Terrain Type No. 2
This terrain can be mild to wild at the whim of the driver. These rides can, and usually do, start out as a group of folks getting together to go ride and enjoy the day. Then usually what happens is someone in the group gets passed in a straight section or loses the highmark on the hill. That’s when we seem to let go of our inner MacGyver’s and find creative lines to make up ground or time. It’s in these instances that you want to be prepared for any changes in terrain as well as obstacles on the trails or the sides of the trails. With the “Stomper” group, strong is good.
Undercarriage: Again, protection in this area is crucial to your ride and its components, even more so when a rig is being driven a little more aggressively. First off, I will say that aluminum is definitely a little light for most of the impacts sustained in this type of riding and I suggest looking beyond it. UHMW is a good choice for the lighter to mid side of this kind of riding and will offer substantial protection for most moderate users. UHMW can in some cases still allow too much flex, leading to potential damage of components such as the frame and differentials as obstacles can literally push the material upward. Again, I would recommend no less than one-half inch of UHMW material. Steel would be the preferred choice for the wild side of this terrain as it will stand the test of time and terrain. It spreads the impact area out, minimizing the potential to bend or damage components above it upon impact with little to no gouging at all. If mounted correctly, it will offer the most protection in this class of usage across the board. Again, do your research on the type of material utilized, as an average steel has a tensile of 36,000 but some have upwards of 110,000 tensile available at only 1/8-inch of thickness. Neither of these solutions again are free passes to do as you will and the best tool is your own common sense.
Rocker Panels: Just go ahead and lay down on the ground next to your ride, look up at the exposed areas just below the driver and passenger foot wells. Now imagine not quite lining up your next obstacle correctly, whether it’s you or your spotter, and you can see the potential for damage. The floorboards are not “replaceable” items on your rig and it takes a lot more work than one would think to do it. Labor is expensive unless done on your own. So with that in mind look for protection that covers from the side of the rig to the center skid plate covering this entire area. It will keep you from hanging up on the larger rocks in this terrain as well as keep the damage away from your feet. Again, with more aggressive driving and “bigger” terrain, the aluminum falls short due to impacts. UHMW again is a solid choice for most drivers and offers good pro tection against impacts as well as hang ups. To me, however, steel is the best choice for protection as this is a large exposed area and the extra strength is nice to help keep impacts away from this area with literally almost zero flex and gouging. Whatever you choose make sure that the design and mount points are conducive to a higher level of abuse in this area such as leading edges that are actually wrapped up over the frame so as not to snag or hang the machine up on bigger obstacles.
Inner Fender Protection: The potential for damage is mostly subject to odd debris or circumstances, not so much the size of the rocks or terrain being traversed. With such a specific damage type, this area does not seem to increase or decrease the likelihood of an occurrence and would have the same recommendations as Terrain Type No. 1; anything is better than nothing and it is an area that should be addressed.
A-arms: Unlike in Terrain Type No. 1, we usually see these rocks coming. Because of the larger terrain and obstacles and possibly lower speeds due to the size of the obstacles we are usually looking for protection from “walking” wheels up and over obstacles and not so much a high speed impact, although that is still possible. Due to this, the strength is still key but the ability to stay moving across obstacles, especially when going up and over, is crucial. One small hang-up can alter your course and potentially cause a worse scenario than the one you are already in. Also worthy of consideration here again is the manner in which the protection is attached to the A-arm. Any type of reinforcement or bracing is preferred as it again adds structural strength to the component itself.
Roll Cage and Belts: With increased opportunity to roll your ride in this category I would definitely recommend looking at your options here and weighing them heavily. Large rocks, unforeseen obstacles, choosing a poor line or exercising poor judgment over an obstacle all lead to that moment where your vehicle can roll over or on its side. With the weight of the rig bearing down on the cage it will bend more easily in the case of a roll vs. a tip. A lot of things come into play here and any number of them can cause a really bad day. My advice: shop around and refer to what I mentioned in the Terrain Type No. 1 section on Roll Cage and Belts. Basically, it’s reinforced and go with harness belts.
Terrain Type No. 3
Remember this one? “OMG are you freaking kidding me!” This terrain is not for everyone. When driving in this type of terrain you are usually going to break something. There is really no telling what, or how severe it is going to be, but chances are it will happen. These drivers are typically looking for the path that everyone else shies away from. These are very adventurous people with skill, high tech rigs and a lot of support from likeminded friends and family. It truly is amazing what can be accomplished with a good group of friends and today’s very capable rigs.
The harder we use our vehicles in Terrain Type No. 3, the more wear and tear they see in the long term, so in this category we lose the aluminum product right off the bat. Short bursts of speed into large obstacles do not fare well for the softer, non-flexible material and in the end seems to cause more problems than it will help you avoid. That leaves us with UHMW and steel to compare here for protection. Those two materials are better suited for most anything nasty, i.e., lava rock, granite, shale, tree stumps, logs and all other manner of obstacle.
Undercarriage: No doubt that in this terrain type the undercarriage of your rig will take some serious abuse. It needs to be protected in order to maintain any type of longevity. Using the front wheels to pull you up onto a large incline will leave the bottom subject to impact and drag when the rear of the chassis follows. Again, half-inch UHMW is the bare minimum here and offers good resistance to drag, keeping you moving. But the fact that it does flex and can potentially tear if an edge is hooked on a larger obstacle leaves the possibility for damage to your ride.
Steel is undoubtedly the strongest choice with the best resistance to drag and gouging on the actual material. It is, however, in the strength of the material itself that it will shine here, due to its deflection upon impact in these terrain types. Repeatedly using the skid plate, the steel stays in shape with almost zero flex, keeping your momentum headed in the right direction without getting hung up. The mount and design are still crucial, so familiarize yourself with the different grades and designs available.
Rocker Panels: If you want them to stay looking good and protect your outer frame rails these areas need to be covered in extreme terrains. The sides of the machine are used for much more than a pretty exterior in these circumstances and are often the only surface area coming into contact with anything solid beneath you, keeping your rig on its line. In these circumstances we are again protecting the driver and passenger compartment from impact as well as the outer frame rail and the factory plastics which can be destroyed in no time against some rough terrain.
So when you are looking to maximize protection against harder obstacles with so much surface area to cover, steel gives better resistance to flex and gouging than UHMW, keeping the rig sliding freely on your chosen line. It also, if designed correctly, will offer more frontal impact resistance to protect the front-lower frame as well as the inner-rear wheel well from hard impact and these are areas that will see larger impacts. Regardless of which product you choose, make sure it mounts well and covers the outer edge of your rig as well.
Inner Fender Protection: Again because of the specific type of damage here, I give the same advice as I just previously did. Anything is much better than nothing. Even though this terrain is more extreme it still carries the same type of outside the normal damage aspect and it is not more or less likely to occur in this type of terrain.
A-arms: As discussed in Terrain Type No. 2, the most important thing in rough and tumble terrain is deflection and drag. The likelihood of a higher speed impact on an unseen obstacle decreases but the constant banging into obstacles forcefully can be brutal over time. Both UHMW and steel work well here so keep in mind the way the product is attached and designed will make the difference. The UHMW is slightly lighter and thicker whereas the steel is slightly heavier and thinner with better deflection properties.
Roll Cage and Belts: If you are going to ride in terrain that can literally throw the machine around, you should invest in 5-point seat harnesses and a thicker wall roll cage. Not only should the thickness of the cage be evaluated but in this case the design as well. Some are more open at the top and can allow obstacles to literally encroach into the assumed “protected” area of the cage during a tip or roll over.
For some great standard specs I refer you in the direction of “Race Approved” design and materials allowed in any of today’s UTV racing circuits such as WORCS, GNCC, TQRA or YORR. As usual, common sense is the best tool so try to utilize it to the best of your capabilities.
Almost all of the protection materials discussed are easily installed for most “do it yourself” folks and readily available and on the market. I am convinced that with a little research and the right questions you can find protection that will work for you and your ride for miles of safe, worry free riding.
