Get Ready to Wheel With A Pre-Season Check-Up:
With snow still on the ground, right now may not seem like you need to worry about seasonal maintenance for your off road vehicle. We disagree! Take the time now to do a thorough inspection of your Jeep®, SUV or truck. You will be able to identify any issues that require a technician who specializes in off road vehicles to work on. Pre-season check-ups on your off road vehicle can also uncover any regular maintenance tasks you can do, and get anything on order that you might need or want for the upcoming season.
Being proactive in the pre-season can secure a convenient service appointment with a professional off road vehicle technician like Zeus Off Road. Appointments can fill up fast during certain times of the year. Acting early can help you book one that is more convenient for you. You can also spread out the tasks you can do in your own time, or while you wait for other parts or you need.
Read on for our top tips to make sure you are road ready.
Check all fluids and change where necessary. Dirty oils and fluids are hard on your systems and make them work less efficiently. Check and change your engine oil, transmission fluid, gear oil and differential fluids, radiator coolant, brake fluid, and even windshield wiper fluid. While you are under there, grease all your fittings. Ensuring all of your oils are clean, and at the proper levels is an easy way to prevent a host of problems on and off road.
Check and change all filters: While you are checking and changing your fluids, remember to clean or replace all of your vehicle’s filters including the cabin filter, air filter, and oil filter. Dusty trails can trap dust that clogs filters and impairs their function.
Inspect all hoses and belts: Manipulate all hoses and belts to look for cracks and wear spots. Replace any that are worn or showing cracks to reduce the risk of a break on the trail. Make sure to keep spare parts and repair kits to make any trail repairs if needed.
Perform a thorough bolt check on your vehicle. Check for loose bolts and nuts throughout the frame and accessories. Check the torque on all lug nuts to make sure they are to spec. Inspect u-bolts and make sure they are tight and in good condition. We recommend bolt checks and frame or underbody inspections are performed before and after every trip.
Inspect shocks, tires, wheels, and brakes. Check your shocks for wear, look for signs of scoring, lack of rebound, bad bushings and dust covers for cracks and tears. Check tires for sidewall bulges or cracks, as well as inspect the tread for depth and pitting. Make sure your brake pads are adequate and calipers are operational. Replace anything that is not damaged, worn, or safe for trail use.
Inspect your auxiliary equipment. Lastly, make sure everything operates as it should, including radio communication systems, winch and winch controller, air compressor, lights, switches, recovery gear, navigation systems, etc. Have a maintenance plan or checklist to look over equipment after use and before storing it away. Taking time to do this now, means your gear ready will be ready to use for the next trip. Who doesn’t love being able to get on the trail faster?
If you are new to owning an off road vehicle like a Jeep®, truck, or SUV, or don’t feel comfortable, or simply don’t have time, to perform any of these tasks, the technicians at Zeus Off Road are off road vehicle specialists. An appointment with them will give your vehicle a clean bill of health and make sure you are ready to safely head off-road.
We also recommend that you follow us on Social Media and watch our EVENTS page for future in-person maintenance demonstrations held in our shop. These are great opportunities to get to know your vehicle, ask questions, and learn maintenance skills you can do at home.
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