Lots of vehicles are marketed as off-roaders, but the manufacturers know that the vast majority of customers will only use them for daily driving. That’s why the lower trim levels of many SUVs and even 4x4s lack essential off-road features like snorkels and off-road tyres. However, with a few simple upgrades, many vehicles can be adapted for more adventurous driving. These are five crucial ones that will help you tackle any terrain.
1. A Metal Snorkel
The purpose of a metal snorkel is to prevent water getting into the engine through the air intake system, which can render the engine inoperable. This can happen while driving through deep water, something which you may need to do if you’re going off-road. There are cheaper plastic versions available, but snorkels made of a metal like stainless steel or aluminium are more robust to UV damage and contact with branches and rocks.
2. All-Terrain Tyres
Most cars come with on-road tyres by default, but these won’t serve you well once you leave concrete surfaces. They are different from all-terrain tyres, which have deeper treads to provide better grip on surfaces like mud, gravel, and sand. They are also wider, which helps to disperse weight so that the vehicle doesn’t sink into soft surfaces, and they deliver more traction in wet and slippery conditions.
3. Underbody Protection
On a typical car, vital components are left exposed. However, because they are underneath the vehicle, they are unlikely to come into contact with anything while driving on even surfaces like roads. However, when you’re not on the road, you may face challenging terrains with highly uneven and irregular surfaces. A scrape along the bottom of your car could put it out of action, so metal plates to protect the underbody are crucial.
4. Recovery Points
Off-roading is a lot less predictable than driving on the road. While modern navigation systems do a good job of making sure you don’t get lost, especially if you stick to permitted areas, they tell you little about the conditions you may face on the route ahead. If you get stuck, having recovery points on your vehicle so that you can be winched out can save you a lot of trouble.
5. A Winch
When you get stuck, there’s no need to wait for another vehicle to rescue you if you’ve got one of these. A front-mounted electric winch with around 1.5 times the vehicle’s gross weight in pulling capacity should be able to get you out of a lot of the trouble you find yourself in. Remember to also get yourself a rigging accessories kit, which includes things like tree protectors, so you can anchor your winch without causing damage to your surroundings.
Conclusion
There’s lots more you can do to equip your vehicle for the great outdoors, but basics like a metal snorkel, underbody protection, and the other upgrades listed here provide a solid foundation that you can use in almost any environment. Beyond these, you can add more based on when and where you like to drive.
