On trail repairs help.

Looking for resources to watch or read to broaden my knowledge of working on my Tacoma. Other than oil changers and tire rotations. I’m talking like when things break on the trail I see guys fixing drive line issues and control arms and such but I’m new to wrenching in my rig. I have tried to install everything I have bought on my truck to learn my truck but ya just looking for more. I want to be better and more capable..
Thanks in advance all!

 

You can find the Toyota repair manual in the maintenance sticky. Might be good to have

 

Not only is the cart in front of the horse here, it's a couple miles ahead. No offense, but If you just started wrenching, you're probably not going to be fixing driveline issues on the trail. Maybe swapping a drive shaft, but do you plan on carrying a spare drive shaft with you? Or spare CVs? You've got to be pretty committed to hard wheeling to have the needed parts and skillset for trail-side driveline repairs.

Do your preventative maintenance, get skid plates and sliders. Hope like hell the most involved trail-side repair you'll ever need to do is change a flat. For the other times, make sure you wheel with buddies who can take you back home if something major goes wrong.

 

Just get a Dodge, Ford or a Chevy and you'll "learn by doing"

 

Wheel with the Jeep guys they're always fixin' chit

 

Ive never went out and thought " damn, sure would make this day better if i could wrench on the truck while its on the side of the mtn and that big ole rock is jammed in my back " people learn by doing when they have no choice.

And you can watch all the videos and read all the books but without the skill set and tools, your still calling for help.

Its great to be prepared and have the knowledge to work on your vehicle if and when the situation arises.

Most of the ingenious trail repairs ive ever seen were from guys that had no other option.

 

After over 25 years of off-roading from Colorado to Alaska and in between, I can think of only a handful of times I had to make a repair that disabled the vehicle. Alternators, fan belts, pumps, and tires make up the lion's share. Outside of that, I was always rigging something up to limp off the trail safely. @whatstcp recommendations are spot on. Safety is #1 on the trail...off camber repairs in sand, mud and, loose stone up the safety game. Solid recovery skills applied to securing the vehicle are imperative.

 

Sounds like you are on the right path to learning. I would suggest you find some locals, maybe FB groups by you who wheel and repair as needed. Spend some time with them to learn and share. It's always nice to have a helping hand or someone you can learn from. Aside from that, keep watching those videos and reading whatever you can. Even a small knowledge base will help out. Always remember, sometimes it just takes balls. You will be amazed at what you can do.

 

Necessity is the mother of invention!

 

As mentioned before and I'll bring it up again. Having recovery gear/shovel-ax-jack, first aid, tools, food/water, blankets/cold weather clothing with you at all times is key even if you do not know or remember how to use it, someone else will.

 

Totally understand where you’re coming from, I don’t necessarily plan on doing those repairs but knowing when it does need to be repaired or knowing that it’s the problem making the sound so that I don’t over do it or push it too hard knowing that there’s something wrong with it that I can’t fix. You see some guys on YouTube video saying hope I hear some knocking that must be the blank blank blankAnd they know where to look so they know whether or not to turn around or if you can wait till they get to a shop., the first thing I did off the Dealer parking lot was by skin plates and sliders,

 

Good thoughts.
Knowing how to make some educated guesses about issues can certainly save you from making matters worse by continuing on.

 

This is a fantastic response thank you when I bought my truck I was new to wrenching in Wheeling, so I watched a lot of YouTube and the first thing I invested in was a good set of tools a good Jack traction boards recovery gear and protection apprentices (sliders and skids) I love what you said about adapt and overcome. I’ve always love the saying “have a plan for everything going 100% correctly 50% correctly and absolutely wrong”. Thanks for the thread I had not seen that one before.

 

Then I’m glad I have duct tape bailing wire and zip ties.Then I’m glad I have duct tape bailing wire and zip ties.

 

I definitely try to go out with knowledgeable people and not wheel alone but a lot of times I find myself with my wife exploring some dirt road that we never plan on going down. That’s how we find some of our best camping spots but with that said we always have a plan, communications. And somebody wondering where we are with a check in time.Are you the same classy tacos from YouTube? I watched a lot of your videos too and gotten some really good ideas like your recovery video.

 

Agree 100% and they are all in the truck at all times..

 

Crack Hammer
Hacksaw/Blades
Big File
Punch
ViseGrips (flat and curved)
Driver/Bits
Wrenches/Sockets/Ratchet/Extensions
Lineman’s Pliers
Tin Snips
Tire Plug Kit
Jumper Cables
Air Pump
Bulbs/Fuses/Wire
Bailing Wire
JB Weld
Epoxy
Gorilla Tape
Assorted hose clamps
Assorted nuts/bolts/washers/screws
1/2 Wide Zip Ties
Chunk of 2” perforated steel box rail
Chunk of 1/4” aluminum plate
Roll of aluminum flashing

 

Love your name that’s awesome! And thanks for the list I have most..
why these?
“Chunk of 2” perforated steel box rail
Chunk of 1/4 aluminum plate
Roll of aluminum flashing”

 

…fabricating busted pieces, making braces/brackets/supports, fixing exhaust, patching oil pan, etc…