An article by
Jean Marc Chartier

The first requirement for running in the sand is a solid vehicle in good mechanical order. I am personally partial to the 97 F-150 4x4, but any sound vehicle will do. Your tires and brakes are very important and should be the first thing that is checked. Be sure to check all your fluid levels and check for signs of any leaks. Your battery and starting/charging system must not be overlooked. If your cooling system has not been looked at in a long time do so now. Nothing is more frustrating let alone dangerous to have something fail and leave you stranded out in the boonies. In short, fix everything that needs it now.

The second requirement is traction. A stock configuration tire sold on most 4x4's today will be adequate under most situations encountered in the sand. Some extreme machines use paddle tires, but more on that later. On level surfaces you should have no problem moving forward with your stock tires. Slow and easy is the rule with very few exceptions. Improving traction is usually accomplished by airing down the tires that you have. I would suggest starting at 15psi.

The third requirement is control. You must modify your driving style to suit the conditions of the terrain. When driving forward and you feel your tires slipping gently accelerate to overcome the increased friction. Momentum is what will carry you forward. If you stop the chances are you will get stuck. If you do get stuck try backing up and driving through at a greater speed, if it is safe to do so. (I do not mean to blast through at twice the speed of sound but to try it at a slightly greater speed.) Remember the faster you are going the more likely you are to break something. If you succeeded in going further than you did on the first attempt then continue backing up and going forward. If this doesn't work back up and go around. If backing up didn't help and your are spinning the tires with no forward or rearward movement then stop. Get out of your vehicle and find out why you are stuck. Having a shovel handy or a winch greatly increases your chances of getting out of your predicament. You should always travel in groups of at least 2 vehicles. The second vehicle makes a nice anchor point for your winch or by using a pull strap you can be pulled out of the hole your tires dug when spinning.