Getting Your Vehicle Ready For Fall Off-roading

By Author: Nate Rodney
Total Articles: 499
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It’s hard to believe, but fall is already fast approaching. For the outdoors type that means it’s time for hunting trips, late season camping or long drives to watch the leaves change. For many more enthusiastic drivers, fall is a great time to take their vehicle off-roading. But off-roading isn’t for every vehicle and often, vehicles require some modifications before they can go off-roading. Inexperienced drivers will often go without modifying their vehicle before going off-roading, which can result in a lot of damage and repair costs. If your vehicle isn’t already modified it is important to take the necessary steps to make sure that your vehicle is ready to go off-roading. If you do not prepare yourself your off-roading trip could result in a lot of repair costs and headaches. Read on to see some modifications that your vehicle should already have or you should make before going off-roading this fall:

Check Tire Pressure
Tire pressure is very important to off-roading. Tire pressure can directly affect how your vehicle performs while you are on uneven terrain. The answer to how much air pressure ...
... in tires is adequate varies greatly depending upon what type of terrain you will be driving on. For the most part, driving off road with a lower tire pressure greatly benefits the driver. If you’re tires are too full it can be difficult to maneuver your vehicle, but if your tire pressure is too low your tires can make a lot of noise and it can be more dangerous to drive on normal roads once you are done off-roading.

Though the question of adequate tire pressure is subject to change depending upon the terrain you will be driving on and how long you will be driving on it so there are still ways to check your tire pressure before embarking on your off-roading adventure. Using a handheld tire pressure gauge you can effortlessly ensure that your tires have enough air in them and are ready to go. Or, before going on your off-roading trip see if there is a gas station nearby. Most gas stations have tire pressure gauges, which will allow you adequately release enough air from your tires before you go off-roading and refill your tires before you head back out on normal roads.

Lifting your Vehicle
For serious off-roaders, lifting your vehicle is a must. Lifting a vehicle gives the vehicle a higher suspension, literally lifting the vehicle higher off of the ground. A lifted vehicle has more ground clearance allowing the vehicle to better clear any terrain that you may be driving over. Giving your vehicle a suspension lift also replaces your vehicle’s springs and shocks, allowing for better maneuverability. A lifted vehicle also allows a vehicle to have larger wheels, which are often better for off-roading.

Lifted vehicles can be both bought lifted or lifted retroactively. For those that are more mechanically inclined there are kits that allow you to lift your trucks yourself. For others that are not as mechanically inclined there are several places to have your vehicle lifted by others. How high you decide to lift your vehicle is up to you, but make sure that your vehicle is lifted high enough that it can clear any terrain you may be driving it on.

Protect your Air Intake
While off-roading, your vehicle is susceptible to accumulating debris. Debris can collect within a vehicle’s tires, engine or air intake system. Getting debris into your air intake system can be especially detrimental as your intake system is meant to keep debris out of your engine and if too much debris gets into your filter it can become clogged, hindering your vehicle’s performance.
Luckily, for off-road enthusiasts, there are systems that can be installed to ensure that debris like mud, water and rocks will stay out of your air intake system. Systems like Snorkels relocate your air intake to keep out debris, according to Autoevolution.com. Different systems are required for different vehicles. So before purchasing anything make sure that it is compatible with your vehicle.

Off-roading can be a great way to spend a getaway weekend this fall. But because of the inclement weather associated with fall, it is important to make sure that your vehicle is ready for fall off-roading conditions. If your vehicle is not ready you could be spending more time repairing your vehicle than off-roading.

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