Preventing Brush Scratches?

Hi All-

I'm really new to off-roading on 4 wheels. I took the family camping out in the national forest a few weeks ago and took my kids to Hollister (local off-road park) yesterday.

I realize it's a truck and will get scratches but, jeez. Two trips and I've got solid brush scratches down most of the length of both sides of the truck. For a truck that has to serve double duty (fun and still looking presentable when I take clients to lunch), this is getting to be a tough one.

Is the only answer to avoid the tighter trails? I seem to be picking these up because I need to place my wheel out of a rut, and there always seems to be a bush right at the edge of the trail where I need to do that. Am I just picking bad lines? Or is this just the name of the game for off-roading a truck?

Thanks in advance,

-Kyle

 

You could have the truck Line-x'd although I think that would be overkill. If you offroad, some damage should be expected.

 

suck it up take it like man their going to come no matter what if you go offroading.

 

Stick to the pavement if you want to avoid scratches.

 

burn the brush? blow up the brush? Drive on top of the brush?
Lol. jk.

There is no way to avoid brush scratches if you offroad unless there is no... brush. But give her a good wax(may take more than once) and see if that helps.

Alas there is no true way to avoid this.

 

Good coat of a high quality wax and a lot of effort to clean up after trips.

 

Ok, I get it, stupid question

Thanks for all the quick replies... I'll wax up the truck to try and minimize it and for me - I'll just suck it up. I got this truck to use it, not to look at it

Thanks, all...

 

I always thought they should make clear tear-off stickers that you can cover the sides with, then be peeled right off when you're done for the day.

 

Yeah, that's sort of what I was thinking but I have to admit, I've always laughed at the cars that showed up to autocross with painters tape covering what seemed like the entire lower half of the car.

I was just surprised by the number of scratches so quickly. Since I intend to keep using it to at least this level, I didn't want to take all of the paint off within a year

 

x2 on the wax. saves me a lot of buttache after coffee and mac nut trails.
also, get a good buffer and find a polish you like, good polish can get rid of light scratches

 

There is a company that makes (or used to make) magnetic panels for that purpose. I'm not sure how effective they were though. I saw them in JC Whitney so they could have just been junk. This was also in the time when vehicles were a lot boxier. I doubt they'd follow the more curvy bodies of vehicles these days.

 

Like other said WAX it really good. and do it like every other month or so. it will help keep the small scratches a way. I had 2 all the way down my truck from off roading, I waxed it and you can’t even tell anymore.

 

Get it the whole thing wrapped maybe. Or look into the 3m paint protection film. It'd be pretty expensive to do the whole truck, but would save you from scratches.!

 

OR, exo-cage. Go big or go home

 

Prevent brush scratches? uhm...stick to the malls and you should be good

 

sub... I like to see what else people come up with... I would say do a full rap in clear....

 

That's what I do

Every once in a while I'll venture to a highway, but slow speed paved lots FTW

 

I think this is the most sensible answer here.

 

nuke the trail ahead of time- no trees, no scratches.
problem solved

 

Front mounted flame thrower mod