I have a 2wd Honda 350 Rancher, what gear to I use to climb sand dunes? I know you don't want to shift while going up, because you may loose your speed. Any sugestions on climbing various hills? I want to stick with the stock tires.--Thanks--Mike

 

thundercat, is is going to be very difficult riding your utility in the dunes. What you'll want to do, is get up as much speed as possible. Keep the throttle pegged, hit the dune in as high of a gear as you can with out bogging the motor. Keep the throttle wide open and as the motor starts slowing down, drop gears. You will need do down shift while climbing. It has been my expericance that climbing in the rain is easier. I am assuming that you'll be going to Silver Lake as I see you're from Michigan. I hope you have a good time! I know that I like it there.

 

Thanks for your advice. I did ride the dunes last year with the Rancher, I also did climb the highest dune that was at Silver Lake, my problem is I didn't make it the first two times I tried it. I got stuck about 10ft from the top, don't think I wasen't scaried trying to back down. My other problem is I can't remember what gear I made it up. I thought I would ask for some advice. You say start in the highest gear I can then down shift as the motor begins to bog down. What about climbing all the way up in say 2nd gear. I know you can't go as fast but you have more power. It seem'd to me if you tried to shift on the way up you would loose your momentem. What you say about down-shifting make sense though. Any other tips you can give me would be appreciated. It a great atv.--Thanks--Mike

 

I would also get up a head of steam and use the highest gear the quad can pull, downshifting as necessary. Just because you can crest the top in 2nd using that method, doesn't necessarily mean that you could just make it up by using 2nd the whole time.

 

well id say if you had a 4wd to use 2nd gear all way up but with 2wd id get as much speed as i can and downshift as needed.

 

thundercat, I don't think that you'll be able to make it up all the dunes out there if you keep your machine in second gear the entire climb. You will not have enough speed to help carry your rather heafty machine up to the top of the hill. You will begin to sink as your motor bogs. If you make the shifts quick, by the time you get to the top of the hill, you might be cresting the top of the steeper or longer climbs in 2nd gear, but if you were to try to climb or I guess the techinal term would be "crawl" up a dune in second gear you would have too much wheel spin and would get burried some where mid hill. And no one likes to dig out there machine and roll slowly back to the bottom... If you go in April, the sand may still be hard enough from the freeze that you could use a combo of 3rd and 2nd, but I would still try to do it with as much speed as possible. About the only other tips I can give you is...A... If you are having a hard time making it to the top of a dune, try attacking it on an angle, when you hit it and climb sideways, the dune will be a longer climb, however, not at steep. And ...B... The most important bit of advice, and the one that I have a hard time following myself alot of time when I am out there is DON'T CRASH. Crashing sucks...

Well thundercat, hope to see you out there. If I see a 2wd Honda 350 Rancher stuck on the side of a dune, I'll be sure to stop and say hello![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Thanks for all the advice, I will try what you all suggest.--Mike

 

I'd try to get your rancher up into 4th and get it wound out and as you start loosing speed downshift, you should be able to spin the rear end in third in the sand. And invest in some sweet paddles. Have fun. I want to go to silver lake someday.