prep for sand dunes

[B.C.#11TRX400EX]

Wat do I need to Do to my quad before I go to the dunes? Like the air filter, chain, brakes or wat?

[CJM]

Bring an extra filter and some filter oil if you dont already have one, yours will be toast after a day and need to be cleaned very good.

Otherwise only other thing Id bring are some paddles.

[B.C.#11TRX400EX]

Haha ya my tires are bald bad so im definitely getting paddles, and ok bout the filter do i need to put a special oil or somethin on my chain cause my regular chain oil will attract sand pretty bad wont it?

[HondaPohl]

Make sure you run a pre filter on your k&N. I have a habit of putting silicone on every spot that **** could get in. I ride mostly coal and that dust gets in everything.

[B.C.#11TRX400EX]

Ya i have a outerwears

[CJM]

Teflon based chain lube would be a good idea, doesnt attract dirt. I buy mine at walmart.

[B.C.#11TRX400EX]

Ight thanks for the help again, and I got another? Does sand mess up brake pads or the rotor my GPA thinks it does so he wont ride near sand

[CJM]

I ride in sand all day long every weekend nearly 3/4 of the year unless its raining or snowing outside and trust me it doesnt wear out brake parts faster.

I did pads all the way around my quad 2 years ago and still dont need to replace them. HINT: Dont ride the brakes, use the engine to brake.

[Stickman400]

Raw sand won't. But if you ride in a creek, where there is water and sand, it will ruin your pads FAST, even if you don't use your brakes. So just stay away from water(which shouldn't be too hard in the dunes) and you'll be good.

[finsteratv]

stock 05 did fine, i have full sand stars on .190 rims. Alot of people say .190 rims are too heavy for dunes but mine do fine! and that way they dont bend when i jump :macho watch out for drop offs and razor backs if you're in big dunes.

[B.C.#11TRX400EX]

Ight cool ya im goin to little sahara in ok ive never been before but I here its fun but very dangerous, like when your goin over a dune and somebody's on the other side then or when somebody jumps over a dune and hits u then ur screwed, my uncles brother died that way last year

[CJM]

Oh forgot to add! Get a flag mount and flag!!! That prevents alot of collisions cause people can see ya!

[Pipeless416]

Originally posted by B.C.#11TRX400EX
Ight cool ya im goin to little sahara in ok ive never been before but I here its fun but very dangerous, like when your goin over a dune and somebody's on the other side then or when somebody jumps over a dune and hits u then ur screwed, my uncles brother died that way last year

LS requires flags and always make sure you have a spotter while jumping.

[finsteratv]

i always have my headlight on too, everylittle bit of being seen helps. use a spoter definately! and in whoops lean back and give it gas. theres a 3 mile sand acces road from one area to another big area all gnarly whoops! takes time to get use to it but they end up not so bad

[AnotherNewb]

Went this weekend and with wind shifts dunes are pretty peaked. Saturday one side was a handicap ramp and the other was a cliff. Wind changed directions and it was a straight peak at the top. Just take it slow till you get used to it.

[B.C.#11TRX400EX]

Thanks guys I appreciate it

[Rohr397]

For your air filter, pick up some grease, just about anything works! Last time I picked up some cheap stuff at an auto parts store called Grease-A-Bearing. The idea is to pull off your air filter, clean it and then smear a coat of grease around the plastic ring that seals to the intake. This prevents sand from getting in this way. Just wipe it off at the end of the day and add a new coat when you clean your filter at night.

Also make sure to check the oil and other basic things every night or every morning. Do a complete run down of the quad making sure all your bolts are TIGHT. In addition make sure that all gaskets on the engine casing are tight and there's no buildups of oil and sand stuck on the case. You might get a little bit but a lot might be a leak. Take a spare bolt kit and any spare parts you can think of.

EXAMPLE: I did an oil change one night on my Trx450r and didn't get my drain bolt on tight enough (for whatever reason sand riding will loosen all your bolts more then normal). The next day I went out for a 20 minute warm up ride, came back and noticed a trail of oil leading to a large puddle of oil under my quad. Could've been a very bad situation obviously. Luckily I had a spare bolt kit and easily replaced it and filled up with the oil jug I brought along. When you're out in the sand you gotta be 100% prepared for this sort of stuff. Freak accidents happen and when you're in the middle of the desert with no shops nearby the last thing you want to be doing is packing up early because of a small breakdown.

ALSO (I go to the dunes a lot!) bring a flag! They can really help you out and keep accidents from happening. Listen for sandrails, they're pretty obvious, and give them plenty of space. And don't go hauling ***** everywhere! Okay I'll admit I've done it my self, but take it slow when you can't see more then about 300ft in front of you. If you see something you want to hit then scout it out, line up and get someone to spot you. For instance if you see a jump and can't see who/what is on the other side don't go 5th pinned at the thing. Get someone to spot you at the top of the dune and give you a thumbs up when you're all clear. And scouting the jump by doing a little 1st/2nd gear test jump can help you out a lot so that you don't kill yourself. I almost ruined a big trip that way. Didn't know how the quad would handle a jump I found and bombed it in 4th. Ended up doing a pogo landing on an 80ft step up and compressed my ankle. I rode out the trip then ended up in a splint for a month. Not fun.

[CJM]

Forgot to add: I know this is gonna sound silly but it works. Get a girl to give you some pantyhose, doesnt matter what type really just get some. Then cut the bottom toe portion out maybe 2 inches. get a ziptie and put the entire thing around the front of the snorkel under the seat. Otherwise your air filter will be all gummed up with sand in only a few short hours. it doesnt effect anything, acts as a pre-filter of sorts.

Since I have done this I dont have to clean my filter nearly as often. Before 2-3 hours or less and it was done for.