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2003 Ford Ranger 3.0L automatic 2wd

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Old 03-28-2007
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Icon4 2003 Ford Ranger 3.0L automatic 2wd

wonder if I can drive this truck on beach like on outerbank at nags head, NC without getting stuck ?
 
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Old 03-28-2007
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most likely no.. air down the tires dont floor it and you will increase your odds of digging to china
 
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Old 03-28-2007
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sure ya can.. why not? i did but in jacksonville.. i got stuck cuz... i dunno why.. it was fun tho.. lol
 
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Old 03-28-2007
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2wd + sand = dumbass
 
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Old 03-28-2007
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Originally Posted by ranger
2wd + sand = dumbass
not necessarily. what do you think most dune buggys and prerunners are?
then again those are built for sand driving.

I wouldnt with a stock 4x2
 
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Old 03-28-2007
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let me rephrase slow 2wd and stock 2wd = dumbass
 
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Old 03-28-2007
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2wd+good driver=fun
 
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Old 03-28-2007
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All you need to do is air the tires down to around 12-15psi and put the transmission in "2" so there is a lesser chance of spinning the tires, then depress the e-brake enough to make a difference, but not turn the light on (and in doing this, you may wear down your e-brake some).

You should be safe there... oh, and bring a 4x4 and a strap with you.
 
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Old 03-28-2007
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should there be any inprovement i need to do on a 3.0L or leave it like it is and enjoy it as much as I can ?
 
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Old 03-28-2007
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i drove mine at pismo on stock everything with no probs...of course i had to push the GF's mom's lexus since the low pros on 20s werent exactly made for sand...haha
 
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Old 03-28-2007
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Icon4

should there be any inprovement on my 2003 3.0L or leave it like it is and enjoy it ?
 
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Old 03-28-2007
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Um... improvement on 3.0L... haha. You don't need to modify your engine to drive in sand. Well, just make sure you have those little rubber flaps inside the front wheel wells so you don't get sand all up in your junk.
 
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Old 03-28-2007
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In Daytona cars drive on the beach? I drive mine on the beach all the time? No stress at all.
 
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Old 03-28-2007
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It all depends on the type of sand.I know the sand in the gulf coast is nearly impossibe to drive on with a stock 2wd (been there, done that). However, if you air down your tires and have a greater surface area covered by your tires, you won't sink as fast. If it's like the sand here (powdery) I'd highly advise you not to do it. But I've never been to the beaches in NC so I don't know what ya'lls sand is like. Read up on the "2WD driving tips" thread that was made recently and keep some of those tricks in mind, some of them will help alot.
 
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Old 03-29-2007
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Seeing how from the factory I have the same truck as you:

Engine/powertrain wise you dont need to do anything, but you may look into a new set of tires. A good set of ATs will do wonders in the sand (especially aired down to 12psi). That and adding Limited Slip to your rear end; is about all you can do.
 
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Old 03-29-2007
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well i drove my truck on the beach at daytona many times when it was stock and never got stuck so i think you would be just fine as long as you dent go into and deep stuff
 
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Old 03-29-2007
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I live an hour away from Carolla and Oregon Inlet (where you can drive on the beaches). I do Oregon Inlet several times a year.

You won't even make it ONTO that beach, let alone drive on it. The sugar sand at the entrance will entrap your rear axle. Trust me.

I can't make it onto Oregon Inlet in 4Hi, any gear, even 1st. It's a LONG sugar sand entrance. In 4Lo, slinging sand is required, rpm's must be kept hi and momentum is essential. I run it in 3rd with at least a 4000 rpm tune singing, frequently higher (25 mph speed limit, strictly enforced too). I can stop in it, reverse, etc (I even pulled a Taco out, his fronts wouldn't engage) but I'm telling you, 2wd is NOT gonna cut it unless you have very firmly packed sand at the entrance (you can rule out Oregon Inlet with 2wd - ain't happenin'). Up in Carolla, Duck, etc. you may find a good short firmly packed entranceway to the beach that you can make it through, but I wouldn't even try it.

Once you DO get on the beach, it's still pretty much mandatory 4wd or you're gonna bury your axle everywhere you stop.

The good news is, should you attempt it and get stuck, there are usually plenty of locals around who'll pull you out after seeing you stuck there for a couple hours or so. I try not to be that way, but when you look at it logically, they shoulda known better and their day required ruining to some extent just out of principle. Why should I quit fishing to help a dumbass?

To the Florida posters: (I used to live in Jax, btw) This sand isn't ANYTHING like what you have at St. Augustine, Daytona, etc. The only hard-packed smooth looking sand you can drive on is swept by the tide and trecherously deceptive. I'm not exagerating when I say you MUST spin your tires. You aren't moving otherwise.

There's jacked up, swamper, bogger, dually, etc. trucks going through this stuff. You WILL spin and you WILL sling sand and you WILL keep your RPMs singing or you WILL plow to a dejected stop (the SUV drivers are notorious for trying to poke along through it and getting stuck, and I've "talked" several out of the sand with reverse and happy rpm tunes advice. Most back out and never return, lol).
 
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