Maintenance After the Mud Battle

Cleaning your vehicle is not just for aesthetics. Mud, especially fine particle mud like clay, tends to stick to everything above and below. Mud can build up under the wheel wells, on the frame, it can pack around the radiator, into the brake drums, on all the underside components, on the body in places where you never saw before. It's important to remove as much of the mud as possible before it turns into a permanent part of your vehicle and ultimately cause damage to your vehicle. Mud on the rims can act as a counter balance causing your vehicle to handle worse and causing vibration at the steering wheel and can lead to uneven tire wear. Mud also retains moisture. Moisture causes rust. Much your the underside of a vehicle is either unprotected from factory or loses it's protection of time and mud accelerates the rusting process. Mud is also very hard on paint, causing it to deteriorate due to moisture and can cause scratching and wear over time. So it is best remove as much of the mud as possible after each encounter with the sticky stuff. A good hose down to start with is good to get the large chunks off. For the underside, it can be helpful to let a yard sprinkler run under the vehicle for a little time to help soften and wash off under carriage mud. Pressure washing works great too for surface and underside washing. For a more through check examine items like differentials and gearbox oil for contamination and change if necessary. Also examine your differential and gearbox breathers to ensure they are functional and clear of mud and debris. Check your air filter box for mud and water that you might have inhaled and remove and clean the filter if necessary. Check your radiator and hose out any mud blocking the cooling fins of the radiator. Also check transmission coolers as well. Check all drain holes on the chassis and in the doors to be sure they are not blocked. Remove any caked on mud from brake drums, steering linkage, shifting linkage and anything else that can interfere with the mechanical operation of the vehicle. While your at it, clean your recovery straps. When you give your vehicle a good look for mud after a muddy day on the trails, you'd be surprised as to where you find mud. If there is a crack or crevice, you can be sure mud will find it's way in.


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