Seriously Bogged

[Boggs]

Finally put my D4 to the test on some very sandy tracks towing a camper trailer and got seriously bogged. (don't ask how.. embarrassing and irrelevant!). It was on a sunken sandy beachside track and the first time in three decades I have needed the assistance of another vehicle to get out. Normally on industrial vehicles I would have used the high lift jack to crank up each wheel but no hard points on this baby so didn't carry one. On board I had recovery mats, shovel and an exhaust jack. No good.. the bag just raised the chassis higher while the unbelievable suspension travel prevented the wheels coming off the dirt to get the mats under them. digging under the wheels just caused them to disappear into the hole.
I reckon you have to dig a hole metres deep to get the wheels off the ground!
When a bull bar becomes available for the MY14/15 models I will certainly be installing a winch and buying a sand plate.
As for the OEM jack.. what a piece of ****.. I wouldn't even try changing a wheel on the bitumen with that.. another item to be replaced.

[eddomak]

On board I had recovery mats, shovel and an exhaust jack. No good.. the bag just raised the chassis higher while the unbelievable suspension travel prevented the wheels coming off the dirt to get the mats under them. digging under the wheels just caused them to disappear into the hole.
I reckon you have to dig a hole metres deep to get the wheels off the ground!

Just thinking aloud here, and absolutely no experience here to speak of, but in such an instance would it be possible to pull the EAS fuse (#26?) to prevent air suspension from extending? Of course this would need to be done pre-emptively in this situation.

I just ask because I had to pull the fuse to install the GOE rods the other night.

[Geedublya]

Just thinking aloud here, and absolutely no experience here to speak of, but in such an instance would it be possible to pull the EAS fuse (#26?) to prevent air suspension from extending? Of course this would need to be done pre-emptively in this situation.

I just ask because I had to pull the fuse to install the GOE rods the other night.

Actually you need to do the opposite and extend the suspension as far as possible. Once it can't droop any further the jack starts to lift the wheel. LLAMS, rods or an IIDTool are useful to do this.

[eddomak]

Actually you need to do the opposite and extend the suspension as far as possible. Once it can't droop any further the jack starts to lift the wheel. LLAMS, rods or an IIDTool are useful to do this.

I thought Boggs was saying that the problem was he couldn't lift the vehicle high enough (beyond the reach of the suspension) to get something under it. So if you pull the fuse first to "freeze" the suspension where it is, then lift, put something under the tyre, and either lower the car or re-insert the fuse, the tyre would now be on some grippy stuff.

[Boggs]

I thought Boggs was saying that the problem was he couldn't lift the vehicle high enough (beyond the reach of the suspension) to get something under it. So if you pull the fuse first to "freeze" the suspension where it is, then lift, put something under the tyre, and either lower the car or re-insert the fuse, the tyre would now be on some grippy stuff.

An interesting idea, but I doubt any "freezing" of the suspension would stop the wheels dropping. Likely wheels and suspension components have enough weight to pull a vacuum on the airbag. Whether the vacuum pulled would eventually reach critical level to stop the drop before end of suspension travel is debateable.. proof would be in the pudding...

[eddy]

I think the procedure is something like put the suspension into off road mode,switch off, place jack under the strut arm...probably have to dig a hole to get it in there.....jack it up about an inch...wait a few seconds then lower it about half an inch.Suspension will raise the wheel enough to place your trax underneath.Start the car with doors shut,vehicle will go into extended mode, onto the trax, enabling jack to be removed........drive off...put back into normal mode.
Qued....have a beer.....

Moderators remove this post if it compromises H&S!

PS...Just tried this in the shed....did not work!Must have one of the steps wrong?Should it be jack under chassis??

[Boggs]

I hate digging... gonna buy a winch... oops... need a bull bar first... now that's another issue....

[BobD]

Never had to dig yet in soft sand around Margaret River, Albany and Esperance. Every time I thought I was hopelessly bogged, I let more air out of the tyres, down to about 14 or 16 psi, put it in rock crawl mode and have just driven straight out without a problem, even without Maxtrax. It would be a lot more difficult with a camper trailer, however.

[coolum]

Many years ago ('80's) in a 2 door rangie On Standard tyres - Fraser Is - in the Far nth of the island I had to go through the back of the Dunes to get through a beach due to tide.


I was on about 15lbs all round but it wasn't getting through in 3rd Low range ..


I had a pump handy to reinflate so I dropped them to 8 lbs and just 'drove through' like no probs.. once back on the Hard beaches I pumped back up to norm.


Now the question - in a D3 with 18" 'What would be the absolute minimum pressure that be recommended to make sure the wheels stay on the beads and get you out of the soft stuff..


Yes --- bearing in mind its just to get you through the problem and then re-inflate.. I would not go off into the Tree roots afterwards as we know the sidewalls will only last seconds.


Would an 18" handle 8 lbs? for a short low speed run?

[eddy]

Probably another dodgy statement....but I think in an emergency in sand it should be ok to go down to 7Psi ie 0.5 Bar without too much steering input.
The disco is supposed to have rims that hang onto the tyres pretty well.