Off-roading brings out the adventurous spirit. It’s an activity that combines autonomy with the challenge of maneuvering your vehicle amidst myriad different situations. There are situations when off-roaders drive fast and aggressively and others when they drive slowly. Drivers often will stop to size up scenarios before proceeding. Picture trying to drive over a giant rock sticking out of the ground or idling on the banks of a stream whose depth is unknown.
Off-road drivers like nothing better than coming out of the forest with a dirty, but functioning, vehicle. After all, you don’t want to run into a broken idler arm 30 miles from the nearest paved road. If you’re going to be off-roading this summer, enjoying the challenges that it provides, there are things that you can do to enhance your experience.
1. Upgrade Your Suspension
Your vehicle’s suspension relates directly to your safety and comfort. Typically, off-road vehicles have suspension systems that utilize a sway bar, which helps handle turns and prevents body lean. Leaf springs are also employed because they help temper how the rough, uneven terrain affects the passengers. Without this strong suspension system, you risk tipping over, breaking something on the vehicle or injury.
2. Align Your Steering Wheel
When you’re off-roading, you need a steering system that can handle all the terrain has to throw at it while still offering the driver a gentle touch. Climbing over rocks and roots or slipping on a wet slope can cause the steering wheel to jerk violently as a matter of course.
Your steering knuckle is where the steering and suspension meet. It transfers your motions with the steering wheel to the vehicle’s suspension and makes the wheels turn. Getting a steering alignment will initiate a close look at the steering knuckle, ensuring that it’s in good shape before you hit the trails.
3. Get a Multi-point Inspection
Before you head out, make sure your vehicle has a clean bill of health. The money spent to ensure the integrity of shocks, struts, belts, hoses and tires is well spent when considering the alternative. You can also check your ground clearance and, depending on the terrain, lower your tire pressure to help absorb rough terrain, like dropping five or six inches onto a jagged rock.
4. Prepare for Recovery
Planning for a breakdown won’t cause one and you never know when thinking ahead can save you hours of hassle. A tire repair kit is a perfect companion to a spare tire because punctured tires are not uncommon on rocky terrain. A traction ramp, winch and power bank have also been known to come in handy in a tough spot.
5. Stay in Control
Whether you’ve been there before or it’s a new landscape, discretion is the better part of valor. If you get a gut feeling about trouble, honor it. Better a damaged leaf spring shackle than a bad injury. Off-roading can be a gauntlet of potentially damaging encounters. Making sure that you have a good understanding of the area and heading out there in a vehicle that’s been soundly checked over to ensure maximum performance can help you to avoid potential issues. Check out an online auto parts store to learn more about the parts and accessories that off-road vehicles need to thrive in the wild
