Chevy & GMC Vans

I have a 2001 AWD Safari van. Nothing special. Only pure stock except for rear +1 leaf, rear Timbrens 2,000 lbs, rear lifted 2", front lifted 1.5" (via torsion bar adjustments) and new M&S P215-70R-15 tires (yes, smaller then factory P215-75-15 rubber). For the last 3 months, I've pulled a special canoe trailer to our seasonal camp site beach head. I simply drive ontop of the soft sand, unload our canoes, and drive our van & attached trailer away. Drive away as if driving on dry pavement. A few days ago, a camper walks over to me and I was expecting he was going to lay into me. Give me some flack for driving my van on the beach sand - which I don't think we're suppose to do. Instead, the guy said, "I've been watching you many different times and you've yet to get that thing stuck. All other RWD and FWD vehicles would be instantly stuck". Like wow! I never realized how good the AWD system really is. Especially in the soft sand, snow and/or driving on wet grass. My AWD Safari certainly impressed that guy - and the many swimming who often watch me drive my van on / off the soft sand area... To me, I never really thought about "lack of traction in the soft sand" before...

Has this every happended to you??? Just wondering....

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when I get mine on/off the road, I hope it does half as good.....

Never tried soft sand...too scarey

It's a "SAFARI". You expect anything less???????????

we've only gotten stuck once.... hard to believe consider were me and my old man have gone and his was only RWD if it was AWD we would have been fine with a decent set of tire these are some pretty sure footed vehicle

Hah! Nice. Yeah I get it on the "overland" group trips I go on.

When I first met one of the guys with a $55,000 American Expeditions Vehicle Jeep Rubicon

( http://www.aev-conversions.com/vehicles ... angler.php )

on the second day of the Owyhee River trip

( http://s232.photobucket.com/albums/ee25 ... =slideshow )

he quietly looked at the lifted Astro and said "Interesting rig ya got there" in a monotone voice. I didn't know wether he was seriously checking it out or if he was simply snubbing his nose at it so I just smiled and nodded and gave some sort of small reply. Turns out he's just a quiet guy and he really likes the Astro and what I've done with it. One guy driving his sons 1st gen Bronco has an AWD Astro, so when they found out I was bringing mine, they were anxious to check it out and see how it would do.

As of yet, I'm still running the stock AWD system and like it. I could have been a little easier on the van in a few spots if I had a low range, though, I gotta admit.

The only time I've been a bit snubbed is on Vanagon Syncro forums, but thats not so unexpected. I don't take "attitude" on the web seriously. I'm sure if I met up with some Syncros off road, their curiosity and appreciation would get the best of them, and they would clearly see the virtues of the AWD Astro.

....those Syncro's are impressive,....I mean down right scary the stuff they pull off ,.........BUT.....
I don't think I'd want to be in any sort of front end crash with one...

oh i've seen one of those sincro's at a carshow, as soon as i saw it i wanted it. looked like alot of fun to play with.