Make Your Ride More Comfortable with the Ultimate 4×4 Accessories
Ever get the feeling that there’s a lot more to something than just its default setup? For instance, take the state of modern preassembled vehicles. Sure, they’re nice and slick and purr like kittens, especially while they’re new, but it feels like there’s something missing. Aftermarket manufacturers and retailers act on this missing piece by producing on road and off-road accessories that not only improve some aspects of the vehicle but even add some previously unattainable features. Range rovers and 4 wheelers are powerful machines that can travel rough terrains with ease, but when fitted with aftermarket off-road equipment, their versatility and power levels jump way past 9000. To see exactly what I mean, let’s jump into this list of 4×4 car accessories and see why you should want them on your vehicle.
Weathershields
For starters, we’ll begin with the simplest, yet probably the most important addition to your vehicle, which in my opinion are weather shields, more specifically, window deflectors. These pieces of 4×4 gear are probably the best thing you can do for your vehicle for such a price.
The window deflectors attach to your windows and offer protection from rain entering your car. This way, you can ride with your windows open even on a rainy day without the fear of water getting on your seats and interior. Their design is aerodynamic, meaning the deflectors won’t create extra drag for your vehicle. This also provides an extra layer of rain deflection due to the air that’s displaced by the deflector.
Another benefit from these premium 4×4 car accessories is that deflectors not only protect you from the rain but from the sun as well. Ever left your car at a parking lot and returned to what I can only describe as “infernal” seats? The window visors create an extra piece of shading that can make a slight difference in your ride’s interior temperature.
Light Bars
Lightbars are another one of those things you thought you’d never need until you actually got. Unlike the headlights that are mostly used for on-road lighting and maneuvering, LED bars’ primary use is for off-road application. In a situation where you’re setting up a campsite or assisting in an off-road accident, some additional light might come in handy. Due to them being LEDs, light bars don’t drain the battery as much as halogen bulbs, meaning longer illumination at a lower risk of battery death mid-use.
They can be found in all sizes, giving you a bunch of options. Users often argue that size is probably one of the most important features to consider if you’re thinking about adding LED light bars to your four-wheeler. The larger the LED light bar, the more bulbs you’ll get, hence more light will be produced from said bar.
The shape of the bars isn’t really that significant, however, you do have two options at your disposal. A curved LED light bar and a straight LED light bar, which is pretty self-explanatory. Which one you go for is entirely up to you.
Same as with shape, light bars come in a set of two option: single row and double row.
Double row light bars produce more light, but they are significantly more expensive. For those who want their vehicle to have a low profile, single row light are the best option. Double rows are the flashy version for when you want to light up the entire outback at a flick of a switch.
Baskets
In order to get the full experience of a cross country road trip, you need to pack appropriately. Some items though are larger than the trunk or back seat would allow. In such a case, you are going to need a flat roof basket. Flat roof racks are really convenient 4wd accessories for any avid roadman. They can be used to stash cargo bags, camping and beach gear or items of furniture on the move. A simple addition you may think, but you’d be surprised how much of a difference extra cargo space can do for you.
Vehicle Protection
With it comes to off-road roaming, your vehicle can always use a little extra protection. Even though most 4x4s were factory-made to be sturdy and withstand off-road environments, it’s always a better option to be safe than sorry.
The bullbars, for instance, provide some much needed extra protection. Considering that most 4 wheels have all their essential mechanical parts behind the bumper, they are still vulnerable to impact. Bullbars and other anti-fender-bender materials are metal bars attached to the front of the vehicle that gives you a buffer between random road obstacles and the 4×4.
The sides and front are as important as the underside of your car. If driving through a large mud hole, you really want to avoid lone rocks puncturing something vital on your 4×4’s underbody. Both the fuel tank and the gearbox are vital pieces for the operation of your whole vehicle and are largely exposed. You need to protect these things at all cost.
Rock sliders for instance are designed specifically to support the weight of your vehicle when it’s bashing against a rock. This gives that extra protection I mentioned previously.
Sump guards also play a huge role when it comes to underbody protection. They protect your radiator, air conditioning, oil cooler, steering stabilizer and such. They also look pretty cool, as this being the skid plate you see on most 4wd.
Fuel tank skids place a protective layer of aluminium (or steel) between your fuel and a myriad of off-road ballistic debris.
The engine and gearbox have their own kind of skid plates for protection. These are the heart and soul of your vehicle, which means, if you want it to run, you are going to need to protect them at all cost, which holds extra for any and all off-road adventures.