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Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:12 am

just wondering if anyone has ever run snow chains in the sand?

I’d love to install some paddles, but I can’t afford or justify spending that much money.
Our sand rail sees pismo sand dunes once or twice a year. We have some nice wide tires mounted
on some wide 15 inch steel rims.

I haven’t seen anyone else do it, but would running snow chains improve traction in the sand?

pics of the rail here....

http://www.westcoastarcades.com/zenphoto/jyd/oct%202009%20JYD/.

Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:33 am

:lol:

Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:45 am

I know they work in the mud. :lol:

Mon Oct 26, 2009 12:36 pm

i don't see why not. never driven in sand before (there are not many deserts here in GA :lol: ). but i would think its similar to mud and snow (which i have driven in both).

Mon Oct 26, 2009 2:24 pm

I bought yokohama geolander directionals mud terrains ran backwards. the work awesome. Plus just turn them around and you have dirt tires, or spares in my case.

Mon Oct 26, 2009 2:46 pm

i hear its just like driving in the snow

Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:08 pm

If you do try it please youtube it :shock:

Seriously though in my experience the use of chains at high speeds usually leads to catastrophic fail.

Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:32 pm

I don't think you even want to try it.... Unless you have full steel fenders, you launch one chain off drivers side just once you may need to go to hospital and have your arm put back on.......

Dale

Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:55 pm

paddles are the only way to go in sand. and like dale said think i you broke a chain. something would be hurting. look on the classified section here on the samba under offroad parts. or craiglist or even ebay. i got a set of paddles with rims for $200 on ebay. by the time they were at my door i spent $300 total shipping included. i'm sure the rims alone were worth that easily. alot of people upgrade and get rid of the left overs reasonably. for even twice a year at pismo a set of cheap used paddles will get you all the way to the back fence at piz. don't know how far a set of snow chains will get you. :P

Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:16 pm

oh yeah, didn't think about that. you are going to be going a lot faster in sand then you are in mud or snow. and i sure wouldn't trust chains going faster then 20 or 30 mph.

Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:20 pm

they do make a rubber snow chains. http://www.snobootz.com/howitworks.php i had thought about when you drive to the beach and need a little extra traction without having to switch tires. but like said, not the safest thing.

Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:27 pm

Just run some bald super wide tires aired way down, you will be surprized how far you can go!!! Just make sure you always stop on level ground or pointed downhill.

Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:42 pm

ZARJDR wrote: Just run some bald super wide tires aired way down, you will be surprized how far you can go!!! Just make sure you always stop on level ground or pointed downhill.

Bald?? won't that prevent traction? isn't that why sand tires have huge paddles on them, or why desert explorer tires have a pretty dep design on them? please explain? :?:

Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:53 pm

Back in the day everyone ran three rib airplane tires, no tread whatsoever!! I have seen many a lighweight vehicle bombing in the dunes with little more prep than a set of super wides that were worn out by someone else!. The real good choices are the softer sidewall(read limited plies) and airing down to next to nothing, as a large foorprint is your friend.

Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:54 pm

BugMan114 wrote: ZARJDR wrote: Just run some bald super wide tires aired way down, you will be surprized how far you can go!!! Just make sure you always stop on level ground or pointed downhill.

Bald?? won't that prevent traction? isn't that why sand tires have huge paddles on them, or why desert explorer tires have a pretty dep design on them? please explain? :?:

i think he is talking about the balloon tire theory. the tire never breaks the surface and stays on top.

kind like this ghia. balding thornbirds. smooth in the middle to stay on top but the side lugs give you forward push.

Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:17 pm

Dale M. wrote: I don't think you even want to try it.... Unless you have full steel fenders, you launch one chain off drivers side just once you may need to go to hospital and have your arm put back on.......

Dale

Ditto...

Have you ever used chains in the snow? At anything above 15 MPH it is scary. Sounds like the world is coming to an end. Plus, you are going to be having fun and driving as such, not driving carefully like you are going to slide out and hit someones house or oncoming traffic. Bad, bad, bad idea.

Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:50 am

Go to your local dirt speedway. Hit the pits after the race. You could probably get a set of used (not new enough to be competetive) Sprint Car or Midget (inside or outside tire depending on how big you want to go) rear tires for free. Maybe cost you a twelver.
Ive seen under powered cars motor all over the dunes with this setup no problem.

Tue Oct 27, 2009 7:16 am

Thanks again for everyone's advice.
We actually are running worn race tires.
They seem to float fine on the sand. Its just they
spin excessively.

I didn't think of the saftey factor of chains coming off
on a open wheel car. Thats enough to dissuade me
from intalling them.

Tue Oct 27, 2009 8:01 am

the scary part about chains is that they might only break on one side..then you have a steel whip ready to tear somethig apart.. like a weedeater on roids. I use them in the snow and i usually an trying to idle to keep the vibration down. i dont have any exp in sand, but i imagine the feel would be similar.

Tue Oct 27, 2009 8:25 am

The thing is with sand is big bald tires give you flotation to roll over soft surface. That is why big wide bald tires are so effective. Paddles operate on same theory for flotation, but the paddle also has ability to cup sand and when climbing dunes it moves huge volumes of sand from in front of tire to behind tire, that builds a pile of sand behind tire and pushes buggy (tire) forwards...

Only thing is with paddles and climbing is you need LOTS of horsepower and have ability to spin tires is a sufficient way to move huge volume of sand. It's not traction, its earth moving.... If you don't have the horse power paddles will do very little for you, they do not really improve traction, as dry sand is so unstable there is nothing for tires to bite on....

It also starts a vicious cycle.... To much tire means you need more motor, built bigger motor, now tires are to small, buy bigger tires, now again motor it to small, built bigger motor, now tires are to small....

Depending on how much rubber is left on tire you can always groove tires some (perpendicular to run direction) to improve them some, that is what we did in old days (pre-paddle tires days) it did two things. It created cleats to move sand and cause tire casing to be softer to conform to terrain better, BUT back in late 60's when we were doing that we did NOT have selection of various tires available then as we do today. Then we were using street tire on wide rims or farm implement tires....

Been there, done that, did not get tee shirt...

Dale