When it comes to St. George winter off-roading, you need to be prepared. In this post, we’ll be providing essential tips for your next snowy adventure.

Equipment You Need

Tow Hooks, a Snatch Strap, & a Winch

You guessed it, while winter off-roading in St. George, off-road parts should include the basics you’ll need to get yourself or someone else up and driving again if they end up stuck in the snow. It’s also a good idea to bring a snow shovel to help dig out tires, frames, and axles if the vehicle is in deep enough.

The Right Tires for the Snow

When it comes to 4 wheel parts, Utah residents are often looking for the right tires to run on snow. Not everyone retires their off-road vehicles during the winter months, and if you’re one of those people who wants to see what winter off-roading is all about, don’t set out without the right tires for the job.

For this, we recommend wider-than-normal sized all-terrain tires with mild tread patterns. The width of these tires makes for a larger footprint and keeps contact pressure lower, while the mild tread pattern gives the tire the ability to move your vehicle across the snow without too much digging. 

Off-Road Lighting

One of the last things you want is to get lost while out on a snowy night. To keep your sense of direction sharp, equip your off-road vehicle with these St. George off-road parts:

• Driving Lights: These are ideal for nighttime off-roading. You can choose from HID, LED, flood, or long-range.
• LED Light Bars: These are highly powerful lights offering you maximum visibility. Our LED light bars are available with combo beams, LED bulbs, or spot/flood lights that can illuminate end caps.
• Light Mounts: You need the right materials to properly secure head turning lights. We offer brackets, light bars, and cages, as well as mounting kits and various other products so that your off-road lights can easily be mounted. We also provide light mounts for your roof, hood, bumper, and windshield.

Survival Equipment

The right survival gear and supplies are imperative when off-roading in the winter. Before winter off-roading, be sure to bring:

• A first aid kit
• Warm winter gear – including a coat and layers of warm clothing, gloves, hoodie, goggles, and warm boots.
• Extra water and snacks
• A car jack or jack plate
• Spare tire
• Fire extinguisher
• Heavy duty flashlight
• Dry wood
• Matches, lighter, and gasoline
• A radio or satellite phone

Before You Go Out

Make sure your vehicle is completely inspected by an expert who knows what St. George off-road vehicle parts and fluids you need to survive a winter adventure.

All of your fluids should be checked and topped off, and these fluids should be winter-ready (lower-viscosity winter weight oil, for example). Having an oil pan heater isn’t a bad idea either. Also, if you fill your windshield washer fluid with antifreeze solution (which you should), be sure to run it through the lines prior to heading out; otherwise the fluid in the lines can freeze.

Consider replacing your battery. Cold weather can make batteries less efficient, as the chemical reactions necessary to generate electricity are slowed down. As oil gets colder and thicker, it can also make turn over more difficult as well. These problems tend to increase with older batteries.

Your vehicle should also have a good cooling system. Even though it’s freezing out, the resistance from snow still poses a higher risk of your vehicle overheating.

It’s also important to go with other off-roaders in the winter. During the warmer months you can brave it alone, but with all of the risks that come with winter off-roading, the buddy system is the best way to go.

Proper Vehicle Handling

Different terrain requires different vehicle operation. It’s not enough to simply have the right 4 wheel parts, Utah being a very frigid and snow-heavy place during the winter; the operator of the vehicle needs to know how to handle the vehicle properly.

Know What Kind of Snow You’re Dealing With

Snow comes in many varieties:

• Deep and powdery from a fresh snowfall. With this kind of snow, you need to know your tires are going to cut through to reach solid ground within 5-6 inches of the snow’s surface.
• Heavy, wet, and packed. The chances are good that you can drive on top of this kind of snow, but you also run the risk of getting stuck and having it pack around your tires, causing you to lose all traction.
• Crusty and icy from the weather recently warming up and then rapidly cooling back down again. This is some of the easiest snow to drive on as it can usually hold your vehicle.

It’s important to maintain momentum while traveling on snow, but to do so cautiously. Accelerating too fast can make your tires cut into the snow and get you stuck, and stopping on the snow is the best way to sink down into it. Try to envision your vehicle “floating” along the snow and maintain speed to that effect.

Don’t go down any hills unless you are sure you will be able to drive back up them. When descending down a hill, take it slow; accelerating rapidly can make your tires spin. 

If you get stuck in snow, don’t spin your tires. The heat from the spinning tires will melt the snow under and around them, only for the water to freeze again. This will only get you more stuck. 

Why Choose Red Desert Off Road for Your St. George Off-Road Parts

When you choose Red Desert Off Road, you can expect quality work and complete customer satisfaction combined with competitive pricing. We know what it takes to get your off-road vehicles prepared for the great unknown (or barely known). We also know the importance of aesthetics – off-roaders take pride in not only the functionality of their vehicles, but in their appearance as well. When you choose us for your St. George off-road parts, you can expect the best of both worlds; a combination of form and function that makes for an off-road vehicle you can really take pride in.

All of our newest accessories can be seen right in our showroom. Or, you can check out all of the possibilities online with our interactive garage! There you can choose various St. George off-road parts and accessories and add them to your chosen vehicle. This chart also includes pricing. After you’ve completed customizing your vehicle, add the end result.

Don’t let your next winter off-roading adventure become a failure. Get the St. George off-road parts you need from Red Desert Off Road.