Prep Your UTV For An Off-Road Adventure
Did you get a utility terrain vehicle with the intention of tearing up some trail? If you’ve got your heart set on having off-road adventures with the perfect mix of adrenaline, speed, and conquering terrain, then you’ve got the right vehicle to do so. Before you head out on your first trip in your new UTV, you need to make sure you and your vehicle are properly prepared.
At Boehm Tractor Sales, we love to help our patrons have fun and safe rides, so we’ve compiled this guide to help you prepare for your UTV trip. For all your powersports needs, visit us at our location in Shiner, TX. If you’re looking for a great selection of UTVs for sale near Seguin and Austin, get in touch with us today!
Know Your Vehicle
Before you head out on your first powersports adventure, you need to know how your UTV handles. First, practice driving it until you become comfortable with turning, accelerating and braking. If need be, you can take some classes for it where you’ll learn the right riding technique as well as get a whole bunch of helpful tips about off-roading in general.
You should know the dimensions of your side by side, like it’s height, width, approach angle, and departure angle. This will come in handy when you’re riding around in a tight area and don’t want to ding your UTV. You should also have a firm grasp of where the air intake and engine computer are located so that you can know what water height you can cross.
Prep Your Vehicle
You can’t just hop onto your side by side and head straight to unchartered territory. You have to first conduct a pre-ride inspection. You do this so you can catch any problems in the safety of your garage rather than in the middle of nowhere with no help on hand. Since off-road terrain is tough, tires can often become damaged during trips, so inspect them closely. They should be inflated properly and have proper tread levels.
After this, you need to top off any fluids. We recommend filling up with more gas than you think you’ll need, just in case something happens and you can’t access any fuel for longer than planned. Test your steering and your brakes. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, bring your machine in to the service department at Boehm Tractor Sales and our trained technicians will fix it up for you in no time.
When you think ‘emergency supplies’ also take into account what your UTV might need during an emergency. This can include a mini toolkit with a wrench fitting your vehicle’s bolt size, a first aid kit, waterproof outer gear, one gallon of water, snacks, a knife, a flashlight, fire starter, an extra gas can, a map, and a flat tire kit.
Make sure you pack your supplies properly and securely. Remember that you’ll be in rough terrain and anything not tied down properly has a tendency to get knocked out of place, which can sometimes create a hazard. You also need to stay within your vehicle’s gross weight capacity.
When you’re loading your UTV with your gear, try to evenly spread out the weight. If you put too much weight on the rear axle, it’ll cause your vehicle to sag, which will jeopardize your departure angle and clearance. Putting too much weight on the roof rack hurts your center of gravity, which makes the vehicle less stable.
Plan Your Route
You should spend some time planning and charting your route. This will help you plan out your day in advance so you don’t underestimate the time it’ll take you and end up trying to navigate unknown trails in the dark. It also helps ensure you bring enough supplies (like gas and water) to stay safe and comfortable.
Keep in mind that trails can become compromised and rendered temporarily unusable, due to poor weather or poor maintenance. You’ll want to check the trail site before you leave to make sure your intended route is good to go.
Ready to get yourself a worthy side by side? Head to Boehm Tractor Sales at our location in Shiner, TX where you can get a tour of some top-notch UTVs for sale. We welcome all our patrons from Seguin and Austin.