Off-roading is not limited to any specific season. Part of the draw of bringing a truck into the backcountry for an excursion is the challenge of it. However, despite the season, off-roading comes with risk. Whether you’re roaring over sand dunes in the summer or climbing up an icy stream bed in the winter, year-round off-roaders know that they need to account for the whole range of elements that mother nature can throw at them.
Prepare for Rainy Season
Whether in the warmth of summer or the cold of winter, a roof top tent can provide you the comfort that you need for any kind of overland adventure. When it gets cold and rainy and when the snow flies, you’ll want to feel as though you’re protected from the elements.
All-wheel drive and four-wheel drive packages can help you get unstuck when the frozen rain or snow is covering the ground. What people tend to forget is that even the best system can’t help you stop. Some of the biggest elements you can employ for safety aren’t on your truck at all, but are in your head. If you want to help your brakes out, for instance, you should go slower and give yourself and your truck time the time you need to be safe.
Recognizing your abilities in all scenarios is tantamount to having the best equipment at your disposal. Getting home safe means researching, planning and executing your ventures with caution. Both complacency and aggression can be deleterious elements when you’re off-roading.
Install All-terrain Tires
Your tires are so important for grip and purchase. While mud tires can reliably transport your truck over boulders, muddy trails and deep streams, they historically do not perform well in the snow. All-terrain tires will provide traction and purpose in slick, snowy conditions. All-terrain tires employ special tread patterns and rubber compounds that enable them to better handle slick surfaces.
Install a Lift Kit
Suspension kits for trucks allow for extra height and ground clearance. If you want to be able to crawl over boulders, regardless of the seasons, you need the clearance that’ll allow for big wheels and tires. You’ll need the clearance to make tight turns while getting vertical without scraping the body or undercarriage.
Pay Attention to Your Truck
One of the most important things you can do to ensure good off-roading experiences year round is to be consistent with your check-ups. Make sure that your fluids are full and that everything under the hood is running the way it should before you head out. Follow the same procedure when you’ve finished and always keep your truck stored properly, ideally out of the elements.
Preparing your truck for year-round off-roading involves considering the elements that it’ll be up against in a given season. From installing the appropriate tire and wheel packages to evaluating the conditions of your next trek, the steps that you take can be the difference between a safe and successful venture and getting stuck, incurring damage or getting hurt. Visit an online auto parts store today to see the latest in truck parts and accessories that’ll keep you trucking through all seasons.
Amanda Byers is a graduate of Columbia, where she played volleyball and annoyed a lot of professors. Now as Zubuz’s entertainment and Lifestyle Editor, she enjoys writing about delicious BBQ, outrageous style trends and all things Buzz worthy.
