Every time an off-road adventure takes place, there is always the possibility of damage, from something as minor as a flat tire or as extreme as engine damage.

We wanted to take a look at the Top 10 things that can happen out on the trail that may be detrimental to the trip. The list is ranked by how severe the issue is to the vehicle, and if the off-road trip would be able to continue with the damage.

The most memorable events in off-roading come from the moments where something unfortunate happens on the trip. Granted, at the time it may not seem like something that should be remembered, but they usually become some of best stories once everything has settled.

Either way, damage will occur, it is just part of off-roading, but it is how you make the most of the situation and get back on the trail or home safely.

10. Tires

Tires may be the simplest issue to fix on the trail. Tire damage can come in a wide range of problems, from being punctured, or a blow out, to coming completely off the bead.

A blown tire can be an easy fix, if there is a spare brought along.

Tire damage is easy to fix on the trail since most people carry a spare with them regardless of whether they are off-roading or not. Carrying a spare tire is good, but being prepared to take the tire off is just as important.

With no jack or tire iron to remove the tire, the adventure will come to a faster stop than expected. Coming prepared with the correct tools will help make easy work of the damaged tire.

One thing to keep in mind with many of the aftermarket wheel is that they use a special socket to remove locking lug nuts. It is important to carry this socket, otherwise that wheel will not be coming off.

9. Weld Breaks

Depending on where the broken weld is located it may not be that big of an issue. If the broken weld is in a key location on the vehicle such as the suspension, taking it easy on the trail could help get the vehicle to a safe spot.

Losing your shock mount due to a broken weld.

Welds can break at any time. In many cases, we scratch our heads and wonder how it was even possible for that to happen. The weld does not need to be something that was done after purchasing the vehicle. A factory weld can break just like a weld on a cage, or bumper mounts.

Depending on the severity of the break, continuing on the trail may be no big deal. Extreme caution should be taken if trying to push the vehicle to a position of more than it can handle.

8. Brakes

This is one part on the vehicle that can create serious harm if a failure occurs. Brakes are more important than some people may think.

Not being able to stop in time and avoiding an incident like this can happen with a brake failure.

Not being able to stop is never a good thing, especially when off-roading. Brake failure can lead to serious injury, as you won’t be able to stop in time to avoid an obstacle on the trail. Being able to control speed on technical areas of the trail is also important.

Slowly having the capability to navigate rocks, or go down a steep hill would not be something fun to do knowing stepping on the brake pedal would not do anything. Brake failure can come from multiple parts of the system.

Failure with brake rotors, pads, or brake lines are things that would not be a pleasant find on the trail. Routine maintenance can save something that can be prevented on the trail. Anytime something can be prevented before it starts, that’s a good thing.

7. Frame Damage

Pushing the vehicle further than the limits it can handle can create not only harm to the driver, but also severe damage to the vehicle. Bending or damaging the part of the truck that supports everything is not an easy task, but it’s highly possible off-roading.

Frame damage from pushing the limits on the trail a little too far.

Frame damage comes from an accident when a large impact occurs. Accidents off-road do occur between two trucks, but for self-inflicted frame damage, you have only yourself to blame.

Every off-roader has had the moment when they thought their somewhat modified vehicle was a Trophy Truck, Ultra 4, or rock crawler and they could handle just about anything in it. Knowing the truck’s limits will prevent this type of damage from happening and possibly lowering the chance of totaling out the vehicle.

Some trucks are more prone to frame damage than others, such as earlier models of the Ford F-150 Raptor. Depending on the severity of the damage, it could make the vehicle inoperable.

6. Suspension

Busted springs, blown shocks, and broken leaf springs are all suspension issues that can happen while off-roading. Most of these issues cannot be prevented beforehand since the damage occurrs on the trail.

Bent shock from pushing the limits of the suspension.

Suspension issues go along with frame damage and pushing the vehicle beyond its limits. Factory shocks are not a replacement for a set of coilovers or triple bypass shocks.

Aftermarket shocks and suspension setups do not guarantee a trouble-free trip. Having aftermarket, or even new original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts, still have the chance of getting damaged if the driver pushes his luck.

Most of the time, this type of damage is not too severe to where the vehicle is inoperable, it just makes for an uncomfortable ride. With the damage being done to the parts that are supposed to absorb the impacts and make the ride softer while off-roading, taking it easy until the parts are replaced will prevent further damage to other components.

5. Electrical

The electrical system on most vehicles controls everything and can create many gremlins with tracking down a short or issue. The electrical system provides power from everything to starting the car to listening to the radio.

Burnt wire harness from an electrical failure.

The battery, fuses, and wire harnesses are all parts that could have an off-road issue and turn the trip into a nightmare. Some electrical problems may be easier to fix on the trail than others.

Carrying a simple set of spare fuses for your truck can be a life-saver when out in the dirt and something happens. More intensive electrical issues could lead to not being able to start the vehicle to creating an electrical fire.

When attempting to fix an electrical issue, extreme caution should be taken since touching wrong wires will make a bad day even worse by resulting in personal injury.

4. Steering

Without steering, a vehicle is not going to move anywhere. This may be the end of the trip for most, but some have found ways around it.

The need to improvise on the trail is key to making it home.

Steering issues do not just have to mean damage done to your rack-and-pinion or tie rods. It can also mean losing your steering wheel, or having the power steering pump go out.

Some steering issues are more severe than others. Losing power steering may mean having to use more muscle to get the vehicle off the trail. Losing bolt-on aftermarket heim steering can be an easy fix by using a tow receiver pin if there is no additional bolt for replacement.

3. Drivetrain

The drivetrain on this list includes the transmission, driveshafts, and gears, all of which can make the vehicle inoperable. Without the driveshaft connected to the rear axle, especially on a two-wheel-drive truck, movement becomes null and void.

Destroying the gears in the front or rear axle is never a good thing.

It can still be possible with a 4×4 to use its front-wheel-drive to get the vehicle to a safe place. When taking a look at what off-road race trucks bring with them, trucks running the Baja 1000 tend to bring an extra driveshaft with U-joints.

Having the transmission go out is never a good thing, especially when a tow truck is nowhere to be found. The transmission going out on the trail will surely stop all the fun and create a new adventure bringing the vehicle back.

Destroying the gears in your differential will also wreak havoc on the trail. Without the gears the front or rear wheels will not spin, leaving you high and dry on the trail.

2. Engine

Engine trouble is the last thing that anyone wants to happen regardless if they are on or off the trail. It can mean the end to a trip, but even more, could mean the end to a vehicle’s life.

A blown engine may leave the tow truck as the only means of getting home.

Depending on the capability of the truck that is off-roading really depends on how bad the damage can be. If the budget for the truck allows a new motor to be installed, it will see another day in the dirt. If it is a daily driver that option may be the end for the vehicle.

With a non-working motor, the off-road vehicle is not going to be able to move any where without the help of another trail rig or tow truck. Depending on the location of the truck it may become a new monument on the trail if it’s too difficult to recover.

We are sure it has been done before and not something that should be done out on the trail, but if it is possible to locate a donor motor nearby, motor swap may be the final option for many. Routine maintenance can help prevent this issue. If there has been a known problem with the engine, avoiding the trail until the issue is fixed may be suggested to avoid any further damage or risk being stuck.

1. Fire

A fire is something that will not only cause major damage to your truck, but can also cause serious bodily harm. A fire will not only end your trip, but it has the possibility of ending the lives of both your vehicle and you!

A small fire can turn to something out of control in no time.

There is no real way to prevent a fire from happening, since it can happen from multiple areas on the truck. Fire is one item on this list that can be caused by something else on the list.

Something happening to the engine, an electrical issue, or even the brakes could start a fire. A fire is something that is usually not prepared for ahead of time. Having a fire extinguisher on board is mandatory in off-road kits.

Many race trucks carry multiple fire extinguishers for this possible problem. Even for them, it sometimes is not enough and the fire ends up taking over the entire vehicle at a rapid pace.  Most of the time, they have exactly what they need to stop the fire before it gets out of control and continue on with the race, if possible.

Having something break or get damaged is something that is never wanted on the trail, but is something that should be taken into consideration. Any one or more of the items on this list can happen as soon as the tires hit the dirt, or even before.

Recommended items for any off-road kit should include:

• Tow straps
• Shovel
• Flares
• Rope
• Fire extinguisher
• 5 gallon gasoline
• Zip ties
• Fluids (coolant, brake, oil, transmission, gear)
• Tools (sockets, wrenches, any special tool your truck requires)
• Extra nuts and bolts

Being prepared and knowing how to handle each situation is the key to getting your vehicle back up and running safely. What items do you think should be on our list? Tell us in the comments below.