Knowing how to drive on sand is a step toward expanding where we can explore: perhaps access to a secluded bay, a great fishing spot, or a weekend beach camping trip sleeping to the sound of the crashing waves. Sand driving is not only limited to beach driving or exploring deserts but also includes driving across sandy creek beds. In addition, some tracks may have thick, silky bulldust that can be just as boggy as sand or even more. Please look at our guide to the Simpson Desert Crossing for information about desert touring.
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With over 25 years of remote area travel, including 4×4 destinations like the Simpson Desert Crossing, we have included this helpful guide to ensure you experience safe travel providing you with trusted and reliable advice for your next adventure. Count on Road Trips Australia for an authentic, experience-backed guide.
Essential: Your 4×4 Recovery Kit
- Air Compressor: To get the air back into your tyres! You will need to deflate your tyres before going onto soft sand. This means you will inevitably need to pump them up at some point. Deflating your tyres improves traction and reduces the chance of getting bogged. A compressor can be cheap and portable, or if you drive off-road regularly, invest in a quality air compressor and have it installed to be ready. Use this combined with a Tyre Pressure Gauge to gauge the pressure left in the tyre. Don’t try to drive on low tyre pressure to the nearest service station; this is unsafe.
- Rated Recovery Points: We can’t all be like All4Adventure without practice or experience; even Jase and Simon get bogged! Recovery points are fixed-rated points on the chassis or bull bar of the vehicle where recovery equipment, like a snatch strap, can be attached. It is best to be prepared when vehicle recovery is needed.
- Snatch Strap: You may think you won’t get bogged down, but it is better to be prepared for the unknown when venturing off-road. Imagine you are stuck in the middle of a busy sandy track, with no way for anyone to get around, and here you are without any rated recovery points or a snatch strap… Not a good look. Be prepared!
- Note: For those that don’t venture onto the sand that often, you don’t need to break the bank to get more prepared than this. There is a multitude of recovery accessories on the market, but 99% of the time, sensible driving to the conditions, with the correct tyre pressure and the above basics, will be all you’ll need.
Recovery Kit 4WD. Continued…
- Shovel: Often, sand will accumulate in front of your tyres, and if you don’t stop forward momentum when stuck, it could also get around your diffs and suspension. It is handy to have a shovel, nothing flashy, just something to push or shovel the sand out of the way.
- Recovery treads/tracks: Many options are now on the market. These trends placed in front of your tyres give your vehicle traction, assisting the ability to drive out of a bog. Usually, they can be purchased in a pair and double as a sand shovel.
- Winch: A winch is used in more extreme recovery cases pulling a vehicle out of a bog or loss of traction. Could you talk to your local 4WD store (ARB or TJM) to discuss the best fit for your vehicle? Winches are a valuable tool for remote and solo traveling.
- Sand Anchors: Sand anchors can be buried in the sand and used as an anchor point for vehicle recovery. Some sand anchors look similar to a boat anchor, and some look like a blanket and use the sand for weight.
Remember to think safely in a vehicle recovery situation, standing well clear of vehicles, cables, and anchor points.
How to Drive on Sand: Driving Tips
1 – Check the tides if driving on the beach!
Always check the tide and with Willyweather it’s easy! You only need to watch all the videos that get posted about Inskip point or Fraser Island to see how people have recklessly destroyed their 4WD’s.
2 – Tyre Pressure for Sand Driving
It’s critical to reduce your tire pressure before you access soft sand. Lowering your tyre pressure makes the footprint of your vehicle larger in both length and width. It may help to inspect the track on foot to understand better how the way looks and how soft the sand feels. This will guide you on how low you need to reduce your tyre pressure. Reducing your tyre pressure in a safe place before you enter the soft sand is good. Too many people think it will be all right and worry about the consequences after. It’s better to be smart and get the pressure right first; you can always raise or lower them down the beach/creek/track later on if an adjustment is needed. A valuable tool to reduce tyre pressure is a tyre deflator kit.
Tyre Pressure for Beach Driving:
Choose a comfortable starting pressure, depending on the softness of the sand and your vehicles load.
3 – The Right Tyre Pressure for Driving in Sand
This varies by the size, type, and, more so, the weight of your vehicle. For example, I usually start by lowering the front tyres to 20PSI and the back tyres to 22PSI, as I carry far more weight in the rear of my 4×4. So have a play and work out what works best for your vehicle and the softness of the sand. Just know that if you go too low, you risk rolling the tire off the rim by breaking the bead.
4 – Engage 4WD in Your Vehicle
Please don’t laugh; people forget to do it! Especially for those with hubs. It’s easy to lock the stick into 4L or 4H, then fail to get out and turn the hubs as you were busy letting the tires down and watching all the other flash 4WDs go past.
5 – 4×4 Vehicle Clearance
While not mandatory, vehicle clearance (or height) helps, especially in high-traffic spots with many inexperienced drivers on the track. The track tends to get deeper ruts than it should from this. So having either basic full-size 4WD clearance or the best recommendation for all-around touring and 4WD’ing is a 2-inch lift kit. You will see what I mean if you are behind an Independant Front Suspension 4X4 (like a Patrol) running a 6” lift with 37” wheels, and he’s just chewed the track to the diffs; the little stock standard Jeep might struggle…
6 – Tyre Position on the Track
Try to say in the “ruts” of the track. This part of the track is already compacted to a point, and going onto virgin sand can become highly soft, causing the vehicle to lose momentum and bog in the sand.
7 – Maintain Forward Momentum
Maintain the right gear and speed to maximize torque availability, as torque is needed to help power through softer sand. So pick a gear that keeps your revs up without driving like a nutter. 2nd or 3rd gear low range is a sweet spot for extra soft sand in our vehicle. If you drive an auto, it should be easy in low range.
Towing in Sand
Tyre’s position comes into play here. The trailer may have a different width and tyre width than your tow vehicle. Also, when you turn, the trailer will follow another track to your tow vehicle; it won’t just poke along in the same ruts your car has created unless you are going in a straight line. Tyre pressure is also essential on your trailer; while it’s not doing any of the work, it can strain your tow vehicle considerably by not deflating the tyres on your trailer. It helps spread the footprint to be longer and wider and helps keep it on top of the soft sand instead of trying to cut into it or push it in front of the tyre. Try your trailer tyre pressure on 25PSI and lower it if needed.
Driving Sand Hills
This could be exiting the beach via a dune or attempting to drive up Big Red in the Simpson Desert. Either way, driving uphill in the sand is something most 4WDs and 4WD’ers can struggle with. It’s all about the right Revs, Speed, and Torque. If you safely combine these 3, you might reach Big Red’s top.
But back to tyre pressure! Get the correct tyre pressure first, or you will bog down and wreck the track for others! PLEASE, again, get that tyre pressure right FIRST! And DO NOT keep trying to drive up a sandy hill if you have lost all momentum. Reverse down and start again. Spinning wheels to make a sand hill creates woops in the track, making driving a sandy hill at the right speed increasingly tricky!
When driving down dunes, either forwards or backward, ensure you keep yourself in gear and facing straight down; you could easily find yourself in a dangerous position if you start to turn when on a sand hill.
Note: Forgive my evident frustration here. After having driven the Simpson Desert, I have never been more frustrated at the actions of inexperienced drivers; even though there are plenty of signs and guides to instruct people on the DO’s and DON’T’s of sand driving, people still do the wrong thing. I’m hoping this article will help you do the RIGHT thing!
Top Tips for Driving Sand Hills:
- Tyre pressure
- Speed
- Revs
- Torque
If you lose momentum, STOP and back down slowly in reverse. Reassess and try again if you think you can.
Best Tyres for Sand Driving
Believe it or not, a road tyre does better in sandy conditions than a big Mud Terrain tyre. The first time I ventured onto a virgin sandy spit was in the good old Landcruiser split rims with very mild All Terrain Tyres, and with the correct pressure, it drove easily through super soft sand. The Mud Terrains are too aggressive a tread and will seem to try to dig into the sand too much rather than sitting on top.
A good all-rounder 4×4 tyre is a good quality All Terrain Tyre. My favorite is a standard 33” wheel in 285/75 Tyre. This allows plenty of height, width, and depth for deflation and impacts defense for almost any situation. Talk with a tyre specialist to determine what works well with your vehicle and your driving type.
Pick your Drive Line
Anytime you are 4WD’ing, you should always be attempting to pick the right line. This gets easier to identify with experience. In sandy soft sand, this may mean, following the ruts left by the previous vehicle, as it’s already been compacted for you. Be mindful of the width and depth; if you attempt to follow the rut of a car that is wider or narrower than you, you will find yourself fighting the steering wheel and possibly stuck.
The same goes for depth; if that high clearance IFS rig has been through first and you’re in a low clearance mid-range 4WD, you may bottom out, as your wheels sit in the deep ruts and your diff or belly guard scrapes along the center of the track, leaving you potentially bogged (stuck in a rut!)
Sometimes it may be best to enter the wheel ruts but then jump out of them when space permits. Be mindful of the resistance when you attempt to exit the high-walled rut, and be cautious you don’t overcorrect when it does pop out onto the flat. Once on the flat, you will fight the steering wheel less but must contend with softer/virgin sand. You have to determine what’s best for your vehicle and driving ability.
Using Water to Harden Sand
If you do get stuck, one thing that is good at making soft sand a little firmer is water! So if you get stuck on the beach, consider grabbing a bucket of water to wet the sand in front of your tyres. It can help immensely. Also easy if you have an onboard water spare.
Beach Creeks
Be careful of seasonal creeks and large seasonal estuaries and rivers. A lovely day trip on the beach creek can quickly become a disaster if you are unaware of weather conditions, tides, and the surrounding catchment area.
Electronic Rust Protection and Rust Preventions
Electronic rust protection units are a good option for your vehicle. Some kits can be self-installed, like RS-5, or talk to your local mechanic/auto electrician. Another way to reduce salt corrosion is WD40 or Inox after washing well. Also, after a wash every few months, coat the entire chassis with Inox MX4; this helps protect it from corrosion. Avoid driving into salt water directly unless necessary, it may look cool, but no matter your protection, it won’t benefit your vehicle.
Leave no Trace
Remember while exploring our wonderful natural area’s to respect the environment. Stay on the formed tracks reducing damage to plants and animals; take your rubbish with you, including toilet paper and even pre-existing rubbish you may come across. LEAVE no TRACE to avoid closure of access to these places.
Now you have learned how to drive in sand, you may be able to attempt a sandy track, the beach, a Desert, or a dune. Remember to have a recovery kit, lower tyre pressure, and maintain forward momentum. Now enjoy the outdoors with the best Australian Road Trips and driving holidays: Consider Tasmania Driving Holiday, South Australia, or winter in the Northern Territory. Also, you can discover delicious and easy camping meals to complete the adventure…
