Emurunner

hey guys, im going wheeling this weekend, nothing seirious just some trail riding, but is there anything that i NEED to bring? right now i dont have anybody to go with so im kind of worried about getting stuck should i just buy some tow staps and a hi lift jack? any advice would be apreciated.
thanks.

Yoter

tow strap, jumper cables, cell phone to call aaa, corn nuts, gatoraide and porn. lol tow strap and a wheelin buddy or two

bulldog-yota

If you are new to wheeling, rather get a buddy in another truck to come with. Try to get somebody more experienced that yourself, maybe even post here to see if people want to join you or if there is an event in your area.

Tofer

make sure its a long tow strap... i learned this weekend my 6 footer is good enough. and bring a buddy.

Emurunner

thanks for the tips! any ideas if i dont have anyone to go with? actually i do but his truck was stolen and he just got it back(police found it) and it wont start.

Marc P

That really is a newbie question--the answer is don't go alone!! Most of us that have gone alone have a reason we don't anymore.

Yoter

or if we do its on trail runs in the local mall lot. tofer said a 6 foot strap is good but it isnt good enough. I think he meant isnt good enough. i have a 20 footer from procomp and love it. i have a cheap back up just incase but the procomp strap is sweet. I have jumper cables for me but also incase I find a dead rig on the trail. I have a basic tool box I take, cheap air compressor just incase, cell phone, and more important than a cell is a cb being cells dont always have service in the back country up here. have you ever been wheeling? its fun. just take it easy, dont tear the trail up, and dont get cocky thinking you have it down. I do that now and then and it bites me in the butt. have fun buddy. ben

mtnmuse

Here's a link to some good write ups from Bill Burke's 4-Wheeling America LLC to get you started..........

http://www.bb4wa.com/articles/articles.htm

.........and a couple tips included in the Aftermarket Accessories, Part I: Always be Prepared to Get Unstuck article by Bill Burke.

Besides a tool kit, map(s), and some basic emergency items, the three most important things to have when traveling the back country trails and roads are:

1) Frame-mounted tow hooks, at least one in front and one in back. A Class III receiver hitch mounted in back counts.

2) A recovery strap at least 2" x 30' long, the kind with loops on the end, not hooks. The ones with hooks are for towing, not recovery (getting unstuck).

3) A Hi-Lift jack with attendant hardware.

Check out the articles at Bill's page. Lots of good info. Have a great time!

deathrunner

First, don't go alone....as everyone says

Second if you have to wheel alone:

Don't go too far from home, civilization, friends, help, etc.

Bring a tow starp, cell phone. Seriously are you gonna expect some ahm radio operator to come help....scratch the cb as a primary contact device.

Finally, when you're alone...don't push your limits, drive like you have open diffs street tires, and 2 inches less ground clearance....If you can still get through an obstacle with this in mind, then you'll be alright.

Flamedx4

You mean aside from guns and beer?
JUST KIDDING!
Best suggestion is to go in company with a more experienced wheeler. And listen and learn and experiment.

Emurunner

ive gone wheeling before a couple of times with a friend who has a 89 pickup (toyota) but right now its undergoing repairs( he slammed it into a hill side while on a trail run and it needs a new front fender.

Yoter

Bent up fender aint no thing. Tap it out and hit the trails. lol. well welcome to YT and the sport of offroading.

joatmon

I've found on several occasions that a shovel helps.

I have the short handle kind (similar to what you see on jeeps in WWII movies) that fit in the back of my runner.

ETN4runner

Chainsaw. Everytime i didn't have one, i needed it. Everytime i did have it, i needed it. 8^)

87TurboYota

Yea, bring a shovel.. I'm new too and I went out by myself for the first time on the beaches of OBX North Carolina and go stuck and the shovel helped a lot. Tow straps
are also something I'd take. Have a good one!

87TurboYota

Oh and a short handle one is nice as Joatmon said and I found mine at an Army Surplus store and it's perfect.

Emurunner

well its not just the fender its kind of the front grill/bumper/fender sortathing it was pretty rough.

Randomness

Extra U-joints...I think the best thing would be a winch and winch-bumper...but those are expensive and such. Get someone to go with you, like everyone else said.

Yoter

thank god you live in the south. if you were up here doing that we would burry you then strip your truck down and continue wheelin in a respectul manor. seriously you chop trees down as you wheel?

ayoung101

i wouldn't even consider wheeling without another truck. i've never been stuck personally, but my one buddy (who drives a chevy)(hehe) gets stuck from time to time and i pull him out. it's only a matter of time before the roles are reversed. it also depends on your definition of offroading. 2-tracks (a.k.a. seasonal roads, snowmobile trails, etc.) are not offroading. they're a lot of fun, but when it comes down to it, my celica could make it through those roads. don't get me wrong, they're still a lot of fun. but if you have no problem getting through in 2wd, then i don't count it as wheelin. like i said, it's still fun. so by all means, do these trails.

however, if you CAN'T find someone to go with, here's my advice. unless you're in an area where you can easily and quickly walk and get someone to help, don't try anything too challenging while you're alone. for example, if you see a muddy area, don't try it. if you see a big water pit, go around it.you'd be surprised at what holes you'll find in water pits. you can be cruising along and then all of a sudden boom, your hood is underwater. (it's happened to me before). somehow, my engine didn't stall and i was able to back out. but if you're alone and stall. . . . . basically, if i was alone and was out in the boonies and saw an area where i thought to myself "there's no chance i could get through this without 4wd", then i wouldn't attempt it. if you're with another truck, then attempt anything you're not scared of. but only do it ONE TRUCK AT A TIME. and last but not least, write a message to yotatech before you go. almost guarenteed there is SOMEONE near you that'd be willing and ready to wheel with you.