Can I drive on the beach in an AWD minivan?

[Rob Rockcrawler]

Does the surfcaster catalog still have the AWD Astro van in it? I was considering one a while back when i first got into fishing because i thought it would be a good vehicle. Then after driving beaches the past couple years, even without ever driving a AWD vehicle i wouldnt do it without 4WD.

[Mike P]

Most of the early "AWD" vehicles--like Priestberger's Astro mini-van and my wife's Exploder--were actually full time 4wd, with power permanently distributed in the ratio of 60% to the rear wheels and 40% to the front. Same with Jeep's old Quadra-Trac full time 4wd. None of them had low ranges. The original Quadra-Trac Jeeps had a switch inside the glove compartment whereby you could lock the transfer case so that the front and rear axles would turn at the same ratio, but that was about it for tough going. I've run a Grand Cherokee, a small Cherokee, an old Wagoneer and a K-5 Blazer on beaches all over the Northeast and I've never had to drop any of them into low range. My current vehicle has never been in low range, ever. When I had a old box on wheels Trooper with an anemic 4 banger under the hood, I ran that in low range, but not because I had to to avoid getting stuck--I did it so I wouldn't be constantly driving in first gear.

Of course, I air down and I've been driving on beaches for almost 30 years, so YMMV

[quick decision]

I used low range because I wanted to put less stress on the engine pushing through the sand.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by quick decision

I used low range because I wanted to put less stress on the engine pushing through the sand.

You shouldn't be "pushing" through the sand if you've aired down to the right pressure.

If you take your foot off the gas and your truck doesn't coast for more than a few inches, you haven't aired down enough.

[Swimmer]

I like my ranger but I miss my F-250. That being said the only time I ever had the 250 in low low was to tow some fool out that did not lower his tires to the prescribed amount.

[striperman36]

Originally Posted by Mike P

The original Quadra-Trac Jeeps had a switch inside the glove compartment whereby you could lock the transfer case so that the front and rear axles would turn at the same ratio, but that was about it for tough going.

I had a 78, the switch said only if all 4 wheels were spinning, I used it as a sank in a muddle puddle above the bumper in North West NJ. Left the muffler there, the only time I ever got mud in the middle of the roof of that thing it was the most powerful vehicle I ever had