As the name might suggest, off-roading is primarily an activity that takes place in some of the more inhospitable environments for cars. When off-roading, you can count on encountering many different types of obstacles that will impede your travel if you are not adequately prepared. For this reason, knowing what sort of obstacles you are likely to encounter will greatly benefit your know-how while on the road and could potentially save you from a few flat tires. Here are the top hazards to look out for when off-roading.
Mud Holes
Mud holes are a lesser-known obstacle that is responsible for many stuck vehicles each year. Mud holes are essentially areas of loos dirt that have had water pool inside. This water will sink down into the earth and destabilize it, creating a well-like structure. The real problem with these mud holes is that they are often very unassuming and normal-looking, meaning that you will not realize that they are a problem until it is too late.
Ice
Ice on any and every road is one of the most dangerous hazards you are likely to encounter during the winter seasons. It is well-known that ice will destabilize any car and make it slide, but many will not understand how to spot ice. Ice is usually covered by a thin layer of snow, giving the impression that the road is safe to travel on, making these one of the more dangerous hazards to spot. For this reason, when driving in winter ice conditions, it is always advisable to have either snow tires or a set of chains to counter the sudden loss of traction.
Deep Sand
Deep sand is yet another common hazard that most will find themselves face to face with from time to time. Luckily, recognizing sandpits is fairly easy due to the fact that the ground is not covered. However, if you find yourself getting stuck in sand pits a lot, consider buying such recovery tools as winches and traction boards. These tools will allow you to easily pull yourself from media that you cannot gain traction on, thus freeing you and your car!
Snow
Snow is a lot like sand in that it is a loose media that does not lend itself to good traction. Between the slush and the mud that accompanies it, it is quite easy to get stuck in snow if you are not paying very close attention. Luckily, getting yourself out of a stuck position in the snow is as easy as getting yourself unstuck from a sandpit. In these situations, make sure that you absolutely know how to operate your winch and traction boards, as these are tools that can easily break if used incorrectly!
We hope this article on the top hazards to look out for when off-roading has helped you in building your off-roading expertise. If you find that you are looking for replacement suspension parts, be sure to do research online on the materials used, as well as the customer ratings!
