Taking a car or truck off-road is as exciting as it gets. The adrenaline is pumping and you are bound to have a few surprises. As a beginner, some of these surprises may not be welcome. You are bound to make a few mistakes when starting out. That’s why it’s important to be prepared and know what you need before you set out. 

The best way to go is to make sure that you understand what you are getting into. When you understand the basics you can prepare your vehicle and your mentality to be able to get the most out of the experience. And it goes beyond scheduling your truck for servicing and browsing through DPF and DOC filters for sale. In this article, we will give you several tips to help you go off-roading. 

1 - Have a lift kit

One of the most important things to put on your truck or car is a lift kit. This will bring the bottom of the vehicle up so that it clears obstacles that you will face when off-roading. You can certainly find these kits new but you may want to do a search in your area for some used parts if you are looking to save some money. 

Part of the kit should also include the best running boards so that you can get into the driver’s seat easily. Since it lifts the car a foot or more up from the ground, it will be a challenge to get in without having them. 

When your vehicle is lifted, then you can clear things like boulders and drive on uneven surfaces. Without a lift kit, you risk the car tipping over or the undercarriage getting seriously damaged. It’s not uncommon for a vehicle to have the fuel tank ripped out when it hits an obstacle. 

2 - The right tires

Gripping the surface of where you are driving is essential to be able to get through the course. The wrong tires are going to make it virtually impossible. For instance, if the area is very sandy then the wrong treads will have your vehicle sink into it and be impossible to drive out of. Likewise, if there is a lot of gravel.

The key is to have tires that are suited for the terrain you are likely to face. There are all-terrain tires that aren’t too bad but the best bet is to get tires specifically designed for the exact type of terrain you are going to experience. 

3 - Winches

Even the most perfectly outfitted vehicle driven by the most experienced off-road adventurer is going to get stuck at some point. It’s inevitable. You have to have an effective way to get out of a predicament and having a winch and hook is the best way to do so. 

The way it works is that if you are stuck in mud or sand, you can attach a strap to the vehicle and then the other side to a tree or boulder. The winch will then use a lot of torque to pull the strap and this will lift the vehicle out of the ditch or whatever is holding it.