Are You Trail Ready?  

A trail-ready vehicle is a must when you tackle Maple Spring Road in the Cleveland National Forest, the San Jacinto Ridge OHV Road in Idyllwild-Pine Cove, or other off-road terrain near Orange County, California and beyond. But what exactly does “trail-ready” mean? The dealers associated with Beach Boulevard of Cars in Huntington Beach are happy to explain and show off those vehicles they have that ooz they are ready to tackle the trail.

What are Some Needed Trail Features?

While trail-ready SUVs comfortably take you and your passengers on streets and freeways, they also easily negotiate off-road paths through rough terrain because they share the following features:

All-Wheel Drive

All-wheel, or 4×4, drive distributes power to all four wheels to ensure optimum grip and stability on challenging terrain and slippery surfaces. When one or two wheels lose traction, the other wheels can compensate to keep the vehicle moving. If a wheel spins too much because of a loss of traction, power goes to the other wheels to maintain surface grip.

Off-Road Suspension

This type of suspension increases ground clearance to make traversing rocks, logs, and other tall obstacles easier, and uses specialized shocks to absorb vibrations and other impacts, so you experience a smoother ride. Components are typically made from heavier-duty materials and include solid axles for greater durability and articulation.

What are Locking Differentials?

Locking differentials mechanically force axles and their wheels to spin at the same speed, diverting 100 percent of the available torque to the wheel with the greatest traction. When one wheel is off the ground or on a slippery surface, the other wheels maintain grip and movement.

Electronic Sway Bar Disconnect

When activated, the electronic sway bar disconnect releases the sway bar, or anti-roll bar, to allow more articulation for the suspension and wheels. The suspension moves more independently on each side of the vehicle, enabling the wheels to maintain contact with the surface even on uneven terrain or when climbing over rocks.

Hill Descent Control

As you’re traveling down an incline, Hill Descent Control manages acceleration, braking on each wheel, and traction control to help the SUV maintain a slow and constant speed. You can then focus on navigating confidently instead of worrying about when to step on the accelerator or brake pedal.

Trail Control

Like Hill Descent Control, Trail Control automatically manages acceleration and braking so that you maintain a constant speed on difficult terrain.

What about Skid Plates?

Skid plates are metal shields forged from high-strength steel or airplane-grade aluminum. They are welded under a vehicle to guard sensitive underbody components such as the transmission, differentials, fuel tank, oil pan, and transfer case against ground obstacles like rocks, tree trunks, and other debris.

Trail-Ready Vehicles

Many brands offer vehicles that are trail-ready, such as the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco, which not only possess many, if not all, the features described here, but can also strip off their roof and doors, so that you and your passengers can get closer to nature.

You can share adventures with family and friends, if you have a three-row off-roader like the Toyota 4Runner or the Jeep Grand Cherokee, which each seat up to seven. If you’re taking plenty of camping gear or smaller vehicles like dirt bikes or ATVs on your explorations, pickup trucks like the GMC Sierra 1500, Ram 1500, and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 can carry plenty in their spacious cargo beds.

Do you want to experience these and other off-road SUVs for yourself? Then come to the dealers at the Beach Boulevard of Cars and ask for a test drive today.