There are a lot of modifications you can do to your car or truck to make it much more aesthetic than how you got it home from the dealer. You can go for window tinting Sandy Utah if you live in that area, or for the exhaust for performance.
If you plan to use your car or truck for something other than regular street driving then you have to have some other types of modifications specific for that purpose. For instance, mudding and offroading will require some other modifications that will keep you safe and also to get the most out of the activity.
In this article, we will go over several ways that you need to modify your truck for off roading.
1 – Tires
The most obvious place to start when getting a truck ready for offroading are the things that will allow you to do it at all. That is the tires. You’ll need to have the right tires that will get the truck through and over rough terrain.
There will be a lot of different types of obstacles from thick and slippery mud to lots of rocks and cracked ground. The tires need to be able to do it all. The right tires will also make it safe to do offroading since the added traction will prevent things like flipping over.
There is a tendency to get carried away, however. Many people will get the biggest tires they can find that will fit onto their truck thinking this gives them better grip and maneuverability. The key is in the threads as to how much they will help and not the size of the tire.
Understand the type of terrain you are likely to face and get the tires with the type of tread that can best handle it. For instance, mud and water will require wrap around tread that pushes the mud and water out to the side of the tire and clears it away. This allows the tires to cut right through it.
Sandy terrain is a bit more tricky to buy tires for as it depends heavily on the type of truck. However, a factor that works across all types to look for is ones that should have some sidewall height that allows the tire to bulge. This provides flotation as there is more contact with the sand.
Rocky terrain requires some puncture resistant tires that could be made out of Kevlar for added protection.
2 – Shocks and suspension
The next most important modification is to go for a new suspension system that allows the truck to get off road. Ordinary shock absorbers can’t handle the kind of beating that rough terrain will throw at them. And a poor suspension will also make it less enjoyable to go offroad since it won’t be a smooth ride. Not to mention that you have a high risk of flipping over.
The key is to make sure that the materials are going to support the kind of adventures you have planned. The brushings being the most important as they are what provide the cushion. The right brushings will give plenty of support while also keeping the truck from overturning.
3 – Lifters and rocker protection
Adding to how smooth and safe the trip will be is going to happen by adding rocker protection and lift to the truck.
The rockers are one of the first parts to get damaged when going off roading but to combat this many people take the wrong approach. Avoid adding a step up as this doesn’t provide enough clearance if you are out on rocky terrain. Instead go with a lifter that will give you more clearance so the rockers are protected. In this case you can add a step up since you will have more space between the rocker and the ground or rocks that you encounter.
4 – Tow kit
Getting stuck when off roading is not a matter of “if” it’s a matter of “when”. You’ll need to make sure that you have a way to get yourself out of a sticky situation. A tow kit will definitely be able to help you shimmy your way out.
Make sure to have both a front and rear tow point at a minimum. You never know which way you will need the car to winch it’s way out of trouble so having both points is helpful. Factory tow points are not going to be strong enough so even if you have both already installed, you’ll need to modify them.
In addition to the tow points, you will need a recovery strap to attach to another vehicle so it can safely pull you out. Look for some that have some give so you aren’t jerked too harshly. With a little give, the kinetic energy of a recovery rope will allow the car to gently come out of the sand or mud.
Adding a winch to this is the way to go if you are out off road by yourself. Without another car to pull you out of trouble, a winch allows you to connect the recovery strap to a rock or tree and winch your way out yourself.
5 – Snorkel
You have to be ready for anything when you are off roading. This means that having a snorkel is a must since you could find yourself having to ride through some deep water. Without the snorkel the engine won’t get air to be able to work. The last thing you want is for the truck to give out in the middle of a running river.
Even a very sandy and dusty area will make for a tough situation if you don’t have a snorkel. Keeping the air intake high up will avoid a lot of sand and dust from getting into the engine. You will also get an extra boost of performance since the air intake will be more generous with a snorkel.
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