Fun for all the family...
Have you ever been driving down the road in your family saloon or big estate car and wished that if you wanted to, you could turn your wheel towards the nearest field and go off road without being guaranteed of getting stuck in the mud? This is a common feeling experienced by many family car owners who don't have the funds to splash out on a proper big 4x4 or want to lumber them with a gargantuan gas guzzler.
There are options though for all you frustrated off-roaders which will allow you to take your car, whatever it is, off the road and onwards to a new vehicular freedom.
So how can it be done? Need modification First off you will need to do some heavy modification to your car.
You will need to improve your suspension significantly and fit some bigger tyres with proper grips.
Another thing you need to do before you head towards any fields is to install four wheel drive.
This will allow your car to keep its grip better as it works out which tyre has better grip and sends more power to that one.
This way you get the most grip you can in any given situation.
Four wheel drive, coupled with good suspension are the fundamentals of off road driving.
Other modifications you will want to consider too include a 'roll cage' which reinforces the cabin where you sit.
So if you end up tumbling end over end down a cliff face, you will have a better chance of survival.
There are many other performance car parts you may want to consider too but these are at least the basics.
Driver Training Once you have fitted at least the modifications above, you will want to learn how to drive off road.
There are many driving schools out there to choose from so you shouldn't have too much trouble.
These schools will take you, in your newly modified vehicle, around a specially designed off road course which will include steep hills, diagonal hills, over rocky terrain and through rivers.
This will help you to know what your vehicle can handle in a real off road situation and give you a few tips on how to negotiate difficult situations with ease.
One thing you have to remember though is that with a modified car that was not originally designed to be used for off-roading you can never be 100% safe as the shape of the car was not designed with this in mind.
So basically, you certainly can take your family car off-road, but you will never be as safe as you would be in a natural 4x4 machine.
Have you ever been driving down the road in your family saloon or big estate car and wished that if you wanted to, you could turn your wheel towards the nearest field and go off road without being guaranteed of getting stuck in the mud? This is a common feeling experienced by many family car owners who don't have the funds to splash out on a proper big 4x4 or want to lumber them with a gargantuan gas guzzler.
There are options though for all you frustrated off-roaders which will allow you to take your car, whatever it is, off the road and onwards to a new vehicular freedom.
So how can it be done? Need modification First off you will need to do some heavy modification to your car.
You will need to improve your suspension significantly and fit some bigger tyres with proper grips.
Another thing you need to do before you head towards any fields is to install four wheel drive.
This will allow your car to keep its grip better as it works out which tyre has better grip and sends more power to that one.
This way you get the most grip you can in any given situation.
Four wheel drive, coupled with good suspension are the fundamentals of off road driving.
Other modifications you will want to consider too include a 'roll cage' which reinforces the cabin where you sit.
So if you end up tumbling end over end down a cliff face, you will have a better chance of survival.
There are many other performance car parts you may want to consider too but these are at least the basics.
Driver Training Once you have fitted at least the modifications above, you will want to learn how to drive off road.
There are many driving schools out there to choose from so you shouldn't have too much trouble.
These schools will take you, in your newly modified vehicle, around a specially designed off road course which will include steep hills, diagonal hills, over rocky terrain and through rivers.
This will help you to know what your vehicle can handle in a real off road situation and give you a few tips on how to negotiate difficult situations with ease.
One thing you have to remember though is that with a modified car that was not originally designed to be used for off-roading you can never be 100% safe as the shape of the car was not designed with this in mind.
So basically, you certainly can take your family car off-road, but you will never be as safe as you would be in a natural 4x4 machine.
Source...