Dealer Sponsored 101 Offroad Experience Word of Caution

[JWM PLAYS]

No offense intended with what I’m about to say but it’s the truth of the matter.

Keeping a vehicle detailed to almost show quality standards and off roading seldom go together. Even just half way, nicely, street clean standards is virtually impossible if you’re wheeling regularly. Believe me I know this from personal experience.

I like to keep my Rubicon as clean and damage free as possible, but I also like wheeling it as hard as I can without sustaining any real damage. It’s a constant battle between the two and I’ve learned that you can’t really have both. You have to ask yourself honestly how much compromise are you willing to make in either direction.

I had a very similar experience to yours but with a different outcome. I recently attended a meeting at my local 4x4 club to see what they were about. There is an annual run down here that attracts a lot of attention from all over the country going on right now and I thought about tagging along.

Some of the folks that are part of that club have their own YouTube channel and wheel pretty hard. Super nice folks. I got invited to go with them to pre-run a couple of trails. We discussed how my rig was set up, my experience, etc and it was determined that my rig would make it through this particular one they were going on, but the night before I watched them run this particular trail on a previous run they had made on YouTube.

Wow! I knew there was a pretty good possibility of some real carnage on that tail. Way more than I was willing to sustain. ?

Basically, Their tolerance level to such damage was much higher than mine so I bailed. Had I gone, and ended up with a torn fender, broken taillight, busted a ball joint, or worse, whose fault would it have been? Personally, I think it would be mine for putting myself in a situation where I gave up my autonomy or ability to determine for myself what I could or couldn’t do.

They have super easy trails for stock vehicles and newbies, but I would be bored to death on them. They also have level ten trails suitable for only the most heavily modded rigs. Those are the polar extremes.

The gray areas are the middle trails. One man’s five is another’s ten - or one. It all comes down to what you’re willing to risk.

I realized that, so I chose to stay out of those organized events and just continue doing what I do. I wheel alone. There’s risk there too but at least whatever happens it’s on me. I don’t want to feel pressured or blame someone else for getting me into something I don’t want to do.

I hear you loud and clear and I in know way deny our responsibility in attending the event. Being our first, I have nothing to compare it to and I've been made to see that my expectations were very narrow compared to reality. I have to say though that alot of my expections were set by the hosts, not me. I've also seen from others posts that more effort was put into assessing each persons ability and comfort level prior to the ride. Without a doubt, and it's obvious by my even posting this, when they stated "easy trails" before lunch and "no damage except pinstripes" I had an image in my mind of what that meant and that was not what happened. Probably that is partially due to them and also due to my expectations. Which is more the factor, I guess it's debatable. Just reading everyone's responses in here, I've learned a ton about how these things go and we will take that with us the next time to try and be better prepared if only mentally.

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[PlayfulBird]

I had a very similar experience to yours but with a different outcome. I recently attended a meeting at my local 4x4 club to see what they were about. There is an annual run down here that attracts a lot of attention from all over the country going on right now and I thought about tagging along.

Some of the folks that are part of that club have their own YouTube channel and wheel pretty hard. Super nice folks. I got invited to go with them to pre-run a couple of trails. We discussed how my rig was set up, my experience, etc and it was determined that my rig would make it through this particular one they were going on, but the night before I watched them run this particular trail on a previous run they had made on YouTube.

Wow! I knew there was a pretty good possibility of some real carnage on that tail. Way more than I was willing to sustain. ?

Basically, Their tolerance level to such damage was much higher than mine so I bailed. Had I gone, and ended up with a torn fender, broken taillight, busted a ball joint, or worse, whose fault would it have been? Personally, I think it would be mine for putting myself in a situation where I gave up my autonomy or ability to determine for myself what I could or couldn’t do.

They have super easy trails for stock vehicles and newbies, but I would be bored to death on them. They also have level ten trails suitable for only the most heavily modded rigs. Those are the polar extremes.

The gray areas are the middle trails. One man’s five is another’s ten - or one. It all comes down to what you’re willing to risk.

I realized that, so I chose to stay out of those organized events and just continue doing what I do. I wheel alone. There’s risk there too but at least whatever happens it’s on me. I don’t want to feel pressured or blame someone else for getting me into something I don’t want to do.

Did ya get to meet Mischief Maker or Bleepin Jeep

 

[PlayfulBird]

I hear you loud and clear and I in know way deny our responsibility in attending the event. Being our first, I have nothing to compare it to and I've been made to see that my expectations were very narrow compared to reality. I have to say though that alot of my expections were set by the hosts, not me. I've also seen from others posts that more effort was put into assessing each persons ability and comfort level prior to the ride. Without a doubt, and it's obvious by my even posting this, when they stated "easy trails" before lunch and "no damage except pinstripes" I had an image in my mind of what that meant and that was not what happened. Probably that is partially due to them and also due to my expectations. Which is more the factor, I guess it's debatable. Just reading everyone's responses in here, I've learned a ton about how these things go and we will take that with us the next time to try and be better prepared if only mentally.

I think doing some dirt roads, forestry roads and exploring can be as much fun than wheeling dedicated tracks. More overlanding style. Also you will come across obstacles, washouts etc. but it is not about doing one obstacle after another but getting to your destination and exploring.

If you get a chance, do some sand/ dune wheeling. Again a different animal. Lots of fun and unless going crazy, most of the time you just get stuck and need a hand.

 

[JWM PLAYS]

For sure get the battle.

Heck I would love to have access and space to detail and polish our Gobi and especially the Black Pearl GC like @JWM PLAYS. Don't mind the time it takes. It relaxes me.

100% buddy. Detailing isn't my business, it's my hobby and I actually consider it my therapy. My actual job is very stressful at times and often not very rewarding. I most often detail for free just so I can get the vehicles to work on besides my own. I've done 12-19hr restorative details before at not charge just to get the chance to do it. It will be no problem for me to do a full paint correction on hers to get the trail rash gone which is what she wants. We know that's going to happen, but it is her daily and will only occasionally be taken offroad. Of course the challenge to polishing trail rash is, you can't do it every time because you're always removing a fine layer of clear. You don't want to go too far with that.

 

[Dryfly24]

100% buddy. Detailing isn't my business, it's my hobby and I actually consider it my therapy. My actual job is very stressful at times and often not very rewarding. I most often detail for free just so I can get the vehicles to work on besides my own. I've done 12-19hr restorative details before at not charge just to get the chance to do it. It will be no problem for me to do a full paint correction on hers to get the trail rash gone which is what she wants. We know that's going to happen, but it is her daily and will only occasionally be taken offroad. Of course the challenge to polishing trail rash is, you can't do it every time because you're always removing a fine layer of clear. You don't want to go too far with that.

Damn! I wish you lived near me because I’d be more than willing tokeep you as busy as you want! ?

I‘m the opposite from you. I like the getting it dirty part. Not so much the cleaning up afterwards aspect though.

 

[dawghauler]

Trail damage is always going to hurt at first. But it’s a fact of off-roading. Lite damage is a given a deep scratch is a maybe bent panels are seldom. Just remember body damage is fixable and a fact of off-roading. Be safe and smart to avoid people damage and enjoy the experience

 

[Dryfly24]

Did ya get to meet Mischief Maker or Bleepin Jeep

No it wasn’t them. But I do watch them all the time. ?

 

[JWM PLAYS]

I appreciate everyone's responses to my post. I must admit, it was easier to read some peoples responses than others. Without a doubt, I've learned 2 things for sure. 1. Damage is nearly a forgone conclusion when off-roading and it's not a matter of if but when. Quite possibly, we were unlucky in that the when happened to be the first time out. 2. It is not in my DNA to accept damaging a new Gladiator for the sake of being able to off road it.

Having said allllllll that, it is my wife's truck and not mine so if she wants to off road with it, I will do everything I can to learn to accept what goes along with that even if it isn't what I would chose. She's always accepted my hobbies even though she doesn't care for them or get them. I owe it to her to do the same.

 

[PlayfulBird]

I appreciate everyone's responses to my post. I must admit, it was easier to read some peoples responses than others. Without a doubt, I've learned 2 things for sure. 1. Damage is nearly a forgone conclusion when off-roading and it's not a matter of if but when. Quite possibly, we were unlucky in that the when happened to be the first time out. 2. It is not in my DNA to accept damaging a new Gladiator for the sake of being able to off road it.

Having said allllllll that, it is my wife's truck and not mine so if she wants to off road with it, I will do everything I can to learn to accept what goes along with that even if it isn't what I would chose. She's always accepted my hobbies even though she doesn't care for them or get them. I owe it to her to do the same.

Great attitude! Nough said!

 

[Pescatoral Pursuit]

so I chose to... just continue doing what I do. I wheel alone.

OMG!

"nEveR gO aLoNe!!"

Lol just kidding. It's just about the best way. You, nature, and your 5000lb hunk of metal and petroleum byproducts.

The way God intended from the beginning.

 

[ShrimpHappens]

I've done 12-19hr restorative details before at not charge just to get the chance to do it.

I'll drop mine off at your house at noon tomorrow.

 

[Lost1wing]

Headed to the Jeep event now up near Detroit. This will be my wife's first time out, mine actually. I have done recoveries on others mistakes. I have been in places that I shouldn't have been, but I'm not driving this time. I hope my wife enjoys the training and wants to do it again. If she ends up dinging it up too bad, I'll bet I'll be living in the dog house.

Sorry that you had a bad experience.

 

[ChrisNLA]

Off-roading and what is acceptable difficulty or 'damage' is extremely subjective and unfortunately in a big group there is no meeting everyone's individual expectations. Some of it has do with the fact that a driver is simply unwilling to ask for help, or follow the direction of a spotter, or in general lacks good judgement and ends up damage their rig because they simply will not pay attention.

We had a fella on a recent trip to Hot Springs that did severe damage to his rig, front and rear, because he kept following too closely and ran into the Jeep in front of him, then later back into the rig behind him.

I remember a few years back a friend of ours getting pretty upset because he smashed one of the running boards off of his JKU. Well - we DID tell you that they were likely to be damaged.

My first trip out in my 2016 JK I smashed in the front of the fuel tank on a large boulder. Second trip out, I partially tore the rear bumper off. Both times I was told of the potential risks and ultimately was OK with it. I added skid plates and I upgraded the rear bumper to a higher clearance steel model.

If you don't want to hurt the truck in any way - leave it on the asphalt.

I don't plan on tearing this truck up soon, it's literally brand new - but give it a little time and mileage and I'll be less worried if I stripe the paint or drag the rear bumper off of it.

Anyway - sounds like you learned something from it. A different perspective. I have some local folks that will never wheel again. It's not for them - and that's totally OK. Some of my friends are many level crazier than I am and are planning to go do things I have flat out said no to. I fall somewhere in the middle of the mall crawlers and higher end wheelers.

 

[Alan_Hepburn]

It's a Jeep Thing, also pertains to the fact that these Jeeps are built to do a lot more than we are capable of.

That is probably the best lesson we learned by attending the Jeep Adventure Academy outings: our Jeeps, even bone stock, are capable of a LOT more that we are!

 

[Artsifrtsi]

You just have to develop your comfort level. I have been out on trails in Jeeps since the mid '80s, my wife's idea of offroading is our gravel driveway. We were just at Uhwarie Nat'l forest this past weekend with the JT... they have a TON of erosion control berms, and they are mostly tall enough to scrape the underside of basically a stock Rubicon. After the first few scrapes, she kept reminding me how much we paid for the truck, and I kept reminding her that we had skid plates protecting the underside.

The second day there, I let her drive on one of the moderate trails, and I drove Dicky Bell.. her confidence really improved a lot seeing that we were able to go and not destroy the Jeep.

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