The Jeep Trail Rated Badge is a tool to give you confidence that the vehicle is ready to head out on the trails.
Its given to Jeep vehicles by Jeep, which might seem a bit dubious, but earning this badge isn’t easy. There are a series of tests that need to be passed in order for a vehicle to receive the Jeep Trail Rated Badge. Let’s take a look at these tests.
Traction
The first test to earn the Jeep Trail Rated Badge is a test of traction. Most off-road driving isn’t possible without excellent traction. If a Jeep vehicle is Trail Rated, it’s designed to handle harsh and unpredictable terrain more easily than other vehicles. This rating includes tough weather, soft and soggy ground, and hard or frozen terrain. Tires play a huge part in the traction test which is the first of the five.
Water Fording
Jeep expects you to want to take your vehicle out in the wilderness, which means you could have the need to cross a stream or creek during your drive. The second test for this badge is fording through the water. Flooding areas present challenges as do streams and rivers. To pass this test, a vehicle must be able to handle 19 inches of water with some going as high as 30 inches without any issues.
Maneuverability
When you drive on the trails, you’re going to face unpredictable terrain. This means you need to have excellent maneuverability to go where you want to. The third part of the Jeep Trail Rated Badge testing is for maneuverability. Jeep vehicles are tested and rated for their ability to avoid obstacles on a trail, dodge gaps, and navigate around on rough terrain. This is important when you’re on unfamiliar trails.
Articulation
You might not think of articulation, but your vehicle needs it if you’re going to tackle some of the toughest trails in the wilderness. This feature allows the suspension and vehicle to be flexible enough to handle tough angles during a drive. Jeep vehicles have excellent articulation scores and can safely handle the ride over boulders and fallen trees when you’re out in the forest. Make sure you have a vehicle with the Jeep Trail Rated Badge if you’re heading into rough terrain.
Ground Clearance
This test goes with other tests easily because you need to have clearance above the ground to ride on some of the toughest trails. These models have the best ground clearance to make sure you will have the wheels on the ground and the body up high when you drive. The numbers vary from model to model, but you can rest assured the Jeep brand has you covered.
If you see a Jeep model that has the Trail Rated Badge on it, then you know it passed all five tests to earn that badge. This is an important item when you want to have a Jeep that’s capable of taking you into the wilderness and offering you the adventures you’ve been dreaming of.
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