Why is important to put your vehicle on a diet in the sand. Do not load your vehicle with every accessory possible. Keeping a dune specific car light is the way to go. Sand is different than riding on typical hard pack ground, you need to float across the sand, not drive through it. There are vital Important safety items that should be added to your vehicle that will add weight but the trick is to try and save weight with other items to offset the increase.
But I need it on my vehicle
When riding in the dunes you are not taking a 75mi trip away from a base camp. Many rides complete a small 10 mi loop to a spot and then back to camp to refuel eat and then head back out. If you are in a group riding you are usually close enough for somebody to run back and grab the parts need to get you out of the dunes. You dont need to carry a full jack and bins with extra parts. A simple basic tool bag, spare belt, minimal items. If you a planing a longer trip like one down to duners diner than grabbing a couple extra parts might be key. Do not carry gas in the bed of a SXS!
We have all been sitting there hanging out when that one guy pulls up to you looking like an overlander with every bolt on imaginable is attached to their vehicle. In the sand an extra 100 or 200 pound will have a noticeable effect on the ability of the vehicle to traverse the dunes. This extra weight works like an anchor, pushing the vehicle deeper in the sand making it harder for the vehicle to float across.
In the late 1900’s during the height of the VW sand buggy days people would try and make these as light as possible. It was not uncommon for a buggy with passenger to weigh in at 800 to 1000lbs. This would give a good power to weight ratio that would float that buggy through the dunes. In the early 2000’s buggys increased in wheel travel and couple hundred HP. Because of extra weight of the suspension and bigger motor they would have to increase horsepower to overcome the weight causing them to sink in the sand. It is not out of reach for a modern big block V8 sandcar to weigh in over 3000 pounds and have 1000+HP. Picture from Old school Buggies and sand rails on facebook.
Now a days a ride through the dunes its not uncommon to massive ruts left from the heavy vehicles causing the dunes to be the roughest they have ever been. Late 1900’s dunes you were able to ride a 3 wheeler and quad without being beaten to death by the ankle deep ruts of the modern vehicles on a busy weekend. The current SXS models are starting to tip the scales as their horsepower has increased. For example the New 2 seat Can Am Maverick R weighs between 2150 and 2250 dry depending on model. The new Polaris Pro R weighs 2150 to 2450 between models and 2 or 4 seats. Speed Utv coming in at roughly 2450lbs too. these are a far cry from the 1000lbs buggies of the 80’s and 90’s.
Lets take a New 2 seat SXS for example the top of the line of all three are around 225hp. Making the power to weight ratio a little on the low side to begin with. Thankfully they have 4WD to aid. When modifying a SXS you need to add items like a quality Cage and Doors (+50). Many like suspension seats over stock (+15). Light bar, pillar lights, or bumper light bar, rear chase light (+5). Cooler for drinks (+10-20). Tool Bag (+10) Stereo (+75). Just these alone is about 200 lbs. Now add in a couple other ancillary items plus anther 100lbs in gas and fluids. This vehicle is now having to work harder to get through the dunes. The biggest offset in weight will come by switching from a stock tire to a buffed paddle. This can save on these vehicle upwards of 80 lbs. There is many myths, and hard to find right answer, but many believe that a 1 lbs of unsprung is like 6lbs of sprung weight. With that math roughly 80lbs unsprung is like taking 480lbs out of the car. Although this is not completely accurate you get the idea that upgrade will return the car close to its original power to weight ratio. The opposite is true too if you go to a bigger heavier tire, it will have a negative effect on drive ability, suspension, and power.
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