Rick's Jeep Adventure was started because we found that some customers that joined us on tours via Wild Horse Adventure Tours expressed an interest in driving themselves. They did not want the stress of renting a Jeep for the day, worrying about damage to the renal vehicle, getting stuck on the beach or additional hidden charges associated with such a rental. We decided to make it simple, one flat fee including gas, insurance, towing & recovery, taxes and NO HIDDEN CHARGES.
Most jeep rentals companies provided a stock Jeep setup which was not really adequate for the environment they would be driven on. This often resulted in costs to the renter for damage. Over the years of doing tours we have leaned what works on the beach.
The lift is a must, but cheap lift kits often make the ride jerky, sloppy and increase rollover potential. Our Jeep are all professionally fitted out with AEV lifts, the best Jeep lift kits on the market for comfort and safety (and they look awesome!).
To drive on the beach tires must be run at about 16 - 18 PSI. This causes the tire to bulge out giving more surface area on the sand and so more traction. The problem is that stock tires are not designed for such mistreatment and will often split on the sidewall creating a sudden blowout. After much research we discovered tires that would hold up to the low tire pressure. The Kevlar sidewalled tires we use not only look great (35 inches great!) but are also bulletproof.
The stock shocks and springs are about half the weight of the off-road setup our Jeeps are installed with. Again this not only creates a safer ride but also a more comfortable and controlled ride (and they give the Jeeps their aggressive look)
Transmission and engine cooling is also another problem we ran into with the stock Jeeps. We have seen many vehicles spontaneously catch on fire whist being driven on the beach. This is usually caused by the transmission or engine overheating. Jeep did issue a recall to address this issue with the transmission overheating but only added a warning light and buzzer to warn the driver of immanent drivetrain failure. We have added additional full-time high output cooling fans to prevent such disasters.
Finally it can get hot out there on the beach so we let you customize the Jeep the way you like it. We are the only company on the Outer Banks that offers this. You may choose to remove the doors, add a cooling mesh top and we provide a complimentary iced cooler. At Rick's Jeep Adventure we put the customer first, we want you to have fun and tell your family and friends!