What are the most popular modifications you can do to your 4WD? In this article, we tell you what they are and why having them is important.
WHAT SHOULD I UPGRADE ON MY 4X4?
There are many things you can do to your 4×4 to prepare it for the harsh terrains ahead, but these are the most important ones you shouldn’t forget:
- Differential breathers – tiny tube-like structures on your vehicle’s axle housing that need to be relocated on the upper part near your chassis to prevent them from sucking water in.
- Suspension lifts – automatically elevate your engine to a high level and improve ground clearance which are vital in extreme 4x4ing.
- Bull bars and skid plates – protect the front and underbody of your vehicle against scrapes and other damages, respectively.
- 4×4 tires – can take a lot of beating from the various terrains like, sand, mud, snow, etc., and support heavy loads whenever necessary.
- LED fog lights – are particularly useful when off-roading under unpredictable weather and nighttime 4x4ing for improved visibility.
WHICH 4X4 ACCESSORY IS THE BEST?
Aside from the 4×4 modifications mentioned above, here are some 4×4 accessories you can add to your vehicle to make it both attractive and functional:
- Rooftop tents – provide you a place to eat and rest, away from creepy crawlies in times when you need to take a break from a trip.
- 4×4 roof rack – where you mount your rooftop tents and put extra items that won’t fit in the cargo or 4×4 drawers.
- 4×4 drawers – can help you easily organize your stuff in different compartments instead of just dumping everything in the cargo area.
HOW CAN I MAKE MY 4X4 FASTER?
Making your 4×4 faster means running it better than usual. A few things you can do to boost its performance up a notch are:
- Installing a vehicle snorkel – lets the right amount of air into your 4WD to reduce engine stress and optimize fuel consumption.
- Updating the vehicle module – also known as Powertrain Control Module (PCM) that monitors engine and other system functions to avoid overheating, overloading, etc.
WHAT DOES THE SKID PLATE DO?
Skid plates are special body armors placed on the underside of your 4×4 to protect it from scratches caused by hitting or rolling rocks. They shield your 4WD’s important components including the transmission and engine.
WHY DOES YOUR 4X4 NEED A BULL BAR?
Bull bars’ main purpose is to reduce the impact of sudden collisions that can otherwise be fatal to you and your 4WD. However, aside from protection, another benefit you can get from bull bars is improving the pulling capability of tow recovery points and winch frames.
For example, they have a tow rating of 4,000 lbs. but they can pull up to 6,000 lbs. without bending or cracking under the given load. Bull bars usually absorb a portion of the load allowing the points and frames to go beyond their expected towing capacity.
WHY DOES YOUR 4X4 NEED A LIFT KIT?
Lift kits are adjustment devices that change your truck’s ride height according to your preferences. If they’re not properly fitted to suit your 4WD’s other components, you risk damaging your wheel bearings that lead to steering and wear out problems.
Moreover, the higher your truck off the ground means the farther it is from the center of gravity making it more unstable. Therefore, it’s very prone to rollovers.
WHY DOES YOUR 4X4 NEED LED FOG LIGHTS?
Installing LED fog lights on your 4WD is a valuable precautionary measure because it improves visibility of passing vehicles or animals in areas where there’s very little to no light at all. It may vary from one state to the next based on certain policies affecting vision restriction and other issues. However, the following 4WD spots below are where LED light bars are normally placed:
- Front bumper – most common mounting option because it doesn’t block the radiator.
- Lower windscreen – mounting option for smaller LED lights to support typical headlights and fairly doesn’t get in the way of driver’s sight.
- 4WD roof – mounting option to attach to the roof rack for greater lighting coverage or visibility.
CONCLUSION
Modifying your 4x4s based on what you want alone is tricky. The key is to make a compromise between what’s useful and safe to make every 4WD experience fun and worry free. Do you have other 4×4 modification ideas in mind? Let us know by commenting below.
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