Sand Dunes Questions

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RayTech

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Got a few questions and see if you guys can help me and others. I'll list the questions on the bottom and once answered I'll put the answer under it and who it's by, so the next people who come through with the same questions can read through the list of questions and answers and hope it helps them as much as I hope it helps me. I took my raptor to the sand dunes in little sahara oklahoma once. I didn't relieve tire pressure because I was new at it. It did fine but I had issues, wasn't sure set ups, and really expected something else!

Hope I can get some help, so the next time I go through I'll be in love all over again! Just for information, my raptor is full stock crew cab. Thanks for the help ahead of time!

Q1: What settings for sand? I used 4WD, Diff Lock, OFM, Trac Control Off. When I stopped for breaks or slowed too slow, the truck wouldn't spin out at all making it very slow acceleration, I don't wanna bury it but it's nice to spin out and drift but something wasn't letting it. Even in 2wd?

A1 by: Evilmonkey - All of settings are what I use at the dunes. Don't leave the transmission in drive. You'll need to manually shift it.

Q2: I left my tire pressure at 50 and it did fine but coulda been some of my problems, but higher the pressure the less traction, that's why I figured the truck should have been able to spin. I have beadlock enabled rims but only a beauty ring on. What tire pressure is recommended for medium to soft sand?

A2 by: Evilmonkey - 20psi is what I run at the dunes. No issues with popped beads in two years. You could probably go to 15psi in really soft sand. Just keep the speed down while turning sharp. Manual shifting starting in first gear and keeping the rpm's up will get the tires spinning. I bounce my rev limiter all the time!

Q3: How high can you jump off the ground without Ging or bottoming out? Not including with a landing ramp, because the height is endless depending on the landing slope, so just off a dune to flat? Estimates?

A3 by: Evilmonkey - If you're not on mid perch I'd only go 12" to 18" with a flat landing. It's going to come down nose heavy. BAM there goes the stock skid plate! It's a 6000lb truck. With a roller style jump, two feet is ok.

Q4: I've heard them called allot of different names, washboards, moguls, whoopty doos etc. I have trouble finding a speed for these, slow is rough and I'm scared flooring it across them like on my dirtbike. They range from 6inches to a foot and a half deep each. What range of speed should you fly across these smoothly without harm? 30mph+? 50mph+?

A4 by: Evilmonkey - Whoops. It really depends on the spacing and height. I used to roll all of the 18" to 24" whoops until I grew a pair and just said what the hell. I now blast those same whoops at 40 to 50 mph. My buddies in their RZR's can't believe that I hang with them. At those speeds the stock shocks get warm quick and pack out. It's just like riding a dirt bike or quad in the whoops. You're skimming the tops of them.

Q5: Dunes come in all shapes and sizes, some easy, some need allot of speed. The ones I had issues with is the ones that go from flat ground to right up it, the front impact going slow seems rough, I'm worried about the front bottoming and the dune crushing the front bumper, avoid these dunes? Or is there a way to know if you'll bottom out hitting it at a good speed?

A5 by: Evilmonkey - If you're on flat sand and hit a dune face with to much speed you'll damage your skid plate and maybe front OEM bumper. Plan on sacrificing the skid plate just learning how fast is to fast.

A5 Addition by: JDUB- We have a along travel sand car we use at Glamis sand dunes and it even has difficulties transitioning from flat land to a steep sand hills (going straight that is). It will often bottom out even when approaching the hill at an angle, so don't be too discouraged about your truck!

~Additional questions and answers~

Q: Paddles for Raptor?
A by: JDUB - Oh yeah, and if you're in the sand a lot, invest in some paddles! try these guys Skat-Trak Paddle Tires - If you supply the tire they will buff them and glue/epoxy paddles on your tires. I think they advertise 25$ per paddle when customer supplies the tire.

Q: My settings keep changing and or turning off?
A by: MagicMtnDan - Whenever you stop the truck, depending on what you do (like shut it off), you'll need to go through your settings again and/or it may be different since you have a newer Raptor but at least on the 2010's if you kicked it into 4H (or 4L) it reset the AdvanceTrac so you needed to engage it again.

Q: Ya ever put it in 2wd for better drifting in the dunes or is it best to just leave it in 4wd all the time?
A by: Evilmonkey - It depends on the sand. Really soft sand I stay in 4wd. If you find a firm section, you you can put it in 2wd and drift away! If you slow down and start to get stuck, stop before you bury the rear end and put it back in 4wd. Have fun and remember you gotta go slow before you can go fast.

Q: Power steering a big thing to worry about?
A by Landfill: Power steering res upgrade with cooler is a must in deep sand and bring extra fluid.
A2 by Tbone: your power stearing wines let it cool down before you blow it.

Q: I have a gopro but not sure how people mount them inside outside and even under the truck, figured inside is the suction cup.
A by: Evilmonkey - Suction cups hold great on the outside as long as the surface is clean and dry. Hood or roof is where I prefer.

Q: How safe is mild drifts on 20 psi? The sand ranges from super soft to medium packed sand. Is it better to just go 25psi?
A by: Evilmonkey - At 20psi I've not blown a bead. I have seen it happen to another forum member on his first trip with me. He was turning really hard on an off camber dune and popped the right front bead. Just work your way up to the limits. When you two wheel it, you're on the edge and need to slow down.

Q: I bring others along but usually just one vehicle. What tools should be taken in case of a popped bead?
A by: Evilmonkey - Tools needed to change the tire on the sand are the stock jack and two 18 inch long 2x4's for support on the sand.

Q: You go with another vehicle, that vehicle gets stuck. If there really buried. What's the best to pull with? Of course 4x4 locker locked but OFM on? Off? Traction control?
A by Evilmonkey - Remove as much sand as possible first. When you think you've got enough removed from the path of the tires and frame, keep digging, trust me. I now carry two small military style shovels for digging out. Two people digging is better than one. To pull out someone who is really stuck I've found that a Bubba Rope is the best. Four high, offroad mode enabled and traction control off and a good strong pull usually gets the job done. If not, keep digging! Good luck and have fun.
 
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Evilmonkey

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Lots of good questions.
1. All of settings are what I use at the dunes. Don't leave the transmission in drive. You'll need to manually shift it.

2. 20psi is what I run at the dunes. No issues with popped beads in two years. You could probably go to 15psi in really soft sand. Just keep the speed down while turning sharp. Manual shifting starting in first gear and keeping the rpm's up will get the tires spinning. I bounce my rev limiter all the time!

3. If you're not on mid perch I'd only go 12" to 18" with a flat landing. It's going to come down nose heavy. BAM there goes the stock skid plate! It's a 6000lb truck. With a roller style jump, two feet is ok.

4. Whoops. It really depends on the spacing and height. I used to roll all of the 18" to 24" whoops until I grew a pair and just said what the hell. I now blast those same whoops at 40 to 50 mph. My buddies in their RZR's can't believe that I hang with them. At those speeds the stock shocks get warm quick and pack out. It's just like riding a dirt bike or quad in the whoops. You're skimming the tops of them.

5. If you're on flat sand and hit a dune face with to much speed you'll damage your skid plate and maybe front OEM bumper. Plan on sacrificing the skid plate just learning how fast is to fast.

FORD RAPTORS - YouTube

PM me if you want and I'll share everything I know with you. I've taken many PNW Raptor owners to the dunes in the last two years and we've all had a blast!
 

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RLTW

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I really want to make a trip to little sahara
 

Tiberius

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Just too add some advice know whats in front of you before gaining too much speed. Before you know it boom if you havnt driven that path or area yet. I was warned but still learned the hard way. Well my skid plate did at least. This wasn't even trying to jump just getting to comfortable on unfamiliar route for the day. Other than that I followed all of evilmonkeys steps and had a great time and did more than I thought I would be able to my first time out.uploadfromtaptalk1391489470788.jpg

Sent from my XT1056 using Tapatalk
 

JDUB

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Seems like evilmonkey covered it all!

In regards to number 5:

We have a along travel sand car we use at Glamis sand dunes and it even has difficulties transitioning from flat land to a steep sand hills (going straight that is). It will often bottom out even when approaching the hill at an angle, so don't be too discouraged about your truck!

Oh yeah, and if you're in the sand a lot, invest in some paddles! try these guys http://www.skat-trak.com/paddletire.html

If you supply the tire they will buff them and glue/epoxy paddles on your tires. I think they advertise 25$ per paddle when customer supplies the tire.
 
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RayTech

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Lots of good questions.
1. All of settings are what I use at the dunes. Don't leave the transmission in drive. You'll need to manually shift it.

2. 20psi is what I run at the dunes. No issues with popped beads in two years. You could probably go to 15psi in really soft sand. Just keep the speed down while turning sharp. Manual shifting starting in first gear and keeping the rpm's up will get the tires spinning. I bounce my rev limiter all the time!

3. If you're not on mid perch I'd only go 12" to 18" with a flat landing. It's going to come down nose heavy. BAM there goes the stock skid plate! It's a 6000lb truck. With a roller style jump, two feet is ok.

4. Whoops. It really depends on the spacing and height. I used to roll all of the 18" to 24" whoops until I grew a pair and just said what the hell. I now blast those same whoops at 40 to 50 mph. My buddies in their RZR's can't believe that I hang with them. At those speeds the stock shocks get warm quick and pack out. It's just like riding a dirt bike or quad in the whoops. You're skimming the tops of them.

5. If you're on flat sand and hit a dune face with to much speed you'll damage your skid plate and maybe front OEM bumper. Plan on sacrificing the skid plate just learning how fast is to fast.

FORD RAPTORS - YouTube

PM me if you want and I'll share everything I know with you. I've taken many PNW Raptor owners to the dunes in the last two years and we've all had a blast!

Great info! Thanks allot! I'll add your answers in when I get home, in the meantime everyone feel free to add. In regards to the getting high rpm starting off I tried manual 1st and putting it to the floor even and it wouldn't do anything I had to reverse then go, maybe it was OFM saying "you will bury it! Stop!"
 
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RayTech

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Your traction control was not completely off. I've experienced the same issue.

Could have swore I held it for 6 seconds and it even said advancetrac disabled. I'll test it again soon, I live 15 minutes away from little sahara. Thanks again for info, I'll play around with it OFM locker 4wd Trac off or sport. I'll definitely try manual more.

If we didn't cover a Q and A you guys are looking for, ask away and I'll add it to the top!
 

RLTW

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I really hate that my 13 wont let me totally shut off the nannies.
 

skyscraper

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I run tire pressure at 16 and 14 in sand. Ran really well. Same settings as you, rear locked, ORM, Trac cntrl off, and a mix of 2WD and 4WD.

The tire pressure is what really makes the difference to me.
 
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