6 Car Mods Which Aren’t Duds

VROOM!!!! A modified car flies past and you think, “what a douchebag!” Sorry, but the majority of vehicles which are altered are over-the-top and unnecessary. No one needs a subwoofer in the trunk or neon lights under the chassis unless they are car nuts. And, if you go down this road, the odds are high you’ll get attention but for all the wrong reasons. Forget double exhausts and engine modifications because they’re duds.

A true car-lover doesn’t want to show off; he wants to add value. And, if he can do it while looking good, then that’s one extra reason to invest in quality customizations. Unfortunately, too many poor souls end up spending their money on poorly chosen mod cons which have no impact whatsoever. Well, apart from getting passers-by on the street to assume you’re a jackass.

If readers want to improve the performance of their car, they have to start thinking outside of the box. It isn’t always about aesthetics and driving as quickly as possible. Sometimes, it’s the small things under the hood which have the biggest impact. Here is a list of the modifications that are stylish and effective. Add the following to your vehicle and you’ll never be the idiot, douche bag boy-racer with half a brain.

Racing Seats

Turn on the TV and you’ll see racing seats in pretty every televised motor race on the boob tube. From Lewis Hamilton to Danica Patrick and Kyle Larson, all of the top pros have them installed in their cars. However, it’s not to look cool or solely for comfort; it’s what the seat brings to the table in terms of driving.

Being tall and supportive, it’s excellent for stability as the driver can position himself in the best place to power and steer the car. As silly as it sounds, lots of motorists aren’t sat in the car properly and don’t have total control of the vehicle. Secondly, these seats are ten times safer. For one thing, you can press the brake and clutch pedals more easily to stop. In life or death situations, a fraction of a second will make the difference between crashing and avoiding an accident.

If there is an incident, the harness will stop your body from jerking forward and colliding with the steering wheel or dashboard. The straps cover both shoulders and also hold in your abdomen, securing holding you in place when force is exerted on the chassis.

Racing Wheel

Not everything used in a racing car relates to a road car. In fact, about 90% of it is useless unless you want to go as fast as possible. You don’t because there are speed limits to think about, but there is a need for speed too. And, when you get the chance to open your baby up on a fast road, you want to get as much BHP as possible. A specialist wheel is the way forward.

Aside from looking cool, the balance is second-to-none. A simple flick will turn the car almost ninety degrees in the direction you want to go. It takes some getting used to, but when you have the swing of things, it helps you to position the vehicle perfectly. Also, racing wheels are great for implementing driver secrets. For example, pros tend to push down in the direction they want to go rather than pull up with the opposite hand. According to the Thrillist, the reason is due to fast-twitch muscle fibers as there are more when you yank down than when you pull up.

So, the wheel and the hack give you more dexterity and allow you to handle the chassis more efficiently. In short, drivers can make sharp turns while carrying more speed.

Limited Slip Differential

LSD is by no means a trip. Even in this day and age where technology is at its height, the majority of cars don’t have LSD capabilities. The reason a limited slip differential is essential is that of the distribution of power. Typically, a regular car will allocate power to only one wheel. Now, if the rubber is worn and the brake pads are shot, it’s a hell of a lot of muscle for a single tire. Not only is it dangerous, but it will add to the wear and tear.

A slip differential doles out energy from the engine to all four wheels. Think of it as a kind of 4WD feature. So, there is more friction for braking as there is a larger surface area of rubber. Plus, there isn’t as much tension on one element of the car’s body. All the wheels share the responsibility, which means an incident is less likely. The fantastic thing about a differential is the way it milks performance from the car.

With LSD, the vehicle will get more from the engine than ever before. And, there is no need to splash out on expensive modifications. A tip: don’t alter the engine until you have a differential in place as imbalance will negate the fittings.

Nitrogen Tires

As soon as the PSI of the tires goes down, you will fill it up with compressed air. After all, it has worked for this long and it’s 78% nitrogen. How much difference can 21% O2 make to the performance of the car? The answer is a lot because oxygen is reactive. Once it mixes with the water vapor in the air, it will begin to rust parts of the wheel and lower its performance. Plus, the molecules are smaller and escape quicker, reducing the pressure.

As a result, the engine has to burn more fuel to get over the added resistance, which lowers fuel efficiency. Nitrogen doesn’t do either of these things, leaving the metal clean and the rubber full. Because of this, the handling of your vehicle should be considerably sharper. Plus, there’s the fact the wheel won’t fall off on the freeway due to corrosion.

Telle Tire & Auto centers around the country provide a service which replaces compressed air with nitrogen. Alternatively, car owners can do it themselves by deflating the tire and using NO2 canisters to pump it back up to a stable PSI.

Bushings

Your car’s suspension is full of small, rubber parts which absorb shock during a journey. They are the things which help to make the ride smooth so that you’re not bouncing up and down. On good roads, the suspension can make a massive difference, so it’s important to keep an eye on their health.

Because they’re soft, they will start to wear away over time. When this happens, the shock isn’t absorbed as effectively and parts begin to move around, adding to the discomfort. Replacing them not only relieves the tension, but it hands back control. Anyone who has driven an old car will understand how difficult it is to keep the vehicle straight. The vibrations make it seem as if the wheel is going to burst through your hands, which is why bushings are an integral part of the suspension.

It’s hard to gauge their condition without ripping the car to bits. So instead, try and feel when things are a little off. Discomfort is a sign, as are vibrations and rattling sounds. Other than that, you can get a mechanic to replace them once every couple of years to be safe. The time limit depends on how many miles you drive in a year and your driving style.

The Interior

The problem with modern cars is the interior. To appease tech-mad customers, an average car will be full of the latest mod cons. Although some add value (most don’t), they also add a lot of weight. In fact, stripping a car bare can reduce the weight by as much as 300lbs. If you’re a metric kind of guy, then that’s about the size of a Pacific Harbor Seal. Yep, you’re carrying around an animal which polar bears eat to stay alive!

Of course, getting rid of everything inside of the car isn’t a wise move. Whether the air con unit is heavy or not isn’t the point when the temp is 120°F. Still, some features look important yet, and they weigh a ton. The passenger seats in the back are prime examples. Take them out and not only do you have extra space, but the chassis will be a few kilos lighter. Focus on the small things too, such as carpet insulation.

Yes, the car will be noisy but it won’t weigh as much. As a result, everything from the top speed to the power differential and handling will receive a boost. Removing deadweight can make the car quicker, more efficient and easier to handle, in other words. The trick is to figure out what is heavy yet what is essential too. Once it comes out, it’s hard (and expensive) to reinstall.

The last thing you can modify is the driver. You may have all of the above and be ready to hit the road, but it won’t make a difference unless you understand how to drive. Isn’t that the greatest improvement of them all?