Beach Driving in a Kluger?

[Barney Rubble]

Hi everyone,

we just bought a new 2012 Kluger Altitude.

We are planning to go to Fraser Island in April and I have seen some advice from 2008 on this forum about beach driving and turning off the traction control, etc...

Does anyone have any advice, I'm starting to freak out abit, has anyone taken a Kluger on sand before?

Thanks,

Barney

[ImSkitzoAndSoAmI]

I haven't done it, but I have been to Fraser Island in a 100 series land cruiser. I would imagine it should be fine, provided you are talking about an AWD Kluger. You don't need low range on the sand and you wont need to worry about ground clearance driving around on sand tracks. I have seen videos of a kluger or two driving on the beach.

Have you actually looked into the cost of hiring a vehicle though? It's not easy (impossible?) to get rid of all the sand under a car which has been beach driven. I wouldn't take my kluger on the beach FWIW.

Edit: I don't know about turning traction control off, but I guess it might make sense - in the sand momentum is king.

Edited January 24, 2013 by ImSkitzoAndSoAmI

[CROCO]

Hi barney,I also seen a few you tube videos of klugers driving in sand and on dunes, I read there pretty capable in sand and also read there comments and they said they turned the traction control off and lowered the tire pressure, im also pretty sure they were awd klugers too.

I personally probadly wouldnt tackle frasier island in a kluger, I heard of a lot of stories of guys getting stuck and losing the 4wds in the tide,but hopefully some one on this forum has taken there kluger to frasier island.

[Jean]

Hi all, I too am planning to go to Fraser Island later on the year. I have a Kluger AWD, I've read a lot of posts and blogs and looks like it should be OK. I'm planning to let tyres down to 18 psi, take compressor and pressure gauge with me and drive 2 hours before and after low tide. However, I have a big question; I was planning to take as well a snatch strap and shackles in case I get bogged and need to be recovered by someone else. The question is where do I attach the recovery gear to?, I've read the tow points at the front and rear shouldn't be used as they are not rated.

Any help would be much appreciated.

[Double Klugger]

I have been to Fraser Is several times and my suggestion is - Hire a 4WD with low range. It gives you more flexibility of when to travel and better ground clearances etc.

My pet hate is pushing pretend 4wds of tracks so everyone else can get past.

The Kluger is probably cable of the the beach driving but There is plenty to see and do off the beach especially if the weather is not great.

Dont get me wrong I love my Kluger but Fraser Is a mix of beach and tracks and if you really want to see the most of it you need to be prepared.

There are times when even the troop carrier we used could not get through some of the tracks that had become too soft or over used.

I agree with Skitzo, getting the sand out is impossible and the cost of hiring will be offset by the reduced resale value.

If you do decide to take the Kluger consider the tyres you use as ripping the side wall out of the $375 each Bridgestones is going to cause a lot of tears.

[Barney Rubble]

Thanks Guys, we are heading there with family who have a Jackaroo, i think I will just stick to driving on the beach up to our accomodation and not do any full-on 4wd'ing in the Kluger. We're mainly going there for fishing off the beach and some bush walking/hiking...

[Clark]

I'm wanting to take me 2009 Kluger to double island how did you go driving on the sand?

[TA74]

Hi Clark and Barney.

The Kluger will do it, but can you? it will come down to how good a driver you are and you driving skill/knowledge.

Theres a lot of skill needed in sand driving(and practice)to make it safe and pleasurable for you and your party. nothing worse than being bogged on the beach with the tide coming in(and the wife on your back!!!!!!).But its fantastic when you get it right.

Are you going with other experienced beach drivers?................As knowledge is invaluable.

You MUST have a Tyre pump,a good quality pressure gauge and recovery gear.

First thing is to turn off all the electronic wizardry on the car, like traction control etc, do this by turning on the car in park positon and pressing and holding for a couple of seconds the black semi hidden button on the dash about level with your left knee(left of the column and down a bit!). It will make a bing noise and you will have orange warning lights on the tacho inforning you its all turned off. Its now you and your right foot controlling the car( great for power slides in the wet!!!!!!).

Next i would lower the tyre presures to AROUND 20 PSI as a starter(I use chop sticks for this,the cheap wooden ones from the the sushi store work best,they fit the valve perectly), if the car bogs down or feels really sluggish,stop and reduced pressures by 2psi,and try again,and so on until the car drives on top of the sand nicely. I would not personally go below 16/17 psi, and never give hard sharp steering inputs as you might roll the tyre off the rim.

For recovery gear i have a long handle shovel, Five rated shackles (not from Bunnings),a bridal strap,snatch strap,air pump and a second towing eye from the wreckers.

They do say not to recover from the towing eye,but there is nothing else at the front of the car to attach to, so i went to the wreckers and purchased another eye from a totalled kluger( a camry,aurion,rx350,is250 will fit also).and with my bridal strap and three shackles with both towing eyes screwed in (i will get a picture as it explains it more easliy) im more than happy to be recovered.For the rear just remove you towbar tongue put the snatch strap in the hole and put the pin back through the snatch strap eye and towbar.

Also , your car will working a lot,lot harder than in the suburbs,make sure you have a full tank of fuel and its been regurly serviced(especially the cooling sytem).Hope this helps,will get photos of my setup ASAP if your interested.

Grant

[Clark]

Hey TA74

I'll be interested in your setup please I'm heading out to bribie Island in a couple weeks with mates

[TA74]

Hi Clark,will get photos of my gear this weekend, anything in particular you want to know or see?

Grant

[Clark]

Hey TA74

Mainly for your setup on the recovery on the towing eye since there's no recovery point. If you've been camping how did you go space wise with fitting everything in? When you mean the car will be overworking on sand will that mean higher revs?

[TA74]

Hi Clark,

Here are some photos i took today of my setup:-

Second towing eye from wrecker

Three "rated" towing eyes from TJM,Arb or opposite lock(not Bunnings!!!)

The yellow strap is called a "Bridal" or "equaliser" strap.The white one is a normal snatch strap

As for packing,its the roof rack for bulky lite stuff like camp chairs,tables etcheavy stuff gets squeezed into the normal spot.My fridge takes up the space of the 6th seat(i removed the seat,made a new floor and bolted the fridge slides to it,also i have a 90amp/hour agm battery under the new floor running through a redarc dual battery isolater).

Hope this helps, anything else let me know.

Edited September 14, 2015 by TA74

[TA74]

Oh, forgot to mention........When using your tow bar to BE recovered or your recovering someone else,put the snatch strap into the tongue hole and put the towbar pin back through the snatch strap.

NEVER,NEVER put the snatch strap around the tow ball!!!!! under that type of load it will snap off and turn into a 3lb cannon ball. it will travel at about 100kmh straight at the car behind, going through the windscreen and seriously injuring the driver/passenger. A couple of months ago i noticed a news story on television about a driver being airlifted off a beach in Qld with serious head injurys from the towball coming through his windscreen, so it does happen.

Grant

[Clark]

Hey TA74

Awesome setup thanks for taking the time to put up pics much appreciated!! will update how my beach trip went hopefully a good one lol

[trentmeyer23]

Those OEM towing eyes look very unsafe, especially if it is a hard recovery.

[TA74]

Unfortunatly thats about all you've got.

My thinking is that the load is spread over two points,its going to be a lot better than a single point. The bridal strap with pull evanly on both eyes. And correctly used, a snatch doesnt have a sudden shock load,its more a gentle pull. If a snatch strap is not used(with a bridal strap) then i hate to think what would happen. As theres not much metal structure in the front of the kluger.

The only metal sections are the slam panel above the headlights/radiator and the Aluminium extrusion that the towing eyes go through(into the chassis rails)

Edited September 18, 2015 by TA74

[Speedz]

Fantastic information TA74.

Thats some great information you shared, and I have a lot more faith in my Kluger's ability on the beach now.