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Alex e

Member Since: 23 Apr 2007
Location: Home isn't it
Posts: 204

2006 Defender 110 Td5 DCPU Zambezi Silver

when we had a vehicle stuck in sand and digging itself in, we reduced the tyre pressures and it drove itself out. Lower pressures = bigger footprint = increased spread of load = less likely to get stuck. that's just my view though.

1st Dec 2010 1:38pm

bm52

Member Since: 04 Apr 2010
Location: Kent
Posts: 2189

2014 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Havana

never really done any serious driving on sand so can't comment on the above but one question.

how does sand affect the swivells and the seals, is it bad for them, all that grit etc same with UJs i'd image?

cheers BM52

1st Dec 2010 1:53pm

BigMike

Member Since: 13 Jul 2010
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 2253

bm52 wrote:
never really done any serious driving on sand so can't comment on the above but one question.

how does sand affect the swivells and the seals, is it bad for them, all that grit etc same with UJs i'd image?

cheers

it does affect them if you do enough driving in sand. the biggest issue is the bushes on the radius arms. sand gets inside and can really

them up. if you know youre going to do a lot of desert driving, you can make discs out of compressed rubber to go either side of the bush itself. disc diameter should be slightly bigger than the bush itself. keeps the sand out.

1st Dec 2010 2:18pm

bm52

Member Since: 04 Apr 2010
Location: Kent
Posts: 2189

BigMike wrote:
bm52 wrote:
never really done any serious driving on sand so can't comment on the above but one question.

how does sand affect the swivells and the seals, is it bad for them, all that grit etc same with UJs i'd image?

cheers

it does affect them if you do enough driving in sand. the biggest issue is the bushes on the radius arms. sand gets inside and can really them up. if you know youre going to do a lot of desert driving, you can make discs out of compressed rubber to go either side of the bush itself. disc diameter should be slightly bigger than the bush itself. keeps the sand out.

never thought about the radius arm bushes. the solution sounds so simple but, presumably, effective. wonder why LR never modified the bushes to minimise the impact of this issue. BM52

1st Dec 2010 2:29pm

AndrewS

Member Since: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Hereford
Posts: 3707

2013 Defender 130 Puma 2.2 SW Rimini Red

Re: but removing the ABS fuse, and she sailed up no problem,

Andrea wrote:
How does 1 remove the ABS fuse, is it under the seat or in the engine?

Under the seat in a Puma well it was in mine. 130's have feeling's as well you know

1st Dec 2010 5:30pm

jst

Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 8008

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey

under the steering column in my Puma for a fuse although the actual unit is under the drivers seat and can be disabled there.

If lowering pressures for a bigger footprint for greater traction is a myth then who ever designed beadlocks has a hell of a myth going there and i have fallen for it.

So much so in fact that running beadlocks and 8psi was like having the axle locker engaged for the additional traction it gave. Cheers

James
110 2012 XS Utility
130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper
90 2010 Hardtop
90 M57 1988 Hardtop

1st Dec 2010 8:20pm

AlanH

Member Since: 15 Mar 2010
Location: WA
Posts: 242

Lowering pressures is certainly standard procedure in Oz and I've had mine down to about 10psi to get up long dunes of soft sand.
Trying to get off beaches with hard tyres is sometimes impossible and only serves to cut tracks up and cause deep holes making it worse for those that follow you.
I don't think what SFs do is relevant, they don't pay for their own vehicles and it doesn't matter if they thrash the hell out of them.
As far as I'm concerned it takes a lot strain off the running gear as well. Easier on the vehicle will make it last longer.
Alan.

2nd Dec 2010 10:50am

4wheeler

Member Since: 13 Apr 2010
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 87

2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 SW Chawton White

AlanH wrote:
Lowering pressures is certainly standard procedure in Oz and I've had mine down to about 10psi to get up long dunes of soft sand.
Alan.

Agree 100% with Alan. First thing I do is drop pressures in off road situations, particularly sand. I start at 24 PSI for sand and drop from there depending upon how dry and how fine the sand is. Standard off road driving I drop to 28 PSI and lower from there for rock etc. I have never punctured and never dropped a bead. I just adjust my driving. No high speed and no sharp turns to pull the bead off the rim.

Obviously pressures depend on load carried to a degree. I look at the footprint of the tyre. As you drop pressures the tyre wall tends to bag out a little but more importantly the length of the tyre footprint extends as tyre pressure drops. This aids in floatation in sand and supports the vehicle. Much kinder on the drive system.

I once had my Ford utility bogged to the diffs in soft sand on a beach with sea water lapping at the front wheels. Numerous attemps to drive out failed at 24 PSI so I bit the bullet and dropped them to 10 PSI. Drove straight out to much relief. Have never been stuck anywhere since.

4th Dec 2010 10:30am

Vixen

Member Since: 16 Mar 2010
Location: NSW, Orstraya
Posts: 97

I have a friend that NEVER drops his tyre pressures in sand. He never has a problem. Except that everyone is always telling him he is doing it wrong

I ALWAYS have, and have never had much of a problem either. I think a lot of it depends on the skill of the driver. You have people like my mate who just ambles up and over dunes, and then like another mate who goes "rip, s*** or bust" at everything. Two totally different driving styles. Mine is somewhere between the two

What I have noticed with lower pressures is a much better and more comfortable ride if nothing else

4th Dec 2010 10:38am

AndrewS

Member Since: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Hereford
Posts: 3707

An old nomad once told me that to get the perfect tyre pressure for driving in sand is to do this.

Park on a level area in the sand you are about to venture into.
Deflate all the tyres.
Place a handful of sand on the outer sidewall of each of the tyres.
Re inflate the tyres keeping an eye on the handful of sand you placed on the sidewall, as the tyre inflates the sand will slide off the sidewall when this happens stop inflating.
You now have the perfect pressure for your tyre type, vehicle weight and sand conditions.

Dont tell anyone though as this is one of the best kept desert driving secrets

130's have feeling's as well you know

4th Dec 2010 1:35pm

Ninetenths

Member Since: 26 Mar 2009
Location: Sarf Lundun
Posts: 161

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Java Black

BigMike wrote:
racing away from an engagement and being chased? .

Kiss Chase? Pimped black '07 Puma
Equally Pimped Black Pick up Truck

Rollin deep

4th Dec 2010 3:10pm

BigMike

Member Since: 13 Jul 2010
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 2253

Vixen wrote:
I have a friend that NEVER drops his tyre pressures in sand. He never has a problem. Except that everyone is always telling him he is doing it wrong :lol: I ALWAYS have, and have never had much of a problem either. I think a lot of it depends on the skill of the driver. You have people like my mate who just ambles up and over dunes, and then like another mate who goes "rip, s*** or bust" at everything. Two totally different driving styles. Mine is somewhere between the two

What I have noticed with lower pressures is a much better and more comfortable ride if nothing else

4th Dec 2010 8:10pm

Ninetenths

Member Since: 26 Mar 2009
Location: Sarf Lundun
Posts: 161

Contact patches on a tyre at road pressures are tiny, you can increase them considerably by reducing tyre pressure and this dosent necessarily have to be so much that there is a risk of losing a bead. Of course vehicle weight/tyres/speed/sand temperature and type are also significant. Special forces et al use sand tyres and tend to have stripped down vehicles in any case. Pimped black '07 Puma
Equally Pimped Black Pick up Truck

Rollin deep

4th Dec 2010 9:03pm

BigMike

Member Since: 13 Jul 2010
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 2253

Ninetenths wrote:
Contact patches on a tyre at road pressures are tiny, you can increase them considerably by reducing tyre pressure and this dosent necessarily have to be so much that there is a risk of losing a bead. Of course vehicle weight/tyres/speed/sand temperature and type are also significant. Special forces et al use sand tyres and tend to have stripped down vehicles in any case.

Neither of those points are correct.

4th Dec 2010 9:11pm

Ninetenths

Member Since: 26 Mar 2009
Location: Sarf Lundun
Posts: 161

BigMike wrote:
Ninetenths wrote:
Contact patches on a tyre at road pressures are tiny, you can increase them considerably by reducing tyre pressure and this dosent necessarily have to be so much that there is a risk of losing a bead. Of course vehicle weight/tyres/speed/sand temperature and type are also significant. Special forces et al use sand tyres and tend to have stripped down vehicles in any case.

Neither of those points are correct.

Pink Panther

Pimped black '07 Puma
Equally Pimped Black Pick up Truck

Rollin deep

4th Dec 2010 9:33pm

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