Superchargers are a great aftermarket modification that you can make to a vehicle to add more power to it. That power can help you out in a wide variety of different scenarios. You may wonder if this is something that can benefit your vehicle while off-roading.
Is a supercharger good for off-roading? Off-roading with a supercharger can be beneficial. However, this does depend on the type of off-roading you are doing. In slow speed scenarios such as rock crawling or in navigating tight trails it offers little benefit, but when driving at higher speeds and higher rpms, it can absolutely help.
Superchargers are generally only used in very high-end production vehicles and in race cars. Despite that difference, adding a supercharger to your off-roading rig can be an excellent addition if more power is what you are after.
Benefits Of Having A Supercharger While Off-Roading
Superchargers are much like turbo chargers in that they force more air into the engine. Superchargers vary from turbo chargers in that they do not use exhaust gasses in order to suck the air in. Instead, superchargers are driven by a belt. Just like how your car turns your water pump, alternator, or ac compressor, the supercharger is connected to a pulley that is turned by a belt and that rotation is what forces more air into the engine.
There are many different styles of superchargers but the idea behind all of them is the same. Air is forced into the engine and in the case of a supercharger it is driven directly by the engine itself. By bringing more air into the engine, the engine is able to produce more power. Adding a supercharger to a vehicle can offer very large increases in horsepower and torque.
So, what are the benefits of having a supercharger on your vehicle while off-roading? As we mentioned, there is far less benefit in off-roading at slow speeds with a supercharger as compared to higher speeds. This is due to the fact that a supercharger is turned by the engine. So, at higher rpms, the pulley is rotating faster and the supercharger sucks in more air. At lower engine speeds, the pulley spins slower so less air is sucked in.
As a result, in rock crawling scenarios or anything else similar where you might be moving at very low rpms, there is not as much benefit offered. If you are driving down relatively smooth trails, hitting the sand dunes, mudding, or even in a Baja race, then superchargers can offer you plenty of additional power when you need it. This is when superchargers really start to shine.
With a supercharger, when you suddenly step on the gas or downshift, you can have the supercharger react immediately to provide extra power over what the engine can provide when naturally aspirated. That can help you out in a variety of different scenarios where power is needed. So, if you do find yourself wanting such a feature for off-roading then a supercharger could be an excellent choice for you.
So if you find yourself wishing that your off-roading vehicle had just a little more power than a supercharger could be a great fit. Additionally, if you are looking for something different and exciting to do to your rig or even if you just love the sound of a supercharger, it can be an awesome addition to your vehicle.
Why Superchargers Are Better Than Turbo Chargers For Off-Roading
As we mentioned, turbochargers and superchargers are very similar. Both of them are ways to force air into an engine. Turbochargers do that by utilizing exhaust gasses to turn a turbine. Superchargers are turned directly by the engine. They are two different ways of accomplishing similar tasks but which one is better for off-roading?
In general superchargers are better for off-roading than turbochargers. This is largely due to the way in which each device is driven. In a turbocharger, the exhaust gasses turn a turbine which is coupled to a compressor that sucks the air in. When you step on the gas in a turbocharged vehicle it takes time for the turbo to spool up and for the desired levels of boost to be reached. This is often referred to as turbo lag. With turbochargers there is a small delay from when you push on the gas to when the power is fully available.
In a supercharger, the speed at which it is running is directly driven by the speed of the engine. This eliminates lag from a start and offers a more linear power experience. This can be advantageous while off-roading. You are able to have quicker power responses which can help you out when you need it. An inexperienced driver can lose control of a vehicle when the turbo finally spools all the way up and full power is provided to the wheels.
In situations where extremely fine throttle control is required, it is much easier to accomplish that with a supercharger than it is with a turbocharger. Your supercharger speed increases directly with your engine speed and there is no lag. This makes it much easier to have fine control over the throttle while moving over tricky terrain. Unfortunately, at slow engine speeds, neither a turbocharger or supercharger offers much power increase, but if you do suddenly need to step on it, the supercharger will react quicker.
If you’re still thinking about installing a turbocharger instead of a supercharger, feel free to read our article “Will A Bigger Turbo Make More Power?” This will help you understand the differences in sizes of turbos and whether or not you want that instead of a supercharger.
Cons Of Having A Supercharger While Off-Roading
Are there any cons to having a supercharger on your vehicle while off roading? Yes, there are a couple of things you will need to be careful of. First off, a belt driven supercharger can cause you problems when extremely rough off-roading. There are some that are chain driven that will offer much greater reliability when you are being extremely hard on your vehicle. A belt can break or slip off while bouncing around and then you suddenly lose all of your power.
Secondly, driving in extremely dusty areas can be hard on a supercharger. The blades can get plugged up with dust and cause you all sorts of problems. Choosing a good high-quality supercharger will help prevent this as will making sure that you have proper air filtration. I would not worry too much about that though as getting plugged up with dust while off-roading is just par for the course.
Additionally, a supercharger will impact your fuel economy pretty significantly. In fact, it will impact your fuel economy more than a turbocharger will. If you do not want sacrifice on fuel economy, then this may not be the best modification for you.
Other than that, there really are not many cons to using a supercharger while off-roading. They are an awesome and super cool addition that you can make to your off-roading rig to provide you additional power when you need it most. If that is what you are after, then I would not worry too much about the low risks.
Is It Worth Having A Supercharger For Off-Roading?
So overall, is it worth it to have a supercharger on your off-roading rig? This depends a lot on what type of off-roading that you do, what you are looking for out of the modification, and what you want for your vehicle. If additional power is all that your vehicle needs at the moment, then this is an excellent addition to your vehicle. Not to mention that it will turn heads everywhere you go when people hear you drive by.
At this point it is entirely up to you to decide if a supercharger is worth it for off-roading or not. Superchargers themselves can be pretty expensive and somewhat difficult to install. The main benefit that they do offer is power and torque. Fortunately, they also offer that power and torque far more “on-demand” than a turbocharger can provide.
So, if that power is what you are looking for, then a supercharger could be a great fit for you. If that will benefit you in your off-roading adventures, then this may be just what you need. Only you can decide what your vehicle needs to be the best that it can be off-road.
