Driving on Sand-The Answer

[papa glenn]

Hahaha I love all the comments about the gmc not liking the sand but dont ya
think it has something to do with the way you drive. I am bred and born in
snow country ( Michigan ) and if I treat the sand like snow I should have an
edge!
- ----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Thursday, May 04, 2000 11:14 PM
Subject: GMC: Driving on Sand-The Answer

> In a message dated 5/4/00 8:53:41 PM US Eastern Standard Time,

>
> really want to park on the beach. >>
> Chains make good holes, now if you can get some of that surplus WW2 Steel
> runway matting and lay down 100 yards of it then you'll have no problem.
> Mark

 

[antnip]

Having grown up less than a mile from the beach, I can tell you sand and
snow are 2 different animals. Snow, is usually on top of something hard
(road) or frozen and hard (ground). with sand, if you start digging in and
spinning those wheels, you can keep going until you hit the earths core. And
trust me it can happen FAST! The sand also seems to hang on to a vehicle far
more than snow.

If you want to experiment, try to find an area where sand has drifted or
blown over some pavement or a parking lot. This happens a lot here after
storms. This way, even if you sink in, you can only go so far.

I have seen people get stuck in snow, but you can usually get out with a bit
of digging (unless you are in a ditch) but I've seen people get so stuck in
sand that even a tow truck couldn't pull them out.

I'm not saying you can't do it, but just be real careful. The last thing I'd
want is a real big tow truck snapping my coach in half trying to pull it out
of the snow.

Best of luck and have fun!

Tony Bad

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Papa Glenn
To:
Sent: Friday, May 05, 2000 1:21 AM
Subject: Re: GMC: Driving on Sand-The Answer

> Hahaha I love all the comments about the gmc not liking the sand but dont
ya
> think it has something to do with the way you drive. I am bred and born in
> snow country ( Michigan ) and if I treat the sand like snow I should have
an
> edge!
> ----- Original Message -----
> From:
> To:
> Sent: Thursday, May 04, 2000 11:14 PM
> Subject: GMC: Driving on Sand-The Answer
>
>
> > In a message dated 5/4/00 8:53:41 PM US Eastern Standard Time,

> >
> > unstuck? I
> > really want to park on the beach. >>
> > Chains make good holes, now if you can get some of that surplus WW2
Steel
> > runway matting and lay down 100 yards of it then you'll have no problem.
> > Mark
>
>

 

[dave1]

>Hahaha I love all the comments about the gmc not liking the sand but dont=
ya
>think it has something to do with the way you drive. I am bred and born in
>snow country ( Michigan ) and if I treat the sand like snow I should have=
an
>edge!

Unfortunately driving technique doesn't do much for you. Unlike most FWD=20
vehicles the GMC is more than twice as heavy in the rear as it is in the=20
front. There just isn't enough traction on the drive wheels for loose or=20
slippery surfaces. I have been stuck a number of times, most recently this=
=20
spring at a sandy campground in Florida.

Going in reverse helps but only on an incline. If you are trying to go up a=
=20
slippery hill or driveway you will have a better chance by backing up=20
because more of the weight gets shifted to the downhill wheels.

Letting most of the air out of the front tires can sometimes help a bit=20
too. Just be sure to fill them back up immediately after getting unstuck.=20
Low air is bad news for the tires on the GMC.

Dave
Ann Arbor, MI.
73 Sequoia (26'/455/HEI/TBI/160=B0/3.42)

 

[rob teed]

I live in Michigan too. I left the road to pull over on
a sandy parking area last summer..We were stuck real
quick..but I was able to back it back out...less then
10ft off the main road...up by Alpena..LOL
Rob Teed 74 Painted Desert

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-gmcmotorhome
> [mailtowner-gmcmotorhome]On Behalf Of Papa Glenn
> Sent: Friday, May 05, 2000 1:21 AM
> To: gmcmotorhome
> Subject: Re: GMC: Driving on Sand-The Answer
>
>
> Hahaha I love all the comments about the gmc not liking the sand
> but dont ya
> think it has something to do with the way you drive. I am bred and born in
> snow country ( Michigan ) and if I treat the sand like snow I
> should have an
> edge!
> ----- Original Message -----
> From:
> To:
> Sent: Thursday, May 04, 2000 11:14 PM
> Subject: GMC: Driving on Sand-The Answer
>
>
> > In a message dated 5/4/00 8:53:41 PM US Eastern Standard Time,

> >
> > unstuck? I
> > really want to park on the beach. >>
> > Chains make good holes, now if you can get some of that
> surplus WW2 Steel
> > runway matting and lay down 100 yards of it then you'll have no problem.
> > Mark
>
>

_____________________________________________
NetZero - Defenders of the Free World
Click here for FREE Internet Access and Email
http://www.netzero.net/download/index.html

 

[dave1]

>Dave hate to break your perfect record but MOST FWD vehicles have fantastic
>traction. Any of the toronados had fantastic traction. I never used snow
>tires on any of the 10 I owned and never ever worried about how deep the
>snow got. Best winter cars I ever had. FWD cars by their very nature have
>most of their weight over the front driving wheels.

I think we agree. My comment was that the GMC is not like most FWD=20
vehicles. The GMC has most of the weight in the rear, thus the traction=20
problems in the front...

> >.... Unlike most FWD
> >vehicles the GMC is more than twice as heavy in the rear as it is in the
> >front. There just isn't enough traction on the drive wheels for loose or
> >slippery surfaces. I have been stuck a number of times, ....

Dave
Ann Arbor, MI.
73 Sequoia (26'/455/HEI/TBI/160=B0/3.42)

 

[david l greenberg]

On Fri, 5 May 2000 01:21:12 -0400 "Papa Glenn"
writes:
> Hahaha I love all the comments about the gmc not liking the sand but
> dont ya think it has something to do with the way you drive. I am bred
and born in snow country ( Michigan ) and if I treat the sand like snow
I should have an edge!It isn't the same. Laugh if you like-then go park
wherever you want. It is your coach and your right.

I have been GMCing for 25 years and I don't get stuck anymore.

David Lee Greenberg
GMC Motorhome Registry
Dedicated To The Preservation Of The GMC Classic!
www.gmcss.com/registry.htm