Finally did it...
Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 8:10 pmI got stuck!!
Yeah that's right, I finally got the Flyer stuck out on the dunes of Galveston beach. What a proud day for me!
I was running the back trails through the dunes and decided to hit one of the trails going over a dune. Unfortunately, I took it too fast and I slid in the sand into the side of the dune and knocked out my passenger fog light. I decided another run was in order, but that was a no go as well; just couldn't get any traction in the sand. So I backed up to take the bypass and put the rear on top of another tall sand dune behind me. Realizing my error, I put it in drive and promptly buried the front end in the sand. Even in 4 low I was getting nowhere. My driver rear wheel was completely stuffed into the wheel well and the passenger tire was spinning fruitlessly a foot in the air. The front drivers tire was completely buried up to the axle. Making matters worse, the gas in the tank had all drained forward, killing the engine.
My brother and my dad dropped by to help dig it out, but even with putting all the weight on the passenger side of the bumper we couldn't get traction on that tire, only another hole. The only good byproduct of that was sloshing some gas back to the fuel pump. Fortunately, two guys in a chevy were good enough to give Red a tug and she came right out.
I could have prevented this mistake by a) coming prepared with the proper recovery equipment...including tow hooks
and b) airing down the tires. It also wouldn't have been a bad thing if the Explorer sat a bit higher and I had a locker in the 8.8 instead of that worthless limited slip! 
Red has come back missing a light, with a small bumper tweak and there is sand in every crevice and crack of her, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Yeah that's right, I finally got the Flyer stuck out on the dunes of Galveston beach. What a proud day for me!
I was running the back trails through the dunes and decided to hit one of the trails going over a dune. Unfortunately, I took it too fast and I slid in the sand into the side of the dune and knocked out my passenger fog light. I decided another run was in order, but that was a no go as well; just couldn't get any traction in the sand. So I backed up to take the bypass and put the rear on top of another tall sand dune behind me. Realizing my error, I put it in drive and promptly buried the front end in the sand. Even in 4 low I was getting nowhere. My driver rear wheel was completely stuffed into the wheel well and the passenger tire was spinning fruitlessly a foot in the air. The front drivers tire was completely buried up to the axle. Making matters worse, the gas in the tank had all drained forward, killing the engine.
My brother and my dad dropped by to help dig it out, but even with putting all the weight on the passenger side of the bumper we couldn't get traction on that tire, only another hole. The only good byproduct of that was sloshing some gas back to the fuel pump. Fortunately, two guys in a chevy were good enough to give Red a tug and she came right out.
I could have prevented this mistake by a) coming prepared with the proper recovery equipment...including tow hooks
and b) airing down the tires. It also wouldn't have been a bad thing if the Explorer sat a bit higher and I had a locker in the 8.8 instead of that worthless limited slip! Red has come back missing a light, with a small bumper tweak and there is sand in every crevice and crack of her, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
