Many people treat their form of transportation as more than something utilitarian. They want to satisfy their sense of adventure with their daily ride and as a consequence often look to modify the settings that came with the vehicle when they purchased it. In this way, they're looking for a cross between performance and aesthetics and frequently, also looking for better capability in off-road situations. There are a number of different approaches to take when trying to tick all these boxes. What should you consider as you choose?
Two Choices
When making a vehicle more suitable for off-road driving you have essentially two choices. You need to lift up the vehicle in order to deal with difficult terrain, but do you lift the body or the suspension? Each of these will have a markedly different effect and you need to be careful before you choose. Remember also, that it can be quite an undertaking to modify the suspension and you should ask an expert if you're not sure, before proceeding.
What's the Difference?
Some people choose to have a vehicle that looks very aggressive and simply sits higher off the ground. They want to ensure that they can fit bigger tyres and wheels and in this case would probably be better in fitting a body kit. Alternatively, if you do some serious offroading and want to be sure of adequate ground clearance, then you need to be focusing on suspension modification, rather than trying to lift the body.
Lifting the Body
A body lift kit actually has nothing to do with the suspension components. To lift the body you place the appropriate spacers in between the body of the vehicle and chassis. You could argue that the ride quality isn't affected in many respects, as you're not altering the suspension or steering geometry. However, the vehicle may roll markedly in some cornering situations.
Modifying the Suspension
Alternatively, you need to replace a number of suspension components if you choose the alternative option and it will be these individual components that are essentially longer or add the "space." The net result will be the same, in that you get a good amount of additional clearance. You can do this with 4wd suspension.
What's Your Objective?
You may want to remember that this is your daily ride and consider just how much off-road driving you want to do. In certain circumstances, you may even want to fit a body kit and a suspension kit, but you should have a chat with a specialist supplier to answer all your questions before you go ahead.
Share29 May 2017
Hello, my name is William and my passion in life is riding my automobile around town. I love to buy old wrecks and then spend months bringing them back to their former glory. My wife thinks I am completely mad but I keep telling her that you don't have to be mad to do what I do, but it certainly helps! I was a later comer to the world of auto salvage and repair. It was about 12 months ago when my friend Neil introduced me to it. Neil is a real expert and has taught me everything I need to know.