Thread: Helping D3 bogged in sand

I regularly run as low as 7 psi - both on sand and rocks. Makes a huge difference, and I have never lost a bead.

Aired down also allows for a shallow approach angle of the tyre face which helps.on sand. Long footprint is what you want. Wide is like trying to push a log through sand. Airing down in soft sand and offroad preserves tracks and sand cuttings, beaches etc and aides traction. It allows tyres to deform around rocks and ledges and grip them.

Cheers

Land Rover alloys are known for holding the beads of the tyre very firmly, a plus for lower pressures until you need to strip one in the bush.

Originally Posted by ozscott

Aired down also allows for a shallow approach angle of the tyre face which helps.on sand. Long footprint is what you want. Wide is like trying to push a log through sand. Airing down in soft sand and offroad preserves tracks and sand cuttings, beaches etc and aides traction. It allows tyres to deform around rocks and ledges and grip them. Cheers

Simple stuff is not so simple - that is why I asked why airing down works.

I also much appreciated isuzurover's tyre track sketch. I had forgotten the footprint gets longer - like two to three times longer, as it just did not seem that the width increased that much that it would help much - plus as you said, wider can mean more push required, and that is what slows one down when not enough horsepower is available.

Yep mate. I once saw a sedan that had been lifted and had 4wd and trully massive wideys....400mm accross if an inch and low profile. He could not drive through soft sand to save himself and it wasnt clearance stopping him.

Cheers

Originally Posted by bbyer

I also much appreciated isuzurover's tyre track sketch. I had forgotten the footprint gets longer - like two to three times longer, as it just did not seem that the width increased that much that it would help much - plus as you said, wider can mean more push required, and that is what slows one down when not enough horsepower is available.

Yeah, the diagram is a great help in explaining why going from 25 to 16 makes a large difference in footprint. I wish I had it to show the guy I was helping when he queried it with me. Going from 40 to 25 is not such a big change in length compared with 25 to 16. One thing for sure, there is no lack of power with any Disco 3 or 4 model in sand!


I twice got up very steep, soft sand hills after the car had stopped while in sand mode, using rock crawl with DSC off and starting from where the car stopped. Interestingly, the car was severely rationing power in rock crawl with DSC off and it would rev to 3000 then cut it back to 1500, get grip and rev back to 3000 before dropping to 1500 in a cycle until it made it up the hills.


Obviously would have been better to reduce power myself but I was interested to see what it was doing and just kept the foot down while it did its thing. When it first happened it was a bit of a shock but I realised that each time the revs reduced the car started inching forward and then it would stop again as the revs increased and it lost grip. My natural instinct was to keep the wheels spinning in the soft dry sand but the car knew better.


Bob

This computer stuff leaves one wondering at times. It seems that driving is heading towards where flying the big jets already is - for the most part, the computers do a better job than a pilot does - for the most part, as I said.

I recall looking with contempt at the Evoque with the non existent gear shift lever; now I see in I guess it was a 2014 LR4 at my dealers, also missing, the the gear shift lever. All there appears to be is a disappearing round knob in the console.

As to the terrain knob, well it appears to be some sort of recessed tipper switch, best ignored I guess as just adding a complication.

Given the no key "feature", and now, no shift lever, I wondered if when you enter you just announce Onward, or Getty Up; to stop, Wooh or something like that - or maybe you just think it - in the Queens English, I presume and with the proper accent?

.... and there will be no alternative - soon one will not even beable to purchase a new Defender?

On a more optimistic note, my forecast is that the no gear stick thing is just a fad. Like the digital dash, round dials have returned, (including analogue clocks), hence the gear stick will return; also I see car radios are starting to feature two knobs, one for volume, the other for tuning - how progressive! (That is in the truly new 2014 General Motors pickups.)

Boeing remained with a control wheel / yokes in the 787 Dreamliner so there is continued hope. I also note that there are still a couple of seats at the front as well - and per the jpg, fine Australian lambs wool seat covers it would appear.

Photos: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Originally Posted by BobD

Interestingly, the car was severely rationing power in rock crawl with DSC off and it would rev to 3000 then cut it back to 1500, get grip and rev back to 3000 before dropping to 1500 in a cycle until it made it up the hills.

I've experienced that on sand too, in sand mode. Annoying - I would rather it remained under my control rather than deciding it knows better.