One of the big reasons Aussies love their 4WDs is because it gives them access to drive on the beach! Everyone loves beach driving, but if you’ve never driven on sand dunes before, it’s important to have a bit of know-how before you get out there.
Ronny Dahl has a few tips on safe driving on sand dunes, and his first tip is before you head down a sand dune, check whether you can actually get back out again!
“If you’re driving down a dune into a bowl that’s surrounded by deep descents, you’re not gonna be able to get out easily. It can be very difficult to get out so if you’re not experienced, try to avoid these situations,” Ronny said.
“Before you start driving over the dune, make sure you know what’s on the other side. Sometimes the ground is on a different angle, and this is where things can become pear shaped.”
“Here’s a few things I do to make sure I get down the dunes safely.”
Ronny’s dune driving tips:
Grab yourself some polarised glasses! These are really good for dune driving because you can actually get sand dune blindness in the sun. This is where it’s so bright that everything starts to look the same. Polarised glasses are the way to go.
Any 4WD can get down a dune as long as you stick to the basics. First gear low, pop the clutch and keep it nice and slow as you go down. Let the engine compression do its job – the only thing you may need to do it pump the accelerator every now and then.
Once you’re at the bottom don’t accelerate until you have your back wheels down. Once your car is flat, change gears and it’s a simple drive straight ahead!
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