If you're planning a long-distance road trip, there's a lot of planning that needs to be done. Not only do you have to worry about planning where you're going and where you'll be staying, but you need to prepare your vehicle for the drive. Here, you'll find a few tips to help you prepare your vehicle for a safe road trip anywhere you decide to go.
Upgrade Your Headlights
One of the most difficult parts of long road trips is being able to see at night and during bad weather. Upgrading to beam LED headlights will help you reduce eyestrain, make it easier to see animals that may pop out at any given time, and increase visibility even when you're driving through what seems like a monsoon. This type of light is cleaner and brighter and will make it easier to drive longer distances before you have to stop and call it a night.
Check the Tires
How many times have you been driving down the road and see someone struggling to change their flat tire? To avoid becoming that unfortunate soul, have your tires checked professionally. You may look and see that the tread is still good, but what you might not see is the damage to the inner wall from hitting that rock the other day – you might not see that the tires are wearing unevenly and that the vehicle needs to be aligned before you go. These issues will increase your chances of a blowout as you're making your way to your destination.
Change the Fluids
How long has it been since you've had your coolant and transmission fluid changed? Hopefully, you've been keeping up with your oil changes, but many people neglect coolant and transmission fluid because there's little reminder that these things need to be done.
About a week or two before your trip, have all of the fluids checked and change those that are showing signs of age. This will help decrease the chances of overheating and transmission failure in the middle of nowhere.
Join a Roadside Assistance Club
Being prepared includes having assistance when you need it. If you're not already a member of a roadside assistance club, now's the time to join. Before you join just any club, make sure that they cover the areas that you'll be traveling through – not just your hometown or the town where you're going.
Start planning and preparing today and when the time comes, you'll be ready to head out for the adventure of a lifetime.
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