Gear Up: Essential Equipment for Your Four-Wheel Drive Expedition

When you are planning for an off-road four-wheel drive expedition, there are certain essential pieces of equipment you need to gear up with before you go!

2022-Mitsubishi-Triton-GSR-2022-front-qtr

From 4×4 suspensions to car fluid and tyre traction essentials, powerful headlights, and protective bull bars, the list of essential four-wheel driving items you should always have on hand for the best possible off-road driving experience is extensive.

For our detailed breakdown on which pieces of essential equipment you need to gear up with for your four-wheel drive expedition, just keep reading!

Four-wheel drive Suspension Equipment

4×4 Suspension is extremely important for safe off-road drives.

So, what is 4×4 suspension, and why is it important? Essentially, a vehicle’s suspension system is responsible for keeping it stable on the road. It also lifts and supports the car as you drive, keeping you as safe and stabilised as possible. Without it, your drive could be bumpy, uncomfortable, and rocky.

For this reason, ensuring that your four-wheel drive’s suspension system is functioning optimally is essential. If you want to make sure, you can book your four-wheel drive vehicle for 4×4 suspension upgrades with your local automotive mechanic. An auto mechanic will ensure that your four-wheel drive suspension system is running smoothly as part of this service. They will also perform any repairs or upgrades as needed.

Bull Bars and Other Protective Accessories for Four-Wheel Drives

Bull bars and other protective equipment are also essential to keep you safe on off-road trips. Usually constructed from steel, aluminium, and other strong metals, four-wheel drive bull bars can help protect your four-wheel drive – and you – from damage and harm caused by collisions.

Often, when driving off-road, there can be large animals such as cows, kangaroos or wallabies that can get in the way of your path. Sadly, occurrences of animal collision can be an unfortunate reality of long driving expeditions, especially in remote, rural and regional areas. To minimise damage to your vehicle upon impact with a large animal, a protective bull bar is essential.

Four-Wheel Drive Tyre Traction Essentials

Tyre traction is critical to ensuring your four-wheel drive maintains grip and friction on the road surface you are driving on. This is especially important in rough terrain, as when you go off-road, surfaces will be uneven, bumpy, and often, muddy.

Tyre traction equipment such as removable grips you can attach to your tyres can help minimise the risk of your tyres getting stuck in the mud, or spinning out of control. You can also purchase off-road tyres which are specifically manufactured to increase tyre traction in rough terrains.

High Power LED Lights for Four-Wheel Drives

Often, during your off-road four-wheel drive expedition, you may find yourself driving in the dark, late at night. To maximise your safety and visibility in these scenarios, you can also purchase high-powered LED lighting to install on the front of your four-wheel drive.
These types of lights will often sit on or near your front bumper bar and will help brighten and illuminate the road ahead.

Four-wheel drive Car Fluid

In four-wheel drives, like in many other vehicles, there are different types of car fluid. These include:

  • Engine Oil
  • Automatic Transmission Fluid
  • Clutch Fluid (in manual cars)

It is very important for you to check that each of these types of car fluids is topped up, as running low on any of them can cause unwanted damage to your car as you drive. These fluids are also essential to keep your vehicle running smoothly.

When it comes to off-road expeditions in a four-wheel drive, it pays to make sure you are stocked up on all of the essential gear before you depart!

Making sure that your car fluids are topped up, your tyre traction is under control, and your vehicle’s 4×4 suspension system is running smoothly, is vital.  It is gearing up with protective items such as 4WD bull bars, and also high-powered LED lights for the safest possible night-time driving.

By making sure you are stocked up on all of these essentials, you will be all set for your four-wheel drive expedition and can rest easy knowing you and your passengers will ride safely. Off-road adventure awaits!