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gator1985
Joined: 14 Nov 2005
Posts: 11
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| Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 10:23 pm Post subject: Driving on the beach |
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| So I'm here at the Outer Banks of North Carolina for a few days, and I'm thinking about taking my Ridgeline out on the beach at the Hatteras Light for the very first time (very soft sand). I've got lots of experience beach driving with more traditional 4WD systems (high and low gears, manual wheel locks, etc.), but none at all with the Ridge. Letting the air in the tires down seems reasonable (15 psi?), but should I use the VTM-4 lock? Or should I just let the Ridgeline's electronic brain figure it all out? Any words of wisdom are greatly appreciated! |
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bigdave269
Joined: 02 Oct 2005
Posts: 1203
Location: Santa Clarita
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| Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 12:22 am Post subject: Re: Driving on the beach |
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| Whien I was out on Pismo beach, I let the tires down to about 20 and used the VTM4. Make sure to turn off the VSA with Traction Control so the brakes don't try to kick in to stop wheel spiun. You should do just fine, you'll find you will be leaving behind some bigger trucks. Have fun! |
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gator1985
Joined: 14 Nov 2005
Posts: 11
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| Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:52 am Post subject: Re: Driving on the beach |
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| Thanks Big Dave! I though that the VSA could not be turned off by the switch if the TPMS found that the tires were below about 26 psi ... ? |
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bigdave269
Joined: 02 Oct 2005
Posts: 1203
Location: Santa Clarita
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| Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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I did not encounter any problems turning off the VSA with the tires at 20. Have you taken it out yet?
By the way, I went through some sand dunes near Palm Springs without lowering the tire pressure, and I never got stuck. The sand there was a lot dryer and softer, easier to sink into. I don't think you are going to have any problems no matter which way you go. |
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gator1985
Joined: 14 Nov 2005
Posts: 11
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| Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 8:48 pm Post subject: Re: Driving on the beach |
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| No, I didn't make it out today, but I'm planning on trying tomorrow. I'll post how it goes, and maybe add a picture if I've got the right stuff with me to download from my camera to PC. |
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Waterbug
Joined: 02 Oct 2005
Posts: 348
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| Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 7:42 am Post subject: Re: Driving on the beach |
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All this talk about driving in sand is bringing back some memories. Back in the '80s when we lived in California, we use to tow a Baja Bug behind a pick-up camper and spend week-ends at Pismo Beach. The Bug was fun but you couldn't take it into the dunes. One evening while sitting around a campfire, the guys from the next camp over asked me and a buddy if we would like a ride in their sand buggies. We readily agreed because they were the tubular frame jobs with the souped up Corvair engines and big paddle tires.
After about an hour of flying over the dunes, sometimes getting airborne as we crested the tops, I took the opportunity to thank the guy I was riding with for being so hospitable. His reply was "Hospitable hell, if you don't have someone in the passenger seat, the drivers side front wheel digs in when you come down from being airborne." I was just ballast. :) |
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gator1985
Joined: 14 Nov 2005
Posts: 11
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| Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:16 am Post subject: Re: Driving on the beach |
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Ballast! Too funny. Guess my fishing gear falls in the same category :lol:
I made it out and back again without any problems. I let the tires down to 15 psi, turned VSA off, and hit the VTM-4 Lock. Some guy in a Trailblazer sneered at me as he went by when I was letting the air out; I just smiled as I drove past him where he was stopped, up to the axles in sand, to let air out of his tires. On the way out on the beach, it seemed like the truck was fighting with me about sending power to the wheels, so I took some advice I found on another Ridgeline forum, and yanked out the 20 Amp VSA sensor fuse. What a difference! The Ridge now behaved just like my old Taco did.
The attached photos show where I stopped on some pretty firm sand, but another 20 feet away from the surf, it turns to powder. In 10 years of driving on the beach at Cape Hatteras, this is the softest I've seen the sand, and the Ridgeline handled it like a champ! |
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bigdave269
Joined: 02 Oct 2005
Posts: 1203
Location: Santa Clarita
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| Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 4:48 pm Post subject: |
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That makes me want to get back to Pismo! Maybe I just didn't notice, but I don't think my Ridge was fighting me with the VSA, but I want to try what you said and take out the fuse the next time I go, and see what the difference is. VSA does activate the brakes on wheels that spin, and maybe that is why it was fighting you, some of your wheels might have been going faster than the others.
I bet you're glad you got it out on the sand... 8) |
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gator1985
Joined: 14 Nov 2005
Posts: 11
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| Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:45 am Post subject: Re: Driving on the beach |
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| I sure am! It'll be two years in August since I bought the truck, and this is the first time I've taken it out in the sand. This is as off-road as I get, so the Ridgeline has done everything I've needed a truck to do. Thanks for the great advice! |
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