Beach Driving with FX4 Maverick? - Hatteras/Ocracoke

[Mav4mepossibly]

I know the Mav AWD system is excellent, but in this thread @Mav4mepossibly mentioned Ocracoke specifically. Accesses and heavily travelled areas of these beaches can feature ruts and drifts in soft sand over 10 inches deep... Deep enough for your Black Lab to hide in, lol. The Maverick won't handle that very well. My days of digging out a stuck truck on the beach are behind me.

If that's on the list of wants @Mav4mepossibly has, it's important to know. It's why they asked and started this thread.

Thanks Montauk for extracting some specificity out of my rambling paragraph lol.
Yes, I'm interested to hear all stories of driving a Maverick on sand but ideally there is a member here with experience driving a Maverick at that specific beach. Probably a long shot but worth a try.

I can accept the chance I might get stuck, but not "probably get stuck" if that makes sense. The Maverick really checks all my other boxes and I'd hate to spend 8-10k more on a truck that gets worse gas mileage just so I can drive it on the beach a few times a yr.

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[Mav4mepossibly]

This video is helpful and nice to see a vehicle with similar clearance on this beach. It's the ruts at the 2 minute mark that have me worried.

Let's say I scrape sand on the bottom occasionally while driving at 10-15 mph. Would you anticipate any negative effects or damage?

 

[Saltwater Cowboys]

I've driven on both of those beaches in a 1500 Ram. No problem there and I don't even air down, which is supposed to be a cardinal sin. It is not unlike driving through the snow where I grew up. Speed is your friend in the soft spots and don't spin your wheels. That being said, I would not try it in a vehicle with such low clearance as a Maverick. Those ruts get pretty big. Once you bury it up to the floorboards you're royally screwed.

 

[Montauk]

Not damage. Happens all the time. If you plan to keep whatever you decide on more than a few years get it undercoated soon after purchase. Also plan on rinsing underneath once in a while after beach riding to get that salty sand out.

 

[Nw_adventure]

Not a sand expert but the low front valance acts as a sand/snow plow if u get the tires in deep then u start to just push into the deeper spots and then will lose momentum. I added the HR 1.5 inch lift springs to help get the front end higher.

 

[Mav4mepossibly]

Not a sand expert but the low front valance acts as a sand/snow plow if u get the tires in deep then u start to just push into the deeper spots and then will lose momentum. I added the HR 1.5 inch lift springs to help get the front end higher.

Yes, I stopped by a local dealer for a close look on a 10k upcharge FX4 and was shocked to see how low the front end was. I've decided this is a no-go for my beach driving. I may get a Mav for other applications as i loved the test drive. Really appreciate all the input from the forum, very helpful!

 

[Nw_adventure]

Yes, I stopped by a local dealer for a close look on a 10k upcharge FX4 and was shocked to see how low the front end was. I've decided this is a no-go for my beach driving. I may get a Mav for other applications as i loved the test drive. Really appreciate all the input from the forum, very helpful!

Yeah it's kind of the thing on the truck I like the least. The Tremor model has a better valance for improved clearance. Had to install lift springs just to get the valance to have the same clearance as the stock Highlander we traded in which was just silly -

 

[Mav4mepossibly]

I've driven on both of those beaches in a 1500 Ram. No problem there and I don't even air down, which is supposed to be a cardinal sin. It is not unlike driving through the snow where I grew up. Speed is your friend in the soft spots and don't spin your wheels. That being said, I would not try it in a vehicle with such low clearance as a Maverick. Those ruts get pretty big. Once you bury it up to the floorboards you're royally screwed.

Thanks! Glad to have your opinion and after taking a closer look at the front end I agree the clearance is a problem for this location.

Unfortunately my 1998 Ram 1500 only has a few good years left. I love driving that thing on the OBX. I got stuck once but realized the 4wd wasn't engaged. Clicked it in and drove right out of a major hole. Impressive but comes at the cost of 13MPG

 

[Saltwater Cowboys]

Thanks! Glad to have your opinion and after taking a closer look at the front end I agree the clearance is a problem for this location.

Unfortunately my 1998 Ram 1500 only has a few good years left. I love driving that thing on the OBX. I got stuck once but realized the 4wd wasn't engaged. Clicked it in and drove right out of a major hole. Impressive but comes at the cost of 13MPG

Can you keep it just for that purpose? Driving on the beach has caused my Ram to have rust bubbles in spots. Never noticed them before. I'm not sure I'd want to take any new truck out there.

Interestingly, the first truck and new vehicle in general I ever bought was a 98 Ram with a 318 3-speed stick. It was also the first vehicle I ever took on the beach in OBX. Ordered it while I was on the ship coming back from deployment with a wad of cash burning a hole in my pocket. Shown next to it is the 67 Dart GT I had for a while. Didn't have the Ram long as it got totaled in 2000. I then got a 97 and drove that until I traded it for my current 2009. Love my Rams, but I need a fuel-sipper for all the miles I drive.

 

[Mav4mepossibly]

Can you keep it just for that purpose? Driving on the beach has caused my Ram to have rust bubbles in spots. Never noticed them before. I'm not sure I'd want to take any new truck out there.

Interestingly, the first truck and new vehicle in general I ever bought was a 98 Ram with a 318 3-speed stick. It was also the first vehicle I ever took on the beach in OBX. Ordered it while I was on the ship coming back from deployment with a wad of cash burning a hole in my pocket. Shown next to it is the 67 Dart GT I had for a while. Didn't have the Ram long as it got totaled in 2000. I then got a 97 and drove that until I traded it for my current 2009. Love my Rams, but I need a fuel-sipper for all the miles I drive.

Yes, I think keeping the Dodge for beach and truck things is the plan for now. Will be hard to talk my wife into buying a Maverick too but maybe this means I get a motorcycle??

Nice looking vehicles!! I love the blue on the Dodge and the Dart is sharp!!

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