Possible long/short term damage from minor mudding?

Totalled. Nah, it'll be fine.

 

Some parts of my neighborhood are unpaved. I drove through once after it rained and pounds of mud stuck everywhere. People live and drive those roads everyday just to get home. They've been doing it for decades and never even wash their vehicles. You're fine, it's a truck not a Viper.

 

Kinda sounds like you should be driving a Ridgeline.

 

Why even spend the money on a 4x4 OR if you’re afraid to get it dirty..? It’s gonna be alright. I covered my Pro in mud and scratches the first week I had it lol

 

There's a self-serve car wash near me that has softened water that's also heavily filtered by charcoal filters. It helps a lot. That and some pressure from the pressure washer will work wonders. Just go over everything with moderate pressure and it'll come off.

 

Might as well make a Latte if the waters Hot enough while your washin. Ladies Love it.

 

LOL. It even has a heated air dryer

 

Yes i do have a pressure washer guys, it is a harbor freight 1750 psi electric one though. But the silt does not come off even when i get close to the surfaces. Also i hate that is red mud, just makes it look like rust ffs lol.

 

I sunk mine back in May. We're talking water coming in the door seals and everything. Managed to keep it just below fuses and air intake on the engine, but you talk about a dirty truck...

pull the entire interior later that day and had heat heaters and fans and cleaning and demolding spray in the whole nine yards and the truck looked almost brand new inside but underneath and in the engine bay it still looks like it got dunked yesterday. Runs like a top though.

 

I get that its a new truck and all and the first few marks cut deep but trust me when I say you've done no harm. I've had tacos my whole life and they've seen some shit lol. I've gotten my 2nd gen stuck in a mud hole that didnt look as deep as it really was. Water was coming in through all 4 windows. I was sitting in my truck with water up to just below my chest. She's still running strong to this day. Here's a pic of my old trusty 99 I used to have before I got my 2nd gen

 

I would literally not even bother to wash mud that minor. Drive for ~30mins on a rainy day and it will rinse off on its own.

 

I know someone that went off roading and got mud everywhere and killed the alternator.

 

OP, I understand why you would be concerned. Your fear may be rational or it may not be. But you paid a lot for the truck and I think it is perfectly understandable that you would have a "Oh my, what have I done reaction." From what I can tell you will be fine.

One suggestion is to check out this guy from Ammo NYC -- dude is insane (and I mean that in a really good way). He's a highly regarded car detailer in NY and is the go to guy for classic cars, collector cars, etc. He's got a great YouTube channel where he talks about cleaning mud off cars, etc. Very structured process. Worth a look:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXGAnn-cuSo

He has an hour long video (!) focused on car detailing for amateurs which I watched. Learned a lot. I might not go that far but I really appreciate the insights, etc.

Hope that helps ...

 

Did this a few years ago and my truck still runs okay!! I think you'll be fine

 

If it really bothers you, which it seems like it does, find a good detailer in your area and take it to them. A professional detailer will make it look like new again.

 

Mine still works....

 

After 14'' of snowmelt, and now 3 plus inches of rain, and 60 degree temps the dirt road i live off is pretty much what you see above.

 

By the end of this day my windshield was caked, my belts were all squeaking, a rock logged it’s self into the rotors, and 2 years later I still find chunks of mud in the frame. It was a good time though
can’t agree with you enough, good memory’s will outlast any vehicle.