4x4s too can get stuck on a beach, swallowed by the sea, here's how to avoid it

Last week, social media was abuzz with photos of a Mitsubishi Triton stuck on soft sand on a beach, before being consumed by the sea when high tide came in.

So what went wrong? Was it because it was equipped with the wrong tyres? Or was the Mitsubishi Triton a bad 4x4? It’s none of the above.

Such situations could happen to anyone, with any 4x4, on any tyres, and it’s a myth that off-road tyres would’ve helped the poor owner. In fact, chunky tyre tread block on off-road tyres would’ve made the situation worse, more on that later.

But first, we need to establish one thing: What you see in video commercials made by manufacturers marketing their 4x4s are not a good representation of how off-road driving is in the real world. It is after all, a video commercial, duh!

While action scenes of 4x4 SUVs and trucks charging into rivers look cool, the reality is quite different. In fact, it’s the total opposite.

Seasoned off-road adventurers will tell you that charging into water at high speed is the surest way to damage your radiator, and splashing mud at high speed is how you will end up going sideways, before tipping over and resting on the truck’s side, and someone else has to winch you out.

There are many terrains that even a military-specs Pinzgauer will have to tread very carefully, nevermind your regular 4x4. Slippery terrain and flowing water are conditions that you should drive over at no more than walking speed.

With that out of the way, WapCar.my reached out to Paul Si, a seasoned off-roader to share some tips on how to avoid such sticky situations. Paul would know because he once drove across the Sahara desert with the Trans-Sahara 2004 Petronas Adventure Team.

I remember him telling me that on some parts of the Sahara, the sand is as soft as talcum powder or finely milled flour. The locals call it 'fesh fesh' and it's very dangerous to stop a vehicle there.

At a time when we could still travel freely, I once sat down with Paul, him telling me tales of his many adventures. About the Trans-Sahara drive, he said, "When driving over 'fesh fesh' sand, do not stop! Even if one of your team mate got stuck, keep moving until you find ground firm enough to park, and then walk back with recovery tools and equipment.”

So what's the trick to drive safely on soft sand?

“Tyre pressure is everything. Go as low as possible. How low? 1 bar / 14 psi was what we used in Sahara (On 'normal' Sahara sand. Terrain varies greatly, so do recommended tyre pressures). If stuck, lower some more to 0.5 bar / 7 psi.”

The lower the tyre pressure, the wider a tyre's contact patch becomes, and since the vehicle's weight remains unchanged, the vehicle's weight / pressure exerted on the ground is spread out over a wider surface area, thus reducing the vehicle's likely hood to 'sink' in soft ground. 

This is why the tractors that are often called in to rescue beached cars don't get stuck. These tractors don't have 4WD but they have very tall and wide tyres that give it a very big contact patch over the soft sand. 

Paul added that not all sand are the same. Dry sand and wet sand (like a beach in low tide) have different characteristics. A slightly damp sandy surface is good, but if it’s too wet it could become like quicksand and suck in a heavy 4x4 vehicle.

Also, the techniques of driving on soft sand is the opposite of driving on mud. When crossing muddy terrain in the tropical jungle, one would normally use the lowest gear possible for maximum torque. But on sand, one should use the highest gear possible, but not too high that it strains the engine.

“Low gear, more torque, more wheelspin. Wheelspin digs,” said Paul.

Also, one needs to be careful where one parks on sand.

“Sand that can support rolling weight with momentum may not support the added energy needed to get a stationary vehicle moving. But most of our beach sand can handle a parked vehicle. Problem is when rolling off, many newbies overdo either the (low) gear or throttle, or both. You'd want to be as gentle as possible.”

Also, Paul corrected the myth that you need off-road tyres for driving on soft sand.

“Extremely aggressive treads are bad for sand, because they dig. HT (Highway Terrain) or AT (All-Terrain) tyres are fine. It is the correct / wrong tyre pressure where most fail and get into trouble.

“MT tyres are fine too but you have to be careful because if you apply too much throttle, they scoop out sand and throw to the side with each revolution. That is what mud tyres are designed to do. With mud, when you throw the slippery stuff, you reach the firm, grippy stuff underneath. With sand, there is no hard bottom,” explained Paul.

For newbie 4x4 enthusiasts, Paul’s advice is to start getting into the hobby step by step. There’s no need to join an arms race and equip their 4x4 with every hardcore off-road equipment imaginable. First, learn to work with what you have, and start with simple trails.

Driving on sandy beach is one example. There’s no need for specialized equipment / tyres. One just need to know the right driving techniques to enjoy their 4x4.

“If in doubt, don't. However, to have doubt, you must first have some knowledge. Also, avoid going off-road alone. Have another suitably equipped vehicle AND experienced driver for company. Too many people assume that, just because they have a 4x4, they can then do everything, go everywhere that 4x4s can go, because they have seen it in videos. The drivers in those videos (well, most of them) have knowledge and experience, they know what they and their vehicles can do, and just as important, what they cannot do. And many have learned lessons the hard way as well, just that it might not have gone viral then, and that includes me.” said Paul with a cheeky smile.

After gaining sufficient experience and understanding the limits of your vehicle, then you can decide on the next suitable modification. Remember that every modification is a compromise / deviation away from the manufacturer’s original design.

A Borneo Safari ‘Monster truck’ may look cool but you can say goodbye to ride comfort, fuel economy, or even driving into a multi-storey car park – essentially narrowing (but at the same time deepening) your vehicle’s breath of capabilities.

"Getting stuck is fine. In fact, it is part of the adventure and the fun. But you do need to have the know-how and gear to get unstuck. Before the tide rolls in," added Paul.