Pete M
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- S/E Michigan
Say you were going to drive this:
To this:
which is 24 hrs from Michigan (spread over 4 days so hopefully the drive is still fun and doesn't become a chore), and you didn't have a tow rig. The first weekend is in Moab with Rick and his MJ and friends, then my best bud Mike flys in to Denver from Michigan and joins me for hiking in Colorado during the week, the second is more trail riding with Rick and others in Colorado, then Mike flies home and I hit the road, the last weekend is in Illinois at the Rockport offroad Park with a bunch of Comanche owners and others from a local Jeep club, then I head for home.
What would you bring?
Stats: 88 MJ,
186k mile 4.0 with newer
-radiator hoses/coolant/t-stat
-water pump
-alternator
-brakes and brake lines,
-Optima yellow top
and low mileage:
-TJ AX-15 and np-231,
-'78 Bronco 44 and 9",
-33" trXus MTs,
Also have a real rollbar, strong bumpers/tow points, and *finally* some rocker protection (more on that later).
What I've got so far:
-full set of junkyard shafts for the 44,
-one spare for the 9" (not sure how I could possibly break it, but it was free),
-spare U-joints,
-spare junkyard tie rod,
-6 quarts of oil,
-brake fluid,
-wd40 and other various fluids,
-gallon of antifreeze for small problems, if it's a big problem, then I'll just be dumping in water
-two 7 gallon container for water,
-10 gallons of gas,
-a receiver rack on the bumper with a huge soft sided waterproof container on it for all the camping gear and anything else that needs to stay dry,
-small mechanical bottle jack,
-hi-lift,
-hydraulic floor jack (makes changing the tire sooooo much easier than the hi-lift),
-a 3 foot length of 2" pipe for use as an extension on the breaker bar or whatever,
-33" spare that's barely road worthy but should get me to the next town, (I'm thinking of also bringing one of the "okay" 31 inch tires I got at the junkyard but not sure about that yet),
-various screws/bolts/etc,
-removed the A/C condenser because the A/C doesn't work and so the condenser is just blocking the radiator,
-non-broken fan shroud for the mechanical fan,
-junkyard auxiliary fan that doesn't make all the racket that the old one did (on a switch/relay now so it can't fail to come on like it did to me on the dunes),
-T-case skidplate,
-Co2 tank, $10 pump as a backup,
-impact wrench
-second battery (in the bed and not hooked up, but I can jumpstart myself),
-head gasket kit (I've got it so I might as well bring it, right?),
-various tarps and pieces of cardboard,
-spare belt,
-spare starter,
-spare coolant pressure tank,
-chains and yank strap,
-two four foot long 2"x8" planks
-a whole mess of ratchet straps,
-tow bar,
-Cell phone with nationwide coverage
-laptop for collecting photos from digi camera
-phoneline internet access for sharing the photos and stories mid-trip (most likely on comancheclub.com but it depends on how good the access is)
-CB
-12 mile radios
-hub socket, breaker bar, etc. (practically a full set of tools so I won't list them all, but if you have any specific suggestions, I'm all ears
-coffee can
-10 quart catch pan and an empty gallon jug for fluids
-bunch of hose clamps
-couple different funnels
-short lengths of chain
-2 inverters
-Fluorescent drop light for nighttime repairs
-jumper cables
-extra blankets
-first aid kit
-bars leak
-silicone for gaskets etc.
-3 fire extinguishers
-lots of flashlights and led lights
-MAPP gas torch
-that seal-all tape that is stretchy and sticks to itself
-little tent for when it's just me and the dog
-big tent for when my friend Mike joins us for the middle week in Colorado (he's flying to Denver)
-chairs (I sure ain't sitting on the ground for 3 weeks)
-electric and gas stoves for boiling water
-and CDs, lots and lots and lots of CDs.
-cameras: one digi, one expensive film, three disposible films (for handing to other people to snap pics of my truck in action), and one camcorder with lots of tapes
-factory shop manual, haynes, chiltons
-Credit Card!
Also add to the list everything my dog will need for the journey. Water (and a way to bring it with me on hikes), food, dishes, treats, bedding, sweater, poop bags, leash, 15' cable and stake for around camp, rabies papers, extra blankets in case it's cold at night, harness for trail riding...
and I'm sure I'm forgetting to add stuff on this list that I have.
Things I've yet to get:
-spare alternator
-tire plug kit
-air/fuel filters
-one of those cheap camp toilets (the camp ground at Moab may have flush toilets and showers, but the middle-of-nowhere in Colorado sure doesn't)
-hydration backpack
-and I'm sure a whole lot of butterflies-in-the-stomach once I hit the open road
To me, self-sufficiency and preparing for the worst is what Jeepin' is all about. right? I'm just not one of the "take only what you need too survive" kind of guys.
Jeep on!
--Pete
P.S. don't bother suggesting I rent something. renting a pickup for 3 weeks is upwards of a grand, and renting a Uhaul truck big enough to carry my truck is $1800 oneway. :scared: That kind of money could pay for all sorts of roadside repairs. :repair:
P.S.S. in case all else fails, does anyone live near I-70 between Michigan and Utah that could give me a tow if I need it? Or at least maybe a ride into the nearest town? Another Jeeper suggested it and I thought it was a great idea! I'm a patient guy and it won't be a drop everything-and-come-get-me thing. Just for if I can't fix it (and I happen to have cell coverage in the middle of nowhere) and town is too long of a hike away and you can come get my sorry butt after you get off work or something.
[email protected]
To this:
which is 24 hrs from Michigan (spread over 4 days so hopefully the drive is still fun and doesn't become a chore), and you didn't have a tow rig. The first weekend is in Moab with Rick and his MJ and friends, then my best bud Mike flys in to Denver from Michigan and joins me for hiking in Colorado during the week, the second is more trail riding with Rick and others in Colorado, then Mike flies home and I hit the road, the last weekend is in Illinois at the Rockport offroad Park with a bunch of Comanche owners and others from a local Jeep club, then I head for home.
What would you bring?
Stats: 88 MJ,
186k mile 4.0 with newer
-radiator hoses/coolant/t-stat
-water pump
-alternator
-brakes and brake lines,
-Optima yellow top
and low mileage:
-TJ AX-15 and np-231,
-'78 Bronco 44 and 9",
-33" trXus MTs,
Also have a real rollbar, strong bumpers/tow points, and *finally* some rocker protection (more on that later).
What I've got so far:
-full set of junkyard shafts for the 44,
-one spare for the 9" (not sure how I could possibly break it, but it was free),
-spare U-joints,
-spare junkyard tie rod,
-6 quarts of oil,
-brake fluid,
-wd40 and other various fluids,
-gallon of antifreeze for small problems, if it's a big problem, then I'll just be dumping in water
-two 7 gallon container for water,
-10 gallons of gas,
-a receiver rack on the bumper with a huge soft sided waterproof container on it for all the camping gear and anything else that needs to stay dry,
-small mechanical bottle jack,
-hi-lift,
-hydraulic floor jack (makes changing the tire sooooo much easier than the hi-lift),
-a 3 foot length of 2" pipe for use as an extension on the breaker bar or whatever,
-33" spare that's barely road worthy but should get me to the next town, (I'm thinking of also bringing one of the "okay" 31 inch tires I got at the junkyard but not sure about that yet),
-various screws/bolts/etc,
-removed the A/C condenser because the A/C doesn't work and so the condenser is just blocking the radiator,
-non-broken fan shroud for the mechanical fan,
-junkyard auxiliary fan that doesn't make all the racket that the old one did (on a switch/relay now so it can't fail to come on like it did to me on the dunes),
-T-case skidplate,
-Co2 tank, $10 pump as a backup,
-impact wrench
-second battery (in the bed and not hooked up, but I can jumpstart myself),
-head gasket kit (I've got it so I might as well bring it, right?),
-various tarps and pieces of cardboard,
-spare belt,
-spare starter,
-spare coolant pressure tank,
-chains and yank strap,
-two four foot long 2"x8" planks
-a whole mess of ratchet straps,
-tow bar,
-Cell phone with nationwide coverage
-laptop for collecting photos from digi camera
-phoneline internet access for sharing the photos and stories mid-trip (most likely on comancheclub.com but it depends on how good the access is)
-CB
-12 mile radios
-hub socket, breaker bar, etc. (practically a full set of tools so I won't list them all, but if you have any specific suggestions, I'm all ears
-coffee can
-10 quart catch pan and an empty gallon jug for fluids
-bunch of hose clamps
-couple different funnels
-short lengths of chain
-2 inverters
-Fluorescent drop light for nighttime repairs
-jumper cables
-extra blankets
-first aid kit
-bars leak
-silicone for gaskets etc.
-3 fire extinguishers
-lots of flashlights and led lights
-MAPP gas torch
-that seal-all tape that is stretchy and sticks to itself
-little tent for when it's just me and the dog
-big tent for when my friend Mike joins us for the middle week in Colorado (he's flying to Denver)
-chairs (I sure ain't sitting on the ground for 3 weeks)
-electric and gas stoves for boiling water
-and CDs, lots and lots and lots of CDs.
-cameras: one digi, one expensive film, three disposible films (for handing to other people to snap pics of my truck in action), and one camcorder with lots of tapes
-factory shop manual, haynes, chiltons
-Credit Card!
Also add to the list everything my dog will need for the journey. Water (and a way to bring it with me on hikes), food, dishes, treats, bedding, sweater, poop bags, leash, 15' cable and stake for around camp, rabies papers, extra blankets in case it's cold at night, harness for trail riding...
and I'm sure I'm forgetting to add stuff on this list that I have.
Things I've yet to get:
-spare alternator
-tire plug kit
-air/fuel filters
-one of those cheap camp toilets (the camp ground at Moab may have flush toilets and showers, but the middle-of-nowhere in Colorado sure doesn't)
-hydration backpack
-and I'm sure a whole lot of butterflies-in-the-stomach once I hit the open road
To me, self-sufficiency and preparing for the worst is what Jeepin' is all about. right?
I'm just not one of the "take only what you need too survive" kind of guys. Jeep on!
--Pete
P.S. don't bother suggesting I rent something. renting a pickup for 3 weeks is upwards of a grand, and renting a Uhaul truck big enough to carry my truck is $1800 oneway. :scared: That kind of money could pay for all sorts of roadside repairs. :repair:
P.S.S. in case all else fails, does anyone live near I-70 between Michigan and Utah that could give me a tow if I need it? Or at least maybe a ride into the nearest town? Another Jeeper suggested it and I thought it was a great idea! I'm a patient guy and it won't be a drop everything-and-come-get-me thing. Just for if I can't fix it (and I happen to have cell coverage in the middle of nowhere) and town is too long of a hike away and you can come get my sorry butt after you get off work or something.
[email protected]
Last edited:
