How to Get a Car Out of Sand – Best Methods – Full Guide

The frustration of sinking your car in the sand can grow greater as you apply different techniques to get your car out of the sand.  

Trying out different trial-and-error techniques is fine as long as you trust your efforts. What about trying a technique that can get your car out of sand in no time?

This guide lets you know the best methods to get your car out of the sand.

Tips to Note Before Attempting to Get a Car Out of the Sand

• Look around the tires to find solid ground.
• Your vehicle type will determine your approach to recovering your car.
• Don’t continuously spin the tire if the car keeps sinking as the tire spins. 

Tools That Are Needed to Get a Car Out of the Sand

• Traction mat
• Large gallons filled with water
• Ropes
• Tow straps
• Shovel
• Hi-lift jack
• Plywood
• Sticks
• Winch
• Snow chains
• Trowel

How to Get a Car Out of the Sand

Now that you know the necessary tools to get a car out of the sand let’s go into the different ways you can achieve this task.

Method #1: Dig the Ground

You’d be wondering why we asked you to dig the ground if you want to get your car out of the sand.

Yes, digging around the tire to remove excessive mud or sand can bring your car out of the sand as quickly as possible.

How much sand you need to clear depends on how deeply embedded your tires are in the sand.

This method will require a shovel, trowel, or your hand and a glove in case you don’t want to get a bruise on your palm while digging. Here’s how to use the digging method:

Step 1

Take out your shovel or trowel and gloves from your trunk. If you don’t have one, ask anyone within reach to give you a shovel, or you can use your hands to clear the sand.

Step 2

1. Dig the left and right sides of your car’s tire simultaneously.
2. Dig the front of your car’s tire until you create a level surface.

Step 3

Get in your car and accelerate with full force. Ensure not to point the tire in another direction to avoid sinking your tire again.

Method #2: Weight Increase

Surprisingly, the weight increase method works flawlessly with rear-wheel drive vehicles. The wheels may take some time to pull through, but they will eventually get out of the sand.

Follow the steps below to use this method to get your car out of the sand:

Step 1

1. Redistribute the weight of your car on the drive wheel. If you don’t have any loads to redistribute, find large gallons and fill them with water, then place them at the drive wheel; the trunk or backseat is perfect.
2. If you’re using a front-wheel drive car, place the weight or filled gallons on the passenger’s front seat.

Step 2

Gently drive the car forward until you get out of the sand.

Method #3: Random Objects

Using random objects, you find along the road can help get your car out of the sand. Although this method could take a lot of time to get a car out of the sand – it’s worthwhile.

Follow the steps below, and you’ll get your car out of the sand:

Step 1

Find a random object like plywood, planks, a car mat, or branches.

Step 2

If you’re using a car mat, place it in front of your drive-wheel tire. If you’re using planks, branches, or plywood, make a little hole in front of your drive-wheel tire before placing the objects.

Step 3

Slowly drive your car forward. If it doesn’t move, reverse it to create space, then accelerate gently forward.

Method #4 Tire Rocking

Momentum is vital in gaining enough traction to get your car out of the sand. This method doesn’t require you to think about how dirty your vehicle will be when it gets out of the sand.

This method can work simultaneously with the digging and random object methods. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1

1. Accelerate your car forward and backward.
2. After doing the first step three times, add more pressure while accelerating forward.

Step 2

If your car is still stuck, place random objects in front of your drive wheel, then accelerate forward and backward till your car gets out of the sand.

Method #5: Losing Air

While this method is unsafe for people who haven’t driven a car whose tire is out of air, it can be rewarding for those who have experienced it.

You’ll need a tire pump or compressor for your car to get out of the sand successfully using this method. If you have it, go ahead with the steps below:

Step 1

1. Reduce the load on the car.
2. Deflate your tires until they look like the rims are carrying the car’s weight.
3. Clear the sand in front of the drive wheel tire a little, if it’s much.

Step 2

1. Confirm if the tire’s contact patch has many contacts with the sand.
2. Accelerate forward gently until you get your car out of the sand.

Step 3

Reinflate your tires to the recommended level using a tire pump once the car is out of the sand.

Method #6: Tolling the Car

We saved the best for last! Towing a car is the most straightforward approach to use when your car gets stuck in the sand.

This method would require joining your car with another vehicle that can get a car out of the sand.

You can ask for the help of a towing service or, better, ask someone to help you pull your car out of the sand.

Features Required Of The Towing Vehicle

• First, it should have a locking differential.
• The towing vehicle must have 4-wheel-drive traction.
• It must have an anchor or recovery point.
• The vehicle is required to have 4×4 snatch straps.

If it has these features, then use the steps below:

Step 1

1. Attach the snatch strap to the stuck vehicle.
2. Attach the other end of the snatch strap to the towing vehicle.
3. Gently accelerate the towing vehicle forward.

Step 2

Once the driver of the stuck car feels the pressure of the snatch strap, the vehicle should accelerate forward.

Takeaway

The steps in this guide can help you get your car out of the sand without much effort. These methods have been tried and have worked perfectly over and over.

Don’t forget that before you get your car out of the sand, you have to look around where the tire sank, and don’t try spinning your wheel continuously to avoid making hoe.

If it’s something you can do yourself, you can use the help of another vehicle to tow yours.

If you’re using the losing air method, make sure you accelerate slowly to avoid damaging your wheels or exhaust pipe.