Topic: Trail repair kit

[Lewis Hein]

Hey everyone,

I'm trying to put together a repair kit for carrying with me. My truck has stranded me in the past, and I just know it's going to break someday when I'm way out on the highway in the middle of Wyoming, or up in the mountains with no cell reception and a long, long, walk from help. Thus, I want a kit so that for any probable part failure, I can put in a new part and keep on going. From working on my truck, I think I have a pretty good idea of what should begin the kit, in order of importance:

 -- OEM brand fuel pump
 -- Alternator
 -- Tire repair kit
 -- Distributor
 -- Hoses and wire
 -- Fuses and Fusible links
 -- Ignition coil
 -- Starter motor and solenoid
 -- Wheel bearings


I am bothered by a feeling that I'm forgetting something and that is sure to be the part that breaks. I welcome all additions from those with more experience fixing these things. However, some background is in order: I don't go rock crawling or seriously 4-wheeling. I don't have a diff lock, dual t-case, heavy-duty clutch, etc. Thus, things like clutches, axle shafts, and birfields do not need to be part of the kit. These parts aside, what else commonly breaks without warning? Is there anything I can take off the list? I absolutely won't compromise on the quality of parts I buy, but the list as it stands is way beyond my budget.

[300k]

  some of that stuff is pretty expensive and will normally "fail with warning"...for example you can drive home on a bad alternator, but you really should bring an alternator/water pump belt cause that will bite you 10 times harder. Tools, fluids and lube, ratchet straps, tow strap, baler wire, stuff to get off the trail...then you can bring the more interesting stuff like bar of soap and plastic bags.

that might not be bad stuff to have on the shelf, but I really wouldn't want an alternator to fly up and hit me in the back of the head in a collision lol

Edit: you can go crazy with this and bring spare motor mounts and stuff...but if you already spent the money on the part, why let it go bad in the back of your truck, or worse yet, wait till you're stranded to replace the part in the wilderness? Replace said items now if you're really worried.

[OVRAROK]

ready welder or equivalent( for me its 2 batteries and a set of jumper cables, jumper leads and some stick), I carry output shaft for t case, 1 spare triple flange, u joints, enough grease to do 2 knuckles and a couple u joints,mostly every seal possible, tools to fix anything: ive been trying to use only my tool bag at the house for all repairs on truck, that way, your ready for all situations, BFH(pounding out sheet metal), a pair of shears, extra wiring, various gauge and lengths. all fluids( complete oil change including filter, 1 gallon of antifreeze, brake fluid, multi meter, various sensors, tps, timing chain set, feeler gauges for valve adjustment, oil spill kit. spare knuckle. water pump, and quite a bit I cant think of right now

[Snowtoy]

 -- OEM brand fuel pump Not really needed, oem tends to have a limp home mode, in the 30yrs of owning/restoring/wheeling Toys(aover 40 rigs between myself and friends), have yet to see one fail.  If concerned due to age, just replace the current one w/a new oem one.
 -- Alternator Normally triggers the "Charge" light, and can also be tested before leaving
 -- Tire repair kit
 -- Distributor Another rare if ever OEM failure
 -- Hoses and wire
 -- Fuses and Fusible links
 -- Ignition coil Not a bad idea, small in size, but another item rare to failure
 -- Starter motor and solenoid Another part that tends to let you know it is starting to go, trail side/parking lot fix is to forcefull tap it a few times with a hammer, only really need to carry extra set of contacts
 -- Wheel bearings Not needed, if they fail on the trail they were in bad condition and you should have been aware of it on the street

One of the best ways to avoid back country issues with most of the items you have listed, is to use oem parts over parts stores, or have the oem parts rebuilt, maintain your rig, and do a once over(pre-flight check) before heading out.

Would add,
Basic tool set and a set of long sockets
Hi-lift jack
used set of drive belts, spark plug wires, cap/rotor, a couple of plugs, fan clutch
Basic tool set and a set of long sockets
a spare hub, yet another rare oem failure
spare engine mound or chain
duct tape, plenty of uses, can even be used to  plug tire(roll up sticky side out)
heavy duty zip ties
electric tape and 12 gauge wire, cheap multi-meter, test light/circuit tester
1-2qts of gear oil, 2 gal. of anti-freeze and rad leak stop, a couple of quarts of oil
spare valve stems, tire spoons, ratchet strap(helps to reseat a bead)
steering linkage components,
Rear driveline.
starting fluid
If running a front locker, spare birfs or a cv
Main relays and fuses
spare bolts for any of the trail side repairs you may do, real easy to lose bolts in the dirt.

If going to be out alone, something that should avoided,
dual battery set-up
Backpacking gear that will allow you to hike your way out safely for the time of year you are out and the distance you would have to travel.
emergency beacon or gps/sat phone, as all the repair parts in the world are useless if you can't make the repairs due to injury.

[Lewis Hein [OP]]

One of the best ways to avoid back country issues with most of the items you have listed, is to use oem parts over parts stores, or have the oem parts rebuilt, maintain your rig, and do a once over(pre-flight check) before heading out.

I buy a lot of non-oem parts, but I usually try to get the good brands. Lewis' Law of Junk says that it will infallibly break when you most need it not to.

Would add,
Basic tool set and a set of long sockets Working on that -- I have most of the tools I need but lack a few miscellaneous ones. Good tools aren't cheap.
Hi-lift jack Check
used set of drive belts, spark plug wires, cap/rotor, a couple of plugs, fan clutch Good idea!
a spare hub, yet another rare oem failure Really? I can't imagine breaking an Asin hub with normal driving...
spare engine mound or chain Again,  why? Do engine mounts really just break? What kind of chain could substitute for an engine mount, anyway?
spare valve stems, tire spoons, ratchet strap(helps to reseat a bead) Why spare stems rather than inspect before departure? do they tear off easily in normal driving?
steering linkage components, Which, exactly?
Rear driveline. Why? Are these prone to breakage in normal use? I cannot think of any situation in which a rear driveline would just break.
starting fluid Especially for a carb.
If running a front locker, spare birfs or a cv Diff lockers are for people with plenty of money and sense. I have neither.

some of that stuff is pretty expensive and will normally "fail with warning"...for example you can drive home on a bad alternator, but you really should bring an alternator/water pump belt cause that will bite you 10 times harder. Tools, fluids and lube, ratchet straps, tow strap, baler wire, stuff to get off the trail...then you can bring the more interesting stuff like bar of soap and plastic bags.

Can you clarify what you mean? I've seen alternators fail, without any warning whatever, on vehicles that were 60 miles from pavement. The only "warning" was when the vehicle engine died from having run down the battery. And there is no way in the world I'm going to make it 200 miles on only a battery.  And I personally have been stranded by a bad igniter, which is another "rare" failure.

My view on rare failures is that there is a large probability of at least one rare part failure. And it really doesn't matter which one failed if I'm stranded, so I have to bring them all.

Edit: you can go crazy with this and bring spare motor mounts and stuff...but if you already spent the money on the part, why let it go bad in the back of your truck, or worse yet, wait till you're stranded to replace the part in the wilderness? Replace said items now if you're really worried.

Some parts might have 200,000 miles left in them. Then again, they may only have 2 miles left. Replacing them now is a silly waste of whatever life they may have left.


Thanks for the input. I would prefer to own a halfway reliable vehicle, but that's just not possible. The next best solution is to carry with me one of everything that might reasonably be expected to go wrong.

[300k]

Can you clarify what you mean? I've seen alternators fail, without any warning whatever, on vehicles that were 60 miles from pavement. The only "warning" was when the vehicle engine died from having run down the battery. And there is no way in the world I'm going to make it 200 miles on only a battery.  And I personally have been stranded by a bad igniter, which is another "rare" failure.

My view on rare failures is that there is a large probability of at least one rare part failure. And it really doesn't matter which one failed if I'm stranded, so I have to bring them all.
Some parts might have 200,000 miles left in them. Then again, they may only have 2 miles left. Replacing them now is a silly waste of whatever life they may have left.


Thanks for the input. I would prefer to own a halfway reliable vehicle, but that's just not possible. The next best solution is to carry with me one of everything that might reasonably be expected to go wrong.

before getting started, pardon the fact that I am all over the place but at the moment I am wayyyyyyyyyyy to lazy to go through and format it.

You're implying that your dummy voltage gauge in the cluster doesn't work...just by mine I've been able to tell when it was over charging, charging, and not charging. My alternator has "failed" a few times...once the wiring snapped off the pigtail that goes to the external voltage regulator from the alt, which set off the brake and charge light, and my voltage gauge was around the half way mark. the second time it actually died. I was on the trail when this happened. I had just gotten into a wash after driving a few miles on dirt, crossed a nasty V-notch and was driving to my hunting spot. I decided to go hunting anyways. got back, fired right up, and drove home the distance to my house which was at most 15 miles. Let's say I had a spare alt with me and tried to swap it in on the trail? I would have been walking out that 15 miles because when I did my alternator install at my house I totally botched it and split the lower hose.

I will tell you from experience, the more you wheel your truck the more stuff will break. this is where you build that "unreliable junker" into a fairly reliable rig. I was saying the same thing about 4 years ago...carb failed (had a shop do it), motor mount failed (had a shop do it), blew old fuses, starter, alternator, ratty wiring...all stuff that I thought would plague my truck forever eventually all got sorted out until I toasted my motor. There will be virtually no weak links after this besides the starter which was an autozone equivalent. Now, onto the next subject

Stuff that fails with warning...alternator has a voltage gauge and dummy lights, starter will misbehave before it fails...clicking, grinding noises, etc... I'll say the fuel pump is a good idea but in the same breath I'd say just install the damn thing then you don't have to worry later. There is no reason to have a perfect alternator bouncing around in a bag, getting dusty, etc. Replace your alternator if you're worried and have your old one refurb'd by a shop and make THAT your spare.

Onto your motor mount question...YES MOTOR MOUNTS BREAK Ask my dad who tried to Baja over a speed bump and totally broke the motor mount...luckily the previous owner had a ghetto "motor mount safety" which was just a piece of chain with an adjustable rod. You can easily rip a rubber valve stem off on an innocent looking rock. I'd suggest having a spare tire but if you wanna break down the tire and install a valve stem, go ahead. The situation where the rear driveline breaks is when you lay it down on a rock and it's bent. then you're restricted to either 15 mph or pull the shaft and front wheel drive. and get an auto locker...100 bucks for a spool or 200 for an aussie, take your pick.

[Lewis Hein [OP]]

before getting started, pardon the fact that I am all over the place but at the moment I am wayyyyyyyyyyy to lazy to go through and format it.

That's fine -- I appreciate you taking the time to educate me!

I see you are one of those lucky people who *has* a voltage gauge. I have a dummy light shaped like a battery, nothing more. If it comes on halfway across the state of Wyoming from home, there's nothing much I can do about it, other than take a long, long hike. I don't drive this far often, but I do commute 15 miles in the middle of winter. Walking this distance home loaded down with stuff at -30 would be NO FUN.

I am firmly convinced that my truck will be unreliable forever. There's just been too much wrong with it for me to ever imagine that it will be a dependable vehicle. I thought I had most of the cobwebs out, but then I got stranded twice, on successive trips to town. Once because I didn't want to drive home with a missing exhaust manifold stud and once because the igniter died in the middle of a busy street. Between these short trips, I squeezed in a long one, 500 miles round trip. I'm just waiting for the breakdown to happen during a long trip instead of before or after. Alternators, ignition coils/igniters, fuel pumps, fuel hoses, distributors, steering gear, brakes... The list of possible failures just goes on and on. Any one of these parts, failing at the wrong time, could be a disaster.

[joeyf]

Gear oil and engine oil for when I role on my lid. Over the years I have found doing regular maintenance and looking over the rig before going out clears up breaking down on the trail. When I do break it's beyond repair on the trail.

[300k]

That's fine -- I appreciate you taking the time to educate me!

I see you are one of those lucky people who *has* a voltage gauge. I have a dummy light shaped like a battery, nothing more. If it comes on halfway across the state of Wyoming from home, there's nothing much I can do about it, other than take a long, long hike. I don't drive this far often, but I do commute 15 miles in the middle of winter. Walking this distance home loaded down with stuff at -30 would be NO FUN.

I am firmly convinced that my truck will be unreliable forever. There's just been too much wrong with it for me to ever imagine that it will be a dependable vehicle. I thought I had most of the cobwebs out, but then I got stranded twice, on successive trips to town. Once because I didn't want to drive home with a missing exhaust manifold stud and once because the igniter died in the middle of a busy street. Between these short trips, I squeezed in a long one, 500 miles round trip. I'm just waiting for the breakdown to happen during a long trip instead of before or after. Alternators, ignition coils/igniters, fuel pumps, fuel hoses, distributors, steering gear, brakes... The list of possible failures just goes on and on. Any one of these parts, failing at the wrong time, could be a disaster.

Wheel it, get stuck in the wilderness...drag it home, repair it. it's the only way to get a better truck. one thing I might recommend is to have a carb rebuild kit somewhere in your truck...you can really be dead in the water when one of those diaphragms develops a tear. I sent you a PM on an SR5 cluster, the conversion is super easy and it looks better. I am in a different boat than you by far...my truck has never been more than 60 miles from my house, which is within AAA towing range to my house.

[cporche]

I always bring a wire, 25 feet of four colors, takes almost no room. With that also butane solder iron, solder and butane. I think this might just be me as the truck i purchased had a plethora of electrical issues all of them sorted out but i dont know what is possibly about to go from a shotty repair before i owned it.