Off-road vehicle including metal deflector plates

An off-road vehicle comprising:

• a plurality of tubes connected together to form a frame assembly that extends along a transverse direction of the vehicle and a longitudinal direction of the vehicle;
• a passenger compartment defined by the frame assembly;
• a first body panel that includes a first inner surface that forms at least a portion of a first wheel well;
• a second body panel that includes a second inner surface that forms at least a portion of a second wheel well, the second wheel well is spaced away from the first wheel well in a transverse direction of the off-road vehicle;
• a first metal deflector panel mounted onto the frame assembly at a location that is adjacent the first wheel well, at least a portion of the first metal deflector panel is spaced away from the first body panel in the longitudinal direction, the first metal deflector panel is configured to direct an object away from the passenger compartment if the object enters the first wheel well and strikes the first metal deflector panel;
• and
• a second metal deflector panel mounted onto the frame assembly at a location that is adjacent the second wheel well, at least a portion of the second metal deflector panel is spaced away from the second body panel in the longitudinal direction, the second metal deflector panel is configured to direct an object away from the passenger compartment if the object enters the second wheel well and strikes the second metal deflector panel.

An off-road vehicle comprising:

• a frame assembly that extends along a transverse direction of the vehicle and a longitudinal direction of the vehicle;
• a bumper assembly mounted onto and extending away from the frame assembly;
• a passenger compartment located within the frame assembly;
• a first body panel that includes a first inner surface that forms at least a portion of a first wheel well;
• a second body panel that includes a second inner surface that forms at least a portion of a second wheel well, the second wheel well is spaced away from the first wheel well in a transverse direction of the off-road vehicle;
• a first suspension link pivotally mounted on the frame assembly;
• a cushion connected to and extending from the frame assembly and the first suspension link;
• a wheel pivotally connected to the first suspension link;
• a first metal deflector panel mounted onto the frame assembly at a location that is between the first wheel and the first body panel in the longitudinal direction, the first metal deflector panel is configured to direct an object away from the passenger compartment if the object enters the first wheel well and strikes the first metal deflector panel;
• and
• a second metal deflector panel mounted onto the frame assembly at a location that is between the second wheel and the second body panel in the longitudinal direction, the second metal deflector panel is configured to direct an object away from the passenger compartment if the object enters the second wheel well and strikes the second metal deflector panel.