Taking on the Sand Dunes – How To Deal With Sandy Hazards

Want to take on the sand dunes? In this post, we’ll show you how to do so.

Off-road driving in the UAE is quite exciting but can as well be dangerous. However, for the brave-hearted, the fun outweighs the risks associated with off-road driving.

If you’re an adventurous off-roader, we’ll be showing you how to deal with sandy hazards.

How To Deal With Sandy Hazards

To significantly cut down the high-risk factors associated with desert driving, follow these tips:

1. Understand the Desert Environment

Understanding the desert environment is crucial for a successful off-road trip. You should know about the different types of desert surfaces, shapes of dunes, texture, and colors of the sand, and the vegetation.

Desert areas with rippled surfaces give your 4WD more grip than smoother surfaces. It is easier to drive on pale yellow sand with a coarse texture than on fine-grained golden-red desert sand.

Three common types of sand dunes include the crescent-shaped Barchan dune, the ridge-shaped Seif dune, and the mini-mountain Draa Dune.

When driving on any of these dunes, you should not stop your vehicle with wheels across the dune peak to avoid getting stuck. Besides, the peaks will level as you drive on them.

If you’re not sure of what lies ahead of your path, park your vehicle and walk ahead for better oversight. You can use your feet to test the sand structure so as to avoid driving on a quicksand surface.

2. Prepare Your Vehicle for the Off-Road Trip

Before engaging in an off-road trip, you should carry out these routine checks:

• Check your tyres to make sure they are in good condition and free from damages. The pressure of your tyre should be at 18psi for large 4WDs, 16psi for small 4WDs, and 14psi in emergencies. Also, make sure you carry a spare tyre along.
• Check for water levels and top up your water catch tank.
• Also, check your engine oil level. You should also check the auto box oil level if you drive an automatic transmission vehicle.
• Check your hydraulic clutch, brake reservoir, and top-up.
• Make sure that your battery is secured tightly by its clamps and void of spills.

Note: Also, ensure you carry emergency equipment such as jump starter, tow rope, round-mouth shovel, and a lump hammer.

3. Driving up on a Slope

You need momentum to go up on a dune because sandy surfaces won’t give you the same traction as hard and flat surfaces.

Your 4WD should be able to build momentum high enough to climb a sand dune without having to change your gear while still on the slope. Ensure you apply the ideal momentum and not excess which is considered unsafe.

4. Driving down the slope

Before descending the dune, you should observe the following tips:

• Do not drive down the slope at any angle; instead, you should drive straight down.
• Do not drive down the slope in neutral gear or with your clutch held down.
• View the spread of the slope and determine which path to follow.
• Do not apply brakes when driving down on a steep slope.
• Drive down the slope in low gear. Consider gear 2 or 3.

5. Service Your Vehicle

To succeed at your next sand dune adventurous trip, you need to service your vehicle ahead. Besides, there are several hazards out there in the desert that might cause your vehicle to break down. However, good preparation will give you a proactive edge against unforeseen vehicle break down.

Conversely, AAA Service Center in Dubai is adept at car servicing, maintenance, vehicle repairs, and other vehicle-related services. So, if you’re in Dubai, you should consider visiting our service center before your next sand dune adventure.

Conclusion

Extreme success at taking on the sand dunes depends entirely on your level of preparation, off-road driving skills, and knowledge of the desert environment.

To streamline the entire preparation process, you should book your off-road vehicle with us. Another interesting perk is that we offer a free pick-up and delivery service anywhere in Dubai.

 

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