Pre trip/season checklist

[bcolvin]

Hey all,
Before a good sized trip what is your pre trip inspection checklist? I’m planning on quite a few hunts out of the cruiser this fall and would love to hear what you all check before a big trip. I have had a couple issues in the past that could have been avoided if I looked ahead of time and will do now but wanted to hear from you all. Thanks a bunch for your advice!

 

[OSS]

My mega adventures were always in Baja Mexico, and my rule for that kind of trip was pretty extreme: If my front or rear tires were more than 1/2 worn out, replace them as a pair before the trip.

 

[TheElegantFox]

I always check all fluid levels, coolant, oil, trans.
Inspect lines for cracks.
Air up the tires/check pressures/ensure spare is serviceable
Check to make sure 4x4 engages and disengages - you'd be surprised at the amount of times I've had this fail

My minimum bug out kit is:
Mechanics toolkit
Recovery straps
Extra fluids
First aid kit
Traction boards

 

[RodrigzCrzr]

I always carry a spare smog pump and alternator. And some old belts along with a fuel filter .

 

[bcolvin]

These are great. Thanks for the tips. I need to pick up a spare alternator or get my original rebuilt for a spare. The 4x4 check is something I would not thought of. Thanks @TheElegantFox

 

[OSS]

The engine can run all day long on battery power alone without a functioning alternator. I did it.

 

[cruiserpilot]

Heck, ya I have a list, about 3 of them. First list is my tool kit, everything from recovery gear in separate bag, hand tools including special tools for spring clips and birfield replacements, separate bag after that for battery tools. Remember do not travel with batteries inserted
in the tool body!! Fire risk is very high! Also at the very least it triggers the tool and the battery is dead.......
Second list is gear. From stove to toilet to fridge to tables and chairs. Cutlery to kitchen gear. Stove fuel. Chainsaw fuel.
Third list is personal, clothing to boots, hats, gloves. Gonna take fishing gear and hunting gear so separate bags for that stuff.
One thing people think is weird, but I've been carrying my whole life is a separate bag with just two giant towels. Someone
falls in the water, or gets lost and has hyperthermic reaction to an event - getting dry and warm can save a life. Side of
the road bad accident, it's that what if... Just so you know I've had 2 events like this. Nice to be prepared.

Most important isn't a list, it's the truck. Double check everything. Grease to new oil where its needed, fluids - new or old, replace or
just go with it?
U-joints - are they good or is that a failure point? I had a neatly tucked in power steering line fitting rub thru my lower
radiator tank last year at 8500' end of mine road atop a mountain.
Pulling a radiator to solder a leak at 4 pm isn't something a person wants to do twice. So just make sure
no loose hoses, no too tight hoses, nothing dangling that might get caught up.

I travel solo exclusively. So ultimately everything I do is to protect me and my truck from whatever happens.

 

[dbbowen]

Before every trip ill check these things on my truck

-if oil is older than 3k miles, change it and the filter
-check coolant level
- check diffs, trans, tcase fluid levels
-look for any leaks
-check that your parking brake is fully functioning and adjusted properly
-check all vacuum hoses for dry rot and spray misc areas of the engine with starter fluid to see if i hear a change
-test battery
-check air filter
-grease ujoints
-tire air pressure, check for cracks, or nails




I always bring a tool kit consisting of these items for both shorter and longer trips:


Shorter trips-
- Metric normal and deep sockets, different length extensions, swivel heads, and different sized ratchets. Impact sockets the size of lug nuts as well as suspension nuts. Also the size of the drain and fill of the tcase.
- 1 set metric wrenches and ratcheting metric wrenches. all the way up to 24 mm
- M18 1/2 impact, M18 impact driver with socket adapter, m12 ratchet
-Tire plug kit
-winching and recovery accessory kit, shackles, pulleys, straps, tree savers, etc
-1 or two jugs of coolant that ive already mixed with distilled water. 1 jug of straight distilled water. 1 gal of oil. 1 qt ATF. 1 qt gear oil, bottle of brake fluid. -Funnel
-screw drivers, needle nose pliers, channel locks, cutter pliers
-wire stripper pliers, wire crimp pliers, and a small set of wire crimp terminals, some heat shrink and electrical tape
-pair of scissors
-lighter
-MAP torch handle and use the green propane bottles for camping for fuel
-54mm hub socket
-assorted punches and drifts, including brass punch and tiny chisel for cone washers on hubs.
-Ball peen dead blow hammer
-pry bar
-hex key set
-hi lift or harbor freight offroad jack
-2 separate multi meters (in case one dies), Extra wiring and alligator clamps
-spare fuses
-spare worm clamps
-FULL SET OF TIE ROD ENDS
-Spare ujoint and impact socket that is slightly smaller than the outer ujoint cap and a second one thats slightly bigger than the drive shaft hole opening
-Spare brake soft line that connects from frame to axle
-Nylon zip ties, stainless zip ties
-battery charger
-headlamps, lighting, etc
-Tube of Orange FIPG
-my truck has an air compressor in the engine bay. If i didnt, id bring a CO2 bottle for tire inflation and stuff.
-Blanket, road flare, 9mm handgun, 3 extra mags, big jug o water. been thinking about adding bear spray
-ARB Fridge
-a saved and downloaded FSM PDF on your phone. Not on the cloud. Actually saved to your phone, so you can open it and read it with zero service. IF its saved to the cloud you are outta luck. Make sure the FSM has the wiring diagram on it.
-Downloaded area on Gaia GPS to access with no cell service.

Longer trips, i still bring the above list and also add

-spare set of axles, both sides for the front
- an extra aisin lockout hub
-M18 Chainsaw and related stuff like bar oil
- one decent sized jack stand

Then i bring like the normal standard camping stuff like a stove and what not.


It seems like a lot but you can get it all packed up pretty good. The idea is you should be able to fully rebuild your axle, diagnose and fix an electrical issue, or top off fluids until you can get back to safety. more times than not you wont need any of this s*** but when you do need it.... you really need it. Last year i blew a brake soft line in the middle of the desert in Utah on a sunday afternoon. No automotive shops nearby. I had to drive 200 miles to get a replacement with literally zero brakes besides my parking brake and downshifting. Coulda avoided that by just having a spare brake soft line... which i now have in my kit. Better to be prepared for whatever and not need it than need something and be unprepared

 

[TheElegantFox]

Before every trip ill check these things on my truck

-if oil is older than 3k miles, change it and the filter
-check coolant level
- check diffs, trans, tcase fluid levels
-look for any leaks
-check that your parking brake is fully functioning and adjusted properly
-check all vacuum hoses for dry rot and spray misc areas of the engine with starter fluid to see if i hear a change
-test battery
-check air filter
-grease ujoints
-tire air pressure, check for cracks, or nails




I always bring a tool kit consisting of these items for both shorter and longer trips:


Shorter trips-
- Metric normal and deep sockets, different length extensions, swivel heads, and different sized ratchets. Impact sockets the size of lug nuts as well as suspension nuts. Also the size of the drain and fill of the tcase.
- 1 set metric wrenches and ratcheting metric wrenches. all the way up to 24 mm
- M18 1/2 impact, M18 impact driver with socket adapter, m12 ratchet
-Tire plug kit
-winching and recovery accessory kit, shackles, pulleys, straps, tree savers, etc
-1 or two jugs of coolant that ive already mixed with distilled water. 1 jug of straight distilled water. 1 gal of oil. 1 qt ATF. 1 qt gear oil, bottle of brake fluid. -Funnel
-screw drivers, needle nose pliers, channel locks, cutter pliers
-wire stripper pliers, wire crimp pliers, and a small set of wire crimp terminals
-pair of scissors
-lighter
-MAP torch handle and use the green propane bottles for camping for fuel
-54mm hub socket
-assorted punches and drifts
-Ball peen dead blow hammer
-pry bar
-hex key set
-hi lift or harbor freight offroad jack
-2 separate multi meters (in case one dies), Extra wiring and alligator clamps
-spare fuses
-spare worm clamps
-FULL SET OF TIE ROD ENDS
-Spare ujoint
-Spare brake soft line that connects from frame to axle
-Nylon zip ties, stainless zip ties
-battery charger
-headlamps, lighting, etc
-Tube of Orange FIPG
-my truck has an air compressor in the engine bay. If i didnt, id bring a CO2 bottle for tire inflation and stuff.
-Blanket, road flare, 9mm handgun, 3 extra mags, big jug o water. been thinking about adding bear spray
-ARB Fridge
-a saved and downloaded FSM PDF on your phone. Not on the cloud. Actually saved to your phone, so you can open it and read it with zero service. IF its saved to the cloud you are outta luck. Make sure the FSM has the wiring diagram on it.
-Downloaded area on Gaia GPS to access with no cell service.

Longer trips, i still bring the above list and also add

-spare set of axles, both sides for the front
- an extra aisin lockout hub
-M18 Chainsaw and related stuff like bar oil
- one decent sized jack stand

Then i bring like the normal standard camping stuff like a stove and what not.


It seems like a lot but you can get it all packed up pretty good. The idea is you should be able to fully rebuild your axle, diagnose and fix an electrical issue, or top off fluids until you can get back to safety. more times than not you wont need any of this s*** but when you do need it.... you really need it. Last year i blew a brake soft line in the middle of the desert in Utah on a sunday afternoon. No automotive shops nearby. I had to drive 200 miles to get a replacement with literally zero brakes besides my parking brake and downshifting. Coulda avoided that by just having a spare brake soft line... which i now have in my kit. Better to be prepared for whatever and not need it than need something and be unprepared

I think I might print this out and put it on my fridge for a reminder.

 

[dbbowen]

I think I might print this out and put it on my fridge for a reminder.

hah, a lot of those are on that list because something happened and i didnt have it. Like the tie rod ends. hahahaha

 

[bcolvin]

Ditto on printing this out. Thanks for detailing the this.

 

[duncanrm]

Wheel bearings.. get each of these wheels in the air and check for play.

 

[garfieldthecat]

AAA card, off-road recovery company contacts, satellite device/phone.

 

[Miloslavich]

Hey Dude!
One thing that hasn't been touched on yet is a saw / chainsaw. I can't tell you how many times I've come across a downed tree blocking a trail. I carry a Milwaukee electric chainsaw now, pretty convenient to toss in the rig and great for clearing obstructions or even chopping up firewood. doesn't leak gas or have fumes in the rig. or a Hand saw at a minimum. Can also clear low hanging branches and such which can snag on the roof rack.

If it hasn't been covered, spare fuses, fuseable link, and a multimeter.
Traction boards & Recovery gear of course, a Garmin in-reach or other SOS device, and or the cell phone and # of a buddy with all that stuff . hit me up anytime

 

[bcolvin]

Hey Dude!
One thing that hasn't been touched on yet is a saw / chainsaw. I can't tell you how many times I've come across a downed tree blocking a trail. I carry a Milwaukee electric chainsaw now, pretty convenient to toss in the rig and great for clearing obstructions or even chopping up firewood. doesn't leak gas or have fumes in the rig. or a Hand saw at a minimum. Can also clear low hanging branches and such which can snag on the roof rack.

If it hasn't been covered, spare fuses, fuseable link, and a multimeter.
Traction boards & Recovery gear of course, a Garmin in-reach or other SOS device, and or the cell phone and # of a buddy with all that stuff . hit me up anytime

Good stuff. I definitely have you in my Garmin Inreach… hopefully for an elk and not a fj60 fix!

 

[CruiserTrash]

@dbbowen I'm really interested in where you fit all this stuff. No sarcasm there - that's an honest question. I carry about 2/3 that much stuff, but my organization sucks, it's literally all tossed in a medium sized army surplus store canvas duffle.

 

[dbbowen]

@dbbowen I'm really interested in where you fit all this stuff. No sarcasm there - that's an honest question. I carry about 2/3 that much stuff, but my organization sucks, it's literally all tossed in a medium sized army surplus store canvas duffle.

Most of it fits in a large black rectangular plastic box. All of the tools go into one soft tool bag and theyre all laid flat so it doesnt take up much space. It seems like a lot but once its all packed up it actually doesnt take up much space at all. The only bad thing ive had to unpack a box... to get to a bag... to get to my 10mm wrench before haha