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Driving on sand is all about technique. Some of the best ways to describe driving in the desert on soft sand are; it feels like driving with the hand brake on, driving a boat slowly, or similar to driving in snow.
Although it might seem that high speeds are important, the key to successful sand driving is momentum. Once momentum is lost in soft sand, you risk getting bogged down and stuck in the sand. You want to float on the surface of the sand.
The optimum revs should be from 1,800 to 2,500 in second or third gear - infinitely preferable to revving to 4,000 or even 5,000 plus in first or second gear. Experience will improve rev management.
With automatics - if your vehicle is fitted with overdrive, you should turn it off, or lock the vehicle in 2nd or 3rd gear so it is not constantly trying to change into overdrive or the 4th gear.
On your first few trips you may find yourself in first or second gear revving your engine higher on the outward part of the trip, then on the way back driving in similar sand in second or third revving the engine less.
The composition of the sand changes constantly, such that from one second to the next you can move from firm terrain to impossibly soft powder sand without noticing any visible change in the landscape. For this reason, you should not stray into virgin sand (the major routes are well established with tyre tracks) unless you know the area well.
If you do get stuck in the sand - don’t panic. It happens to everyone at some time or other, and it is a valuable experience as it teaches you exactly how to deal with sand.
Should you feel that your vehicle is getting bogged down, try to keep the vehicle moving even slowly, (good clutch control is important for drivers with manual transmissions). One way to assist this is to work the steering wheel vigorously from left to right in order to keep sand under the wheels, hopefully preventing you from getting bogged down.
If you do get stuck in the sand, resist the temptation to rev the car excessively. This will only remove the sand from under the tires and dig you in further. Listen to your car. It will tell you how it is coping by the noise. You should be attuned to your vehicle and be aware of its limitations. Do not push it.
You will normally be rocked, pushed or towed by the other team members, and nobody really minds giving a hand (they could be next).
By the way, don’t stop next to a vehicle that’s stuck, because you’ll become stuck in the sand as well.
You can often experience a skidding sensation on sand. This can be good fun and you should let the car slide a bit, rather than gripping the wheel furiously trying to keep straight. You won’t come to any harm sliding around a bit and you might even enjoy the sensation.
Above all, follow the convoy leader. Many dunes have awkward bumps, humps, lumps and hidden slip faces, which an experienced convoy leader will avoid. So try to follow the leader’s tracks as closely as possible.
Hidden slip faces are sometimes difficult to see as they lie in dead ground. They become even more tricky to spot when you are driving into the sun, with the reflections on the sand. One way to check out the sand in front without stopping is to snake up the dune, thus allowing you to see left and right before committing yourself. If you can’t see what is ahead, stop and get out. It is better to be stuck in the sand than to fly off the edge of a slip-face
Although you might travel into the desert a lot and think you know the lay out of the sand dunes, remember the wind can change the shape of a dune over night and what was safe the day before is now not. Again if you can’t see what’s in front of you it’s no great shame to stop and look, take the desert for granted at your own risk.
Slip Face Driving
One of the more challenging and exciting parts of driving on the dunes for most people.
What is a Slip Face? This is the name given to the leeward side of a sand dune and can reach up to hundreds of feet. Generally the shape of the dunes is formed by the wind, so you have a gradual slope on the windward side then a steep slope on the leeward side (approximately 42 degrees). For the most part this will not get any greater as the grains of sand fall/roll down. Beware there are some dunes which have a steep slope on both sides.
So why on earth would anyone want to drive their vehicle down a 42 degrees slip face? Well it gets the blood pumping and it’s a lot of fun! But seriously, if you were driving in the desert and accidentally came across a slip face or a steep slope, it’s nice to have the knowledge to be able to tackle the situation in a safe way.
When you reach the slip face, stop at the top, put the vehicle into neutral and switch from high range into low range, put / lock the vehicle in first gear. With the vehicle in low range and first gear the engine will act as a brake to limit the speed of the vehicle as it moves down the slip face.
With an automatic, as you release the brake the vehicle will start to move slowly. With a manual geared vehicle, it is a little more difficult for most people at first, as you have to remove your foot completely off the clutch. A lot of people are very tempted to depress the clutch as the vehicle drops over the edge of the slip face; this is dangerous as the vehicle can now free wheel down the slip face and gain speed.
Once the vehicle has dropped over the edge of the slip face, your feet should not be touching the brake or accelerator. There is a great temptation to try and steer as the vehicle moves down, just let the vehicle go and only steady the steering wheel in order to keep the vehicle moving straight down. With most steep slopes as long as the vehicle is pointing down, whether forwards or backwards it is quite safe, the problems start when the vehicle is at an angle to the slope.
As you drop over the edge and move down the slip face the vehicle will sink into the soft sand and a wave of sand forms in front of the vehicle. This wave is important as it forms a ramp at the bottom of the slip face for you to roll off. Should you find that the slip face is very firm (possibly after rain) and the wave of sand is not forming, with your foot, stab the brake pedal, this will force the front of the vehicle down in the sand and will usually get the sand moving for you.
At the bottom of the slip face wait until you have all four wheels clear of the slip face before touching the accelerator or changing back into high range. Do not be tempted to accelerate as you move down the slip face, the angle at the bottom of most slip faces is too sharp and you will damage the front of your vehicle.
Once you know what you’re doing, you can relax and enjoy the driving experience. However, be prepared for it to be a bit nerve-racking initially!
Night Driving
Driving in the desert at night, particularly if there is no moonlight, makes navigation difficult as you can only see as far as your headlights will allow you and the silhouettes of the sand dunes become difficult to see. The chances of driving over tricky soft sand are greatly increased. Only the most experienced drivers go on the dunes at night. So, if you’re going camping, and setting off after lunch, adjust the timings to ensure you reach your destination by sunset.
Driving in a Sand Storm
Driving in the desert in a sand storm or dust storm is even more difficult than driving at night. Although light, the air can be so thick with sand and dust that visibility is reduced to a few metres, (it’s like a dry dusty fog). One can become disorientated very easily. With sand blowing all around the tracks that you might normally use become covered by moving sand. Navigation may become more problematic and the hazards of desert driving much more apparent.
Apart from the above few points, the techniques of driving on the dunes are largely learned through experience and vary from vehicle to vehicle and driver to driver.
You may receive conflicting advice from others, but the best thing is to experiment with various strategies until you find a way of driving that suits both you and your car.
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