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If you’re a fellow adventurer, you know camping and off-roading go hand in hand. When you really want to rough it, you have to make sure your rig is ready for rugged terrain. To avoid trouble during your off-roading trips with the family, you must perform proactive maintenance and adequately prepare for any issues that may arise.
Here’s what you need to know to keep your family and your vehicle safe on your next outdoor excursion.
5 Items to Check Before Hitting the Trails
Needless to say, no trip is worth the safety of the driver and passengers. To know what to look for when checking your ride prior to an outing, refer to the following tips:
1. Inspect your tires.
Ride quality rests on your tires, both literally and figuratively. For this reason, they should be your first stop when conducting pre-trip inspections. Use a gauge to check each tire’s pressure and look for signs of wear or impending failure (e.g., cuts or punctures). Make sure to check the spare as well.
2. Torque suspension nuts and bolts.
Ensure you tighten suspension nuts and bolts before and after each outing, as the stress from rugged rides may cause them to loosen. Loose components or incorrect torque can lead to issues with handling or component failure.
3. Check all fluids.
Check your brake fluid reservoir and other fluids and top off levels as necessary. This includes checking your coolant, front differential gear oil, transfer case gear oil, and rear differential gear oil.
4. Look for any leaks.
After checking your fluid levels, closely inspect the underside of your vehicle for signs of any leaks. Leaking shocks are common, but you also want to check around the transmission pan, brake lines, calipers, radiator hoses, and under the engine for oil leaks.
5. Inspect components for wear or damage.
Leaks are one thing, but you also need to check your rig for signs of wear or damage from your last trip to the trails. You’ll want to check for any stress fractures in the vehicle’s frame and verify the condition of your ball joints and bushings. Some other components you should be sure to inspect include U-joints, hoses, belts, gaskets, and the driveshaft.
If you’ve performed all the steps above, but hear rattling or knocking in the front end once you get moving, you may need to take a closer look at your suspension. If that’s the case, first check your front joints and bushings, then check the sway bar for any disconnects.
Basic Off-Roading Checklist
A souped-up lifted truck is certainly an asset when taking on the wilderness, but you also need to have the basic necessities on hand:
- First aid kit
- Essential sundries (e.g., water, snacks, bug spray)
- Spare tire
- Hand tool kit
- Jack and tire iron
- Flashlight
- Portable air compressor
Note that the above list represents the bare minimum supplies if you’re planning on spending extended time outdoors. Remember: It’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it!
Must-Have Aftermarket Parts for Your Off-Road Vehicle
You don’t want to risk your family’s safety (or spend money) on subpar aftermarket parts that don’t last. You also need to ensure all parts are installed properly and in the correct order. For example, a lift kit is essential before putting on larger tires (just avoid strut spacer lift kits). Follow bigger tires up by installing upper control arms (UCAs) for better stability and highway speed. Any additional off-roading mods would follow.
As a crucial aspect of your suspension, UCAs must be built tough while being low-maintenance. Designed for serious off-roaders, JBA Red lasts 5-10 times longer than standard factory parts, allowing you to have total confidence in your rig’s performance. If you already use our UCAs, we also have various replacement parts and rebuild kits available when you need them.
The Ride of Your Life Rests on JBA Upper Control Arms
Get familiar with your rig’s normal by knowing what differences to look for, and perform a thorough inspection before hitting the trails. Even with regular maintenance and premium parts, your lifted truck should be equipped with anything you might need in case you run into problems.
Don’t get caught unprepared—make sure to only invest in the best suspension mods to keep your rig running on even the toughest trails. For premium UCAs you can have 100 percent faith in, opt for JBA Offroad upper control arms in your wheel wells.
