Orange Coast CDJR’s Jeep Compass Off-Roading Tips and Tricks

There is nothing quite like trading the pavement for the unbeaten path. Traversing over dirt, mud, snow, rock, and other rigorous terrains can show off the ruggedness and boldness of both the vehicle and the driver. Although, it goes without saying that having a car that is equipped and up to the challenge is downright crucial to any off-roading experience. And if you’re looking for a Jeep dealership that is home to experts in off-roading gear and techniques, Orange Coast is the dealership for you. At Orange Coast CDJR, we get a wide variety of customer questions about off-roading, including things like ‘Can you lift a Jeep Compass,’ ‘What kind of tires do I need,’ and, ‘Is off-roading bad for my vehicle?’ To us, all of your questions are valid, and we’ll go the extra mile to make sure you feel confident the moment your knobby off-road tires meet the dirt.

The Story of Ground Clearance

There are many aspects to a vehicle that can either make or break its off-road capability; however, rearing up at the top of the list is ground clearance. Ground clearance is synonymous with the amount of space that separates the ground from the underside of your vehicle. Beneath your car, otherwise known as the undercarriage, are a variety of complex components that wouldn’t do so well if they ever made a sudden impact with the ground. Ground clearance provides an extra level of protection for your vehicle’s undercarriage by keeping it up high and out of harm’s way. So, what’s the ground clearance like on the Jeep Compass? Well, base models start rather strong with roughly 8.2” to play with, which is pretty good; however, you can certainly improve on that starting number.

You can improve the ground clearance of your vehicle by purchasing and installing a lift kit. So, that brings us back to one of our initial, and often asked questions, ‘can you lift an SUV like the Jeep Compass?’ The answer is yes, almost any vehicle can receive a lift kit to improve ground clearance, and our auto experts highly recommend it before you embark on an outdoor excursion in your vehicle. Lift kits include a diverse assortment of parts and components, but some of the more critical pieces include adjustable control arms, bushings, shocks, track bars, coil springs, and sway bar links.

While lift-kits can prove to be a useful tool in any off-roader’s modification toolbox, you can double down on undercarriage protection through the use of skid plates. Skid plates provide greater protection if your vehicle bottoms-out or hits the undercarriage against the ground or an off-road obstacle. Essentially, skid plates are just simple shielding, designed to provide a reinforced physical barrier between all of the important components of your vehicle and the ground. Skid plates can come in many materials and types, some of which include Front Air Dams, Steering Box Skid Plates, Gas Tank Skid Plates, Oil Pan Skid Plates, and Transfer Case Skid Plates. In some instances, having an adequate spread of skid plates can mean the difference between an enjoyable trek through the outdoors and significantly damaging your vehicle.

How Your Tires Play a Central Role to Capability

Your tires are crucial to the function of your vehicle, regardless if you’re riding on or off the pavement. This is the reason why having a set designed to handle the beating that can come from an off-road trail is so important. Off-road tires are bigger and beefier than your standard set of tires. Off-road tires sport deep-set tread to grip various kinds of terrain with ease. On top of that, off-road tires are developed to withstand some pretty serious conditions. Off-road trails can throw a lot at your vehicle and not just in terms of terrain types, either. While your standard path can be somewhat predictable in terms of whether or not you’ll experience mud or sand, temperature changes can also throw another potential wrench into things. This is the reason why off-road tires are designed to handle the conditions they might encounter as well as the terrain.

So, to answer the previously posed question of, ‘what kind of tires do I need for the trail,’ off-roading tires are your best bet at success when venturing through the outdoors. While your standard set of street tires may be able to find traction on graded roads, they won’t be able to hold their own when put to the test. In the context of the Jeep Compass, entry-level models do come with a basic set of all-weather street tires, but this rugged Jeep SUV can be fitted with an off-road set quite easily. And if you opt for the trail-rated Jeep Compass Trailhawk, you’ll get a set of 17-inch all-weather tires that are ready for the dirt right out of the gate.

Power to All Four Wheels

Drivetrains play a considerable role in the success or failure of any vehicle once taken out on the trail. While two-wheel drive vehicles excel on the pavement, they can easily find themselves stuck in the mud when out on the trail. For this reason, we recommend that you invest in a vehicle with either an all-wheel or four-wheel drivetrain. Both all-wheel and four-wheel drivetrains send power to all four wheels, while they do so in very different ways, both options can provide the kind of substantial traction you need to take on any off-road obstacle.

The Jeep Compass may come standard with a front-wheel drivetrain, but when you upgrade the model to the Trailhawk edition, you’ll find a dynamic 4×4 drivetrain that provides that kind of versatility you can expect from a trail-rated vehicle. Jeep designs their four-wheel drivetrains intuitively as well, giving you the option to adjust the drivetrain based on the terrain of your crossing, whether that be rock, sand, mud, or snow.

Is The Jeep Compass a Worthy Off-Road Vehicle?

Many of our customers ask us, ‘is the Jeep Compass a worthy off-road vehicle?’ The truth of the matter is; when equipped with the right gear, the Jeep Compass can take on even the roughest terrain, and that is due in part to more than just a great set of tires and durable drivetrain. The trail-ready 2020 Jeep Compass Trailhawk comes right off of the factory floor with a 2.4-liter inline-4 engine that delivers a remarkable 180 horsepower and 175 pound-feet worth of torque. On top of that, the Jeep Compass Trailhawk also sports a 9-speed automatic transmission that utilizes a low first gear to imitate a 20:1 crawl ratio.

The 2020 Jeep Compass is but one of the many vehicles we host in our showroom at Orange Coast CDJR in Costa Mesa, CA. From the variety of services we offer to the cars we sell, we’re always pushing the envelope in terms of how we can better serve you and your unique automotive needs. We understand that each person that walks into our dealership is different, and we’ll work tirelessly to meet that difference and ensure that you leave feeling utterly satisfied in every way. And when it comes to off-roading, our number one goal is to help you feel prepared before your tire even leaves the pavement. Contact us to learn more about the Jeep Compass today!