Of course you have backed up your 'semi important data' to another hard drive, or a tape so you don't have to worry about losing it.
Right?
Expedition Tips & Tricks
- Thread starter Azrocks
- Start date
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Of course you have backed up your 'semi important data' to another hard drive, or a tape so you don't have to worry about losing it.
Right?
- Thread starter
- #22
Actually I'm pretty good about backing up all my data to a 300 GB external hard drive. I'd rather not have it in other people hands though.
Not me. Coming back to a truck with no gear, much less no truck at all, could mean life or death, if I'm out in the middle of nowhere or out thousands of dollars. I'm not about to make it easy for the little punks.
cruiser_guy
Out of Africa / North Africa
It SHOULD go without saying but I've seen folks here in Guatemala who've driven down from the states and they get here and say "Gee, my tranny has been making noise since Texas, maybe I should have a look at it!" and I'm thinking "DUH! Perhaps you shouldn't have left Texas without finding out what the noise is!" When they tore it apart there was almost nothing, and I mean NOTHING, left of the bearings!
They had to find a new tranny here in a country where they don't speak the language and where a "good" tranny for a Guatemalan is not necessarily a good tranny by our standards!
Ive started taking a bottle of ethylene based handwash ,the same as what medical staff use entering and exiting wards.
When your living out of the vehicle in camping spots its easy to let the hygiene standards slip ,especially with kids.
It kills the germs more effectively than soap and water and you dont need water and towels
When your living out of the vehicle in camping spots its easy to let the hygiene standards slip ,especially with kids.
It kills the germs more effectively than soap and water and you dont need water and towels
- Thread starter
- #26
alia176
SILVER Star
I have a couple of little things that helps.
Access to the fuel pump *through* the cargo drawer system. Since one has to remove the cargo drawer and carpeting to access the rear fuel pump access, it's a good idea to cut a hole through the top and bottom floor of your cargo drawer system. Oh yeah, be sure to cut a hole in the carpet and foam backing material too! When/if you have to access the fuel pump, all you (or your dealer/mechanic/etc) have to do is open up your cargo drawer and access the fuel pump cover. This should save a lot of hassle and cussing. Sorry, no pics but hopefully you get the idea.
Another thing is a secret compartment inside the cargo drawer system but only accessible from behind the 2nd row seating. Cut a hole in your carcass but DON'T cut a hole in the carpet. Leave it as a flap so only you know about the compartment. Obviously, if your drawer totally bottoms out in the carcass when closed then this is moot! Sorry, no pics!
For long hauls, the navigator/co-driver/wife/girfriend appreciates a map light for various needs. Oshram model, 12" long, aperture for adjusting light level, 12vdc, incandescent bulb.
Another one is a real strong cargo barrier net. Mine is from www.wraingler.com (for a 4runner)
Access to the fuel pump *through* the cargo drawer system. Since one has to remove the cargo drawer and carpeting to access the rear fuel pump access, it's a good idea to cut a hole through the top and bottom floor of your cargo drawer system. Oh yeah, be sure to cut a hole in the carpet and foam backing material too! When/if you have to access the fuel pump, all you (or your dealer/mechanic/etc) have to do is open up your cargo drawer and access the fuel pump cover. This should save a lot of hassle and cussing. Sorry, no pics but hopefully you get the idea.
Another thing is a secret compartment inside the cargo drawer system but only accessible from behind the 2nd row seating. Cut a hole in your carcass but DON'T cut a hole in the carpet. Leave it as a flap so only you know about the compartment. Obviously, if your drawer totally bottoms out in the carcass when closed then this is moot! Sorry, no pics!
For long hauls, the navigator/co-driver/wife/girfriend appreciates a map light for various needs. Oshram model, 12" long, aperture for adjusting light level, 12vdc, incandescent bulb.
Another one is a real strong cargo barrier net. Mine is from www.wraingler.com (for a 4runner)
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Another near freebie is to have your hard parts that don't see much use at all, like a spare hub or axle, is to have them shrinked wrapped in the clear heavy duty plastic and then strap them up under the truck out of the way. if you coat them with a light coat of grease before you wrap them they will be (in theory) clean and ready to use when you need them.
Great ideas here so far, I hope it continues!
Rezarf <><
Great ideas here so far, I hope it continues!
Rezarf <><
sandcruiser
....back in the saddle again....
Just exercise some caution with where you put heavy greased-up metal parts that are wrapped in slippery plastic. I've heard horror stories of spare axles turning into a javelin when someone came to a sudden halt (truck goes 60 to 10, axle continues at about 50....) so mount stuff like that with the long axis side-to-side, so it can't launch out
alia176
SILVER Star
Another idea is to use PVC pipe for housing long parts (driveshafts, axles, etc) under the vehicle. This way things remain water tight.
Don't forget the "hide a key". Ever looked for a coat hanger in the middle of Baja???
I use Rubbermaid Action Packers for my gear. Prepacked and in the storage shed, grab 'em and toss them on the rack. Fit perfectly two abreast with the Tradesman rack. Strap them down and security (admittedly minimal!) is cable locks.
Large oiled canvas tarp. Can be used to wrap the gear on the rack when it rains. Heavy enough that if you need to get under the truck on a rocky surface it can be folded up as a pad. Also works great as a sun screen stretched between the racks on two rigs.
Satellite phone. Been pretty lucky in the past, but am going to pick one up for an upcoming trip. Seems like cheap insurance should there be an emergency.
Travel in pairs. Always try to go out with another rig. All the obvious reasons.
I use Rubbermaid Action Packers for my gear. Prepacked and in the storage shed, grab 'em and toss them on the rack. Fit perfectly two abreast with the Tradesman rack. Strap them down and security (admittedly minimal!) is cable locks.
Large oiled canvas tarp. Can be used to wrap the gear on the rack when it rains. Heavy enough that if you need to get under the truck on a rocky surface it can be folded up as a pad. Also works great as a sun screen stretched between the racks on two rigs.
Satellite phone. Been pretty lucky in the past, but am going to pick one up for an upcoming trip. Seems like cheap insurance should there be an emergency.
Travel in pairs. Always try to go out with another rig. All the obvious reasons.
sandcruiser
....back in the saddle again....
x2 on a decent tarp. We usually just carry a plastic one, but the oiled canvas idea would be even better (more durable).
Floormats from inside the car are also good for keeping your back from getting ruined on hot rocky soil.
Floormats from inside the car are also good for keeping your back from getting ruined on hot rocky soil.
Wow good ideas!
Here are ones I have planned...
*Get a custom rear bumper, seal it off, put a drain on the bottom and a nipple on the "toward the front of the car side" use it to hold compressed air (airtank).
*Convert AC pump to air pump, run hosing to rear bumper under truck.
*Add alternator and make it a "weldernator" (google it) and install covered clip for leads on drivers side fender for quick attach/detach.
*Put 45 degree lights off of the roof rack for more surrounding light coverage.
*Get a custom rear bumper, seal it off, put a drain on the bottom and a nipple on the "toward the front of the car side" use it to hold compressed air (airtank).
*Convert AC pump to air pump, run hosing to rear bumper under truck.
*Add alternator and make it a "weldernator" (google it) and install covered clip for leads on drivers side fender for quick attach/detach.
*Put 45 degree lights off of the roof rack for more surrounding light coverage.
I don't suggest taking highly modified vehicles to far away places. By that I mean engine swapped, driveline swapped vehicles with lots of custom fab. At least in central and south america, its better to stick with OEM.
Spares, Spares, Spares. And, periodically inspect/tighten EVERYTHING, including fluids. I recently drove about 10,000KM down south in my 79 fj45 troopy. We broke down once and made several repairs along the way, and had parts rattling lose at random times:
-clutch slave (or rebuild kit). Ours blew out while going from Mazatlan to Michoacan state, Mexico.
-clutch master (or rebuild kit)
-inspect/replace all coolant system related parts (i.e. water pump, hoses, clamps, thermostat, gaskets, etc). We replaced all this before we left and carried spares.
-extra fuel hose. After smelling fuel, we found a crack in the line in the highlands of Oaxaca state, Mexico.
-extra filters(air, fuel, oil).
Be polite, respectful. Like Sandcruiser and other said, stash everything but have a few dollars readily available just in case...
Spares, Spares, Spares. And, periodically inspect/tighten EVERYTHING, including fluids. I recently drove about 10,000KM down south in my 79 fj45 troopy. We broke down once and made several repairs along the way, and had parts rattling lose at random times:
-clutch slave (or rebuild kit). Ours blew out while going from Mazatlan to Michoacan state, Mexico.
-clutch master (or rebuild kit)
-inspect/replace all coolant system related parts (i.e. water pump, hoses, clamps, thermostat, gaskets, etc). We replaced all this before we left and carried spares.
-extra fuel hose. After smelling fuel, we found a crack in the line in the highlands of Oaxaca state, Mexico.
-extra filters(air, fuel, oil).
Be polite, respectful. Like Sandcruiser and other said, stash everything but have a few dollars readily available just in case...
cruiser_guy
Out of Africa / North Africa
That's what I've been saying too, though I have the FJ55 down here which has a 3B diesel engine with a turbo swapped in so I guess I'm not really following my own advice (EVERY part of the swap is non-modified OEM Toyota though)! I did the swap myself so I'm fairly familiar with it as well as the fact that I'm mechanically inclined anyways.
sandcruiser
....back in the saddle again....
something that was brought to my attention recently: cameras/recorders/laptops...
Its tricky to have a place for them that is very easy to get at (you won't use them much if you have to unpack them) but also offers security and impact/dust protection.
Enter the Tuffy console again. I notched the side of it so that I can run a wire into/out of the console. For our gps, I have an external antenna so that the gps unit can sit inside the locked console but maintain a reading. The notch also serves to keep the gps attached to a 12v power source inside the console. This way when the gps is outside being used, it is still powered on 12v. Batteries are great and all.... but for something you use all day every day, 12v is preferable.
With better gear, I found that a good solution was to keep most of my lenses/equipt in a Pelican case located behind the driver's seat. It was awkward to reach for a quick stop, but easy to access from the back door. The pelican case was always (always!) locked with a small padlock and cable that went through the driver's seat support bracket.
My thinking on security is that whenever you can, better to have the default position be "locked" that way you aren't as liable to forget to lock something up when you take a break. I live in a tourist town in Central America.... the number of people I've heard say "I only left it for a half hour (few minutes, a minute...)". One group I know left their luggage in the car in front of the hotel while they walked in to get a quote for the night. Came back less than 5 minutes later... no luggage left at all. Another group left a bag under the front seat of an otherwise empty rental car while they went to the beach. The bag only held a digital camera, but that camera had all of their memories from the week long trip. They were gone about half an hour and the car was parked somewhere "safe". The passports and iPods that were in the flimsy plastic glovebox (with a lock) were still there when they returned.
Suffice it to say, I feel it is important to keep things under lock and key. Not necessarily an impregnable fortress, but just a lock and key.
So- back to cameras:
In addition to the locked-down Pelican, I also carry around a Nikon dSLR with a single lens in a simple soft-side case. The case sits in the center console, which is unlocked while I'm driving. That way, I can grab the camera quickly and/or grab the whole case to go eat lunch, but I can also just lock the console when I get out and have everything handy yet safe. The soft case protects the camera from bouncing around (as does the fairly full center console)
For driving around day-in/day-out, I'm now carrying an Olympus 770sw point n shoot. The thing is a tank. Waterproof to 33ft. Drop-proof to 5 feet. Dust proof, period. Doesn't take great pictures, but the battery lasts a solid week with occasional use, and I can slip it into my pocket easily.
Point being: when you are planning your storage mods, keep in mind that there are two types of storage. The first is "crap you are going to want to use every day WHILE you are driving"
The second is "crap you are going to want with you when you stop driving" and can be broken down into an infinity of degrees, but generally isn't stuff you need while the car is in motion.
If you plan well on storage, the rest of your expedition will be much more pleasant.
Incidentally: anywhere you can, try to use keyed-alike locks or resetteable combo locks with the same combo. You don't want to carry around 20 keys. Trust me. Tuffy sells additional locks that are keyed to match your center console, so you can incorporate those into some storage solutions. Master makes high-quality brass padlocks that have a 4-dial combo that you can set to whatever you want. Do keep in mind that there are times you'll have to leave your keys with someone (mechanic, car wash, valet, etc) so I would say that its a good idea to have your door/ignition key be different than your storage key(s).
Last thought on digital stuff: back it up. back it up. back it up.
Its tricky to have a place for them that is very easy to get at (you won't use them much if you have to unpack them) but also offers security and impact/dust protection.
Enter the Tuffy console again. I notched the side of it so that I can run a wire into/out of the console. For our gps, I have an external antenna so that the gps unit can sit inside the locked console but maintain a reading. The notch also serves to keep the gps attached to a 12v power source inside the console. This way when the gps is outside being used, it is still powered on 12v. Batteries are great and all.... but for something you use all day every day, 12v is preferable.
With better gear, I found that a good solution was to keep most of my lenses/equipt in a Pelican case located behind the driver's seat. It was awkward to reach for a quick stop, but easy to access from the back door. The pelican case was always (always!) locked with a small padlock and cable that went through the driver's seat support bracket.
My thinking on security is that whenever you can, better to have the default position be "locked" that way you aren't as liable to forget to lock something up when you take a break. I live in a tourist town in Central America.... the number of people I've heard say "I only left it for a half hour (few minutes, a minute...)". One group I know left their luggage in the car in front of the hotel while they walked in to get a quote for the night. Came back less than 5 minutes later... no luggage left at all. Another group left a bag under the front seat of an otherwise empty rental car while they went to the beach. The bag only held a digital camera, but that camera had all of their memories from the week long trip. They were gone about half an hour and the car was parked somewhere "safe". The passports and iPods that were in the flimsy plastic glovebox (with a lock) were still there when they returned.
Suffice it to say, I feel it is important to keep things under lock and key. Not necessarily an impregnable fortress, but just a lock and key.
So- back to cameras:
In addition to the locked-down Pelican, I also carry around a Nikon dSLR with a single lens in a simple soft-side case. The case sits in the center console, which is unlocked while I'm driving. That way, I can grab the camera quickly and/or grab the whole case to go eat lunch, but I can also just lock the console when I get out and have everything handy yet safe. The soft case protects the camera from bouncing around (as does the fairly full center console)
For driving around day-in/day-out, I'm now carrying an Olympus 770sw point n shoot. The thing is a tank. Waterproof to 33ft. Drop-proof to 5 feet. Dust proof, period. Doesn't take great pictures, but the battery lasts a solid week with occasional use, and I can slip it into my pocket easily.
Point being: when you are planning your storage mods, keep in mind that there are two types of storage. The first is "crap you are going to want to use every day WHILE you are driving"
The second is "crap you are going to want with you when you stop driving" and can be broken down into an infinity of degrees, but generally isn't stuff you need while the car is in motion.
If you plan well on storage, the rest of your expedition will be much more pleasant.
Incidentally: anywhere you can, try to use keyed-alike locks or resetteable combo locks with the same combo. You don't want to carry around 20 keys. Trust me. Tuffy sells additional locks that are keyed to match your center console, so you can incorporate those into some storage solutions. Master makes high-quality brass padlocks that have a 4-dial combo that you can set to whatever you want. Do keep in mind that there are times you'll have to leave your keys with someone (mechanic, car wash, valet, etc) so I would say that its a good idea to have your door/ignition key be different than your storage key(s).
Last thought on digital stuff: back it up. back it up. back it up.
i am thinking of a trip to baja with the 80 in a year or too. thanks for the great ideas and tips here.
cheers.
cheers.
Mark W
Yep, I really don't really care that much I guess.
WATERPROOF STORAGE!!!!!!
If water crossings are a routine part of your day, any and all electronics should be stowed in a waterproof container unless they are actually in use. Just setting it in the console "for a few minutes 'til I get a chance to put it away" is a recipe for disaster. Trust me, BTDT more than once.
I use a milspec laptop for my GPS (waterproof) and have a small pelican case for my pocket sized digital. I have several 50 caliber mil-surplus ammo cans for all other cameras and other sensitive stuff like that. Put some foam or even some extra tshirts and the like in there for padding. You can bolt them down in the rig if you want them to remain in place. And it's easy to adapt a locking mechanism if you want it secure as well.
Keep your batteries in waterproof locations too. And your paper maps/documents (ABS or PCV tubes with end caps work great for maps and papers that you don't want to fold but want to keep unmangled).
Mark...
If water crossings are a routine part of your day, any and all electronics should be stowed in a waterproof container unless they are actually in use. Just setting it in the console "for a few minutes 'til I get a chance to put it away" is a recipe for disaster. Trust me, BTDT more than once.
I use a milspec laptop for my GPS (waterproof) and have a small pelican case for my pocket sized digital. I have several 50 caliber mil-surplus ammo cans for all other cameras and other sensitive stuff like that. Put some foam or even some extra tshirts and the like in there for padding. You can bolt them down in the rig if you want them to remain in place. And it's easy to adapt a locking mechanism if you want it secure as well.
Keep your batteries in waterproof locations too. And your paper maps/documents (ABS or PCV tubes with end caps work great for maps and papers that you don't want to fold but want to keep unmangled).
Mark...
Sandows, ropes, heavy duty duct tape, metal wire for on-spot repairs in case of a mild/serious fender bender. And everything to cut that.
Sylvania dot-it leds are very handy.
I also pack a folding shovel, and a five-foot long metal tube (iron or steel, not aluminum). Why that? Because unbolting a wheel can be a pain and this item adds length, thus strength, to wrenches. It also makes a decent weapon to scare off agressive animals such as stray dogs.
And a machete to cut thorny brush.
Sylvania dot-it leds are very handy.
I also pack a folding shovel, and a five-foot long metal tube (iron or steel, not aluminum). Why that? Because unbolting a wheel can be a pain and this item adds length, thus strength, to wrenches. It also makes a decent weapon to scare off agressive animals such as stray dogs.
And a machete to cut thorny brush.
