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Asterix2112

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Just got back from my annual beach trip in Corolla, NC. For those who don’t know just north from Corolla to the VA border is 11 miles x 3 miles of beach, roads, developments, woods all in the sand, which allows for a lot of fun 4 wheeling in sand, mud (lots of big, deep puddles), backwood trails etc…

Previous I had a Liberty and then a Cherokee Trailhawk. Now I have my 4xe Sahara, and boy is that electric engine nice.

First just driving down the beach, which I first did early on a Monday morning when hardly anyone was out there. My doors and roof are off and it was so much nicer not having any engine noise. It was just so peaceful and tranquil driving down the beach just hearing the surf.

The other thing I notice is how nice the extra torque is. While some of the sand is hardpacked (especially back in the neighborhoods and woods) the sand by the beach can be very loose and difficult to drive in (as I see every year, a couple of people always get stuck). I really felt the difference in the torque. I did a weird little experiment where I stuck it in ICE only mode and set the cruise control on 20mph (slowest cruise control can go) and it would constantly kick out of the cruise control in the soft sand. But when I set it in electric only on cruise control it never kicked out.

The sad thing is driving to the border and back; in the woods and out is probably about 25-30 miles of driving, and of course the soft sand is almost like driving through water, so my electric range went down the tubes. So whenever I was on nice hard sand I stuck it in ICE mode, leaving the electric for soft sand and back in the woods. Will be great to have more electric range.

(Note the pic - a friend also brought a Wrangler - was before we went back in the neighborhood. I learned that taking the doors off can be risky as I got quite a bit of mud/water in the car. But that's ok, it was a blast and that is what a Jeep is for!)

Jeep Wrangler JL 4XEing in the sand - Raison d’etre for electric sand2
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The Last Cowboy

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Hopefully that was fresh water and not salt water. Driving in the salt water will ruin a vehicle in short order.
 

rkj__

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Driving in sand sure does suck a lot of energy, whether it be from gas or a battery.
 

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The Last Cowboy

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Sand sure makes tires look good though. After driving on the beach in the soft sand my tires are scrubbed perfectly black.
 

Johnbuz

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Hi, I just did the first part of that drive a few days ago. I have the 6 speed/3.6 sport with factory tires. I had to stay in first gear with the rpm's at around 2500 to have enough power to keep making headway in the loose sand. A got into 2nd a few times when the sand was firmer. Some extra torque would have been nice. There was a lot of traffic when I went so it wasn't fun, but a constant task to pick a line that avoided oncoming vehicles. I kept an eye on the oil temp but it never got above 220. First time I drove in sand, I was surprised how much resistance there is. A few times the jeep started oscillating up and down and bottomed out the suspension. A few times when going through deep sand I had the gas pedal 3/4 of the way down to maintain momentum, but that did not result in any tire slippage or engine revving. It would be interesting to try it again with an auto transmission.
 

Zombienation

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Did you air down at all for the sand? Went two years ago in my wife’s 2016 outlander. Aired down a bit and had no problem except in a few rutted areas where we bottomed out a bit. It would be way more fun in my 4xe now though!
 
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Asterix2112

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Hi, I just did the first part of that drive a few days ago. I have the 6 speed/3.6 sport with factory tires. I had to stay in first gear with the rpm's at around 2500 to have enough power to keep making headway in the loose sand. A got into 2nd a few times when the sand was firmer. Some extra torque would have been nice. There was a lot of traffic when I went so it wasn't fun, but a constant task to pick a line that avoided oncoming vehicles. I kept an eye on the oil temp but it never got above 220. First time I drove in sand, I was surprised how much resistance there is. A few times the jeep started oscillating up and down and bottomed out the suspension. A few times when going through deep sand I had the gas pedal 3/4 of the way down to maintain momentum, but that did not result in any tire slippage or engine revving. It would be interesting to try it again with an auto transmission.
Did you go back into the developments/town area (away from the beach)? There are FAR less people there, and more fun, see more wild horses etc.... More fun 4x4ing (mud, trails in the woods etc...)
The other Jeep in my picture was a 6 speed. She had no issues (was her first time in the sand).
 

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Asterix2112

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Did you air down at all for the sand? Went two years ago in my wife’s 2016 outlander. Aired down a bit and had no problem except in a few rutted areas where we bottomed out a bit. It would be way more fun in my 4xe now though!
Yes, always air down. Corolla is nice that they have a free air up/down place with plenty of hoses right before the 4x4 area, so you don't need your own compressor.
 

Bartholomew

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Corolla is fun. Check out Ocracoke Island if you want to get away from the people or want to fish.

Definitely no free charging stations so bring your hook-up.
 

Minty JL

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I just got back on Sunday, great weather this year.

I never air down, BUT I'm on 35x12.5s and was a Master driver in the Army
 

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I have to agree with you!

I've driven quite a few different vehicles out on the beach on Ocracoke over the years I've been coming out here -- including a gas JL -- and each one has had times where I thought it might get stuck or was having a rough time getting started going.

This year, in my 4xe in electric mode, not only has it been absolutely magical to drive along the beach and hear only the surf or along the beach access roads and hear only the wind in the reeds/grasses, but I've been through some very loose, soft sand (including a big soft fluffy pile on the way up the dune to the access point and a different area where I saw another vehicle get stuck later)... and the 4xe didn't even hesitate. He just.... went through it, like he was built specifically to drive on the beach. And getting going -- always the riskiest part of beach driving -- has been effortless in electric.

I've been reluctant to become attached because 1- it was 13 long weeks of stress and frustration with the FCA/STLA order process and 2- I am still wary of problems showing up... but man I love this thing! 😂

(And yes, I air down. Always. 19-20psi in the stock 4xe Sahara tires.)
 

sconrad24

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Sorry to jump into an old thread but how do you air up the tires in the 4xe? Do attach the compressor cable to the 12volt battery and then turn on the Jeep like a regular ICE?
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