Your vehicle’s paint job is for more than good looks — it protects metal from moisture and corrosion. Maintenance is necessary to ensure your overlanding rig has the protection it needs for the long term.
However, unforgiving trails can slowly chip away at your truck. How can you maintain your finish on rough terrain? Let’s find out how to safeguard your overland vehicle’s paint!
Table of Contents
- How to Maintain Your Truck’s Paint Job While Off-Roading
- Adjustments to Help Your Truck’s Paint Job
- Maintaining Your Overland Truck’s Paint Job
How to Maintain Your Truck’s Paint Job While Off-Roading
Protecting your paint job while off-roading can be complicated. However, these five additions can safeguard your overland vehicle from debris.
Off-Road Protection Film
As discussed in the video above by Chicago Auto Pros, paint protection film (PPF) is one of the best solutions for protecting paint jobs. The material has become more prominent in automobiles, with some dealerships offering it to their customers. You can get PPF to protect your finish from rocks, insects and other elements.
PPF’s strength derives from its ability to absorb damage. Off-road vehicles can endure scratches better than a standard paint job, thus protecting your truck from short-term problems.
Your truck’s PPF can only hold so much destruction, so you’ll eventually need to replace the film.
Ceramic Coating
Another way to create a barrier between paint and the elements is with ceramic coating. This polymer solution adds a thick layer to your truck and improves protection. While not foolproof, its silicon dioxide composition combats scratches.
Ceramic coating benefits your truck because it can resist contaminants. Dirt and debris that come into contact with the coating slip off instead of getting stuck on the surface, leaving less to clean. Overland trucks are vulnerable to corrosion and rust, so ceramic coating is essential.
Rock Sliders
Rock sliders (like the Rock Slide Engineering step sliders shown above) are another attachment that helps overland trucks with their durability. This aftermarket part protects your rocker panels by resting under the truck’s body. When tires kick up rocks and gravel, they hit the sliders instead of your paint job. Thus, they minimize the off-roading impact.
Installing rock sliders means your truck’s paint job and body have more protection from the rough terrain. Repairing the components of your undercarriage can be expensive, so this accessory is worthwhile armor for your paint job and your wallet.
Brush Guard
Photo by Volodymyr TVERDOKHLIB via Shutterstock
While paint and coatings are integral, other ways exist to protect your overland truck’s paint finish on rough terrain. For instance, installing brush guards in the front boosts protection from the trail ahead. They also protect your vehicle if you hit an animal.
Brush guards aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution, but their protection is worth considering. This addition mitigates paint damage from low-hanging branches or rocks flying toward your truck. Tiny stones chip away at paint jobs and necessitate brush guard protection.
Paint Sealant
Paint sealant is another worthwhile product for your overland vehicle, as it repels dirt and contaminants. While less impactful than PPF, it still protects your truck with a layer of synthetic polymers and waxes. It also makes your rig look nicer by adding a glossy finish.
This product is popular with truck owners because it’s easy to use. You only need to spray the sealant on the vehicle’s surface and ensure even layers. It has acidic properties to protect your paint from water damage and bird droppings you could encounter outside.
PREVIEW PRODUCT RATING CLIQ Camping Chair - Most Funded Portable Chair in Crowdfunding History PORTAL Camping Table Foldable Portable with Adjustable Legs 3000 Large Capacity Hand Crank Solar Camping Lantern Odoland 15pcs Camping Cookware Mess Kit WANNTS Sleeping Pad Ultralight Inflatable Sleeping Pad for Camping MARBERO 88Wh Portable Power Station 24000mAh Camping Solar Generator 
Adjustments to Help Your Truck’s Paint Job
Coatings and grille attachments help your truck while on rough terrain. What can you do behind the wheel and in the garage to protect the paint? Here are five adjustments you should make.
Waxing Your Truck
Photo by WishnclickS via Shutterstock
Your first adjustment should be regular truck waxing. This process removes existing scratches from your overland vehicle and makes it hydrophobic. Resisting water is critical to preventing corrosion and rust, so wax your truck at least once yearly or more as necessary.
If your truck is already in need of a fresh paint job, take the time to prep in advance. A good 40-grit sandpaper can clear any rust formed through moisture seeping through cracks in the old paint. After sanding, thoroughly scrub any other grime and contaminants from the surface. Then, you can repaint and wax your truck with ease and should find the new paint job to be much longer lasting than the old one.
Driving Slowly
Putting as much in your control as possible when off-roading or overlanding is vital. Start by watching your speed when driving on the trail. Slow and steady wins the race and protects your paint job by reducing the risk of damage. A lower impact leads to less power for debris.
Steady driving also positively affects your paint job by eliminating sudden movements or turns. These bad habits could lead to unwanted nicks and rock damage. Slower driving gives you the upper hand by making you more aware of upcoming obstacles, such as giant rocks or sharp branches.
Avoiding Damaging Paths
Photo by Piotr Zajda via Shutterstock
State and privately owned trails typically don’t allow trailblazing. However, you may encounter the opportunity at some parks. While tempting, forging a new path isn’t conducive to your truck’s paint job. Stay on marked trails because it can be hard to tell what’s on the ground ahead.
Driving on unmarked trails exposes your overland vehicle to brush, sticks and rocks waiting to damage paint. While you may take your truck to the woods, the same dangers apply to other environments. Trailblazing near the ocean can be dangerous because salt accelerates rust for exposed metal on vehicles.
Watching the Water
Photo by Selcuk Oner via Shutterstock
Off-road trucks benefit from driving through water because it allows them to clean their tires and undercarriage. Your paint job could take advantage of the water washing contaminants away. However, this is a double-edged sword because moisture has downsides.
Prolonged water exposure could harm the wax or other coatings you’ve applied. It breaks down wax over time, making it less effective for paint protection. Watch your overland vehicle’s time in the water to protect the paint job.
Monitoring Tire Pressure
Tire pressure might not come to mind when considering your overland truck’s paint job. However, it indirectly affects your vehicle due to the amount of traction. Off-road and overland enthusiasts use different pounds per square inch (psi), depending on the situation.
For example, driving in mud is best with 20 psi or lower to optimize grip. Lower psi increases traction and your tire’s contact with the ground. Therefore, your vehicle can drive more easily through sand and gravel and reduce the risk of paint job damage. The question is, how do you easily manage tire pressure when you’re overlanding?
Well, for many of the folks at 4WDTalk the answer is to let the MORRFlate TenSix PSI Pro Gen2 handle it…
For starters, this portable off-road air compressor is capable of 6.5CFM at 30 psi. It also has an 80 percent duty cycle that gives you 45 minutes of runtime with 10 minutes of off time. This combination of high output and long runtime makes the TenSix PSI Pro Gen2 a great option for managing air pressure for your overlanding vehicle.
But that’s just part of the story. This air compressor has set-it-and-forget-it technology. So, let’s say you air down to get through a sandy patch on your journey. When you’re ready to air up again, simply connect the TenSix PSI Pro Gen2 and a MORRFlate 4 Tire Inflation and Deflation kit to air all four tires back up to the PSI you preset in the TenSix. It really couldn’t be simpler!
On top of all that, the TenSix is small, easily portable, and can be installed in virtually any orientation if you choose to put it on your vehicle. The bright green color of the air compressor and MORRFlate hoses make them easy to spot in low-light situations and help prevent you or a buddy from tripping over them when they’re in use, too.
Add in features like a PSI cutoff switch, a thermal cutoff switch, and a purge valve, plus quiet 70-75 dB operation, and you have the makings of a highly functional, easy to use air compressor. Not bad, right?!
Maintaining Your Overland Truck’s Paint Job
Photo by socrates471 via Shutterstock
Your paint job says a lot about your truck. If you hit the trail with a shiny coat, you know you’ve excellently maintained your vehicle. While paint provides aesthetics, it also protects metal and the crucial internal components of your overland truck and should be maintained at all costs.
Sure, washing and waxing your vehicle (and performing other maintenance duties) isn’t exactly the most fun thing you can do with your overlanding rig. But, they’re important steps for keeping your vehicle in tip-top shape for your outdoor adventures!
A quick heads-up: If you snag something through our affiliate links or check out our sponsored content, we might earn a commission at no extra cost to you. But fear not, we’re all about recommending stuff we’re truly stoked about!
Jack Shaw is an accomplished automotive writer with a flair for adventure and a passion for all things off-road. Having written for notable sites such as Modded, Ford Muscle, Offroad Xtreme, and more, his articles are a testament to his knowledge and love for the automotive industry. Reach him via LinkedIn.