Every time you go off-roading, there is probably a tinge of worry in the back of your head that gives all sorts of “what-ifs.” Most of them may pertain to not bringing enough food or water, but there will always be one or two that pertain to the car's working condition. The fact of the matter is that this worry is something that all off-roading enthusiasts worry about. After all, it does not make much sense to invest a whole lot of money into your rig, only to crush it or tip it over. In fact, this type of behavior is exactly what holds back most amateur off-roaders from the truly unique technical courses. So, to help give you some confidence in the matter, here are tips on how to avoid damaging your vehicle while off-roading.

Know How Traction Works Off-Road

While it may seem one of the most basic things that the car partner should know, a lot of newer drivers in the off-roading world have no idea how traction works off-road. Often, not knowing how much traction you can expect to get from certain environments can singlehandedly destroy your vehicle. Getting good at identifying potential hazards and finding ways to get through them is a hallmark skill of off-roading. Ensuring that you have full mastery of every situation and knowing how to fix any traction problems using recovery kits should be one of the first things you learn how to do when it comes to off-roading.

Knowing how the traction works in a vehicle is also essential to having a successful off-roading trip. At the very least, every new off-roading enthusiast should ensure that their vehicle has traction control in the first place. Beyond that, the driver should understand its use and how to use the car in traction control.

Know Your Ground Clearance and Approach Angles

Knowing your ground clearance and how to approach angles is another essential part of avoiding damage to your off-road vehicle. As you might imagine, with off-roading there will be some extreme moments where you will have to come through a canyon at a sideways angle or get up a sand hill with a large crater in the middle. In these extreme cases, knowing your ground clearance and approach angles available to you is essential in making sure that you don't flip your car or rub it across the side of a boulder.

In addition, ground clearance angles are necessary for understanding the physical limitations of the body of your car. If you do not understand your ground clearance and approach angles, you may very well tip your car or cause it to teeter-totter. Avoiding this at all costs should be standard on any trip, and once you know your angles and clearance, you will have an easier time evaluating terrain.

Invest In Truck Armor

Investing in such things as aftermarket heavy-duty truck bumpers is an extremely good idea if you are concerned about protecting the body of your car while off-roading. These bumpers provide an extra layer of protection. This is because they sit over the car's body, much like the cattle catchers that police vehicles and trucks have. Having this armor ensures that if you do make a mistake and get into an angle that puts your car nose first, you will have some leeway. Many of these companies have other styles of bumpers that are for various other parts of the truck. These can range from winch bumpers to back bumpers. These types of bumpers have their own specific purpose, although rest assured, if you go off-roading or plan to go off-roading, you will definitely want some truck armor.

Never Go Off Road Alone

This one might seem obvious, and yet many people get stranded off-roading every year. The cardinal rule with doing anything in the wilderness is to bring a buddy along. Especially in the case of off-roading, one thing that nobody should do is go out alone. With a buddy, you have someone who can spot for you, someone who can help you with recovery, and someone who will give you a ride out in case you really do get stranded. However, if you prefer to do these adventures alone, you should always leave your location and the time you expect to get back with a trusted friend. This will ensure that you will have some window for being reported missing if you do get stranded.

Follow the Rules Of the Trail

The rules posted on any given off-roading are there for your safety and the safety of the environment. Many may go out of their way to break the rules, going down a now-defunct road or camping in certain prohibited areas. Whatever the case may be, it is always important to realize that following the rules of the trail is essential for your safety and the safety of others. Even if a rule does not make sense to you, be sure to follow it!

Be Flexible

Many people will develop a plan for how they want their off-roading trip to play out. However, they soon realize that things are not going to plan. In fact, when you are out in the wilderness, the only certain thing is uncertainty itself. Getting stuck on your own plans is a huge mistake when it comes to off-roading. Off-roading is an activity that naturally presents itself to parts breaking, changing weather conditions, routes that unexpectedly are closed, among a myriad of other ventures. The key to off-roading is accepting that these things are supposed to happen. Treat every problem as if it is part of the reason why you off-road.  

Off-roading is an activity that inherently presents itself to the problems of the open road. The only way to combat this is to know your car beyond all other metrics. By understanding how to address any problem that is thrown at you, you are allowing yourself to experience the idea of off-roading fully. We hope that this guide on how to avoid damaging your vehicle while off-roading has helped with this. If you have any other questions relating to off-road suspensions or lift kits, contact Supreme Suspensions® for more information!