I have a 2008 Kia Sorrento. It has a switch that says 4x4 low that I can switch on and off. Does this mean I can drive it on a sandy beach? If so, would I just switch it to the 4x4 low and be good to go?
I have a 2008 Kia Sorrento 4 x 4 AWD. There is a switch that says 4x4 low. Can I take my car out on a sandy beach and not get stuck? Would I need to engage the 4x4 low in order to do so?
Your Sorrento is capable of being driven on the sand. Assuming you are talking about desert sand , and not beach sand , it is always advisable to travel with anouther 4 wheel drive vehicle ( to help pull each other out ). You can drive your
vehicle in low or high range , but often it is best to stay in high range , because
some hills etc will require you to keep a good speed up. It is recommended that
you lower your tire pressure when you drive on sand , so you should carry an air compressor for reinflating when you get back on the road.Also you should carry
a long tow rope , jacks ( with boards to support them in the sand ) , water , shovels and a cell phone. I would advise that you read up on this type of driving before you try it , and that you start out on a small scale and grow your adventures from there.
Cheers!
Yes , my first post was for the soft , dry , deeper sand that you want to drive on. PS- I think airbag jack mentioned by car is a really good idea , but if you don't have the desire to spend the cash you can get buy with other types as long as you carry some stong flat boards to spread the load out.
Happy beachin'!
Yes it can but you need to let your tyres down appropriately, start at about 25 PSI and be prepared to go down to 20 PSI. It depends on the type of sand, how coarse it is, and how moist it is, etc.
Don't make sudden fast steering corrections in soft sand on low pressure because you can
(a) Wedge sand down the bead of the tyre and end up with a flat
(b) Roll the tyre right off the rim.
(c) Dig the tyre in and get bogged.
(d) If travelling too fast and really unlucky, roll the whole car over the tyre!
Note I have done the first myself and seen most of the others happen first hand!
Don't forget to air up after leaving the beach or you will cut the sidewalls up on the tar and overheat the tyre.
I've done quite a bit of beach and desert sand driving in my time ( both very popular in Australia) and my four most useful items would be good tyre gauge, good electric air pump, a long handle shovel, and a snatch strap. A lot of locals here swear by maxitracks and they are supposed to be good for mud too, but I must admit never trying them, another item I have tried and can recommend for sand, is a bull bag rather than a standard or highlift jack.
Enjoy your beach driving and don't forget to wash your car down thoroughly after beach driving.
Unless it's 'quicksand' any vehicle can drive on sand lol ... it's more a question of are YOU capable of driving off-road, on sand, on anything besides dry pavement? A skilled operator can drive anything almost anywhere, whereas someone without skill or experience could get a vehicle stuck in a puddle ... it's all relative, but yes, a 4x4 SUV should be able to handle a sandy beach.
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