OAUSA Net - March 31, 2016 - Vehicle Repair on the Trail

[DaveK]

Tonight’s topic is expedient field repair of your vehicle. If you break down in the outback, at best, you may be delayed in your return trip home and at worst, you may be facing a survival situation, if repairs cannot be made. We plan on discussing the most common break downs, tools, skills, and spare parts needed.

Here is our list of some of the most common problems we have seen on the trail:

1) Battery failure
2) Broken or bent tie rod(s)
3) U-joint http://www.4x4training.com/Articles/Veh ... oints.html
4) Broken axle
4) Broken drive shaft
5) control arm bracket torn off
6) Torn brake line
7) Radiator leak
8) Transfer Case Linkage
9) Loose track bar
10) Hose leak
11) Hydro locked engine
12) Fan belt trashed
13. Broken transmission linkage
14) Punctured gas tank

Some valuable tools to carry:

1) OBD Reader
2) Air Compressor
3) Multi-Meters
4) Extra vehicle fluids and lubricants
5) Water sufficient to refill your radiator
6) Variety of LocTite repair products (metal repair, hose repair, etc)
7) Plenty of Nitrile mechanics gloves
8) Pry bars
9) Work light
10) Grinder and/or Sawzall

NOTE: As you may have noted, we have not mentioned the topic of tire repair. Because this issue is probably the number one problem we see on the trail, we are going to devote another entire net to this topic at a future date.

We are looking forward to a lot of listener participation again, so tune in and share your experiences and "field fixes" for some of the more common mechanical / electrical issues that off-road enthusiasts tend to "run into" on the trail.

Before the net, let us know which items you are most interested in hearing about. We can move them to the top of our list to improve the chance if getting to it.

[lrsrngr]

KK6CTT for online check-in please...

Having recently gone through a "shade-tree mechanic" suspension upgrade recently I can say the following with my vehicle became important for broken bolts and striped bolts:

o PB Blaster
o Wire brush both large and toothbrush size to get that goop/corrosion off the threads when possible
o Bolt and nut removal tools (unlikely I will carry the drill, the bits, the easy-out kits...but none-the-less this became a SNAFU event for me that was both frustrating and satisfying upon completion).
o Tire plugging kit
o A quart of oil
o The right tool for the job (improve when and where necessary at least up to and including you have no more room for your camping gear)
o Wire nuts for those times you need to put wires back together
o Bailing wire or equivalent
o Extra screws and bolts

I guess the other part of this is really understanding the condition of your vehicle pre-trip (your own maintenance schedule) and through that understanding your potential weaknesses are IDed before you get out on the trail. My current XJ is not as clean underneath as my former XJ so I have a intimate understanding that I am in for issues if I don't use the PB Blaster and clean threads before I start torquing on things.

Disclaimer: I am no off-road expert and have not had a lot of experience breaking things but I am careful to "wheel within my limits and situation." I am a casual trail runner that uses my rig to get to my dismount point for a hike or camp out site and I try not to do more than my vehicle or I am capable of especially when I am travelling by myself as in there is no one nearby to save me.

[KK6GFF]

Can I pls get an online checkin?

Thanks,
Roger

[KAP]

Dave,
Please check me in.
I will be on the net tonight.

My add-on's
1. Military grade duct tape(3-4" wide)
2. Zip ties
3. Low viscosity(thin) super glue
4. Baking soda(use with superglue to seal various leaks)
5. Plastic tarp. Shield yourself from the sun while you are under your vehicle looking up
6. Various gloves



Kevin
KK6DGL

[KK6DYO]

Please check me in for tonight. Thank you.

[NotAMog]

Having an exotic 4x4 I've learned from other owners to carry a kit of unique spare parts that may be needed while on the trail.

1. Split Axle Boots



The split axle boot provides a field repair for the factory one piece axle boot. Unless your diffs have been rebuilt in the last 10 years most folks are running with one or more split boots. The original one piece boots typically last 10 years or more while the split boots are only good for 2 to 3 years or sometimes less.

Here is a video if you want to see how the Pinzgauer axle works. There is no inner joint behind the axle boot. -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9wNbXZf6wU

2. Superglue

Superglue is required to seal the corners of the split boot and to hold it in place while you attach the bolts and special hose clamps.

3. 24volt light bulbs if you lose a headlight or tail light.

4. Extra engine oil. 30wt Rotella is recommended by Goatwerks and can be hard to find.

5. ClampTite Tool - http://www.clamptitetools.net/

Useful for sealing the axle boots if you break or lose the clamps.

I've also used this tool for other applications where you would traditionally use hose clamps.

6. Having lost my starter at Borregofest a few years ago I now carry a spare starter. I've been extremely lucky with the Pinzgauer. When it has broken down I've been in good spots. The starter went out after a full day of driving right in front of my camp site. We had to take advantage of Dave's (K6DTK) Pinzgauer emergency starter (a.k.a. Hummer) to get going so I could drive to Goatwerks to piece together a working starter.

7. I also carry a spare voltage converter. The Pinzgauer electrical system is 24 volts. The EFI is all 12 volts. My electrical system has a 45Ah 12volt battery which gives me some backup if I lose my 24 to 12 voltage converter but a spare voltage converter will cover situations where you may be many hours from help. After reading on the Pinzgauer lists about several people experiencing failed voltage converters I recently started carrying one.

8. A selection of spare nuts and bolts. Another time the Pinzgauer quit in a convenient spot, I was at the hardware store in Big Bear when it wouldn't start. Looking underneath I saw that the nut on the starter ground strap was missing. Fortunately, I was able to get a new one at the hardware store and install it. I now carry a selection of spare nuts and bolts. I also carry specialized manifold nuts after having lost a couple on the trail and having to scavenge a couple of standard nuts from a less critical location to keep the manifold on tight.

9. Oil drain plugs and copper gaskets. The Pinzgauer has 15 oil drain and fill plugs that are all the same size that seal with a copper crush washer. It can be disastrous if you lose one on the trail so it's good to carry extras.