| While many off-road vehicles can greenland or | | | | |
| "two track" most unpaved roads. The desire of | | | | Air bag spring replacement |
| many off-roading enthusiasts is to attempt | | | | |
| much more challenging terrain. The following | | | | Longer leaf spring shackles |
| listings show the modifications that are done | | | | |
| and why: | | | | Reverse leaf spring mounting on the axle |
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| Vehicle lifts | | | | Large tires |
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| A vehicle lift is when the normal height of a | | | | A quick and easy way to gain ground clearance |
| vehicle is lifted to increase the amount of | | | | is to increase the size of the tires on a |
| clearance between the ground and the bottom | | | | vehicle. One advantage over body and |
| of the body or frame of the vehicle. There | | | | suspension lifts is that larger tires will |
| are numerous types of vehicle lifts: | | | | improve ground clearance under all parts of |
| | | | the vehicle, including the axles and |
| Body lift: A simple and cheap way to lift a | | | | differentials - typically the next lowest |
| vehicle that has a body on frame design such | | | | points after the tires. While some vehicles |
| as a pickup truck or some SUVs. A body lift | | | | can have larger tires added without a lift |
| consists of larger spacers that replace the | | | | kit, such as a Ford F-250/F-350 pick-up |
| normal mounting points of the vehicle's body | | | | trucks, most will require a lift kit in |
| on its frame. These typically are between 1 - | | | | addition to larger tires, and in some cases |
| 4 inches. Any more than four inches will | | | | bodywork modification (cut back wheel arches) |
| create a less sturdy set up. Body lifts are | | | | may also be necessary. |
| not possible on vehicles with a "Uni-body" | | | | |
| construction. Uni-body vehicles have the | | | | Many off-roaders will combine different |
| frame formed into the body, such as on a Jeep | | | | aspects of each of these vehicle lifting |
| Cherokee. | | | | techniques, with the more experienced |
| | | | combining all of these items for a vehicle |
| Suspension lift: A suspension lift is when | | | | that could be lifted over 12 inches from its |
| modifications are done to the vehicle's | | | | normal ride height |
| springs, shocks, controlling arms and | | | | |
| steering linkage. In this case small or short | | | | Traction control |
| pieces of the suspension are replaced with | | | | |
| longer or larger items of similar | | | | One of the main aspects of off-roading is to |
| construction. Lifting a vehicle changes it's | | | | be able to keep traction on different |
| driving dynamics and a suspension lift adds | | | | obstacles. This can be done with more |
| to the vehicle's handling capabilities in | | | | aggressive tread on tires as well as with |
| relation to the increased height (see lifting | | | | help from traction control devices in |
| concerns below). | | | | drivetrain. |
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| Some examples of this are: | | | | Some traction control devices used are: |
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| Larger arced Leaf springs | | | | Locking differential |
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| Longer Coil springs | | | | Lowered Gear ratio |
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| Coil spacer blocks | | | | Limited slip differential |
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| Leaf spring spacer blocks | | | | Four-wheel drive |
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| Longer Control arms | | | | 'Airing Down' - greatly lowering the air |
| | | | pressure in the tires |
| Longer Pitman arms | | | | |