Sandrail
Encyclopedia
Motor vehicle
A motor vehicle or road vehicle is a self-propelled wheeled vehicle that does not operate on rails, such as trains or trolleys. The vehicle propulsion is provided by an engine or motor, usually by an internal combustion engine, or an electric motor, or some combination of the two, such as hybrid...
specifically built for traveling across a wide variety of off-road terrain. Sandrails are popularly operated on actual sand dunes, such as Glamis
Algodones Dunes
The Algodones Dunes is a large erg located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of California, near the border with Arizona and the Mexican state of Baja California. The field is approximately 45 miles long by 6 miles wide and extends along a northwest-southeast line that correlates to...
, Pismo
Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes
Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes is the largest remaining dune system south of San Francisco and the second largest in the U.S. state of California. It encompasses an stretch of coastline on the Central Coast of California and extends from southern San Luis Obispo County to northern Santa Barbara County.The...
and Rasor
Rasor Off-Highway Vehicle Area
Rasor Off-Highway Vehicle Area is a remote public use area for the off-highway vehicle user located in the Mojave Desert about east of Barstow, California, administered by the Bureau of Land Management....
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, St. Anthony Dunes in Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, or Little Sahara
Little Sahara Recreation Area
The Little Sahara Recreation Area in Utah is a large area of sand dunes, hills and sagebrush flats located in the west central part of the state approximately north of Delta, Utah. It is managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management...
in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
.
Body Style
Sandrails are typically lightweight vehicles that use high flotation tires, allowing the car to skim over the surface of the sand without getting stuck. A sandrail has a low center of gravityCenter of gravity
In physics, a center of gravity of a material body is a point that may be used for a summary description of gravitational interactions. In a uniform gravitational field, the center of mass serves as the center of gravity...
which permits it to turn even on the face of a sand dune. Many types of off-road vehicle
Off-road vehicle
An off-road vehicle is considered to be any type of vehicle which is capable of driving on and off paved or gravel surface. It is generally characterized by having large tires with deep, open treads, a flexible suspension, or even caterpillar tracks...
s are relatively top heavy and can only safely climb or descend steep hills with a mostly perpendicular approach to inclines or downhills.
Sandrails are built from a tubular space frame
Space frame
A space frame or space structure is a truss-like, lightweight rigid structure constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern. Space frames can be used to span large areas with few interior supports...
chassis
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
that incorporates an integrated roll cage
Roll cage
A roll cage is a specially constructed frame built in the cab of a vehicle to protect its occupants from being injured in an accident, particularly in the event of a roll-over. Roll cages are used in nearly all purpose-built racecars, and in most cars modified for racing...
. There are usually no windows, doors, fenders, or body panels. The engine is typically at the rear or mid-engine mounted. Originally becoming popular in the 1960s, they used lightweight air-cooled engines like Volkswagen engines from the VW Beetle (~200 pounds), early air-cooled
Air-cooled engine
Air-cooled engines rely on the circulation of air directly over hot parts of the engine to cool them.-Introduction:Most modern internal combustion engines are cooled by a closed circuit carrying liquid coolant through channels in the engine block and cylinder head, where the coolant absorbs heat,...
engines from cars such as Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
s or the Chevrolet Corvair
Chevrolet Corvair
-First generation :The 1960 Corvair 500 and 700 series four-door sedans were conceived as economy cars offering few amenities in order to keep the price competitive, with the 500 selling for under $2,000...
(~350 pounds). Those older technology cars were often called "dune buggies", derived from the VW "Bug". Today new models use more efficient motors featuring water-cooled engines, often Subaru boxer engines, or Ford ecotech engines. With the added power of new computerized engines, they also incorporate better suspension and steering geometry for handling.
Similar Designs
Sandrails are not to be confused with the Meyers Manx design. They commonly share the Volkswagen engine originally. The main difference being a Manx is based from a shortened VW bug chassis and have a fiberglass body, while a sandrail is constructed of a tubular chassis.Front tires are sometimes narrow to allow them to dig into the sand while turning; other designs use wider farm-implement tires to gain more flotation and minimize the sand thrown into the laps of the occupants when turning. Sandrails often use large rear "sand tires" (to provide traction and flotation) that incorporate rubber paddles. Sandrails are almost always rear-wheel drive.
Most vehicles use a manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
, although automatic transmissions are used as well.
Industry
The sandrail industry has grown dramatically due the increased popularity of the vehicles. New turn-key vehicles can cost between $10,000 – 100,000, depending on the design. One popular configuration seats four adults and has around 400 hp, weighing around 2000 lb (907.2 kg) empty. Jumping two to four ft (0.6-1.2 m) off the ground is common play seen at most duning events, with some exceeding heights of ten feet.Safety
The use of helmets while "duning" is increasing due to the increased performance of the sandrails. Additionally, use of eye protection (goggles/ballistic-grade glasses) is highly encouraged. In many duning areas all sand vehicles (motorcycles, Quads, sandrails, UTVs/Side by Sides) are required to have a whip antenna with a flag at the top, at least 8 feet off the ground (check local laws). This helps to prevent collision as vehicles go over sand dune hills, minimizing accidents.On Road Use
Some states, such as ArizonaArizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, allow registration of sandrails and other primarily off-road vehicles for "on-road" use. In these states, sandrails registered for on-road use usually must meet the minimum insurance coverage required by normal vehicles. Necessary modifications to be road worthy include a wind shield, turning signals, license plate. These requirements may vary by state.