Spares Parts for Offroading

[vxcp]

Hey, I'm doing an overland trip to Big Bend in a week and a half with Central Overland. I'll be out there for about a week.

Here is the essential gear list:

Front and rear vehicle recovery points, high strength
Spare key, hidden outside of vehicle
Portable light source w/ batteries
Emergency contact, family or friend
Fire extinguisher
Basic first aid kit
Cash
Jack
Tarp
Shovel
Jumper cables
Drivetrain fluids
Recovery strap
CB or 2/70 HAM radio
Tool kit, appropriate to vehicle
Spare parts, appropriate to vehicle
LT-rated tires, or higher
Full-sized spare tire

I'm working on getting squared away for the trip. Any recommendations on fluids, tool kit, and spare parts for the VX? Favorite recovery strap?

[wekilled]

If you are able:

A hitch mount with a multi-ball hitch. (The hitch might be hard to find) I picked up my multi-ball hitch from Harbor Freight and Tools for about $40. It has 3 sizes of balls and a hook.

-a few shackles.

-air compressor and/or fix-a-flat.

[VX KAT]

Might find some ideas/ suggestions by reading over these Moab/Emergency Preparedness lists several of us compiled together a few months back:
http://vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=20351&highlight=EMERGENCY

[Riff Raff]

Yup; here's a suggestion-- throw your OEM tire jack in the trash, and get a 4-ton rated "Titan Inflatable Exhaust Jack"!!!

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=16814

:thumbup:

[circmand]

is this right here

[VXorado]

I like to have a spare tie rod & an alternator (for trips with mud/water) as those parts are susceptible to fail & will definitely leave you stuck if they do.


Yup; here's a suggestion-- throw your OEM tire jack in the trash

I second that one!

[Triathlete]

If you haven't already, I would suggest picking up at a minimum the trooper skid plates for a little under belly protection.
Basic recovery gear...tow straps, shackles
A pair of gloves
small shovel
a good general mechanics tool set (wrenches, sockets, screw drivers, various pliers, allen wrenches
water, oil, diff fluid, tranny fluid
as above...if mud or water crossings...an alternator
manual hubs are a good idea
propper tires...a good all terrain or mud terrain

the list could go on and on
a lot will depend on the terrain type and driving style

[Hiredgoon]

Some coveralls, machete/parang/hatchet if you're driving through woods, couple small chunks of carpet if you don't fancy using your floor mats as traction aid. Basically anything you'd pack in a bug out bag, but that won't get you thrown in prison if you get pulled over.

[vxcp]

Great, thanks for the suggestions! Only have a few days so gathering things quickly!

[vxcp]

Okay, should I be using a bridle on the front shackles to distribute load as described in another post? Should this bridle be a snatch strap? Also, I bought a 3"x30' 30,000lbs rated strap. Is this good or would you all recommend something else?

[samneil2000]

[QUOTE=vxcp;246395] Also, I bought a 3"x30' 30,000lbs rated strap. QUOTE]

IMO that should work.

[VX KAT]

Here's a thread I started when I needed to know about tow straps etc...lots of input in it.
http://vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=17190&highlight=tow+strap+101


Big Bend...love it, been there many many times when we lived in Texas. Great part about this National Park is....is the largest NP, yet it's the least visited.

One piece of advice....don't drive in the Rio Grande river.......don't ask me how I know....:goof:
.
.
.
.
.
<hey dave let's drive in the river, look how shallow it is.....oops....my bad> :goof:

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/Big_Bend_Dec_2003_133.jpg

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/Big_Bend_Dec_2003_129.jpg

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/Big_Bend_Dec_2003_1311.jpg

[vxcp]

I saw that post -- I am still unclear if the front bridle is a necessity or merely a good idea since the front points sound weaker than the rear point.

Looks like a blast. I'm looking forward to it. I'll be sure to stay out of the Rio Grande. :P

[VX KAT]

I saw several of our UK VXers had a bridle, whereas don't see any over here. They seem to play in the mud a lot more over there, maybe it was related to that, I don't know. May just be a regional thing?

"Crotchrocket" has since sold his, but he has lots of pics in his gallery.
he said they liked it because it does distribute the load as you mentioned.

I got a 2 meter tow strap (no stretch) from the UK, 7 ton rating. My front shackles were Crosby shackles (3/4", 4.25 ton rating). Since only the JDM version have that front light bar, (which crotch used to hold up the bridle), I held mine up by putting a velcro strap around it & attached to my bull bar (which I have since sold).

Billy (Triathlete) gave me good advice to make sure the bridle didn't get abraded from obstacles as it would weaken it. So I actually tightened it up a bit and rotated it toward the back of the bar, since I took these pics.

IIRC... I think it's the opposite...the rear point is officially called a "tie down" point (used when they were shipped) and not endorsed to be a recovery point, but the front two are. I remember somebody posted a pic of the back one all bent up from a pretty severe pull.

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC_2706.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC_2715.JPG


http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j31/crotchrocket3000/vehicross/100_5014.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j31/crotchrocket3000/hogmore%202/100_5260.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j31/crotchrocket3000/vehicross/100_5068.jpg