Nowadays, it is common for people to buy Subaru cars or other such AWD cars and make modifications to them. And they do this in the hope of getting their vehicles to go off-road. That sounds cool, right?
It is no wonder that many people are quick to jump onto this trend. However, you should note that these modifications may ruin your car, leaving you with staggering costs to bear. But if you do it right, you can keep your vehicle in good shape and avoid damaging it. After all, you do want to get something out of the resale value.
Going off-road is pretty cool. All you need is to fit your car with some good wheels, protection gear, a roof rack, and some other flashy items. You can then hit the road and embark on all those camping trips you have had in mind all this while.
Can a crosstrek go off-road? Many people wonder if their vehicles can go off-road. And in doing so, they come across many articles and people who detail how they can go about it. While you may follow the process to the letter, you may find that you erred. And this happens when you do not pay much mind to the tires.
Yes, that’s right. The tires will determine if your car can go off-road and how well it can handle harsh weather. You should thus choose tires that are resistant to wet weather, punctures, and those with a good grip. Tires designed for on-road use will not serve you much in bad terrain.
The weight also matters a great deal. There are two types of weight. The first is sprung, which refers to anything that lies above the car’s suspension. That includes you, luggage, the car’s body, and the frame. Anything that lies below the car’s suspension is the un-sprung weight. That consists of the wheels and the tires.
You need to find a balance between the two weights if you wish to enjoy driving off-road without getting bumped all over. The un-sprung weight should be less than sprung. In this way, when the tires hit bumps along the road, the force delivered to the passengers will be minimal. The vice versa will hold in this case. The un-sprung weight also determines how easy it is for you to accelerate and stop the car.
When the wheels and tires are heavy, your car has to work hard when you want to change the speed. Take an example of where you wish to add the speed. In this case, the weight of the wheels and tires will resist the power coming from the engine. In the end, the horsepower that reaches the road will be minimal, and hence not that effective.
You will thus end up straining the engine in this process as you try to gain speed. The same case applies when you want to stop the car. You will press down the brakes, fighting off the un-sprung weight that will try to keep spinning the wheels. As such, you cannot slow down as fast as you would like. Again, this will strain the car.
You can tell that the un-sprung weight makes a considerable difference in the performance of a car. Take two cars with the same features, save for the un-sprung weight, and the difference in performance can be as much as ten percent. This difference is also visible in the braking capacity as well as the fuel economy.
As such, while you may wish to use the largest and heaviest tires you can come across, you should consider the impacts of this alteration. And that’s not the only problem you will encounter in this regard. The heavier the un-sprung weight is, the more noise that you will experience while driving.
Think of a lifted WRx. This car looks fantastic, and taking it off-road is a dream come true for many people. Add some accessories to it, and you are part of the growing trend. However, this car may have too much weight than it should carry at a given time.
Think about the added weight per wheel, winch and mounts, roof racks, skid plates, and other such fittings. In the end, you might find that your car has as many as four hundred extra pounds. While it may look great, this can cause structural damage to the vehicle. You must figure out how much weight your car can carry, more so in off-road terrains. Else, you could break components in the drivetrain and suspension. Thus, when thinking of a WRX lift kit, note that you can void your warranty by overloading the car.
Subaru extreme off-road cars look great, right? But have you given some thought to their fuel economy? Think about it like this. That roof rack looks great on the car. However, it does not work in your favor. Loads carried on roof rails create an air dam underneath the rails.
As such, a barrier to the wind forms on top of the car. And this interferes with the vehicle’s aerodynamics. Noise levels increase, and you end up spending much more fuel to move the car from one point to the other. You should notice a considerable decrease in the car’s performance owing to this change.
You might think that fitting a rooftop tent on your 2006 Subaru forester off-road may help in curbing the problem. However, this is not the case. Not only will it reduce the fuel economy, but it will also raise your center of gravity. You will end up decreasing the handling ease and could ruin your roof.
Can Subaru Forester go off-road?
Yes, this vehicle is more than capable of going off-road without the modifications. So, say goodbye to the changes and embrace the car as it is for improved fuel economy and your safety.
What makes a Subaru a Subaru?
This car is all about fun, confidence, and control. These factors attract people year in, year out, and this car brand is one that will not get old any time soon. And with new models coming into the market, why would it? Thus, do not make changes that will take away from the beauty and performance of this fantastic vehicle.
You can get an excellent off-road WRX vehicle and forego all the changes that can undermine your car’s safety. Where you choose to make changes such as the buying of WRX off-road tires, take weight into account.
If not, you will end up damaging the car and voiding your warranty as you drive your Subaru in mud. That’s not to say that you cannot go Subaru 4 wheeling. Instead, these are words of advice to keep you and your car safe. All the best!
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