# awd on beach



## fish bucket

gas mileage on my full size 4x4 pick up is really curtailing my fishing trips.
was thinking about something like a subaru forester.
opinions on awd for beach driving?


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## slevinkelevra

I dont have any experience, but according to oregoninletidiots.com, there have been quite a few awd vehicles stuck this year.


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## yerbyray

I have a 2007 Dodge Durango and it is all wheel drive. I have driven it a few times on Freeman Park and down in Fort Fisher. It makes it but I have severe reservations about lack of ground clearance and the "strength" of the AWD components if/when I do get stuck. I just can't see those parts holding up. Maybe a lighterweight AWD won't be so bad.

I think too many vehicles (cheifly SUV's) that have AWD really shouldn't venture out and mine (Dodge Durango) is borderline on that case. I have been lucky but I think it is mainly because I am cautious and have some off-road (sand) experience.

I have always driven Jeep Wranglers and never felt that way; a true 4x4 has a more dependable feel. There is something about locking in a transfer case and axle hubs that gives confidence. Sure it can get stuck by an idiot, but if you use common sense it isn't hard to get unstuck.

I would wager that the increase in stuck vehicles is due to the lack of airing down, well that and people without any sand driving experience.


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## slevinkelevra

Not airing down is the #1 reason people get stuck in the sand.


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## stumpy

Hello all . I know nothing about 4x4's on the beach. But I was curious about how for you air down the tires say if your tires are @ 60psi for on the highway? Also, how likely is it the break the seal on the the tire and rim by airing down for beach driving?


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## slevinkelevra

I air down to 15-18 psi. You will not break the seal at all.


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## saltycraw

NO GO ON THE SUBARU. Not enough clearance. My buddy thought he could do it (he has a forrester) when we were in Hatteras, didn't lose traction (he aired down) just bottomed out. I pulled him out. Stumpy, I run 18-20 psi in my truck. No problems with beads, just be careful when you are turning on asphalt, get some motion before you turn the wheel hard.


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## fish bucket

just found out my favorite beach doesn't allow awd's to get a permit!


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## Rockfish1

where's that Curt?... IBSP...


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## fish bucket

no,brigantine.


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## Sandcrab

stumpy said:


> Hello all . I know nothing about 4x4's on the beach. But I was curious about how for you air down the tires say if your tires are @ 60psi for on the highway? Also, how likely is it the break the seal on the the tire and rim by airing down for beach driving?


I use Oasis deflators which I preset to my psi.. I can air down all four tires in under 5 minutes with them...

Sandcrab


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## Alexy

fish bucket said:


> just found out my favorite beach doesn't allow awd's to get a permit!


 I belive those same restrictions are coming to Cape Hatteras in February.


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## wdbrand

Leave it at home.


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## Alexy

A 10 ply truck tire that you can inflate to 80 PSI will easilly hold the bead at 15-20 PSI.


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## wannabeangler

Here's my advice: go ahead and drive it out onto the sand! If you get stuck.......don't do it again! More than likely, you won't make it much farther than 20' from the pavement.


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## KingKrimpet

fish bucket said:


> just found out my favorite beach doesn't allow awd's to get a permit!


I hear alot of beaches are going this route, at least up north


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## Jeremiahm

*Thoughts?*

What do you guys think of this video, in terms of how the sand there compares to the sand you fish on? 

Obviously this particular vehicle, in this particular situation, went wherever it wanted to go. It did get stuck, but he got out. I have not idea how expensive the little boards are, but they worked at least in that situation. 

I know everything is relative, but this guy looks like he had a good day on the sand, and did it in a 28 mpg vehicle. Since I'm in Ohio, this really appeals to me since I'm 700 miles from the beach. But, believe me when I say I wish I could just drive my dodge crew cab there everytime. It's a beast in the sand, is incredibly comfortable when you get there, and holds gear with the best of them. But, we're talking an additional $300 in extra gas compared to this subaru thang. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=wJG5aUxZoqw&NR=1


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## hpierce301

i like the video, gotta look up that product, but i don't know how much better it'd be compared to a 2x6. 

But that doesn't look like it'd be much different from our beaches. i will say, at my favorite spot on Freeman Park will have much much more tracks and ruts, so I think the Subie will drag frame from the very start. that beach in the video looks like there wasn't much traffic on it. 

but I have seen a Honda Element, and a Ford Escape out on the North End (Freeman Park) before. So, i won't say it can't be done.


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## scout04

http://youtu.be/s82r4zR1reA

Subaru Outback in deep sand.


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## Furball

Chevrolet is coming out with a diesel-powered Colorado this fall. They are shooting for better than 30 miles per gallon.


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## fishhead

The 2015 Subaru Forester has new design with short front and rear overhang and improved ground clearance too, plus CVT for high MPGs. I would not be surprised to see this become a popular beach vehicle ... except for the plummeting gas prices which will cause more folks to go with more traditional beach vehicles!

I will consider it in a couple years mainly because I put 300+ miles/week on my 4Runner which only gets 20 or so MPG.


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## Furball

There is also the new Jeep Trailhawk Renegade. I think that is meant to get around 31 MPH.


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## jschoonover

is there 4X4's access to remote beach locations in Topsail? Do they allow driving on the beach and are permits required?


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## psychodiagnostik

We've had my wife's AWD Range Rover SportSupercharged at CB, on Memorial Day Weekend a few years ago. It did OK with the "terrain response" knob set to the sand setting, although we did get stuck exiting the ramp where the sand was soft & chewed up, we got stuck in traffic & had to get going again from a stop in the soft mushy stuff. If you don't have a special setting at least turn traction control off. When we got stuck, it just took a tow a few feet backward into our tire tracks, wait until all clear in front, mat the pedal & scoot out to the exit of the ramp. Also, there were lots more capable salt sleds getting stuck that day. I think not airing down was the culprit (I felt uneasy airing down the street-oriented lowpro Toyo Proxes on the car). 

Like others have said, airing down is most important. I've been with people "testing the limits" by seeing how far they could getting accross to the beach over the sand in 2wd, before putting in 4wd, we made it thru all but the nastiest stuff, just 2wd aired down!


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## Elgreco

Here is the problem with trying to traverse sand. You need lot's of traction, and a lot of low end torque (if you are travelling slowly that is). There are 2 ways of achieving low end torque. Big engine, or 4x4 low/low range. Most small AWD/4wd vehicles have 4 cylinders and no low range. Basically what happens is you bog down and get stuck because you simply don't have enough torque getting to the wheels to get you out. The ONLY FWD based AWD vehicle to have a TRUE low range is the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. It has the most advanced fwd based 4x4 system ever.


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