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Nothing is as exciting as preparing your vehicle for a weekend away from home. And even more so if you’re planning to take your big SUV out for a solid off-road session. SUVs are big, burly machines, and people who love them want to take them off the beaten path.
Epic road trips are good for the soul; if you’re doing it with family, it gives you enough time to bond. Like with everything, you might want to spend some time running through a checklist before you start up the engine.
With plenty of experience dealing with vehicles, the experts at Allied Motors bring you a guide on how to prep your SUV for a weekend jaunt to a faraway place. Let’s start with the list of things you need to check off –
It goes without saying that the tires are the most important part of any journey, and definitely so when discussing off-road adventures. The first thing to do is check if your tire health is good and doesn’t show signs of uneven wear and tear. If you have uneven tire wear, it could point to issues with wheel alignment or other mechanical problems.
When going off-road, always carry around a portable tire inflator to check tire pressure and keep it consistent. Check with other experienced off-roaders about the right tire pressure for your chosen activity.
Ensure that you have the right tires for the job. Off-road tires are completely different from road tires, and they can quickly wear down if you’re using them on the road. If the place you want to go off-road is some distance away, you might need to change your off-road tires once you get to the location.
Suspension setup and upgrades are critical for a safe session of off-roading fun. Off-roading can heavily tax your suspension. Even for expensive SUVs, OEM suspension can’t get the job done during heavy off-roading applications. Moreover, 90% of default suspension setups are tuned for the road, not the rough.
As a serious off-roader, you might want to consider investing in a suspension upgrade. Good quality off-road suspension can keep your tires planted even at awkward angles. This can keep you safe and help you enjoy your off-road sessions even more. If you’re a fan of driving on surfaces that can give other cars nightmares, chances are that you’ve already upgraded your suspension!
Regardless of how tough an SUV is, the underside has several components that are vulnerable and need protection from rocks and other collisions. One aspect of off-roading that has seen some serious development is underbody protection. These days, you can get solid protection from skid plates at the front and back, along with underbody armor.
Skid plates or bash plats are really effective at protecting your SUV’s chassis and body from small debris and rock piercing it. It can also help when you’re taking jumps or dips at high speed. When your SUV bottoms out, the skid plates absorb the impact, protecting the vehicle’s other, more vulnerable parts. Again, if you’re getting into serious off-roading, you might want to invest in a custom skid plate and underbody armor.
Like us, our SUVs also needs the right fluids to keep it cool and running in good condition. Several important systems use fluids, and you need to ensure they are all at their optimal levels before you head out. The most important fluids in your car are the engine oil, braking fluid, engine coolant, power steering fluid, and transmission fluid.
Of these fluids, the power steering and transmission fluids don’t need to be replaced as often, and they don’t get dirty quickly. But the rest of them should all be checked and replaced during specific intervals as described in your owner’s manual. Something to note is that your engine oil might get dirty quicker if you offroad frequently. Ensure you’ve always topped up the coolant before you start the adventure.
We talked about the braking fluid, but brakes deserve a whole topic. Brakes are the most important part of any vehicle, on or off-road. Many people are under the misconception that only cars with really high speeds need brake upgrades, but they’re mistaken.
Off-roading is a huge test for brakes because the brakes are often the only protection for SUVs from awkward angles and approaches. Unlike on-road, there isn’t a lot of air flowing over the brakes in off-road conditions. Off-roading requires large ventilated brakes for more effective stopping and heat dissipation. It offers a much higher bite and doesn’t fade as quickly.
Prepping for a weekend getaway with your team and your SUV is always fun. In fact, getting your SUV car ready is half of the fun. Just remember to check your vehicle like in the above points, and you’re sure to have a great time!