An off-road experience is not second to any adventure activity, especially for an automotive enthusiast. Like any other adventure sport, off-roading also requires you to have a level of understanding and ample training. On each crawl know that it is the machine and your skills that are being put to test. A compromise on any one of these is going to get you stranded or stuck in the middle of your expedition.
Before you take your sand car out on the tracks for a spin, know that there are a lot of checkboxes to be ticked & pieces of equipment you need to have onboard.
Must have equipment for off-road adventures
- Jerry can
- Water tank for radiators
- High lift jack
- Shovel
- Portable fire extinguisher
- Air inflator
- A spare off-road tire and tools for changing the flat tires
- Communication devices preferably radio.
- Tow rope
- Wrench kit
- Hammers
- Nose pliers
- Utility knife
The equipment listed above is the bare minimum requirement you should have onboard. Apart from having these pieces of equipment on board, your vehicle also needs to be inspected before you leave for an offroad outing.
We strictly recommend you to go through this scrutiny and make an analysis of how healthy your vehicle is to conquer those rough terrains, especially in dunes.
The mandatory pre-departure checklist
- Ground clearance
Before you take your sand car to the dunes ensure that you’ve adjusted its suspension for the correct ground clearance to avoid scraping off the lower sections. If you are an off-road junkie, we recommend that you invest in a suspension lift kit that will better help you adjust the ground clearance.
- Check your tire pressure
Tire pressure should not be at the stock setting & should be adjusted to the surface conditions you are going to drive in. Ideally, the tire pressure should be less than the stock setting to give you that extra traction you’d need off-roads. That being said, note that reducing pressure more than required or getting it flat will hurt your wheel and its alignment. Finding the right tire pressures for different conditions is a skill you will gain with experience.
For example, in the case of sand cars, you can deflate to 20 psi and you can go down from that limit depending on the conditions. Here is where the tire pressure gauge and inflator we asked you to carry will come into help. Exclusively in the case of sand terrains, where the heavy 4x4s can go down into the loose sandy soils, cutting down the tire pressure will give you extra contact surface area that can save your car from getting stuck in the sand.
- Power to weight ratio
Reduce any unwanted weight you are carrying on an off-road adventure. It will improve the traction on your wheels helping your tires have more thrust to spin over those loose particles. So it can be very handy to cut those weights off which pulls you down into the sand. Just think about Polaris and Fortuner or Endeavour, you will get what we were talking about. With a sub 1000cc engine, the heights Polaris capture is beyond comparison.
- Attach a Sand flag
A sand flag can be a lifesaver on dunes. Most of the sand adventurers often neglect to have one on their cars but are taking a huge chance of direct collision. Since there are more blind spots in dune tracks in comparison, the flag to your back makes you visible in those situations. Make sure that you use the bright-colored flag you are using.
- Get yourselves a shovel
If you are on sand and get stuck, instead of pressing on the gas, which only helps you to dig deeper, try filling sand in front of the tires which will get you a small incline for your car to climb up.
Maintaining Your Sand Car
Similar to the pre-departure checklist there is a list of mandatory checkups you should do once you are back from the off-road adventure.
- Inflate your tires
While driving with reduced tire pressure can give you extra traction, you don’t need that once you are back on a flat track. Driving on the tarmac without the stock pressure setting can cause extensive wear & tear to the tires.
- Wash your car
Give your car a thorough wash to get rid of leftover sand as it can cause extensive damage if left behind. The leftover sand can cause extensive damage to your car’s engine belt, Brake pads, and calipers in no time. Your interiors are also susceptible to damage from the sand. It is recommended that you have your interior vacuum cleaned.
Similarly, the leftover sand can also clog the air filter making your sand car gasp for air leading to a drop in power & inefficiency. Ensure that you clean those air filters regularly to save your engine from choking and keep it in good health.
Damages to car paint and windshields can’t be neglected as well. But it is comparatively a meager damage.
To Sum Up
In case you end up hurting your vehicle taken to sands, you must get it serviced regularly and replace the damaged parts on time. We know that replacing the parts can get tricky owing to the prices & dilemma in choosing where to get them from.
We at tabzone.com have a plethora of options available for you to find your damaged part and get it replaced with a compatible one. We deal with your body panels, drivetrain, suspension, electrical system, fuel delivery components, wheels and tires, and what not!
We’ve got you covered irrespective of whether you are looking for a performance modification or a cosmetic upgrade, all at the most competitive prices and with no compromise on the quality. Our service team also offers free consultation and assistance in helping you choose the right upgrades. Visit us now.