Solo Back Country Wheeling - What are the "Must Have" Tools for Self Repairs

bobmono said:
I've been thinking about getting one of these locators. It seems like it would be great for outdoor activities, especially if you go solo and run into an issue. The Garmin inReach has some cool features, you can send and receive messages, so if you are running late or lost you can let people know. It also has the ability to send an SOS signal if case you are injured and need professional help. Only downside is you need to pay for a monthly subscription, but the lowest one is around $12 bucks a month, which isn't bad if it winds up saving your butt one day.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/592606#overview
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Bobmono, in my case, at 7,000' and above, I would only be wheeling in May through October. It would be nice if I only had to pay for those months. Do you know if you can pay the $12/month just for the months you need it?
 
These are handy to have.
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My list would be a spare set of sensors.
Spare fuses with some basic wiring repair parts and various bits of different size wire.
Rubber fuel injection hose with high pressure clamps and a few short pieces of 3/8" and 5/16" steel tube for repairs.
Tire valve stems, valve cores, valve stem caps with seals in the cap, metal versions. Valve stem puller.
Tools to break down a tire.
Spare serpentine belt.
Engine oil, filter, power steering fluid, brake fluid and a couple of gallons of water in very tough containers. The container can be cut to make a drain pan if needed.
Spare ignition key taped inside vehicle.
Make sure the jack works and you know how to use it. (not implying you don't)
Small bag of various nuts and bolts that will work in control arms and trackbars and on the tie rod ends.
The putty stick type epoxy that you cut off a chunk and mix together to make a patch. 5 minute type with one for plastic and one for metal.
Drywall mesh tape. It can be used to repair a radiator if you use some 5 minute JB weld.
Small sheets of coarse and medium sand paper for scuffing metal and plastic to make repairs stick.
Good coarse and fine files in large and small.
A few lugnuts that fit. You do have an extra on each wheel if you need them. Pull one off of each wheel to hold on the 4th.
Cleaner, brake type or similar to remove grease and oil to make a repair.
Razor knife with spare blades. A Multitool with a knife is fine but most don't keep them sharp and there are times you need a razor sharp blade.
Zip ties but check them from time to time because they are nylon and dry out which makes them crack under load.
Small ratchet straps with good ratchets, multiple use to move stuff around if needed. Straps can be robbed for other things. Tourniquet, splints, emergency trackbar, tie steering gear back to frame.
Mopar RTV for gear oil. Works to patch oil pans with some duct tape over the RTV to hold it in place while it cures.
Duct and electrical tape. Silicone fusion tape.

Develop a maintenance list of things you check on the rig before you head out. Not overkill but just keep an eye on things so you are very aware of how the rig is doing. Have fun, be careful and I hope you never need a single item on the list.
 
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mrblaine said:
My list would be a spare set of sensors.
Spare fuses with some basic wiring repair parts and various bits of different size wire.
Rubber fuel injection hose with high pressure clamps and a few short pieces of 3/8" and 5/16" steel tube for repairs.
Tire valve stems, valve cores, valve stem caps with seals in the cap, metal versions. Valve stem puller.
Tools to break down a tire.
Spare serpentine belt.
Engine oil, filter, power steering fluid, brake fluid and a couple of gallons of water in very tough containers. The container can be cut to make a drain pan if needed.
Spare ignition key taped inside vehicle.
Make sure the jack works and you know how to use it. (not implying you don't)
Small bag of various nuts and bolts that will work in control arms and trackbars and on the tie rod ends.
The putty stick type epoxy that you cut off a chunk and mix together to make a patch. 5 minute type with one for plastic and one for metal.
Drywall mesh tape. It can be used to repair a radiator if you use some 5 minute JB weld.
Small sheets of coarse and medium sand paper for scuffing metal and plastic to make repairs stick.
Good coarse and fine files in large and small.
A few lugnuts that fit. You do have an extra on each wheel if you need them. Pull one off of each wheel to hold on the 4th.
Cleaner, brake type or similar to remove grease and oil to make a repair.
Razor knife with spare blades. A Multitool with a knife is fine but most don't keep them sharp and there are times you need a razor sharp blade.
Zip ties but check them from time to time because they are nylon and dry out which makes them crack under load.
Small ratchet straps with good ratchets, multiple use to move stuff around if needed. Straps can be robbed for other things. Tourniquet, splints, emergency trackbar, tie steering gear back to frame.
Mopar RTV for gear oil. Works to patch oil pans with some duct tape over the RTV to hold it in place while it cures.
Duct and electrical tape. Silicone fusion tape.

Develop a maintenance list of things you check on the rig before you head out. Not overkill but just keep and eye on things so you are very aware of how the rig is doing. Have fun, be careful and I hope you never need a single item on the list.
Click to expand...

I like the idea of the preflight checklist. That's great advice. And thanks for the list!
 
extra serpentine belt, rad cap, lower rad hose, extra hose clamps, u-joints w/extra straps or u-bolts. I have all of these located under the hood. I use the hose for storing most of these items in and hose clamp it to the grille support.
 
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DrDmoney said:
extra serpentine belt, rad cap, lower rad hose, extra hose clamps, u-joints w/extra straps or u-bolts. I have all of these located under the hood. I use the hose for storing most of these items in and hose clamp it to the grille support.
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I would strongly encourage you to remove the rubber items out from under the hood. The underhood heat will not do them any favors at all.
 
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mrblaine said:
My list would be a spare set of sensors.
Spare fuses with some basic wiring repair parts and various bits of different size wire.
Rubber fuel injection hose with high pressure clamps and a few short pieces of 3/8" and 5/16" steel tube for repairs.
Tire valve stems, valve cores, valve stem caps with seals in the cap, metal versions. Valve stem puller.
Tools to break down a tire.
Spare serpentine belt.
Engine oil, filter, power steering fluid, brake fluid and a couple of gallons of water in very tough containers. The container can be cut to make a drain pan if needed.
Spare ignition key taped inside vehicle.
Make sure the jack works and you know how to use it. (not implying you don't)
Small bag of various nuts and bolts that will work in control arms and trackbars and on the tie rod ends.
The putty stick type epoxy that you cut off a chunk and mix together to make a patch. 5 minute type with one for plastic and one for metal.
Drywall mesh tape. It can be used to repair a radiator if you use some 5 minute JB weld.
Small sheets of coarse and medium sand paper for scuffing metal and plastic to make repairs stick.
Good coarse and fine files in large and small.
A few lugnuts that fit. You do have an extra on each wheel if you need them. Pull one off of each wheel to hold on the 4th.
Cleaner, brake type or similar to remove grease and oil to make a repair.
Razor knife with spare blades. A Multitool with a knife is fine but most don't keep them sharp and there are times you need a razor sharp blade.
Zip ties but check them from time to time because they are nylon and dry out which makes them crack under load.
Small ratchet straps with good ratchets, multiple use to move stuff around if needed. Straps can be robbed for other things. Tourniquet, splints, emergency trackbar, tie steering gear back to frame.
Mopar RTV for gear oil. Works to patch oil pans with some duct tape over the RTV to hold it in place while it cures.
Duct and electrical tape. Silicone fusion tape.

Develop a maintenance list of things you check on the rig before you head out. Not overkill but just keep an eye on things so you are very aware of how the rig is doing. Have fun, be careful and I hope you never need a single item on the list.
Click to expand...
Anyone with dried out zip-ties can refresh them by soaking them in water. I used to be a bicycle mechanic at a shop, and all the new bicycles would come with a handful of zip ties thrown into the box. Half the time they were brittle from drying out sitting in shipping containers, and warehouses. Most guys would have a coffee cup of water to toss them in to refresh for later use.
 
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mrblaine said:
I would strongly encourage you to remove the rubber items out from under the hood. The underhood heat will not do them any favors at all.
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The belt I would agree and if my hoses weren't all silicone, I would move them too.
 
All the suggestions here are well thought out, and pertinent to the mission...however, I would urge caution in packing this gear around. It needs to not only be contained, but secured to your rig as well! Whether clamped, bolted down, strapped down or some other way of securing the gear so it doesn't become a flying projectile on the road, or on the trail in the event of sudden stops, extreme camber, or roll-over scenarios.

Just be sure the emergency gear doesn't create an emergency!
 
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Halfstock said:
All the suggestions here are well thought out, and pertinent to the mission...however, I would urge caution in packing this gear around. It needs to not only be contained, but secured to your rig as well! Whether clamped, bolted down, strapped down or some other way of securing the gear so it doesn't become a flying projectile on the road, or on the trail in the event of sudden stops, extreme camber, or roll-over scenarios.

Just be sure the emergency gear doesn't create an emergency!
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My gear is secured, if I ever roll over, (knock on wood) the only that's falling out are Milk Duds and Lemonade. 🙃
 
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Halfstock said:
All the suggestions here are well thought out, and pertinent to the mission...however, I would urge caution in packing this gear around. It needs to not only be contained, but secured to your rig as well! Whether clamped, bolted down, strapped down or some other way of securing the gear so it doesn't become a flying projectile on the road, or on the trail in the event of sudden stops, extreme camber, or roll-over scenarios.

Just be sure the emergency gear doesn't create an emergency!
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God I wish more people followed this advice! Way too many of my wheeling buddies have their vehicles just loaded full of random crap, tool boxes open and tipped over, clothes everywhere, steel toed boots, you name it. And then no seat belt on top of that. One of the most dangerous projectiles in a vehicle collision is the 180lb body flying around the cabin.
 
WLDRYDE said:
Boinked, yes, I completely agree. I live in a small mountain town (5,000 people) in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Our county has more 14,000' peaks than any other county in Colorado. I've done a lot of solo hiking and backpacking which is very much a part of our culture. (We all purchase helicopter rescue insurance.) Besides letting someone know my route, and when to expect me home, I will carry a SPOT or some other satellite based communication/locator device when wheeling solo in the backcountry. Thanks for your link, I'll look into that one as well. But I think I'm looking for a device that will regularly ping my location to a preselected email address as well.
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look into a ham radio with APRS to allow others to know your location. Plus you will always have communication
 
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mrblaine said:
My list would be a spare set of sensors.
Spare fuses with some basic wiring repair parts and various bits of different size wire.
Rubber fuel injection hose with high pressure clamps and a few short pieces of 3/8" and 5/16" steel tube for repairs.
Tire valve stems, valve cores, valve stem caps with seals in the cap, metal versions. Valve stem puller.
Tools to break down a tire.
Spare serpentine belt.
Engine oil, filter, power steering fluid, brake fluid and a couple of gallons of water in very tough containers. The container can be cut to make a drain pan if needed.
Spare ignition key taped inside vehicle.
Make sure the jack works and you know how to use it. (not implying you don't)
Small bag of various nuts and bolts that will work in control arms and trackbars and on the tie rod ends.
The putty stick type epoxy that you cut off a chunk and mix together to make a patch. 5 minute type with one for plastic and one for metal.
Drywall mesh tape. It can be used to repair a radiator if you use some 5 minute JB weld.
Small sheets of coarse and medium sand paper for scuffing metal and plastic to make repairs stick.
Good coarse and fine files in large and small.
A few lugnuts that fit. You do have an extra on each wheel if you need them. Pull one off of each wheel to hold on the 4th.
Cleaner, brake type or similar to remove grease and oil to make a repair.
Razor knife with spare blades. A Multitool with a knife is fine but most don't keep them sharp and there are times you need a razor sharp blade.
Zip ties but check them from time to time because they are nylon and dry out which makes them crack under load.
Small ratchet straps with good ratchets, multiple use to move stuff around if needed. Straps can be robbed for other things. Tourniquet, splints, emergency trackbar, tie steering gear back to frame.
Mopar RTV for gear oil. Works to patch oil pans with some duct tape over the RTV to hold it in place while it cures.
Duct and electrical tape. Silicone fusion tape.

Develop a maintenance list of things you check on the rig before you head out. Not overkill but just keep an eye on things so you are very aware of how the rig is doing. Have fun, be careful and I hope you never need a single item on the list.
Click to expand...
which sensors, cam and crank, and what else ? Thanks Mr B!
 
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