We’re back again, with more tips and tricks to make your next beach 4WDing adventure incredible, with a whole lot less reliance on your snatch strap!

Lift off the accelerator as soon as forward momentum stops to avoid wheel spin, or you’ll just dig yourself deeper increasing the difficulty in recovering the vehicle. If you do get bogged, you will need to clear the sand from the belly of the vehicle as well as making wheel tracks or using ramps to get back on top of the sand and the hole you’ve just dug yourself. Do this before reaching for your 4WD snatch strap. Consider dropping your tyre pressure some more or try reversing gently back over your tracks without spinning the wheels, then rocking forwards smoothly to see if you can gain distance before bogging down again. Rocking back and forth smoothly without wheel-spin can build up a ‘launch pad’ that will let you gain enough momentum to get back on top of the sand before driving off.

By planning ahead you can pick where you want to stop with plenty of time to gently lift off the accelerator and coast to a halt rather than jumping on the brakes which makes the tyres dig in and potentially causing you to be bogged and have to do a 4WD beach recovery. When you get near, swing up the beach towards the dunes so you can turn down towards the water and gently stop before the wet sand. Reverse back up over your tracks, leaving your vehicle high up the beach and out of the way of any traffic but. Park your 4WD with the front facing the water and down the slope so you can use gravity and the advantage of driving out over your own tracks. Never stop or park on wet sand, the vehicle will slowly sink in, and always park facing the sea – or else get ready to get the 8t snatch strap out. Similarly, when turning you should drive higher up the slope of the beach so you can gently swing down towards the sea and then complete your turn on the firm sand with momentum on your side.

Look well ahead for ruts, trenches, gutters, creeks, and seaweed patches.  All those obstacles and hazards should be approached with care – sandy or covered seaweed can be a bottomless bog, while gutters can be filled with quicksand, and trust us – even an 11t snatch strap sometimes isn’t enough to get out of these bogs!

Okay, the worst is happening, the sand is soft and you are bogging down. Get off the gas. Get out and dig some sand out from under the vehicle belly and drop the tyre pressures a bit more. When you try to get going again, don’t just plant your right foot, gently ease forwards until you feel the wheels start to spin, then smoothly back off and slip it into reverse gear. You should try to catch the momentum as it rolls back and ease the power on to help you gain a couple of inches backwards. A snatch strap recovery is extremely effective here – as it’s all about trying to extract the bogged vehicle in one clean motion. Just before the wheels start spinning in reverse, smoothly back off and select a forwards gear, trying once again to catch the momentum forwards to help you gain another inch or two. Keep repeating the rocking forwards and backwards for however long it takes to let you build up a firm flat track on the sand that is long enough get sufficient momentum so you can drive off without any wheel spin.

Driving sand is far more about throttle then it is about steering. Steering is only as effective as the traction you have with the terrain, on sand this traction can be minimal so using correct throttle is essential. Always try and drive in someone else’s wheel tracks, this means you’re driving on already compacted sand that will take significant load off your 4WD and reduce the need to rely on your 4×4 snatch strap.

There’s a common tendency to overcorrect the steering on the sand, resist the temptation to jolt the steering wheel every which way as that will often reduce the control of the vehicle. Use the throttle to steer the vehicle with only a subtle steering input.

Momentum is your best friend on the sand, and the worst enemy of the 4×4 snatch strap. Drive in the peak RPM range to maximise the power going to the wheels when you need it. This is particularly true when driving up dunes. Use a low gear and good momentum to climb dunes, if you’re find the vehicle struggling to make it up a few quick jerks left to right can gain that little bit extra traction to get you over the crest.

Although there’s no hard and fast rules when it comes to airing down. You basically want to get the tyre down to a pressure so that when you kick the side wall it wobbles. Around 18psi is a good starting point however if you’re not sure what the correct pressure is, check with your local tyre expert. You’ll know when the vehicle is struggling and decreasing tyre pressures is the cheapest, easiest modification you can do to improve the traction on the terrain. Do this and you’ll find you have to reach for the offroad snatch strap a whole lot less. Just make sure you have a good quality air compressor to pump them back up at the end of the day!

You need the right vehicle for the right terrain. The vehicle with the best power to weight ratio will float across the sand as opposed to heavy 4WDs that rely on engine power to barge their way through the sand. Ensure the vehicle’s cooling system is in excellent condition to prevent the possibility of overheating. Sand driving is extremely hard on your engine and driveline components so it’s worth carrying out comprehensive pre-trip preparations before you head off. And remember – it’s always a better idea to opt for a snatch recovery strap early in the piece.