"sand mats" traction thingers

i noticed them before alot of safari trucks carrry them. there metal runways that they put under there tires. being a NE snow wheeler i occasionally....get stuck. usually were snow drifts. no biggy use the hi lift. and get some rocks under the tires. but it would go a little faster witht these bad larrys. any one build there own ? i saw tri fold ones once but have no idea were? thanks guys

keith

http://www.okoffroad.com/stuff-recovery.htm
I have the aluminum ones they work well and I have used them for ramps to climb a 4' ledge. will not work as a bridge unsuppported.

no idea who makes the trifold ones? think theyd be better or just get bent and hinges would be a pain

Why not just buy some ramps intended for working on cars and cut the ends off? They won't be as long as true sand ladders. They also won't be super strong, but most of the real deals aren't meant to be used for bridging either--just traction when placed on top of a surface. Just be sure to get the better steel, dimple-died ones.

www.towbox.com has the ones I want, but they've "been in the process of moving" for several years now and don't return my emails.

If you have a safari roof rack make 4 and keep them stored up there as a floor.

They are called "Sand Tracks" or "Landing Platforms".

You can get them in either steel or aluminum and they come in different lengths 6ft, 8ft, 12ft, probably others I am not aware of. The military uses them on all sorts of different terrains.

I have had them for years in several different variaties and here is my input. They are extremely useful as long as they are reasonably easy to get to. Like any tool, you will not go to the effort of getting it out if it is not needed.

Steel ones are extremely heavy for the top of a XJ. The Aluminum would be better.

They can be attached together, if they are folding they are not sand tracks but probably a ramp.

I now use a plastic track (packing material) because it is significantly lighter weight and less likely to get warped and damaged by the use it sees from my jeep.

By all means get some but there are lots of similar alternatives that will work also.

Michael