The 2021 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 promises to be a great off-road companion if you don’t mind waiting for its arrival
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We’ve already discussed off-road terms like ground clearance and differentials. Here are seven more phrases and their definitions to expand your off-roading vocabulary.
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Transfer Case
The transfer case is a crucial part of a four-wheel or all-wheel drive system. It splits up the engine power and distributes it to each wheel via the front and rear axles.
Wheel adapters are discs that mount to the wheel hub assembly to change the existing bolt pattern. In other words, they let you mount custom wheels to your vehicle. This is useful if you plan on switching out your vehicle’s regular tires for larger ones when off-roading.
Approach angle
The approach angle is the steepest angle a vehicle can climb or descend before the front bumper touches the ground. Increasing a vehicle’s ride height will also increase the approach angle so you can more easily navigate steeper terrain and scale larger boulders.
Departure angle
Similar to an approach angle, the departure angle is the maximum angle of clearance a vehicle has when descending a hill or clearing an obstacle. Motor1 defines it as the angle between the ground and the line drawn between the rear tire and the lowest-hanging part of a vehicle (typically the bumper).
Breakover angle
Another term that has to do with ground clearance, the breakover angle is the angle between the bottom of the tires and the mid-section of the vehicle’s undercarriage. This measurement determines the maximum height of objects you can safely travel over while still keeping all four wheels on the ground.
Skid plates
If you want to protect key components of the front part of the undercarriage — like the differential, steering linkages, and oil pans — you’ll want to install a skid plate. As you might have guessed, it’s simply a flat metal plate that attaches to the vehicle’s frame, bumper, or grille guard.
Rock sliders
Rock sliders get their name from their function: they help your vehicle slide over rocks. This accessory sits below the rocker panels and is typically comprised of heavy gauge steel tubing.
New to off-roading? Here are some things you should know before your first adventure. It’s also a great idea to browse these safety tips beforehand to help ensure that your off-road excursion is as safe as it is fun.
Finance a New Truck: Discover whether buying or leasing a new off-road vehicle is best for you
Whitney Russell is a current resident of Dayton, though her spirit can be found beach-bumming in Puerto Rico (the land of her half-Puerto Rican heritage). When not adventuring through the exciting world of car news, she can be found hiking with her husband and their two dogs, motorcycling, visiting her cute nephews and nieces, discovering new memes, reorganizing and/or decorating some corner of the world, researching random things, and escaping into a great movie, poem, or short story. See more articles by Whitney.
