After You Have Been Offroading

After you have been off roading in your 4×4  there are some general maintenance checks you should perform to keep you vehicle in top running order.

Cleaning

First step after offroading is to wash off dirt and mud from your vehicle. Make sure you clean your windscreen, windows, mirrors, number plates and lights after leaving a offroad centre of leaving a greenlane and joining a main road. This if for your safety and other road users.

If you have a large amount of mud on and under your vehicle you should give your vehicle a good clean ASAP as loose dirt and mud can be dangerous to other road users, even more so for motorcycle riders, as mud on roads can be very slippy. Using a jet wash at the first service/petrol station you pass after your offroad session is good practice.

Clean your Radiator! When driving through mud and water a build put of dirt on your vehicles radiator can lead to over heating and damage to your engine. Clean your Radiator ASAP to save your engine.

If your vehicle is a diesel you are fairly safe to pressure wash under your engine bay and wash any dirt that has gathered in the engine bay. If you drive a petrol, be careful when cleaning your engine as electrical system on petrol engines and water don’t mix. if you plan to pressure wash it then do so carefully and from a distance. It is also a good idea to leave the engine running while you do this. Be careful of any air boxes or intakes you have inside the engine bay. Once you have cleaned in your engine bay give all moving parts, throttle cables,  clutch cylinders  steering columns and any wiring connections and spray with WD40 (or similar  to keep them clean, lubricated and to help them dry.

Clean Your Brakes! Dirty on your breaks is not only dangerous it also adds to brake pad ware. Dirt on your breaks is like rubbing your brake pads with sandpaper. Clean off your brakes ASAP.

Check Your Fluids

It is good practice to check all your fluids in your vehicle. It is even more important to do so if you have been through deep water or wading as water may have found its way into your fluids.

Check…

  • both diff oils
  • transfer box oil
  • gear box oil
  • power steering
  • break
  • clutch
  • engine oil
  • CV joints

…and change if required.

Grease nipples

There are several grease nipples on your vehicle that you should grease up with a grease gun. The main areas are on your prop shafts. With a grease gun grease up any grease nipples.

Inspect for damage

While you are cleaning your vehicle, have a good look round and inspect for any damage that may have occurred while offroad.

Keep your vehicle safe and in good running order and it will be ready for your next outing and you will have years of fun!

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