Dear Patrick,

I just went for an extensive stroll in the sand on Duxbury Beach MA this past weekend with my Syncro Westy with 27"x8.5" BFG All-Terrains. Even with the Syncro, the sand has a way of "getting you in a rut" at the most inopportune times. However, rocking the vehicle between Reverse and Low easily got me out of two minor "incidents".

The moral of the story is even  8.5" tires aren't optimal for such a heavy vehicle in the sand. More like it would be 9.5" floatation tires. However, I'm satisfied with the BFG's for now. I personally would never take a 2-wheel drive Westy on the beach after my experience. (not looking for flames here -- I'm sure some of you have!)

Cheers,

MJS

At 09:24 AM 7/11/98 -0800, Todd Francis wrote:

>Patrick Foltz wrote:

>>

>> Anyone have any sand experience with a 2WD westfalia?  It's almost vacation

>> time and I'd like to scoot out to Cape Fear where the trail is sand, mostly

>> packed but with a few stretches of deep.  I'm thinking about a spare set of

>> wheels with wide tires at low pressure, but hopefully someone has experience

>> and can tell me if I'm wasting time or will be ok.

>>

>> thanks, patrick

>

>I have taken my 85 Westy down to Baja. It is only sand and rocks there.

>I had to be very careful around the sand. I would get stuck in it very

>easily with my stock size tires. These vehicls are very heavy compared

>to the rubber they wear.

>--

>Todd Francis           Ridgefield, Washington USA

>'86 Westy Syncro

>'91 Tristar

<bold>Michael J. Sullivan

</bold><italic>Director of Catalog Design

Open Market, Inc.

</italic>

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