Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Off to The Road Less Taken – How to Prepare Your Car for an Off-Road Adventure

Britons have a rich history of off-roading. From Land Rovers and Range Rovers to backyard builds, car owners in the UK have always found this alternative style enticing, to say the least.
However, a lot of people consider off-roading can only be done with a dedicated off-roading vehicle. It is always better to have something tailor-made for this purpose, but you can also tune your car to prepare it to traverse the beaten path outside the comfort of the highways. Let’s take a look at how.
  1. Tune the engine –
First and foremost, you need to tune your car engine to help it generate more torque. You don’t want high speeds on mud; you want more power so that it can pull itself out of a sticky situation.
Cars like a Rover, Mercedes G-Class, Suzuki Jimny, or Toyota Land Cruiser come factory-equipped with different drive modes and high-low gear settings. But instead of relying on its factory settings, you should change the power band according to your requirement. Take your car to a dyno and adjust it there, try tuning it to bring the max torque in a lower rev range, and you will see the difference while on track.
  1. Change the tyres –
Normal road going car tyres are vastly ill-equipped to acquire traction in mud or sand. Get a set of 4x4 tyresLoughborough or any other place you live in the UK. Their extra-large grooves and flatter contact patch will bite down on loose soil and keep your car moving.
Companies like Dunlop, Continental, Goodyear, Bridgestone, etc. manufacture excellent quality 4x4 tyres. They are available in almost every car garage in the UK. Reputable garages like Loughborough Refurbs stock a vast range of products that you can choose from. They also offer services like tyre fitting, alignment and balancing check, along with general car repairing at affordable rates.
  1. Consider fitting a snorkel –
A snorkel can do wonders if you are traversing a waterlogged part of the track, or even on an extremely muddy path. It will help your car breathe effortlessly and will drastically reduce the chances of a blockage in its air intake.
  1. Invest in accessories –
You should also buy some accessories to keep in your car while off-roading. There is a long list of things that you can get; let’s take a look –
  • 4x4 recovery kit – If your vehicle doesn’t come with a winch, a recovery kit will help you take it out of a sticky situation.
  • Traction mats – Extremely helpful in loose sand and mud, providing your car with all the traction it needs to move.
  • Tyre inflation and deflation device – Ensure you have optimum air pressure to drive through mud. Pair it with a suitable pressure gauge to help you get a correct reading.
  • Shovel and hi-lift jack – Both can be used in a multitude of ways; clamper, hand winch, spreader, these 2 fulfil all those roles.
Other than these, don’t forget to keep a good quality toolkit, medical kit, flashlight and extra battery, and a fire extinguisher in your car.
Tune the engine, get the correct off-road tyres Loughborough and keep the necessary equipment handy; all these will make your off-roading more enjoyable and safe without taxing your budget at all. So, what are you waiting for? Explore the unknown in your kitted vehicle.