Many people put their vehicles into hibernation to protect them from inclement weather, freezing temperatures and salt or grit. However, many enthusiasts have cars specially reserved for these periods, the so-called Winter Beaters.
A Winter Beater is a vehicle with weak aesthetics, but strong engineering, purchased for use during the 3 winter months for door-forward driving.
Budget is the deciding factor, so in the following steps, we'll cover how to easily and inexpensively prepare your winter ride without your girlfriend/wife noticing a thing.
Športový volant a náboj
For proper handling in the snow, it is essential to have the vehicle firmly in your hands. For this you will need a sports steering wheel, which is installed with a sports wheel hub. When choosing a steering wheel, you need to take into account the surface and the overall offset.
- Due to inclement weather, constant contact with snow and therefore wet hands, we recommend choosing a leather surface.
- The steering wheel offset is the total distance from the steering wheel mount to the round frame. In this case, care should be taken not to have the steering wheel too close to the body in combination with the hub, which could cause uncomfortable sitting or elbow bumping into the seat.
The steering wheel hub is selected based on the type of vehicle. Each product has a dimension for verification, so you can be sure that the product will fit 100% on your steering column.
Hydraulic handbrake
Hydraulic handbrake does more than just brake the vehicle when parking. It's also used to put the car into a slide, apply the brakes in tight door-to-door battles, or the ability to stretch the drift trajectory a few feet further when the barriers are too close.
When selecting a handbrake, you need to think about the correct choice of brake cylinder and mounting method.
- For stock cars, without brake system modification (larger brakes), we recommend 15.8mm (0.625") cylinders. This type produces the correct rear brake pressure to stop the wheels at speed, yet does not require the development of much force when the brake handle is pulled.
- The fit is very subjective so we offer conventional, reverse or hidden handbrake.
PRO TIP: To connect the hydraulic handbrake roller you will need AN3 (outlet) and AN4 (inlet) fittings or holenders.
Suspension
Even on snow and slippery surfaces, we want the car to be obedient and not behave like an unmanageable boat. To improve handling, we recommend installing a height-adjustable suspension or at least lowering springs. A lower centre of gravity provides reduced roll and sharper responses when driving in a controlled slide. At the same time, the car looks more aggressive and can impress with its decisive stance.
- Lowering springs use the original suspension and are installed by simply replacing the original spring with a lowered spring. With this type of suspension it is not possible to change the height of the vehicle at will.
- The height-adjustable suspension (coilovers) offers a wide range of height adjustment options, the overall diameter of the shock absorber is smaller and therefore allows the installation of wider wheels and also does not cause an obstacle when the front wheels are turned to the maximum (if a lock kit is installed).
Increased front wheel steering angle (lock kit)
Winter brings snowy roads with it, which are ideal for sideways driving but also increase the risk of easy rollovers, which can be dangerous. To prevent the vehicle from rolling while still being able to drive at a greater angle, we offer adapters to increase the steering angle or "raid".
The ease of installation and the angle they provide make these accessories the perfect solution for winter fun. Without having to widen the front axle, you have the ability to turn the wheels to dizzying angles.
PRO TIP: We recommend using narrow wheels or low ET wheels to avoid tire contact with the inner fender of the vehicle when turning the maximum angle of the front wheels.
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Limited slip differential
Proper traction is the basis of movement on snow-covered surfaces. Without traction, one is buried in place and can't even move from the spot. The ideal solution is to use a Racing Diffs differential insert, which allows the differential to work normally at low speeds, but engage both wheels when off the throttle and under load instead of arbitrarily spinning the lightened wheel in a turn, which can be very dangerous.
The insert works on the expansion of two friction plates, which "lock" the differential by their spreading and the differential behaves as a self-locking, even in some situations as welded.
- Compared to a welded differential, the insert is more expensive but does not cause negative inner wheel skipping when parking and at lower speeds
- Offers open differential options when the vehicle is not under load and therefore no unexpected oversteer
Safety features
Every Winter Beater should include these basic safety features:
- Towing straps to easily pull the car out of the ditch
- Fire extinguisher, that may never need to be used, but can save your life or the car itself, whether for you or your loved ones
- Additional lighting is ideal for extreme conditions in the woods or on a deserted road
- Jump-starting cables to save a dead car battery
