The mountains beckon and you must go — in an all-terrain vehicle, of course! If you’ve always wanted to try off-roading, there’s no time like the present. Plan your destination, stock up on adventure gear and read up on these helpful tips for off-roading. You’ll be an expert before you know it.
1. Choose the Right Tires
After purchasing an off-roading vehicle, one of the first things you must do is test out the tires. Take your vehicle for a jaunt in the wilderness to understand what your tires can and can’t do. If you decide your tires are too small or don’t have enough tread, you may want to switch them out for something a bit more heavy-duty.
Consider all-terrain varieties that are conducive to the environment in which you’ll most often be off-roading. For overlanding, the occasional fire road and heady rock-crawls, look for aggressive tread patterns with large voids between tread blocks. This pattern will allow the blocks to sink down into loose surfaces and gain better traction.
2. Use a Lift Kit
If you do decide to purchase larger tires, you’ll need to lift your vehicle to ensure they fit properly. Doing so will inevitably change the suspension’s geometry, which can put too much stress on certain components and eventually cause them to break. Therefore, if you don’t want to deal with vehicle failure in the middle of nowhere, you may want to purchase and install a suspension lift kit.
This type of kit will raise the vehicle by suspending the frame, engine, body and powertrain. Ultimately, these alterations will make more room for the tires. However, they’ll also increase the distance between the axles and chassis, thereby providing more ground clearance and more vertical wheel movement. Subsequently, you’ll be able to explore more rugged terrain, go rock crawling and maximize your vehicle’s overall potential.
3. Know Your Vehicle’s Angles
Before you hit the trail, you’ll also want to know your vehicle’s angles so you can safely maneuver over rough terrain and avoid scraping up against obstacles. These angles include the approach, the departure and the break-over angle. The approach angle is the maximum angle that a hill or obstacle can have and that the front of your car can clear safely. The departure angle refers to the same thing at the rear of your vehicle.
The break-over angle refers to the angle between your front and rear tires and the middle of your vehicle. If you don’t know this angle, you risk scraping the underbelly or getting stuck on top of a hill or boulder with your wheels off the ground. You can measure these angles using a yardstick or a broom. However, the more you off-road, the more you’ll understand what your vehicle can and can’t tackle.
4. Make Sure the Adventure Is Legal
Once your vehicle is ready for off-roading, you’ll be more than eager to take it to the nearest dune for a climb. However, it’s wise to make sure your expedition is legal before hitting the road. In most cases, you’re probably safe to drive wherever adventure stores are renting out ATVs and Landrovers. However, if you opt for less popular locations, you may want to check with the law, first.
Most beaches will have signs pointing you to designated areas that are 4×4 accessible. If you can’t find a sign, odds are the beach is for sunbathers and swimmers only. The U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management also maintain many legal off-road trails around the country. Flip through a few region-specific guidebooks or search their websites to find trail maps, coordinates and background information about local trails.
5. Prepare for the Worst
If you do all of the above and exercise caution, your off-roading adventure should be thrilling and incident-free. However, there’s always a chance that something could go wrong. From rollovers to getting stuck in the mud, things can turn from fun to frightening in a matter of seconds. Therefore, it’s wise to expect the best and prepare for the worst when heading out on an off-roading trip.
Preparing for any and all hazardous situations will require you to pack extra gear and equipment. For instance, a tow strap, roll bar, fire extinguisher and spare tire can all come in handy in the event of an accident. A jack and basic toolset, hand-held radio, tire-pressure gauge and jumper cables may also prove helpful. Additionally, always carry a first-aid kit, especially if you’re heading far out into the wilderness where help is a far cry away.
Experience Is the Best Teacher
Of course, when it comes to mastering your off-roading skills and navigating rough terrain, experience is the best teacher. Regardless of how many magazines and blog posts you read, going on adventures yourself and gaining knowledge on the road will trump book-smarts nearly every time. So get out there, make some memories and enjoy the ride.
Oscar Collins is the managing editor at Modded. He writes about cars, fitness, the outdoors and more. Follow @TModded on Twitter for more articles from the Modded team.
