The Basics of Off-Roading – Cincinnati, OH

So you want to go off-roading in your Chevy. Off-roading can be a thrilling experience, and for some of us, is the best way to explore the great outdoors. From navigating down untraveled backroads to making a trek to a secluded campsite, there are many places that off-roading can take you, however, before you trade the pavement for the dirt, you should be sure you can handle the adventure safely.

A lot goes into off-roading, from basic maintenance and complex upgrades to having the know-how and skill to navigate some of the most treacherous terrain. Off-roading without proper knowledge and equipment can spell disaster for both your trip and your vehicle. Fortunately, chances are, you aren’t the only beginner. Plenty of drivers want to get into the sport, and while the process may appear intimidating at first, with a bit of patience, and attention to detail, you can take to the trail. Here at McCluskey Chevy, we want to make sure you are prepared for whatever the road throws at you so we’ve put together this mini-guide to help you while on or off-road.

The Technical Stuff

A lot goes into prepping your vehicle for the wilderness. While you can take any compact car, truck, or SUV off onto some light trail running, we don’t recommend it. There is no telling what hazards or obstacles you might encounter along your way. Off-road trails can be unpredictable, especially after heavy rain or snow. If you go in unprepared, you run the risk of finding yourself stuck on the side of the trail, with no way of getting your car out.

Fortunately, any car can be upgraded to better tackle the trail. As long as you are willing to put in the work, shell out the cash, and find a capable mechanic who is equipped to handle the upgrades, you can take any Chevy vehicle out onto the dirt.

Building Solid Foundations

First things first, you should invest in great off-roading tires. Your tires are the base of your car, not only do they provide traction with the various terrains of a trail, but they also support the weight of your vehicle, and must be durable enough to withstand the beating they’ll likely encounter while off-roading. Off-road tires tend to have deeper tread, offering greater traction in terrains like mud, ice, snow, and loose sand. At the same time, they are built tough, meaning sharp rocks or particularly trying obstacles won’t result in a bust. Your tires are like the foundation to a house, and when taking on the rough and tumble of the trail, you’ll want to build a strong and capable foundation.

Raising Your Chevy’s Ground Clearance

When off-roading the terrain of any given trail can be somewhat unpredictable. There is no telling what obstacles your vehicle will have to overcome, even on some of the lighter trails. At the same time, the undercarriage of your vehicle hosts a variety of sensitive components that would do better not being struck and damaged. Fortunately, you can prevent harming your undercarriage by increasing the ground clearance of your Chevy. Ground clearance is the amount of space that separates the underside of your vehicle from the ground. The higher your ground clearance, the more versatile your vehicle will be, and the lesser your chances are of breaking something crucial.

Entering the Wilderness Fully Prepared

While the mechanical aspects of off-roading are important, every off-road expert will tell you; your vehicle upgrades will get you nowhere if you don’t come prepared with the necessary equipment. From recovery kits to camping tents, there is plenty of additional equipment you should bring along with you to help you be prepared for a worst-case scenario. As mentioned previously, off-roading can be unpredictable, and you want to be prepared for the worst of it all.

Even with the roughest and toughest of off-road tires, you can experience a nasty puncture while off-roading. While you could wait for hours for roadside assistance, you’d be much better off fixing a puncture yourself. A puncture kit can include an array of items but essentially should include the tools necessary to fix a flat or puncture in your tire. One crucial piece of a puncture kit is an air compressor. Air-compressors can be powered by your cigarette lighter, and they can refill your tire after a troublesome puncture.

Building Your Own Recovery Kit

A recovery kit is a combination of tools and equipment you can use to pry your vehicle out of a jam. No matter if you’re off-roading in a small compact car with highway tires, or are trekking in a heavy-duty Chevy SUV, every off-road driver should head into the wilderness with a recovery kit. The kit can include an array of items, but some essentials include a shovel for clearing debris away from your tires, a GPS navigation system when cell-service is non-existent, and some traction aid. Some drivers even include preparations for worst-case scenarios in their kit, adding things like first-aid kits, non-perishable foods, and plenty of water.

Sometimes, great tires, recovery kits, solid ground clearance, and a fully capable puncture kit just can’t cut it. In these cases, you could find yourself stuck overnight on the side of a trail, waiting for some much-needed assistance. In this scenario, the last thing you want to be is unprepared. Plenty of experienced off-road drivers invest in tents and other camping equipment to ensure that they can survive a night on the trail comfortably. While you could sleep out in your car, we don’t recommend it, as it is hardly a comfortable way to get rest, especially if your car is already packed with gear.

Skid Plates, Skid Plates, Skid Plates

Of all the additional equipment to invest in, skid plates are possibly one of the most important. Skid plates offer an extra level of protection that supplements the benefits of added ground clearance. They shield all the important components of your undercarriage from debris and obstacles on the trail. Skid plates aren’t much more than sheets of metal installed to the underside of your car; however, a good skid plate can mean the difference between completing a rigorous trail and finding yourself stranded out in the middle of nowhere.

The Importance of Coming Prepared

Off-roading really is the best way to experience the outdoors. Far from the pavement, and the traffic that comes with it, off-road trails can take you to some of the most remote parts of the world. All that said, preparation is key. At the same time, it is incredibly important that you know how to use the tools that are at your disposal.

Find yourself stuck on the side of a trail with a punctured tire? Well, you ought to know how to use that puncture kit. Encounter a particularly treacherous obstacle, that your car should be able to handle? Well, you should know how to utilize your ground clearance to maneuver over the problem. Off-roading is more than just being prepared but knowing what to do when a problem shows itself.

Tutorial videos are a great resource for gaining greater knowledge, so is shadowing someone who has more experience. Although, the best way to learn how to off-road properly is to start small and be patient. No one became an expert over-night, and as long as you invest in the right tools, and enter the wilderness prepared, you too can start taking rigorous outdoor adventures of your own.

Preparing with McCluskey

Here we can help you with some of your preparations for the off-road world. While you might not find all your off-road gear here, we can certainly help you upgrade your vehicle to meet your needs. We have a wide selection of vehicle accessories from wheels to electronics. If you are taking your new Chevy Colorado off-road, we sell and install Long Box truck bed storage systems so that all your emergency and camping equipment is easily located in one space. We have great easy to clean floor liners to protect the insides of your vehicle from mud, sand, and water. Visit our location in Cincinnati, OH to see our wide selection of new and used vehicles as well as our vast range of accessories.