Are YOU ready to Off-Road

by theresa | May 8, 2020 | General | 0 comments

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Are YOU Ready to Off-Road

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We know that many of our customers and friends are getting out there and exploring our beautiful land that God gave us…. and we always encourage people to do so as it’s one of the our favorite things to do!

But we want to ask you…. are YOU OFF-ROAD ready?

Here are a few things to think about before hitting the DIRT!

FIRST…I want to talk about understanding YOUR ability as a driver….Do you know what you are capable of driving and feel comfortable navigating the terrain? It is so important to drive within your comfort zone. Having a Co-Pilot is always a great idea to help you navigate a more difficult area on the trail. Each obstacle has multiple lines that you can choose from, so always choose the path of least resistance. You may need to get out of your vehicle, and walk it before hand to see if there are going to be any challenges you might not be able to see from the driver seat. Look for rocks or objects that could possibly damage your vehicle as well. When coming off an obstacle is there going to be something that may damage a shock mount, axle housing, or spare tire ?

Always off-road with a friend, it’s not safe to travel alone. If you need to find a buddy to join you there are great social media group pages or forums with others that are looking to head out. We do a few group day and weekend trail days here in SoCal….If you are interested Click here and it will add you to our list of trail run emails, and make sure to follow us on social media to stay updated on current events, and projects.

Make sure you let someone know where you are heading out on a trail and when they should be expecting you back. If you don’t have someone to call, you can notify the forest services for that area, and ask the Ranger what radio channel they are using. We have a Rugged Radios race radio (you don’t always have cell service) so having a Radio or CB to communicate is important. In the guide book that we use (there is a link below) it has a phone # to the local forest service that oversees that area. I also use OnXmaps to track my trip. The tracking feature on their app is a great way to figure out where you are, or to send to a friend to help find you. If you don’t have service to send your location as a text message, you can radio in the coordinates.

Check out the OnXmap on there website.
https://www.onxmaps.com/offroad-app

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SECOND…We want to talk about your VEHICLES ability. It’s really important to have your vehicle set up correctly for the type of trail or terrain that you want to explore, and to be prepared. The biggest part of being prepared is knowing the ability of your vehicle.

This involves having the correct suspension set up, wheel/tire combination, and all the necessary trail equipment on your 4WD. We can help you achieve the proper set up for you and your rig. Another key to being prepared is to properly maintain your vehicle. You invest a lot of money in your rig so make sure to protect your investment by doing preventative maintenance, and service. Inspect your vehicle to insure it is in good working condition and off-road ready before heading out on the trail. If you have had your vehicle modified at our shop, we showed you the painted bolts on your new suspension set up, these help you inspect for loose bolts and parts. Even your stock factory bolts can loosen up from rough trail driving. So make sure those lines are always lined up, and your vehicle is inspected before you hit the trail. Before hitting any trial we recommend you walk around your whole vehicle to inspect for issues, make sure your fluids are toped off and you have no leaks. This includes inspecting these components prior to any trip; lights, 4wd, jack, compressor, winch or whatever you might need to use out on the trail. It is key to know your vehicle and be familiar with it.

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THIRD…. Know your trails. There are so many ways for you to find a trail….Apps, Guide books, group pages on social media and just plain old exploring. Many trail heads have signs and markings letting you know the levels of the trail… They are called Trail Rating. One of the most important things before you hit a trail is knowing how to read the signs of the trail head and the markings on them before you enter. Depending on what area you are in, there are different ways a trail head is marked. If you don’t know the difference between the trail ratings, there are many websites and books that you can look up that will explain what they mean. Some trails will give you a rating of 1-10, others will give you Diamonds and some have different color markings. One fact that I have learned is…trails are always changing. Depending on how often the trail is traveled, or mother nature deciding to come in and change it herself. Trail conditions, and difficulties can literally change overnight. If you come to an obstacle that you don’t feel comfortable navigating DON’T be afraid to turn around. You already know what’s behind you so if it’s safer to turn around then risk an obstacle you are not ready for…

Below are some great links to pages that have more information on the ratings. I also included a few videos of trails we have done recently. Check them out and next week we will have some more off-road tips and tricks.

Thanks for reading and stay safe!

-Sara-