Participating in amateur or professional car races, rallies or simply off-road driving is becoming increasingly more popular. If you are interested in this type of motor activity, check out what cable winches, bridging ladders and snorkels are used for? These are basic items for any rough-terrain adventure.
Participating in amateur or professional car races, rallies or simply off-road driving is becoming increasingly more popular. If you are interested in this type of motor activity, check out what cable winches, bridging ladders and snorkels are used for? These are basic items for any rough-terrain adventure.
Cable winches – the most basic piece of equipment
They come in extremely handy if you drive off the track, get the chassis stuck on uneven ground, get stuck in muddy ground, or if your vehicle turns over. The above mentioned situations are very common in extreme off-road conditions. Cable winches are mechanical devices designed to pull objects vertically upwards or horizontally to the side. Winches fitted to the chassis do not require additional inspections, as long as they do not stick out beyond the outer frame of the vehicle. This does not apply to tow trucks, in which case such additional inspections are always required.
Bridging ladders – especially useful in rough terrain
These come in very handy, just like cable winches, when you get stuck in deep snow, sand or mud, especially if there are no trees, boulders or poles nearby that you could hook the winch to. Bridging ladders placed under the wheels will help you get out of swamps, ditches or chasms.
Snorkels – so that your engine can continue to ‘breathe’
Snorkels are a type of pipe that protects the engine against flooding when the vehicle enters deep water. It also provides the system with air, which is extremely important for it to function properly. If there is no oxygen, the engine will stall. If there is some oxygen, but not enough, it will start to “choke” and, as a result, the performance of your engine will drop. Bear in mind, however, that fitting a snorkel makes sense if the entire system is fully water-tight.
Hi-lift jacks – a helping hand
These are used for high suspensions. Cars taking part in off-road rallies usually have higher suspensions than standard. Therefore, if you need to change a wheel, a standard jack may not be enough. A special hi-lift jack will be needed, letting you raise the car to a greater height than with a standard jack. In addition, such jacks can also be used, for example, to put your car back on its wheels after turning over, or even as a winch.
In addition to equipment such as cable winches and bridging ladders, experienced off-roaders usually take a few other practical items, such as:
- cables/straps, shackles
- a shovel
- waders with boots
- a torch
- a CB radio
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