With the sun making it abundantly clear that the hot weather is upon us, now is the perfect time to take your off-road vehicle into the terrain it was designed to be in.

Prepare Your Vehicle and Yourself for an Off-Road Trek

If you are new to the adventures that an off-road trek can provide, or you're an old hat just looking for additional tips to get the most out of your next drive, Oils RGV has prepared an easy to follow checklist to help you out.

Start With Fluids

Like all good checklists, this one starts with your vehicle's fluids. When you're out on an extensive off-road drive, the level and quality of your fluids and the last time you performed a synthetic oil change can be the determining factor of how well your vehicle performs, and whether your adventure will end abruptly. Below are the primary levels to check before you leave:

• Motor oil
• Brake fluid
• Transmission fluid
• Coolant
• Windshield fluid
• Power steering fluid

Even if any of these levels are sitting slightly below their ideal levels, top them up or drain and replace them prior to your trip. When you have finished, pack the bottle of remaining fluid in a box and take it with you.

Take Care of Your Engine

Once you have checked your fluids, move on to your vehicle's engine by checking the following:

• Fan belts
• Hoses
• Oil and Air Filter
• Shocks
• Winch
• Brake pads
• Seat Belts

When embarking on an off-road adventure, it's important to remember that road-side mechanic services are not likely to be able to help. And even if they can, they wouldn't be arriving in a hurry. With this in mind, don't leave anything 'for when you return'. If any of your engine fluids or motor oil is low, or you can't remember the last time you gave your engine a synthetic oil change, talk to Oils RGV at (956) 458-9399 and ask about the right engine lubricant for your vehicle.

Tires

We have dedicated a large portion of our checklist to your tires because they are one of the most important aspects of your vehicle to check when heading out for an off-road trip. How your tires perform can decide whether you are going to splash through the muddy bank or whether you're going to be swimming out of it.

Tire Pressure

To help you navigate through an off-road track and ensure you don't get stuck, it's important to have the correct tire pressure. Even if this means adjusting your tire pressure a few times during your trip. While the correct pressure will ultimately depend on your expected terrain, general advice would be to raise the pressure for sealed road driving to your track, and then reduce it to gain friction throughout swamp type environments.

Tire and Tread Condition

Checking the tire condition can be completed by a visual inspection. Look for any cracks in the walls of your tires, along with any cuts or missing pieces where you may have driven over something sharp. If you notice anything that suggests your tires could be on their way out, repair or replace them before you leave. For your tread, one of the easiest ways to check its condition is with a penny. With Abe's head facing down, place the coin between your tread in a few places around your tire. If the penny goes deep enough throughout your tread to cover any part of Abe's head, then your tread is okay. If you place the coin in your tread, and you can see his entire head, it's time for a new tire.

What to Take With You

The type of personal items you decide to take with you ultimately depends on how luxurious you prefer your off-road adventure to be. For this part of our checklist, we have the very basics to keep you out of trouble.

• A Full Spare Tire (in good condition)
• Tow straps
• Basic Tool Kit
• Flashlight
• Car Jack and Tire Iron
• Walkie-Talkies
• Jumper Leads
• Spare key
• Air Compressor for tire pressure adjustment

If you get stuck, these are the basic items which can help you get going again until you can reach a mechanic.

Protect Your Engine With a Synthetic Oil Change in Edinburg

None of these items are going to allow you to perform heavy maintenance on your off-roader. However, they are the staple items which can help to keep you out of trouble, or assist you in the event of common breakdowns. To find out which products you can use in your engine to help it perform during your adventure, talk to Oils RGV at (956) 458-9399 and speak about the model of your vehicle. Something as simple as performing a synthetic oil change before you leave can help your off-roader provide the level of performance you need.