Taking your truck off road can be an incredible adventure. But without the right gear or the right setup on your vehicle, it could turn into a flop. If you're thinking of buying a truck or making changes to your existing one so you can head out into the great wild, here are nine things you need for the best off-road experience.

1. Visibility

Being able to see where you're going is one of the most important elements of off-roading. Taking passengers aboard as spotters can help, but having side view mirrors that work and clear, clean windows can mean the difference between getting stuck and getting home.

2. Solid Axles

Being equipped to handle the high stress and impact that off-roading delivers is crucial for your truck. Vehicles set up with independent suspension are prone to damage off road since they have more exposed parts. They also have control arms that can break on high impact. Therefore, solid axles are a better choice since they're stronger and heartier than independent suspension.

3. Special Tires

All-terrain or mud terrain tires are necessary for the best off-roading adventure, as street tires just won't cut it. Your two main objectives should be traction and clearance, and this needs to be factored in with what type of terrain you plan to traverse.

Will you be traveling over sand and rock, or mud? Leaves and sticks, or snow and ice? Mud tires are completely different from those designed to handle sand.

Do you also drive your truck to work every day, or do you just use it for off-roading on the weekends?

Before purchasing your tires, be sure to consult with a professional that can guide you in the right direction.

4. Wheel Articulation

Wheel articulation is a reflection of how much up-and-down movement the axle has. So when you go over rocks, stumps, and other objects, good articulation will keep all four tires on the ground, offering your vehicle better control and stability off road.

Solid axles provide your vehicle with good wheel articulation, but there are other components of the axle system that can enhance this feature.

5. Ground Clearance

If there isn't enough space between the ground and the underside of your truck, you could do some serious damage. Your truck could get caught on rocks, stumps, and boulders, so be sure that whatever vehicle you choose, it's rated for ground clearance.

Also, even with plenty of clearance, steel skid plates are another feature than many off-road enthusiasts consider a necessity. You need to protect the gas tank, oil pan, and other underside components that are vulnerable to damage when crawling over stone.

6. Engine

If you can outfit your truck with a low-end torque engine, you'll find it easier to keep your momentum when traversing obstacles, and it won't put a strain on the engine. Combine that with a low-range gear, and you may find yourself going uphill without even having to touch the gas.

7. Locking Differentials

Open differentials, which are standard on most cars and trucks, allow the wheels with the least traction to have the most power. But with locking differentials, that power will be handed to the tires with the most traction—an absolute necessity when off-roading.

8. Air Intake

If you plan on traveling through water, even shallow streams, the last thing you want to experience is hydrolock—something that occurs if water gets through the air intake and enters the combustion chamber.

Elevating the air intake can help. But some off-roaders also use snorkels which put the air intake all the way above the top of the truck. And when you're not wading through water, the snorkel will prevent dirty and dusty air from entering your engine.

9. Emergency Kit

Hopefully you'll never need to use an emergency kit, but being prepared for emergency situations can pay off. Make sure your truck has a first-aid kit, seat-belt cutter, something that can be used to break the windows, a fire extinguisher, warm clothes, blankets, a tarp (to protect yourself in rain or snowfall), and food and water. 

For more information, contact a company like Elite Wheel & Tire Distributors.