The Best Car Accessories for Off-Road Adventures

Introduction

The features that are considered mandatory when engaging in off-road vehicles are all terrain or mud terrain tyres, and/or a lift or suspension lift, skid plates, usually powerful winch, recovery gear, additional and extra lights, extra storage for cargo. 

Do read on to gather more information about these significant changes for a car to withstand the rough terrains ahead.

All-Terrain / Mud Terrain Tires

Proper shoes on the wheels is one of the most important accessories that you should consider to if you intend to travel on rough terrains. 

Mud terrain tires or all-terrain tires have deep tread patterns meant for off-road use on; mud, soil, sand or rocky surfaces. They are also damned well, to ensure they are not easily punctured for increased durability of the boots. 

Those are the non-luxury all-terrain tire options that combine the comfort of normal road driving and the aggressive performance off-road. 

Mud terrain tires from Nitto for instance have deeper lugs that can better cope with muddy situations though they will make more noise on the road. Always get the right size for your tires and ensure you change your wheels if necessary.

Lift Kit or Suspension Lift

The primary reason why people employ a suspension lift is to make the approach, break, and departure angles bigger, clear large objects, add giant tires, and to lift ground clearance. 

The cheapest of all is a body lift which raises the body from the chassis by a distance. Air suspension is more complicated and has better off- road handling compared to other types of lifts which lift components like springs, shocks, control arms and much more.

A coil lift of at least 2 inches should do the trick, but don’t go higher than what your suspension components allow. 

Know that this may cause ride quality issues and that later you’ll need an alignment after the installation.

Skid Plates

Rocks, tree roots, and other debris are hard on your undercarriage when you’re out on the trails, so skid plates act as protection. 

Constructed out of aluminum or steel, skid plates protect sensitive things such as the engine oil pan, fuel tank, transfer case, and differentials. 

It helps prevent leaks and, in most cases, expensive repairs where pipes may have burst.

Wiring for most skid plate kits is easy to do on your own, especially if the existing mounting points are utilized. 

Make sure that a sufficient degree of protection is provided only to the components which are exposed to more aggressive operating conditions of a surface.

Winch

With an electric or hydraulic-powered winch you are able to tow yourself out from any complicated situation, for example, you are bogged down in the mud or you have to traverse a steep rock face. 

The winch capacity of 8,000 to 12,000lbs is perfect for most of the off-roaders. Be sure that you could supply electric power requirement for electrical equipment placed on your vehicle. 

When choosing the winch buy from a reputable brand such as Warn, smittybilt, or Superwinch. Having waterproof housings and, even more, so weather-sealed connections are a plus. 

Do not leave behind straps, shackles, gloves, and even blanket in case it will be used safely with the winch.

Recovery Gear

Apart from a winch it is highly recommended to have all the necessary recovery gear in your vehicle for the purpose of the self recovery if needed. 

Other necessities include high lift or bottle jack, shovel & axe or claw bar, maxxtrax or traction boards and bow shackles, snatch block and land anchor, tree saver strap, and the heavy duty tow straps. 

A plug, and some more portable air compressor is also very useful and goes a long way.

Additional Lights

As much as lighting could be regarded as an aesthetic addition to your house, it does come in handy when you’re hiking at night. It is supported by light bars, pod lights, and flood lights to enhance your high and low beams. 

What one may recommend as pencil beam fog lights for long distance is altogether different. Other uses of lights in a car include reverse and interior task lights, backup lights and dome lights.

LED and HID bulbs produce light output exactly at its maximum brightness. Choose a product with IP67 or even greater water resistance and mount lights high to guard them on the trail. 

Just don’t forget to angle them right so as not to blind other drivers on the road ahead.  

Cargo Storage

Having all your overlanding gears means having to fit roof racks, truck bed racks and cargo carriers. Hard shell rooftop containers provide lockable storage, luggage and are waterproof. 

Truck bed racks with mounting points for gas cans, hi-lift jacks, rooftop tents, additional gears ,etc.. 

Trunk mounted cargo carriers and bed extenders are other ways of making extra packing space. Never overload your car or the load is uneven, causing the car’s weakness to be exploited. 

Securing and holding that do not come with hooks include ratchet straps, nets, and storage bags.  

It is surprising to find such a contrast with the right mods that bring adventure to overridden vehicles.

Adding these necessary off-road parts to your daily driver or overlanding specific vehicle, shows other exciting opportunities that can be had on this fantastic planet. Invest wisely and look at your requirements as well as your trails interest more carefully. 

And of course protective equipment for you – a helmet, fire extinguisher, first aid kit. It is a none-too-subtle hint to tell you to go out there and have a good time!