Off-Road Accessories for Beginners: What to Add First

Off-road accessories range from equipment that can prevent a serious injury, such as properly rated recovery gear, to bolt-ons that mostly add weight. New owners often buy in the wrong order: a light bar and a roof rack before a tire gauge, a compressor or rated recovery points. This guide sets out a sensible order for adding accessories, explains what to check before fitting each type, and covers the trade-offs that are easy to overlook, such as weight, vehicle geometry and road-lighting rules. It draws on BFGoodrich’s 4×4 driving guide for equipment and recovery practices, and on SEMA, the specialty automotive parts trade association, for an example of how state lighting rules vary. It describes accessory types, not products. Recovery work in particular carries a risk of serious injury; get hands-on training before using recovery equipment.

Start by driving, not buying

BFGoodrich’s guide advises taking your vehicle on a few trails before upgrading anything major, because that is the only way to find out what really needs attention; a rock crawler and an overland build need very different setups. It also suggests talking to experienced drivers about what works in practice. That advice saves money and avoids adding weight you do not need.

1. Tire pressure equipment

Airing down is one of the most useful off-road techniques, and you must be able to reinflate before returning to pavement. BFGoodrich recommends always carrying a reliable pressure gauge and a portable air compressor, and it lists a compressor among the basic equipment every off-road vehicle should carry. See tire pressure equipment.

2. Recovery points and recovery gear

Getting stuck is normal off-road; what matters is having equipment rated for the job and knowing how to use it. BFGoodrich lists the basics as a kinetic rope or recovery strap, rated D-ring or bow shackles, a recovery dampener, traction boards, a suitable jack with a solid base, gloves, and a tree saver strap if you will winch from trees.

What to check:

• Rated recovery points. Attach only to the vehicle’s rated recovery points. BFGoodrich warns never to use a tow ball or hitch, which is not rated for recovery and can break off under load. If your vehicle lacks rated points front and rear, adding them comes before almost anything else.
• Ratings that match your vehicle. Straps, ropes and shackles carry load ratings. Match them to your vehicle’s weight as loaded, using the manufacturer’s guidance for each product.
• Strap or kinetic rope. BFGoodrich explains that snatch straps stretch about 15 percent, while kinetic ropes can extend up to 30 percent, absorbing more energy and reducing stress on recovery points; it describes kinetic ropes as widely considered the safer and more effective choice.
• Traction boards help in sand, snow and mud; BFGoodrich notes their value on beaches and dunes.
• Winches are a larger investment that adds weight and wiring; they suit vehicles that travel remote trails or alone. They are covered in recovery gear.

Rules BFGoodrich treats as non-negotiable include never connecting two straps with a shackle, never stepping over a connected strap, and never using a strap recovery on a vehicle buried deep in mud. Recovery methods themselves are covered in vehicle recovery basics.

3. Underbody and body protection

Rocks are hard on the underside of a vehicle. For vehicles that will spend serious time on rocky trails, BFGoodrich suggests rock rails and skid plates under the most vulnerable parts, and notes that aftermarket steel bumpers add protection and durability.

Fit protection to the trails you drive, not the ones you might one day attempt. See vehicle protection.

4. Lighting

LED light bars and auxiliary lights help on dark trails and in camp. The complication is the road. State rules on auxiliary and off-road lights vary, including whether lights must be covered on public roads, how many forward-facing auxiliary lamps are allowed and where they may be mounted. SEMA reported in 2017, for example, that West Virginia removed its requirement for roof-mounted off-road light bars to be covered on roads, while still requiring them to be turned off on roads and highways, and raised the number of permitted auxiliary driving and passing lamps from one to two. Other states differ. Check your state’s vehicle code before fitting, and never use off-road lights facing oncoming traffic.

BFGoodrich also recommends a flag or whip light when driving in dunes, so other drivers can see you before you crest a hill. More in off-road lighting.

Weight, geometry and warranty

Every accessory changes the vehicle. BFGoodrich warns that modifications, from lifts and bigger tires to custom bumpers, affect a vehicle’s geometry, and that lifting raises the center of gravity and changes handling. Points to check as accessories add up:

• Load: bumpers, winches, racks and gear count toward the vehicle’s maximum load in the owner’s manual and on the tire and loading label. Tires must still carry the load at the pressures you run.
• Angles and clearance: a longer bumper or hitch can reduce approach or departure angles.
• Electrical load: winches and lights need wiring, fuses and switches sized for them; have them installed professionally if you are unsure.
• Warranty and insurance: ask the vehicle maker or dealer how modifications affect coverage, and tell your insurer.

Basic kit to carry

Beyond bolt-on accessories, BFGoodrich’s list of basics includes a full-size spare, a tire repair kit, basic tools, a first aid kit, water and food, and communication equipment that works without cell service. Tool and emergency kits are covered under off-road tool kits and off-road emergency kits.

Accessories to skip or delay

• Recovery gear without load ratings, or hooks and shackles of unknown strength.
• Large lifts and oversized tires before you know what your trails require.
• Heavy roof loads that raise the center of gravity.
• Lighting that is not legal for your state’s roads unless you can cover or disable it as required.

All accessory guides are collected under off-road accessories.

Sources

• BFGoodrich 4×4 Driving Guide: Recovery Techniques
• BFGoodrich 4×4 Driving Guide: Safety Check
• BFGoodrich 4×4 Driving Guide: Know Your Vehicle
• BFGoodrich 4×4 Driving Guide: Tackling Tough Terrain
• SEMA: West Virginia Bill to Allow Uncovered Off-Road Aftermarket Light Bars Signed Into Law (2017)