Several SUV advertisers and YouTube marketers can mislead you into thinking that all-wheel drive (AWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD) have similar specifications and capability to take you through off-road terrain successfully. However, in reality, one vehicle will be captured before the one even takes a corner!
Contrary to most advertisements, a true off-road vehicle is a stock-standard vehicle that does not need aggressive and fast driving to get through mud, sand, dirt, or rock hills. These vehicles should be driven slowly, especially when taking off-road terrains; you are not buying a safari rally car!
Although this article will not dwell on whether to use a 4WD or AWD for off-road- that is up to your personal preference- we highlight the basic feature that a good off-road vehicle should have.
Of course, you can consider several factors when selecting a good off-road vehicle, including low-range-gearing, suspension, drivetrains, chassis, diff locks, wheel travel, etc., but here are the essentials you should not overlook.
Now, let’s get right into helping you choose the best vehicle that will get you home safe and sound to play Croco casino login and sit down with a nice cold beer worry-free!
Torque
When you think about off-road terrain, what comes to your mind? Off-road terrain may be rocky and hilly; therefore, your vehicle should have an excellent initial low-down torque. If this feature is missing, the seller is offering you a raw deal.
Low-end torque is ideal for off-road vehicles since it offers you more control. The focus here is not the speed but how well one can gain maximum control of the vehicle in rough terrains.
You could settle for a vehicle with ultra-low-range gearing and low-down torque. It may be a low-speed off-road vehicle, but it will get through almost any challenge you may face on the beach drive or in the bush.
We are not saying that high-tech driver assist aids are not good features in an off-road vehicle; however, ravenous old-school torque is a feature you should prioritize if you want off-roading success.
Ground clearance
A vehicle with a body near to the ground is suitable for a highway drive; however, if you take it for an off-road drive, you will get stuck. Its belly will continually scrap the ground on minor obstacles in the terrain.
Consider examples of some capable off-road vehicles and their ground clearance.
- Raptor F-150 – 11.5 inches
- Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road – 9.4 inches
- Wrangler Rubicon – 10 inches
Although you can get some powerful off-road vehicles whose ground clearance is less than the above range, nearly all good vehicles for rough terrains have at least 9 inches between the vehicle’s belly and the ground.
The greater the ground clearance for an off-road vehicle, the better. You can also modify your vehicle by investing in a lift kit to raise the body and enhance its ground clearance.
Lift kits allow you to mount large tires on your vehicles, thus helping to increase the distance between the ground and the vehicle’s underside.
If you choose AWDs, you want to tread carefully since they often have less ground clearance than their competitor 4WDs.
Tires
Your off-road vehicle makes contact with the ground through its tires. The type of tires you choose and the amount of pressure pump in them dictate how safely and easily your vehicle passes through off-road terrains.
Unfortunately, most new 4WDs and SUVs come with skinny Highway Terrain (HT) tires which offer limited protection against damages you will likely encounter on off-road terrain. While HT tires are ideal for long-distance bitumen travel, they are no match for the off-roading experience.
What type of tires do you need?
A set of good all-around tires are good for bush and beach drive because they are less susceptible to punctures from sticks and stones.
You can also use mud-terrain (MT) tires to get your vehicle through mud, especially for hardcore 4WDers. However, they are often noisy on-road and can significantly add to your fuel bills if you do lots of highway travel.
Light Truck tires are also suitable for off-road driving since they have thick sidewalls and run at high pressure.
Departure, approach, and ramp over angles
You are probably wondering what these things mean. Worry not; I got you covered with my explanation below to help you know what approach, departure, and ramp-over angles are and how they help with off-road driving.
An approach angle is the maximum degrees a vehicle can incline from the horizontal ground without its front end, bull-bar, or bumper getting stuck on the incline.
The departure angle has a similar principle but is considered when driving through obstacles in the terrain.
The ramp-over angle is the angle between the vehicle’s tires and its underbody. Shallow angles mean the vehicle will struggle over-coming minor obstacles. Your vehicle may scrape over the ground or “hang up” when you try to get over rocks and protruding roots on off-road terrains.
Weight
Weight is always an important factor when considering automotive. Lighter is often better when choosing an off-road vehicle since they can easily pass obstacles and are easy to control in challenging terrain.
You can reduce your off-road vehicle’s weight, depending on the model. For instance, you can remove a Jeep Wrangler’s door and hardtops to reduce weight. If your vehicle does not have these features, look for parts with a limited utility, like cargo or roof basket, and remove them.
A winch
Anything can happen when you drive off-road, including getting stuck in the middle of nowhere. A winch can be handy in getting your vehicle out of trouble. A good winch should be at least twice your vehicle’s load weight to help pull you out without breakage.
Furthermore, it comes with a winch kit, which entails a snatch block, shackles, a set of gloves, and a trunk protector. Ensure you carry a heavy blanket that you can throw over the cable to prevent injuries should the cable snap during recovery.
The bottom line
A true off-road vehicle is different from regular vehicles operating on highway terrains. Off-road is characterized by rocks, snow, sand, mud, and other challenging obstacles that make driving difficult if you do not have an ideal vehicle.
Therefore, consider the above points when choosing an off-road vehicle; otherwise, you will get stuck before you even begin. I prefer a 4WD vehicle, but that is up to personal preference.
