly acceptable pretty much anywhere you go. They also prevent horse by-products from getting between your socks and footwear.
I go to the dunes almost weekly in my LX. Things I would recommend:
1- Tires: 15 PSI. Less if you got stuck, but not for long.
2- Center diff should be locked.
3- 4HI (with 1st - 3rd gear) when driving and 4LO with crawl control when stuck. Alternatively, 4LO with 4th to 6th gear would work as well.
4- Turn the side airbag off.
5- Turn the Air suspension off.
6- Unless you are stuck, keep the traction control off.
05-12-14, 07:37 PM
Tips on Driving on sand dunes/Beaches
In my neck of the woods, heels like mine are perfectly acceptable pretty much anywhere you go. They also prevent horse by-products from getting between your socks and footwear. 