Off-Road Essentials For First Timer

Whichever reputable brand calls to you aesthetically, or barring that the one closest to you so you save on shipping. Keep in mind that a TW member making them in his garage may be plenty reputable.

 

Ok thanks!

 

Perfect, can’t leave the house without the drone and 1/4 mile of max trax.

 

Looks like a nice bed mount for the compressor but not sure how I would relocate the plug. Hmmm. I will look into the traction plates and a high-lift jack too. Thanks for the info!

 

I ran good wire to the battery through a blue seal fuse box

 

Hahaha perfect

 

Traction boards, a shovel, axe and or saw and a small air compressor.

 

Nice! Thanks for the pics. Good idea for some mounting options

 

Post of the fucking year.

 

For air compressor : Smittybilt 2781 , or sacrifice some performance for price point- the 2780 model.

$180 SmittyBilt AIR COMPRESSOR 5.65CFM - SB2781

https://www.amazon.com/Smittybilt-2781-5-65-Universal-Compressor/dp/B004K25GMG

Valve core tool, though a miniature flat head screwdriver will work as well, for releasing air.

$7 Motion Pro 08-0183 Valve Core Remover, Black, 1.1 oz./2.75 in. (Length)

https://www.amazon.com/Motion-Pro-08-0183-Valve-Remover/dp/B001KO84I0

spare valve caps, as sometimes you loose them, and you want to keep the core clean.

Air pressure gauge, dial type. 0-60psig so you have good resolution in the range of 10-40psig

Premium Low - High Air Tire Pressure Gauge Heavy Duty Tire Pressure Gauge for Car and Trucks Tires

https://www.amazon.com/Pressure-Gauge-Diaoaokiss-Motorcycle-Bicycle/dp/B077N6KWTZ

If you are hours away from help, ability to do some repairs to tire.
example

BETOOLL 67pcs Tire Repair Kits,Tire Plug Repair Tools for Car, Motorcycle, Jeep, RV, ATV,SUV, Truck, Trailer,Tractor, Lawn Mower

https://www.amazon.com/BETOOLL-Motorcycle-Tractor-Puncture-Dissatisfaction/dp/B01JLQGJGC
Tire sealant can be a quick fix, avoiding having to pull the spare out.
- understand I don't know anything is going to fix a sidewall damage, short of stuffing something flexible into the damaged area, and that is the most likely type of damage that will occur out 4 wheeling.
- upgrade tires to LT Load Range C, or E for better resistance to tire damage as compared to P rated tires.

 

Perfect, thanks for all the info/links!

 

Get a winch on there ASAP. You can get by without a lot when you have the ability to self recover. The SOS Concepts streamline bumper is probably the best solution to mount it. It retains most of the stock bumper so you don't start down the "This bumper makes my tires look small, i need bigger tires so I need a lift and gears and lockers and and and and..." path. That's an expensive path, believe me.

 

Digging tool - don't bother with minature survival shovels, or fancy, multi-purpose overlander combo do anything shovels.
Get a short handled (D ring handle best) steel Spade (Spear point vs squared) You are going to abuse this, and expect it to work well, every time. It doesn't need to be expensive, or fancy, but does need to be quality, and sturdy. a lip to push your booted feet on helps, and makes the shovel potentially more sturdy.

Saw - a folding saw of decent size, or bow saw (24" or 36")
examples
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fiskars-18-in-D-Handled-Pruning-Saw-393540-1002/203273602
https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.bow-saw-24.1000162227.html
This is probably more useful than a hatchet.
http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?cat=2,2120,33277&p=65248

Personal protective gear such as gloves, eye protection. tarp to lay on, or for shelter, rope, sturdy boots.


bonus :
you can apply a lot of force, and move obstacles with ease. 5' length! - add some wedges, home made, to move things in small increments. Some short pieces of 2x6 or 4x4s, 18=24" length x 4 of them
- 1" plywood, 18 - 24" square to make as a base for your jack in soft materials.

upgrade hydraulic jack for longer reach, and more stable. Hi-Lift (brand name) or 'Farm' Jack - but learn to use it properly
, add chain, rope webbing, clevis, to make it into a winch. There should be some threads on the accessories available for these 'farm jacks' and their proper use, better bases, etc.
https://www.roundforge.com/articles/best-hi-lift-jack-accessories-fourwheeling/

all that, and some ingenuity will get you out of many sticky spots without the need for a winch, using materials around you.

 

You forgot the pre-workout to load all of that stuff in the truck before you leave. And why bring jerky when you can just bring a small cow? Then you have the option of veal, jerky or sliders...

 

I actually used the woodsman's pal recently and I agree with you. That thing is awesome!

 

Depends where he is. In UT, you'd be a lot better off with a pair of Maxtrax than a winch 99 times out of 100. But when you NEED a winch, you REALLY need a winch.

 

I do like that bumper, but not sure if ill get into all of that just yet.

 

folks like to mount their air compressors permanently, often in the engine compartment for the space, and short wiring run. Unfortunately heat buildup is what kills a compressor, so the engine compartment is a compromise location. For what you are asking for, a portable, but quality air compressor with accessories (make sure between the wires to the battery, and the hose length, that you can reach all of your tires.) will work just fine. Sometimes the wiring on these portable kits can be a bit cheap, so consider upgrading the wire AWG, battery clamps, and length based on your needs. Do not rely on the cigarette lighter socket for power.

 

Having done both, it's the way to go IMO!

 

A deflator and cheap little portable compressor that plugs into the cig lighter. You really don’t need much if you’re just gonna putt around. I always bring a bunch of stuff and never needed to use any of it except a jack on other people’s trucks.