Driving in the Dunes

Diverse terrains, like sand, snow and mud, are a great test for your driving skills. While you are driving through the dunes, you are supposed to follow some safety norms regarding the drive. While riding through deep sand, snow or mud, let the air out of your tires slightly to augment the tire’s footprint to grab better traction. However, deflated tires might lessen the ground clearance. Try to put on a steady pace to travel through the dunes and keep your speed moderately high and use higher gears. Never make a mistake of spinning your tires and also, never make a halt until you are out of the deep sand. However, let the throttle be a bit eased-off and permit the tires to slow down and get back grip if your wheels start to spin.

If you are unable to get traction and the vehicle is hardly moving, then roll the steering wheel swiftly from side to side in short strokes. This will offer chance to the front tire walls to hit upon extra grip. However, if mucky situation compels you to drive in the grooves, make sure that you know where your front wheels are heading at all times. Interestingly, your vehicle might follow the grooves, even when you have turned your wheels to the right or left. If you ever come across a hard spot by way of the wheels turned, then the front wheels might regain grip and it could hurl the vehicle out of the ruts, ensuing in a failure of control and probable be harmful for you.

While wandering on sand, go after the tire tracks of the vehicle in front as they have previously squashed the sand to form a firmer surface. Avoid quick changes in speed while accelerating or braking. Braking on sand might create a stack in front of all wheels which could put off your vehicle from taking off. Perform your take-off as effortlessly as you could with gear changes done at fairly high revs. Dune driving calls for excess of engine power to get your vehicle cross the sand. Making use of low range engines increases the quantity of engine torque offered. Make use of higher gears if you come across a predominantly soft patch of sand.

Slow down the clutch and let the vehicle gradually stop. At the time of turning, try to make your turn as wide as you could to diminish the possibility of bogging. Vertical sand dunes might be passed through only straight up or down. It is great to step up slightly to try and straighten the vehicle if you are traveling straight down a vertical dune and the back end sets up to slip sideways. In case you are stuck in dunes, keep away from flooring the accelerator. This might make vehicle recovery more intricate. If you are finding it hard to get out of trouble, then come out of the vehicle and let your tires ease off.