Outer Limits 4x4 Board

just wondering what sorts of things i should be taking with me as spares? i have been told a set of cv's and some radiator/heater hose. obviously oil and water would also be handy. any suggestions?

Belts

day trips?..... spare pants and shoes...

I have often thought about what I should be taking as spares but when I think hard about it many of the spares I wouldent have the skills to replace myself so there is no need to carry the usless weight. Sure if I was going on a big trip I would take more, but I would probably also take some classes on basic mechanics.

So for me at the moment, its a tool kit with oil, water and break fluid.

This pretty much what I take. My Gwagen has been called the big red toolbox, but we have very rarely ever left a car behind on a trip.

The stuff with an asterisk (*) is pretty much essential. Some of the other stuff is a bit of a luxury.

Bear in mind, if you have no way of fixing a leak, there's no point taking spare oils, so araldite/JB weld and silicone are pretty important.

Tools:
Good quality tyre pressure gauge*
#2 Phillips head screwdriver*
#3 Phillips head screwdriver*
Medium flat blade screwdriver
Small flat blade screwdriver
Ring spanners: 8, 2X 10, 2x12, 13, 2X14, 2x17, 19mm (the extras are a bit of a luxury but they are sometimes easier to deal with than a ratchet)*
3/8â€

Gwagensteve wrote:This pretty much what I take. My Gwagen has been called the big red toolbox

Wow, I can see why!

- I'd give the tyre puncture repair kit an asterix.
- Include air pump!
... sorry, this is getting a bit off topic, I just noticed he's asking about spares...

Well i carry

Spare hoses and belts
Wire and terminals
some spare U bolts
Oil, water, brake fluid
Electrical tape
CRC or the likes

Tools
Just basic tool kit A cheap 1 from auto barn or supa crap would be fine to get you out of trouble
Pliers
some spanners and shifters
screw drivers

Dexter wrote:I have often thought about what I should be taking as spares but when I think hard about it many of the spares I wouldent have the skills to replace myself so there is no need to carry the usless weight. Sure if I was going on a big trip I would take more, but I would probably also take some classes on basic mechanics.

So for me at the moment, its a tool kit with oil, water and break fluid.

you might not have the skills, but what about that bloke who comes trundling down the track 10 mins l8a? he might be a fully qualified mechanic, but you didnt put the spare CV in so he cant do squat to help you...

i'd tow a whole other car if i could haha

Some Metho is useful as well.... you can :

1. Drink it - if it all gets too bad.
2. Use it to de-water electronics that have gone for a swim.
3. Put it in the petrol tank to suck up water.
4. Clean out the inevitable self inflicted wound ( ouch.... )
5. Use it to set the #$%^ thing alight

MightyMouse wrote:Some Metho is useful as well.... you can :

1. Drink it - if it all gets too bad.
2. Use it to de-water electronics that have gone for a swim.
3. Put it in the petrol tank to suck up water.
4. Clean out the inevitable self inflicted wound ( ouch.... )
5. Use it to set the #$%^ thing alight

GOLD

CWBYUP wrote:

MightyMouse wrote:Some Metho is useful as well.... you can :

1. Drink it - if it all gets too bad.
2. Use it to de-water electronics that have gone for a swim.
3. Put it in the petrol tank to suck up water.
4. Clean out the inevitable self inflicted wound ( ouch.... )
5. Use it to set the #$%^ thing alight

GOLD

x10

macca81 wrote:

CWBYUP wrote:

MightyMouse wrote:Some Metho is useful as well.... you can :

1. Drink it - if it all gets too bad.
2. Use it to de-water electronics that have gone for a swim.
3. Put it in the petrol tank to suck up water.
4. Clean out the inevitable self inflicted wound ( ouch.... )
5. Use it to set the #$%^ thing alight

GOLD

x10

Yeah, but you ain't got matches or a lighter in ya tool kit....

RED60 wrote:

macca81 wrote:

CWBYUP wrote:

MightyMouse wrote:Some Metho is useful as well.... you can :

1. Drink it - if it all gets too bad.
2. Use it to de-water electronics that have gone for a swim.
3. Put it in the petrol tank to suck up water.
4. Clean out the inevitable self inflicted wound ( ouch.... )
5. Use it to set the #$%^ thing alight

GOLD

x10

Yeah, but you ain't got matches or a lighter in ya tool kit....

You don't need matches or a lighter to get a car burning!
(NOT speaking from experience )


What belts should I carry - all of them? And should I get a spare of each bit of radiator hose my car needs?

joelt wrote:just wondering what sorts of things i should be taking with me as spares? i have been told a set of cv's and some radiator/heater hose. obviously oil and water would also be handy. any suggestions?

what sort of trip you talking about
day trip? Weekend? Center aust, cape york, murray sunset, robe? All would need same basic spares, but they all need 'different' extra spares.

Just a tip - whenever you're working on your 4by, use your 4by toolkit. I quickly discovered that spare gearbox oil was useless to me without the right socket to undo the drain plug. And I needed a 24mm ring spanner to undo the fill plug, because there's some part (torsion bar?) preventing the use of a socket.

-Scott- wrote:Just a tip - whenever you're working on your 4by, use your 4by toolkit. I quickly discovered that spare gearbox oil was useless to me without the right socket to undo the drain plug. And I needed a 24mm ring spanner to undo the fill plug, because there's some part (torsion bar?) preventing the use of a socket.

Excellent advice IMO, if you can't fix it in your driveway with whats in the toolbox - what hope do you have on the track ?

if you took all the tools and spares you MAY need, you would have no room for your camping gear...

bogged wrote:if you took all the tools and spares you MAY need, you would have no room for your camping gear...

exactly....

my old man tells me a story about replacing a bit of the head gasket on his FJ holden with gum leaves and then pissing in the radiator...don't know how much of it to believe.

Toolbox (fairly adequate), Belts, Hoses is all i take. Unless your going to the real outback you can usually limp the truck out to a servo or something. I got out of toolangi at midnight with near no brake fluid and rear wheel drive only after pulling our smashed up CVs and axels.

Can't believe I overlooked a small role of steel wire.

Make sure its not too thin, but you can double or triple it up if you have to.


Good for fixing ..... well just about anything.

Food and water incase you can't fix it.

Dexter wrote:I have often thought about what I should be taking as spares but when I think hard about it many of the spares I wouldent have the skills to replace myself so there is no need to carry the usless weight. Sure if I was going on a big trip I would take more, but I would probably also take some classes on basic mechanics.

So for me at the moment, its a tool kit with oil, water and break fluid.

It does not matter if you dont have the knowledge to fix something. If you have the spare part with you, someone may pass who has the knowledge, or know someone who does who will know how to fix it. things like hoses, belts, oil, water, wheel bearings and RACV total care are a must.

mainly day trips and weekends/long weekends.

Toilet paper and a couple of towels.

joelt wrote:mainly day trips and weekends/long weekends.

For these, you need basics..

Phone to call mates if need be
then
belts, hoses, tire repair kit, tire wire/cable ties, filters (petrol/diesel?), brake fluid, water for radiator...

tools to fix/fit/repair above, socket set, screw driver set, plyers, sidecutters,

you can get quite a lot of chit really fast... also depends on the mechanical condition of your rig. Better you keep it, less you may need to take.. if you notice that hose may need replacing, replace it, keep old one for spare.

A basic but quality first aid kit (St Johns, Red Cross or similar) with compression bandages, sterile wipes, saline solution, etc. and first aid training.

What use is recovery gear and spares if you aren't there to use them...?