OBSCURE Trail Spares

[Goose_XJ88]

Yes, there have been plenty of "trail spare parts" threads through the years and people talking about the tools they bring. I am looking for the items that you bring on the trail with you that are a little more off the beaten path.

OBSCURE items only please. We all know about the D30 shafts, CPS, fuses, and u-joints and those items have been beat to death. The same goes for the nuts, bolts, and tools (36mm, 12 pt 13mm, track bar bolt, 4ft of extensions for CPS, etc.)


Here is a list that I have created and I am looking to add more to it.

-Assortment of new cotter pins
-Valve cores
-Colby valves
-Inverted flare steel plugs for 3/8" (block off one side of Rear brakes if you blow wheel cylinder and dont need to destroy a brake line)
- Still need to do research for front brake line cap size in the fender well. (I know you can use vice grips to pinch the line but if you have a good braded line; damage/leak at caliper, I wouldnt want to destroy a brake line if I dont have to)
-Center pins for leaf springs
-Ivory soap (old timers trick for stopping/slowing leaks in cracked oil pans, trans pan, etc.) Temp Fix
-Brake shoe retainer pin (rear drum brakes: D35 and 8.25 are same, D44 is longer)
-Waterweld and Steelstik (JB weld brand puttys)

 

[sdspearo]

15 yrs ago a buddy broke a ball joint on the trail. Since then I've carried and lugged around spare ball joints and the HF ball joint press and haven't used it once. It's heavy AF but I know as soon as I remove it from my spares stash...

 

[Ol Blue]

Track bar, drag link, all TREs, and front drive shaft. Yes you can replace the U joints, but what if the whole shaft comes apart on a rock. Or if the tie rod is bent or broken on a rock...which is not uncommon for hard core trails. They are all old and taken off the Jeep for a reason but they will get me off the trail if something breaks.

Also spare wiring, fuses, switches, solenoids, fittings, air line for the lockers. Once flexed too much and ripped out the wiring harness for my E-Locker. Learned my lesson from that.

Also have a spare junkyard throttle body with back up TPS, MAF, and IAC installed. Easier to swap the entire TB than mess with each sensor and those tiny torx bolts.

Old but functioning thermostat and new thermostat gasket.

Old serpentine belt.

 

[Anak]

One of the odd things I carry is a starter brush assembly (plate with all 4 brushes installed). It is a relatively small and lightweight part. It is also something which could be fairly easily changed on the trail.

 

[Ol Blue]

Old flexible brake lines that are slightly too short. Again they aren't in great shape and have some cracks in the outer plastic layer, but they worked when removed. That's my theme here...save your old crappy parts that still function. They make great trail spares.

 

[Ol Blue]

Track bar, drag link, all TREs, and front drive shaft. Yes you can replace the U joints, but what if the whole shaft comes apart on a rock. Or if the tie rod is bent or broken on a rock...which is not uncommon for hard core trails. They are all old and taken off the Jeep for a reason but they will get me off the trail if something breaks.

Also spare wiring, fuses, switches, solenoids, fittings, air line for the lockers. Once flexed too much and ripped out the wiring harness for my E-Locker. Learned my lesson from that.

Also have a spare junkyard throttle body with back up TPS, MAF, and IAC installed. Easier to swap the entire TB than mess with each sensor and those tiny torx bolts.

Old but functioning thermostat and new thermostat gasket.

Old serpentine belt.

Oops I meant tie rod instead of track bar. I do not carry a spare track bar.

 

[Bent]

Spare valve stems, and the tool to insert them.

 

[Goose_XJ88]

Oops I meant tie rod instead of track bar. I do not carry a spare track bar.

I was going to say, that seems excessive. lol

I do have a buddy that built his steering to be the same size as his track bar so he carries a spare that covers double duty.