Who We Serve
Repair and Fabrication for Overland and Adventure Vehicle Owners
About 6 min left
Overland vehicles fail at mounting points rather than at components, because heavy aftermarket structure was frequently attached to sheet metal rather than to structure. OCRV Center repairs and re engineers overland builds to handle dynamic load, with work running $1,000 to $40,000.
Overland owners invest heavily in their builds and then discover that the rack, the bumper or the tank mount that cost them four figures was attached to something that could not carry it.
That is not a criticism of the owner. It is a criticism of shops that fabricate without thinking about load path, and it is the most common reason these vehicles end up here.
Load Path Is the Whole Problem
A roof rack carrying a tent, water and fuel applies a dynamic load several times its static weight every time the vehicle hits washboard, repeatedly, for hours.
A roof designed to carry nothing but its own weight will eventually pull the fasteners through the panel. The correction is spreading the attachment across framing members with backing plates so the load has somewhere real to go.
Repairing Modified Vehicles Correctly
A lifted vehicle with aftermarket suspension does not measure the same as it did leaving the factory, and pulling it to factory specification produces a vehicle that is wrong.
We document the modifications, establish what the pre loss geometry actually was, and correct to that. On collision claims involving modified vehicles this documentation is also what supports the carrier conversation.
Problems We Hear Most, and What We Do About Them
“My rack cracked its mounts after one season.”
We re engineer the mounting to spread load into framing with backing plates, designed to the dynamic case rather than the static weight.
“The insurance company will not cover my aftermarket build.”
Schedule modifications individually with receipts before a loss. After a loss we document what is there, but the coverage question is decided by whether it was scheduled.
“Nobody will repair collision damage on a lifted vehicle.”
We document the modifications, establish pre loss geometry and correct to that rather than to a factory spec the vehicle has not matched in years.
“My solar and battery system has intermittent faults nobody can find.”
Undersized cable, marginal fusing and grounds bolted to painted metal are the usual causes. We test at the device under load rather than replacing parts in sequence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you repair damage to custom bumpers and racks on my overland vehicle?
Yes, and we usually re engineer the mounting at the same time. Most overland structural failures are mounting failures rather than component failures, caused by load being introduced into sheet metal instead of into structure. Correct repair means spreading the attachment across framing members with backing plates and gusseting. That adds hours to the quote and it is the reason the repair does not come back.
How long does it take to repair extensive custom modifications on an overland vehicle?
Mounting repair and reinforcement on a single system runs one to two weeks. Collision repair on a heavily modified vehicle runs three to eight weeks, because the modifications have to be documented, removed, and reinstalled around the structural work. Fabrication of replacement components adds time, since patterning and forming take considerably longer than installing a part that exists.
Can you fix problems with aftermarket solar systems on my build?
Yes, and it is common work. Overland electrical systems are typically owner or shop built, and the recurring findings are undersized cable, marginal or missing fusing, and grounds bolted to painted metal that never made proper contact. All three produce intermittent faults that get misdiagnosed as component failures. We test at the device under load, correct the wiring properly, and reconfigure charging when moving to lithium.
Will my insurance cover damage to aftermarket modifications?
Only if they were scheduled, which most owners discover too late. Solar arrays, lithium banks, custom bumpers, racks and fabrication work are frequently excluded from base coverage or covered only to a low sublimit. Schedule each addition individually with receipts before a loss. After a loss we document what is there, but the coverage question turns on whether it was scheduled rather than on our documentation.
Get Your Vehicle Looked At Properly
Call the shop, describe what happened, and we will tell you what the realistic scope and timeline look like. All work is performed in shop at our 35,000 square foot facility.