Key Points
- Installing oversized tires on your truck is another modification you might want to consider if you plan on driving in rough conditions often
- Steel wheels are an inexpensive alternative to normal alloys that can withstand the pressures of off-roading
- Body protection is one of the most overlooked additions when it comes to creating an off-road monster
- A selectable locker can provide 100 percent four-wheel drive when needed, plus a free rear axle for those occasional times when you need it
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Off-roading is a hobby that can be done in many different ways. Whether you’re looking to do some light off-roading, extreme off-roading, or just want to improve your gas mileage on the road this article will help guide you through the best modifications for your truck.
For those of you who are new to this sport and don’t know where to start let me give you a quick rundown on what each modification does.
The best off-road modifications are the ones that make your car look cool. For instance, you can add a big set of tires to raise your ride height and give it some extra ground clearance. Other popular mods include lifting kits, roof racks, winches, and skid plates. The sky is the limit when it comes to making an awesome off-roader!
What are the best ways to modify my car for off-road driving? There are a variety of options available but one of our personal favorites is adding a lift kit or suspension system with bigger tires. These will allow for increased ground clearance and also provide greater traction on dirt trails or other slippery surfaces. You may also want to consider installing roof racks.
For starters, there are lift kits that allow your vehicle to travel over obstacles with ease by raising them up higher than they normally would go. This will also increase the clearance so if there is an obstacle coming up it won’t hit anything underneath like engine parts or oil pan etc.
Anytime something is done to a truck or SUV with off-road performance in mind, it’s an off-road modification. These modifications can be as basic as bigger tires and recovery equipment, to extremely complicated snorkels and multi-link suspension systems. The following list of modifications includes some of the most common off-road modifications, as well as some we’d like to see more often.
Table of Contents
All Terrain Tires, Mud Tires, Mud Terrain Tires
Over-sized tires – Bigger is better, but only when the additional size doesn’t negatively affect how well the truck performs in other areas. Though we at Four Wheeler Network usually frown upon excessive tire rubbing and fender trimming, we appreciate a mod that provides for the use of oversized tires.
It goes without saying that upgraded tires are an essential first piece of kit for any aspiring off-road enthusiast — not only do they provide a more burly look for your ride, they also come with a surprising amount of positive reinforcement overstock offerings.
A more aggressive off-road tire means that you’ll have much better traction on smooth surface obstacles and even more so on grippy, contrasting surfaces like notched rock and gnarled wood. Aside from better climbing and negotiating capabilities, your vehicle will also enjoy an expansive ride capability with less chance of mid-trip tire failure.
Perhaps the biggest killjoy during an off-road excursion comes at the expense of cheap, flimsy rubber — but beefier tread lugs, improved stress ratings, and tailored tread types will ensure that you’re prepared for the specific terrain you’re looking to dominate.
Just remember, size doesn’t necessarily matter as much here — even if you utilize the same size tire as your stock offering but with a tailored off-road layout, your vehicle will fare much better than it did before when the pavement ends.
A taller tread will undoubtedly give you higher ground clearance, translating into a more capable ride, but you don’t need to overshoot what your stock suspension can handle, just yet.
Read about tires in detail:
- What Is The Most Aggressive All Terrain Tire?
- What Is The Best Size Tire For A 4 Inch Lift On A Truck
Wheels
Steel wheels are a great, inexpensive alternative to normal alloys that can withstand the pressures put against them under high-stress off-roading. Steel wheels usually come in very minimalistic designs and can most commonly be seen on police vehicles, which often favor them for their durability against the elements.
While they may detract from appearance, steel wheels offer greatly improved functionality in any off-road circumstance over that of a normal set of wheels.
Steel is a metal alloy composed of mainly iron, but may also contain carbon, which is what gives it its hardness. The most common type of steel used in off-road wheels is 1045 steel or 4140 Chromoly steel. This alloy is similar to that of cold-rolled steel but has an addition of Molybdenum, which gives it added hardness.
Whilst durability is the primary advantage, steel wheels are also very strong and lightweight, with some being up to three times lighter than aluminum alloy rims of a similar size. The reduced weight of the rim allows the tire to have more grip on the road or trail it’s traveling over, making them ideal for high-speed driving, especially on sand dunes.
This is all thanks to the alloy’s structure; steel is cheap and easy to manufacture into complex shapes with good tolerances, which allows for intricate designs that would be hard to achieve with normal casting or forging methods. The benefit of this type of production is fully realized when it comes to weight, where steel rims can be up to three times lighter than their aluminum counterparts of equal size.
Steel has proven time and time again that it is a legitimate option when looking at an upgrade for your vehicle’s wheels. It offers great advantages in weight reduction, strength, durability, and functionality over other types of alloy wheels it may come into competition with.
So next time you are in the market for a set of wheels, be sure to give steel rims some serious consideration!
Read about wheels in detail:
Suspension And Bushings
If you’re headed off-road, changing your suspension is an undeniable modification that will need to happen at one point or another — and it’s often the first step drivers take in their quest to outfit their stock vehicle with a newly acquired, aggressive look.
Traditional spring and hardware setups are tested in a factory for street and road use, which means that outdoor trail-running capabilities are drastically undervalued by the original manufacturer.
In order to remedy this, aftermarket manufacturers that are primarily focused on the increase of a vehicle’s off-road capabilities have developed a number of upgradable packages that blend custom-machined parts, improved hardware, bushings, and heavy-duty springs to bring your truck into the realm of the reliable outdoor explorer.
While suspension systems might seem synonymous with lift kits, these packages are often performance-oriented, meaning that they offer far more advantages in the field of handling, capability, and negotiation of your standard platform.
As with any other integral part of your truck, a blown bushing or destroyed bolt will put a swift end to any outdoor exploration you’re hoping to do — so instead, invest in an aftermarket system that focuses on key reinforcement areas and high-quality peripherals that will make your experience all the more pleasant.
Read about suspensions in detail:
Lockers
What’s the point in having a full-time four-wheel-drive system if you’re going to drive around with a two-wheel drive? The only exception here is having a selectable locker that can provide 100 percent four-wheel drive when needed, plus a free rear axle for those occasional times when you need it (the Toyota Tacoma comes to mind).
A selectable locker is a limited slip or locking differential that can be activated electronically or mechanically by some device that the driver controls. Selectable lockers typically work in one direction only, either putting power to both wheels (50/50) like an open diff or powering just one wheel (100 percent). The latter provides maximum traction to the wheel with the least amount of tire slippage.
There are a few selectable lockers available on new four-wheel-drive trucks, but most models lack an affordable option for adding this feature after purchase (at least like the factory one). Most off-road enthusiasts opt for installing a mechanical or electronic locker in place of an open diff, but there are other options that might not be the best choice for fast off-road driving.
We have tested many different types of limited-slip/locking rear differentials over the years on 4×4 vehicles with 2wd and selectable locking front diffs. Most have worked great off-road, but some don’t work well in high-traction situations.
Read about lockers in detail:
Lift Kit
Of course, the first thing we all do when we buy a new truck is lift it and make it bigger (or at least wider). Four Wheeler Network’s official stance on this is: “If you don’t wheel your four-wheel-drive vehicle, don’t lift it.”
While suspension systems offer more in terms of performance and capability, it’s obvious that the higher your vehicle is off the ground, the more clearance it has, and the more obstacles you’ll be able to negotiate. That’s where the lift kit comes in — providing your truck with the means (and ground clearance) to navigate over obstacles that would make most stock vehicles cower in fear.
Not only does the lift kit provide the perfect expandable capability for your ride, but it also warrants a nice gain in the aesthetics department, exposing the undercarriage of the vehicle and all of the awesomely upgraded suspension work that you had done prior to the addition of the kit.
Originally, stock truck and SUV suspensions were designed to be as low as possible to affect aerodynamics, fuel economy, and safety, but if you’re trying to build the perfect off-road vehicle, these things often don’t matter.
To achieve a drastically improved look and give yourself the perfect foundation for bigger tires, an enhanced suspension system, and the ability to reach places that others can’t, look no further than a simple (but effective) lift treatment.
Read about lift kits in detail:
Body Protection
Body protection is one of the most overlooked additions when it comes to creating an off-road monster since most of the parts are hidden and achieve no aesthetic purpose for the vehicle. While it might be true that there is no reason to buy body protection if you’re only interested in aesthetic value.
It’s absolutely essential should you feel the need to take your vehicle off the grid, over dangerous terrain, and run the risk of inclement damage. The last thing you want when you’re trying to clear an obstacle is to destroy an important underbody component due to a momentary lapse in judgment.
In the long run, body protection will save you the hassle of having to isolate, repair, and reintroduce some of your vehicle’s most important peripherals, and will give you peace of mind the next time you’re trying to negotiate something that might be out of your comfort zone.
High-quality protectors like skid plates, pans, and crossbody members will keep your vehicle rigid, protected, and in great operating condition — because getting stranded off the grid isn’t the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Bull Bar
Bull bars are better described as brush guards, which are meant to protect the front end of your off-road vehicle as you plow through grass, brush, and anything else that stands in your way. If you can’t drive over it or around it, bull bars are the best way to proceed without worrying that you’ll damage the expensive front-end peripherals of your truck.
While the lack of a bull bar won’t put an end to your excursion, it’s safe to say that the ability to keep both the bonnet and bumper area of your vehicle protected is second to none — after all, you want your vehicle to retain its aesthetic prowess, not look like a beater that you take to the trail every other day.
Read about bull bars in detail:
Winch/Tow Hook
Winches are another non-essential item for the introductory off-roader but retain their spot as one of the most useful tools for off-road excursions that introduce new levels of difficulty. If you’re prone to find yourself in a number of sticky situations, the winch can be one of the most invaluable additions you can make to your vehicle.
Aside from the obvious ability to pull yourself out of deep ruts, mud-filled riverbeds, and over obstacles, the winch is also useful should you find yourself off-roading with friends or other motorists. Being able to retrieve another vehicle from the brink of disaster is always a great feeling and the more people who can utilize a cable and winch, the better.
Rear Hitch
Roof Rack
Roof racks won’t really do much for the off-road performance of your vehicle, but they will prove invaluable for storage, tool carrying, and essential gear stowage. Taking prolonged trips into the back trails of the country’s toughest terrain will often leave you with an urge to carry all of the safety/utility equipment you’ll need for an overnight stay — and that’s where the perfect overhead roof rack comes in.
Most vehicles can carry a variety of things but different mounting styles, reinforcement locations, and rack types provide a slew of options that you can change based on your preference. The quintessential roof rack will provide adequate space for tools, camping gear, outdoor equipment, and anything else you might need while navigating the rocky trails.
Read about roof racks in detail:
Lights
Driving at night without lights sucks…literally! This is one of those modifications best left to the experts, though. Not just in terms of cost, but in terms of reliability too.
Lightbars might be showing up close to last on our list, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t important. Stock headlights and alternative vehicle lighting solutions are often underwhelming in the grand scheme of things and provide a baseline luminescent rating for driving on well-lit roadways.
When you’re navigating the wilds with nothing but the light reflecting off the moon, it becomes a lot harder to negotiate tough terrain — that being said, upgraded peripherals will drastically improve your ability to see, understand, and conceptualize the route you’d like to take.
In most situations, this could be the difference between a damaged vehicle, becoming stranded, endangering the lives of others, and coming back home in one piece.
Read about lighting in detail: