Top 7 Vehicle Upgrades for Beginning Off-Roaders
There’s a certain kind of thrill you get when you’re out on your off-road adventures. Being able to overcome the perilous terrains and hazards you encounter on the trail makes you feel powerful.
It also makes you realise that there’s a hidden beast inside your vehicle just waiting to be unleashed into the rugged environments.
If you hear the great outdoors calling your name, you need to make sure that you and your vehicle are prepared to answer. Trails are filled with various challenges capable of wrecking your vehicle, especially if it’s not outfitted with the right upgrades.
You don’t have to install all the latest upgrades on your ute, heavy-duty SUV, or Jeep to enjoy your off-road rides. However, you have to make sure that your vehicle is sporting the right type of equipment to keep your adventures safe and comfortable. It also goes without saying that you need to invest in high-quality parts that can handle the great outdoors.
Once you’ve found a trusted aftermarket automotive parts dealer, here are 7 upgrades a beginner off-roader such as yourself should get:
Exterior Armour Upgrades
The first thing you want to do is to boost your vehicle’s exterior defences. You’ll be exposing your vehicle to harsh driving conditions, so you want to make sure that it’ll come out in one piece after your off-road adventures.
Replace your stock front and rear bumpers with upgrades that offer more protection to shield your vehicle’s front and rear ends from trail debris.
Protect your engine and undercarriage from stones, twigs, and other debris with a grille guard and skid plate.
You can also get mud flaps and splash guards to prevent mud, dirt, and other particles from being kicked up by rotating tyres, keeping the wheel well free and clear. And your vehicle has a bed, you can protect it from the elements with an appropriate cover.
High-Performance Suspension Kits
The unpredictable nature of the off-road trails makes it easy to lose control of your vehicle. That’s why it’s a good idea to upgrade its suspension system before you hit the rough terrains.
Most high-performance suspension systems come with springs, coil-overs, and shock absorbers, as well as other components that are designed to withstand the abuse of the off-road terrains. They ensure that you won’t have a difficult time manoeuvring your vehicle across rugged paths.
Lift Kits
A lift kit is made to literally provide lift for your off-road vehicle. By raising your vehicle’s ground clearance, you’ll prevent boulders, felled trees, sharp rocks, and other hazards from scraping the undercarriage and allow you to navigate shallow water obstacles.
Lift kits come in different configurations and offer various height levels. You can get a kit that offers as little as 1 inch or one that offers more than 8 inches of lift. Some are even adjustable to match your driving lifestyle.
Off-Road-Ready Tyres
Your vehicle’s factory tyres aren’t ideal for off-road use. Not only are they not strong enough to handle the bumps and blows of the rugged trails, but they also have poor off-road traction.
For safety and performance, you need a set of tyres that are specifically made for off-road driving.
Off-road tyres provide you with increased traction on the trails. They’re more durable and offer a more reliable and longer-lasting off-road performance.
If you’re looking for great investments, consider getting all-terrain tyres. They give you incredible traction in wet, dry, and light snowy conditions, making them perfect upgrades if you use your vehicle for both street and off-road driving.
For driving in more formidable off-road environments, consider getting mud-terrain tyres.
Recovery Equipment
It always pays to be prepared when driving off-road. Whether it’s your first or thousandth time hitting the trails, you should have recovery equipment at the ready.
Off-road recovery equipment is designed to get your vehicle (or other vehicles) out of emergency situations as safely and easily as possible. Here are some of the most common off-road recovery equipment you should have:
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Winch
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D-rings
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Winch shackles or hooks
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Snatch blocks or pulleys
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Recovery ropes
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Recovery boards
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Heavy-duty straps
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Jack
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Heavy-duty gloves
Auxiliary Off-Road Lights
It can get pretty dark in the off-road trails at night, so you’ll need to install auxiliary lights to help light up the path. It’s crucial that you’re able to see more of your surroundings, so you can make your vehicle visible to other off-roaders and avoid getting into accidents.
To boost your vehicle’s lighting performance, install fog lights, headlights, and tail lights that offer brighter and longer beams. For more illumination, consider adding pillar lights, light bars, and/or cube lights.
With the right combination of auxiliary lights, you’ll be more comfortable taking your off-road adventures at night.
And for a final touch, switch to recessed light ports for added external light protection.
High-Quality Floor Mats and Liners
Keeping your vehicle’s interior clean is trickier when driving off-road. This is because the surroundings have more dust, dirt, and other debris can make their way inside the cab.
Over time, the debris will build up and damage your vehicle’s floors.
Luckily, high-quality floor mats and liners prevent that from happening. Aftermarket floor mats and liners are crafted to ensure that your vehicle’s floors are protected from the elements. They can also make clean-ups easier since they can collect dust, dirt, liquids, and other particles more efficiently.
Off-roading is a thrilling outdoor activity, but you have to make sure that your vehicle is equipped to handle all of that excitement. With these 7 off-road-ready must-haves, you can push your vehicle to its limits and level up to be a more experienced off-roader. Shop for off-road parts now!