TOTM: What do you bring with you on the trail?

[BigDaveZJ]

Yeah it's a day early, kiss my ass.

So, what do you guys bring on the trail? I know the trails we run cover a wide spectrum, from off road parks where you're never more than a couple miles away from your tow rig, to multi-day adventures where you're hundreds of miles from nowhere.

[AgitatedPancake]

For the west coast trails that I know and love (Fordyce, Rubicon, Barrett, etc) you need to pack to be completely self-sufficient for the duration of the trip (we try to do 3 days/2 nights when we can). I'll divide it into two parts, what you need for YOU, and what you need for your TRUCK.

#1, spill kits, or some spill cleanup solution. You need to be able to clean up your trucks mess, and this applies to EVERYONE.

When it come's to packing for yourself it's obvious to bring plenty of food and an excess of water, but those aren't the only things to consider. In our group we're always overlooking the smaller things when packing, and they help make for a more enjoyable trip. Pack like any other camping trip, just make a checklist if you need to so you don't overlook things! Obviously you'll want to bring a tent, chairs, flashlight TP, but paper towels/napkins and hand/dish soap are often looked over, and I just hate to stay dirty for extended periods. TRASH BAGS...And this is ESCPECIALLY important over here on alot of these west coast trails, please pick up ANY trash you see on the trail, it's just more ammunition for the greenies. When it comes to cooking, make sure you have all the pots/pans and utensils to cook them, along with plates and silverware. We always seem to forget spatulas, tongs, plates, bowls whatever lol . Always pack at least one day's worth more clothes than you think you need, it's always nice to have fresh clothes to swap into if you have to lay in sh*t or fall in mud . Extra shoes too, don't want to be stuck with a single pair of wet shoes for 3 days if you get wet in a creek or mud or something. Mosquito repellant and sunblock can be huge ones too, up in the Sierra's your at high elevation in mosquito territory.


When it comes to packing for your truck, well once again you want to pack to be as self sufficient as you can. I carry an almost complete selection of tools anywhere I go. American/metric wrenches, American/metric 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" socket sets (including deep), assorted pliers (needle nose, dykes, vice grips, channel locks), HUB SOCKET Necessary item for any front axle shaft swap, I'd never wheel without one. Any BIG sockets you need that dont come in normal kits (like 21mm for WJ LCA bolts), big/small crescent wrenches. Grease is something I personally carry nowadays as I had way too much fun with u-joints my last fordyce trip, and could have used grease THREE times in a single trip.

Now things to bring for YOU while working on the truck (in the case you need to)...rubber gloves if you like working in them, keeping my hands clean on the trail keeps me way happier throughout the trip. *A mat to lay on*. Nothing's worse then having to lay on your back in dirt/mud/oil/shit when you just wanna get your truck fixed and be on your way. I bring a mat I can drop down to lay on, fix whatevers broken, roll it back up and throw it in the back. It also makes for a nice doormat for the tent haha!

[FortCollinsZJ]

I'm not going to get to deep into the stuff that is obvious to take with, (tools, spare parts, etc) but first, a few of the things that have come in handy that you may not think to bring with you on a trail run or camping and wheeling trip.

Latex gloves, when having to pop open a diff and fish through the gear oil, having a pair or a box of them will come in very handy.

Trash bags, great for their intended purpose, also great as impromptu tarps and drip trays, again when working on an open differential etc.

A good trick I happened upon by accident, painting tools. I bought an 18mm impact socket specifically for trackbar bracket bolts, because they kept loosening up, when I bought it at sears, they wrapped it in bright green security tape to show it had been payed for, well the tape stayed and now I can spot that socket in a drawer of 100 quick.

I transferred this idea to any of the special tools I bring in my ZJ toolbox. spray painted a 12 point deep well, the size for d30 hub bolts, a combination wrench for control arm bolts, and a few other tools, I usually have them in the shop, and when I go for a trail drive, I can spot the bright colored pieced faster, really helps at night too, a flashlight will pickup on the neon colors a lot better than a normal black phosphate impact socket obviously.

I tend to have a problem with jamb nuts loosening on my front Claytons arms, and carrying a 15" crescent that is useless except for those giant nuts, was just unneeded weight and wasted room, so I traced the shape of the 1.25" thread jam nut onto a scrap of 1/2" thick plate, cut it out, welded a handle on it, and now have a jam nut specific wrench that just stays in the jeep, it comes in very handy. Also got me home when I had a starter going out, just a few love taps, it doubles as a hammer.

Other than that, I just carry the usual:
Straps, hitch pins, hi-lift, lift mate, duct tape, bungees, flashlight, booster cables, extra nuts and bolts same as control arm and steering size hardware, socket set, crescent wrench, hammer, fluids, spare front shafts (I should get some 8.8 shafts now that I think of it) U joints, and definitely extra heater hose.

That's all I can think of at the moment.

EDIT: I see while I was typing my post, Greg's post covered a few points that I reiterated, but he brought up a mat to sit on, I have used my floor mat countless times as a work mat, its nice thick rubber and keeps my back/ass clean under the jeep, just an idea.

[AgitatedPancake]

Ooooh I really like that painting the common tools thing, I'm gunna have to do that for sure!

Thats odd about your claytons jam nuts, I've never had any of mine back off. I wonder if he changed nut style? My jam nut is the style of a nylon locking nut, but I don't think its nylon in there. Whatever the material is keeps a good amount of friction on the nut, it's not easy to spin even on the threads anyways lol.

I also forgot to mention that the group I wheel with always makes sure we have a total of 2 sets of jumper cables, 2 good batteries, welding rod and scrap metal. You can weld up anything you need to. We've had a frame crack near a steering box that was welded this way, my stock waggy steering had to be reinforced and we actually had to make my drag link from scrap tube on the trail. Been some crazy things!

[canadian_driver]

HOOKERS AND BLOW!

[geeteesjeep]

All that was said before plus a 1st aid kit and fire extinguisher. And a rain coat.

[IndyZJ]

Much of what was said above + at least one other rig and at least one kind of communication device, i.e. cel phone WITH CHARGER/ CB. I also like to bring a magnet to fish out metal shavings, 1-2 lb hammer, a 2' cheater bar, and good sized prybar. I tend to not bring uncommon sizes of tools I have no known use for on my junk to save weight/ space (habit from the YJ) and small/ medium/ large adjustables to make up for any unknowns. Torx sockets are a good idea if you haven't eliminated all the torx bolts on your rig - a lot of people tend to forget these.

I tend to have a problem with jamb nuts loosening on my front Claytons arms

Throw a tack weld or two on them and be done with it. You shouldn't have to adjust the arms enough for it to really be an inconvenience.

[ATL ZJ]

Most of the tools and spares I bring with me on the trail are contained in this ammo box and small tool box. Here is how they are clamped down in a way that still provides fast access. One thing that is far too common is not having stuff secured and putting yourself in danger and risking breaking and losing tools during a rollover. I really believe that no matter how good of a driver you are, if you wheel long enough and continue to challenge yourself, you will eventually roll, or at least flop your rig. So in addition to bringing what you need, it's important to make sure you do it in a safe way that doesn't end in a yard sale. I'll post more on what I fit into these boxes later.

[rstrucks]

X2 on the making sure stuff is secure in the back of the rig.

I carry:

- a reasonably small assortment of tools (lots of one size fits all type stuff - adj. wrench, vice grips...)
- booster cables
- RTV sealant
- small amounts of spare fluids
- recovery gear
- u-joints
- u-joint hardware
- nuts and bolts
- a first aid kit
- a big handful of shop rags and paper towels.

Where I am going determines how I pack.

[ColoradoSteve]

One thing that makes it a little simpler (and less packing and less weight in the vehicles) if you wheel with others - split the tools. There's no reason to have 5 hub sockets or 3 huge crescent wrenches. Generic tools like combination wrenches/screwdrivers/etc are nice to have in each vehicle, but coordinate with others on the trip and share.

[Ken L]

I bring stuff that I have needed in the past but didn't have, that's a guarantee that I will never need it again!

I have consolidated my tools; half inch drive are my impact sockets, I don't bring a half inch ratchet because I have the impact and also I have a 3/8 to 1/2 adapter. I do have a 24" 1/2" breaker bar though. I bring some wire, connectors and electrical tape too.

And then the normal first aid stuff, recovery stuff, tools, winch kit, spill kit as have been mentioned earlier. Also I carry an assortment of ratchet straps. They come in handy for all types of uses.

Oil, water and radiator stop leak are good to have along as well.

[BigDaveZJ]

I bring stuff that I have needed in the past but didn't have, that's a guarantee that I will never need it again!

I think that's a very important aspect of our discussion right there. I definitely fall into the "bring more than I need" category when it comes to tools and parts, but there is a point when enough is enough. If I end up needing something on the trail that I don't have, the next time I'm out I try to have it with me. On the same token though, if I carry something with me for years and never need it or use it, I might evaluate if I really need it or not.

Here's a quick rundown of what I bring with me on my "average" trail. For me, that means the truck and trailer are within 10-15 miles at all times, but the terrain to get back there may not be the easiest. Also keep in mind that the stuff I bring is usually for 2 rigs as Pam's is usually along with us.

Tools
Assortment of metric and SAE sockets, 3/8 and 1/2 drive
Specialty sockets, 36mm for hub nuts, 30mm for t-case fill and drain plugs, pitman arm (forget the stize)
Assortment of extensions and universal joints
Ratchets
SAE and Metric combo wrenches
Adjustable Crescent Wrench
Pipe Wrench
Misc Torx and Allen Keys
Small Sledgehammer
Dead blow hammer
Pry bar
Wire cutters and wire strippers
Impact Gun (run off CO2)
Double flare tool for brake lines w/ some spare fittings and hard lines
Spill kit w/ drain pan and kitty litter
Roll of shop towels and misc rags
Occassionally borrow a ReadyWelder (I bring welding rod when I don't borrow the ReadyWelder)
Jumper Cables
CO2 Tank
Small backup compressor
JB Weld
Pocketknife

Fluids
5 qts motor oil
2 gallons 50/50 coolant
4-5 qts of ATF
2-3 qts gear oil
Brake Fluid
Power Steering Fluid
1 gallon water (not for drinking)
PB Blaster
Brake Cleaner
Glass Cleaner
RTV

Parts
Spare driveshaft u-joints
Rear Axleshafts
Front Axleshafts w/ hubs already attached
2 Spare hubs w/ just the outer stub shafts
Rear axle spider gears (44A & 8.8)
Ammo can full of nuts, bolts, and washers
Misc electrical connectors
4.0 and 5.2 fan belts
Patch/Plug Kit
Planning to make a spare square tube driveshaft eventually that will work front or rear

Communications/Electronics
CB Radio
Cell phone w/ charger
GPS w/ battery charger
Digital Camera w/ spare batteries

Personal
Stocked First Aid Kit
Glock
Water and food for an extra day or two beyond the planned trip
Warm Clothes and a change of socks (it can snow at any time in the mountains here)
TP
Wet Naps
Gloves (Mechanix and Rubber)


I used to keep the tools in soft sided tool bags, but the handles keep tearing off so I'm going to try a Pelican Case this year. Fluids and other parts have gone in Action Packers, but my Action Packer is in bad shape and I found a much cheaper alternative at Home Depot that I'm going to give a try this year. All the tubs are secured with ratchet straps, and I keep extra ones in the bins too.

Some of the smaller personal stuff goes in the glovebox or center console, as well as the M.O.L.L.E. seat cover I have on my passenger seat. Once I get the rear of my ZJ done and get everything in there I'll to get some pics up too.

EDIT: I know there's some stuff I forgot about too, I'll try to add those as I remember.

[ATL ZJ]

Tools and spares that stay in the rig

Fire extinguisher. Spare 1350 driveshaft ujoints, spare driveshaft ubolts, and one 806x nongreasable Spicer d60 ujoint. field serviceable hydro hose fittings, 10 feet of hydraulic hose (sealed at the ends), hacksaw blade to cut. assorted bolts in sizes that fit my rig, paired with nuts. spare chromoly knuckle studs. small pieces of scrap steel. hose clamps, loose lengths of 3/8" hose, zipties, miscellaneous fittings and hardware. 2 quarts Amsoil tractor hydraulic steering fluid, 1 quart gear oil, 1-2 quarts motor oil, 1 quart brake fluid. Various electrical supplies including spare fuses, epoxy, tire plugs and cement, jumper cables, RTV, one can of starting fluid, stock ZJ jack, ratchet strap, tow strap, shackles, etc.

The obvious wrenches, ratchets, etc - these stay packed permanently- I have a couple friends who unpack and repack their trail tools for each run and they always end up forgetting something.


Things that stay in the truck/trailer as camp tools

Spare rear 1/4" wall driveshaft, ready to bolt in. Spare 14 bolt shafts. Spare stock 35 spline d60 inners. Spare 35 spline 4340 d60 outer. Spare tire on beadlock wheel. Spare driveshaft parts and miscellaneous yokes. Grinder with flap discs, cutoff and grinding wheels. drill with lefthand drill bits, step bits, two regular bit sets, and easy outs. 5-10 lbs of spare fasteners in specfic sizes and thread counts that fit my rig. dial indicator and torque wrench. Cold vulcanizing compound. Various pieces of scrap steel. 2 more quarts of Amsoil steering fluid and half to one gallon of gear oil. Nitrogen bottle with regulator and its own gauge. 5 gallon gas can. I'm sure there is more I am forgetting... this all stays packed mostly in one large Rubbermaid tote and gets put in the truck every trip.

[paulkeith]

I bring a pubsub and a gatorade and not my memory card and sit in cam's passenger seat.

[BigClay]

Personal
Stocked First Aid Kit
Glock
Water and food for an extra day or two beyond the planned trip
Warm Clothes and a change of socks (it can snow at any time in the mountains here)
TP
Wet Naps
Gloves (Mechanix and Rubber)

Too many National Forest public trails around here, so the side arm has to stay at home.

[BigDaveZJ]

Out here you're fine in the National Forests, its the National and State Parks that you run into trouble carrying.

[BigClay]

yep you are right, I meant park not forest.

[Sporer65]

yep you are right, I meant park not forest.

You shouldn't have to worry about that for too much longer. Its now legal to carry in National Parks but recently a judge has blocked it. That gets appealed and its legal again.



But back to the topic,

I always carry basic set of tools, tow strap, first aid kit, road side kit, a couple of extra jackets, extra batteries, Advil, fuses, air compressor, Power pack (jump starts, 12V and 120V outlets), and a few other things.

Wen I go on a ride, I'll bring my spare, cooler, some snacks along with lunch, and set of fluids.

[fpkites]

For me, pretty much mirror Dave, though I carry less fluids (not necessarily by choice, just what I can fit in my ammo can).

The things that LIVE in the Heep (these are there whether there are tools or not):

Electric impact (China Freight) - though it may get tossed soon since it failed me by getting weak last Moab trip.
Recovery kit: Strap, hi-lift winch kit, shackles, gloves, etc
GPS with 12v power from the cig lighter
Air kit has mini compressor, air hoses and jumper cables (Thank you GSW soft side tool bag freebie)
CO2 tank if the general temp is ~70 degrees - otherwise, it's only there if I'm wheeling.
D30 axle shafts...seriously - they're always there since it's not hard to secure them.
FULL SIZE SPARE TIRE!!!
Roll-up fleece blanket and the jacket I "appropriated" from Domino's when I was delivering pizza - darn good for wet weather, and pretty warm despite how it looks.


My trail stuff still fits in the back, secured with HD bungees with room for passengers - the back seat is clear. I'm definitely going to see how I can fab a tie-down system like Cam's though. That would be perfect.

[DJJordache]

all the above and a folding shovel
and I really like the tiedown idea in Cam's pic

[Hurricane 4x4]

if you have a WJ and have larger than stock tires.. your spare won't fit in the stock location anymore, and you haven't done the gas tank lift... use it for tools/spares/recovery! i'll get a pic of mine someday but I have a ton of stuff that rides around with me every day, tucked away nicely in that compartment. tow strap, shackles, snatch block, tools, spare front axles, ujoint....

[BigDaveZJ]

The obvious wrenches, ratchets, etc - these stay packed permanently- I have a couple friends who unpack and repack their trail tools for each run and they always end up forgetting something.

When working on stuff at home do you work with those tools or do you have duplicates at home too? I would love to have basically a duplicate set of tools I could take wheeling and keep all the others at home, but that's quite a bit of $$$ tied up in additional tools.

[ATL ZJ]

When working on stuff at home do you work with those tools or do you have duplicates at home too? I would love to have basically a duplicate set of tools I could take wheeling and keep all the others at home, but that's quite a bit of $$$ tied up in additional tools.

I work out of that same little yellow HF toolbox at home. It's pretty funny but I don't need that many handtools to do 95% of the wrenching on my rig. I guess it helps that I've spec'd all the hardware on it and have "standardized" a lot of the nut and bolt sizes.

Of course the big shop tools like welder, press, air compressor, etc. don't travel and never have to be unpacked. One day I'll have a rolling tool cart with a nicer shop-only set, but like you said, to do that right takes a big chunk of cash.

[ajmorell]

I don't know that I take any more than what has already been said. I typically will bring my toolbox to the trail with me (8 drawer Craftsman) and that has pretty much every hand tool I've ever needed. I will usually leave this at the campsite though, as I don't have a really good way to secure it when wheeling. I typically bring at least some of every type of fluid I think I might need and a bucket & funnel for draining fluids into should the need arise. I also bring the C02 tank with me but that usually just gets used for airing up and down as I don't have any air tools.

[SirFuego]

I used to carry a bunch of stuff, but it's decreased a bit over the years. I always have my ratchets and sockets with me. I won a nice Mastercraft tool bag from this site where I keep other tools like a hammer, pliers, vice grips, etc. I have a rubbermaid container that I keep fluids in.

I have a rubbermaid container of random spare parts I've accumulated (ECU, alternator, etc.) that I just keep in the tow rig. There have been a few times I've broken something and said "Well, I have a spare part -- in my garage", so I try to carry as much as I can in the tow rig in the event I do need it.

Most of the stuff I carry has already been mentioned, but here are some things (some are duplicates to stress) to consider:
1) Go to tractor supply and get a big ratchet strap rated for 3000+ lbs (like you use to tie down your Jeep to the trailer). It may look like total overkill when you clamp down your tools with it, but it comes in really handy to prevent axle droop if you need to jack up the vehicle by the body.

2) If you carry spare parts, make sure you have the necessary tools to replace that part. So, for example, a spare shaft without a unit bearing already installed is useless without a hub socket.

3) If you are chopping up your rig or heavily modifying your interior, take storage into careful consideration and how you are going to secure everything down. There are a lot of contours and mounting brackets that sorta get in the way of efficient storage, so consider cutting that stuff off if you have no need for it. This is something I want to address in mine because there is a lot of wasted space I have right now that forces me to get creative in the way I secure stuff down.

4) I don't carry one anymore (as a result of #3), but I just to carry a floor jack. People laughed when I started to carry one, but it got used quite a few times on the trail. I personally use a hi lift (even though I hate them from a safety standpoint), but storage-wise it proved to be more effective with my rig.