Power Is Nothing Without Control: Get Your UTV Toolkit on Your Next Solo Adventure!
Yes, we know you love hearing your UTV’s roar while you cross difficult and dangerous terrains, dunes, or rocky mountain areas. But have you ever stopped thinking about what you would do if your UTV broke in the middle of a forest or a solitary trail? Waiting for someone to get you out of the mud sounds alright until the night falls and the wolves start hauling. Maybe we are exaggerating a bit about the wolves, but you see where we are going with this. Even if you have the toughest roll-cage on the market and all the safety gear you could carry on your back, UTV roll-overs, accidents, crashes, and many other shenanigans do happen.
Starting a solo UTV adventure without a reliable toolkit to use in any mishap is like climbing without a chord. Some people can do it, but we’re not all Tom Cruise, are we? In other words, here are some tools to pack in your UTV before you go on that trip out there in the wild!
Top 5 UTV Tools That You Should Not Forget at Home
It is unlikely that you will burst out in the morning riding that UTV from your yard directly on the highway to reach some exciting new riding trail. You most likely have a trailer/truck to pack your side-by-side on, plenty of security straps, and so on. Nevertheless, we wholeheartedly recommend considering some RAD Parts UTV accessories matching your vehicle’s make and model. Not all lug nuts are created equal, you know?
1. Tire Pressure Gauge
We bet you have one for the primary vehicle you use in the city or for family trips. There is no reason for you not to have one for your UTV while you are riding a challenging trail. This tool is crucial for maintenance on the road, quick fixes, and “get out of trouble fast” solutions. It can make the difference between keeping up with your schedule or spending some time befriending the wolves.
2. Air Compressor
Most UTV manufacturers and aftermarket parts sellers provide adventurous riders with top-notch tires. However, an air compressor does much more than resolving the “flat tire in the middle of nowhere” scenario. It helps you dry off some UTV parts or blow out fuel lines in case things get messy.
3. UTV Tire Repair Kit
SxS riding and flat tires are like peas and their pods. Most of the time, they come together. No matter the trail you choose for your next adventure to get away from the madding crowd, have a UTV tire repair kit inside the vehicle or your riding backpack at all times. It matters less if you go for the Paiute ATV/UTV Trail or the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System, or the Californian dunes.
The beauty of American off-road trails is that they spread for endless miles and offer countless challenges. Embrace them and beat them with the proper tools and service equipment. Otherwise, it will cost you a painfully large sum to have towing services come and get you from places in which no sane wolves would dare to venture.
4. Wrenches. All of Them
Do you know when you want to fix something around the house or in your car, and you find all the wrenches except for the one that you actually need? Exactly. It can happen, and it does happen (more than we are willing to admit) to the best and most careful of UTV riders out there. Lost together with your socks and dreams of world peace, missing wrenches are the bane of the existence of any off-road buff.
Our recommendation? Get a toolkit with all the necessary wrenches for your UTV’s make and model and keep it in the vehicle. Before you start shopping for a wrench set, keep in mind the following tips:
● Most cars use the metric system for standard measurements of bolts and nuts; your UTV might not. Check twice, and only then get a wrench set that matches your vehicle.
● Almost all aftermarket parts sellers offer complete wrench kits. For your side-by-side maintenance and your (mental) health, make sure the set you buy includes at a minimum an Allen wrench, a torque wrench, and a ratchet wrench.
Don’t lose your wrenches on the trail. You will need the exact one that is missing exactly when you will need it the most. Socks agree with us.
5. Spark Plugs
Most off-road enthusiasts, especially UTV riders, know that they can enhance their engines’ performance if they change the spark plugs. You can get all the sparkplugs you want from a professional UTV parts shop. Just take some with you on vacation. Expert riders recommend you look for Iridium-tipped spark plugs. The new tech is superior to platinum spark plugs, as it lasts longer and significantly improves performance.
The best you could do is get a professional toolkit and service set from a specialized dealer. For good measure, throw in some screwdrivers, a dead blow mallet, a breaker bar, tire irons, pliers, an electrical tester light, an electric impact wrench, bolts, lug nuts, sockets, and a belt changing tool.
We know it seems like you need to pack more spare parts, tools, and accessories than you pack clothes, safety gear, and camping utensils, but trust us, it is for your good. Having others towing your vehicle hundreds of miles back to civilization or entertaining the wolves with a flashlight from a ditch are more concerning issues than your UTV’s load capacity.
Just stay safe and enjoy your rides and adventure to the max! See you soon, fellow adventurers!
