We all love to get out of Denver and up into the hills, and that’s a problem. Even in the mountains, it seems like there’s often too many people in Colorado. And that’s part of the reason why many people are trying off-roading. It seems like it’s the only way you can really get away from the crowds. Plus, it’s amazing, dirty, exhausting fun.
However, off-roading does come with risks. If you’re not careful, you can badly dent your vehicle and be in need of an auto body shop when you get home. Updating and expanding our prior collision repair center tips for off-roading, here are some tips that can help you reduce the risk of serious damage to your car when you go off-roading.
Check Your Gear Before You Go
Most important, of course, are your tires. You need tires that are rated for the trail you’re taking, and they should be in good shape. Worn tread can eliminate the benefit of trail-rated tires. Also, if you don’t go off-roading very often, be aware that the rubber in your tires can degrade over time, especially if they’re not stored properly.
Check all your fluids and give your brake system a careful inspection. You want to make sure you’re going to be able to stop on a very steep slope. There are many situations where bad brakes can mean you need collision repair.
You should make sure you’re carrying traction aids like wood blocks. You’ll also regret it if you don’t have a high-lift jack, tow strap, and winch. Don’t forget to be prepared for personal emergencies: a first-aid kit and supplies like food, water, and clothing to stay alive if you get really stuck.
Know Your Route
Take the time to learn your route before you go. At a minimum, read about the trail and check it out on topo maps. Better yet, talk to someone who’s driven it before. Ideally, go with someone who’s driven the trail before.
Don’t forget to account for the weather. Know what the weather’s been like and pay attention to the current condition of the trail.
Your responsibility to know the route doesn’t end once you get on the trail. Sometimes you or someone else in your group has to get out and scout ahead. This is especially important wherever there is standing water. Unless you’ve seen somebody go through a puddle today, verify the depth manually by walking it and/or probing with a stick.
Don’t Go Alone
We’ve mentioned above that it’s good to have a companion who knows your trail. But even if you know a trail, you shouldn’t travel alone. A friend can help scout or spot for you when you’re trying to take a tough, technical trail.
Having another vehicle handy can really help get you out of tight spots.
At a minimum, always tell someone staying behind where you’re going and when you expect to be back, so they can send help if something goes wrong.
Know Your Limits
Auto body shops spend a lot of time banging out dents from cars that drove up a slope, then slid or tumbled down. Not to mention all the undercarriage damage from taking paths when you have insufficient clearance.
Accept That You’re Going to Get Damage
However, it’s important to resign yourself to getting some body damage when you go off-roading. Between the rocks and trees, you’re likely going to hit something, have something fall on your car, or get hit by something churned up by another vehicle.
Keep in mind that unless you purchased a specific policy, your insurance won’t cover off-road damage, and you’ll be looking at getting repairs without insurance coverage.
Hopefully, if you follow all the tips above, it will just be cosmetic damage that requires minimal auto body work like paintless dent repair. Maybe if you’re lucky, you might not need anything more than some cleaning and beautification for your car after off-roading.
Don’t Trust Your Off-Road Vehicle to Just Any Auto Body Shop
Your off-road vehicle is a high-performance machine. You’ve put a lot of time and money into getting it just right. You want to make sure the auto body shop you take it to will treat it with the respect it deserves.
At Accurate Auto Body, we understand that your off-road vehicle isn’t just another car. We have the technical skill to handle any complex repairs your vehicle might need, as you can tell from our I-CAR Gold Class and other certifications. But we also pay attention to what’s important to you. That’s the key to our Focus on You Service System™. We listen to what’s important to you and make sure repairs get completed the way you want them, on time, and on quote.
To get a free estimate on your vehicle’s repair, please call 303-344-2212 or contact Accurate Auto Body online today. We serve customers in Denver, Aurora and the surrounding areas of Colorado.
My brother wants to find an auto accessories business so that he can have a 4WD system installed on his vehicle. I like how you mentioned that it is a good idea to know the route you are taking before you go. I will have to tell my brother that he will have to get some kind of map that he can use when he goes offroading.