No two off-roading excursions are the same—trail conditions change from moment to moment. But when it comes to off-roading on specific terrain, it’s best to prepare for common situations.
The woods are a beautiful and exciting place to off-road. Enjoy your trip with these four tips and tricks for off-roading in the woods.
Doors: On or Off? It Depends!
Taking off your Jeep’s doors completely, or replacing them with tube doors, can help you feel close to nature—but consider the trail conditions. Depending on the time of year, off-roading in the woods might make you want to keep your doors on. Why? Bugs, mud, water, and tree limbs! If you frequent wooded trails, you’re asking for a major interior cleaning job if you take your doors off.
However, if you’re not worried about keeping the environment out, go ahead and take those doors off. Some people also like to remove their doors to avoid tree limb scratches.
Stay on Marked Trails
This tip for off-roading in the woods keeps you safe and preserves the integrity of the land. Don’t try to blaze a new trail through the woods. Instead, respect the environment and wildlife and stay on marked trails. This key point of off-roading etiquette will serve you and other trail users well.
You don’t want to dig new ruts. And while you don’t want to be the first person to go off the trail, don’t be the second (or third) either. It doesn’t take a long line of monkey-see, monkey-do to widen the trail.
Take Steps To Avoid Getting Stuck
By driving with appropriate techniques and making smart decisions, you’ll decrease the chances of getting stuck in mud or over an obstacle. Here are some tips for avoiding this problem:
- Don’t make guesses about the terrain from inside the vehicle. Instead, have someone get out of the rig and check out the situation. If you’re driving alone, get a clearer perspective yourself.
- When going through mud, drive slow and steady. Maintain momentum and avoid the brake.
- Drive slowly up and down tree limbs and rocks. At higher speeds, you increase the risk of damaging your rig. You don’t want to bottom out coming off an obstacle.
Bring Recovery Gear
In case you end up getting stuck anyway, bring recovery gear. If you have to get out of mud, you’ll be happy you brought traction boards. And if you’re in a trickier situation, you can use your winch.
Pack a great recovery kit including traction boards, winch, straps, jack, and a tire repair kit. In the woods, a tree saver strap comes in handy for anchoring your vehicle to a tree. Understand your recovery kit before you head out for the trail so that you can use the materials properly when you need them.
Head Into the Woods With AM Off-Road
Equip your rig to make your next ride the best one ever. AM Off-Road carries a wide inventory of Jeep Wrangler off-road body parts. Check out our selection today to prepare for your adventure in the woods.