I'm wondering what parts to bring (and know how to replace). What is your experience? From searches here I've compiled this list, but I'd like to get some more detail, know which repairs are most common, and what I'm missing. There may be errors in this list; I'm not much of a mechanic but I'm trying to learn.


birfields (common)
inner axles
axle seals
knuckle bearings/studs/nuts
brake line
tie rod ends
broken belts
broken radiator hose
damaged, leaking radiator
leaf spring center pin (i don't understand this one)
hubs and drive flanges
steering parts (which?)
drive shafts
brakes (which parts?)
starter
alternator

Just buy another truck and trailer it with you.

Bare minimum: axleshaft sets, front axle birfs/ujoints, driveshaft ujoints, hubs, grease, gear oil. If you start to require engine, tranny or t-case oil, you're in worse condition than having a spare quart or three can help with. Belts, lugnuts, studs, seals, they're easy. If you have rock gardens or rock crawl either way, take a spare tie rod and TRE's, some string and a measuring tape to do a quick alignment.

the leaf spring center pins are a biggie. If your center pin breaks, your axle walks away from the springs. Not such a good thing.

Take in what you need to drive/be towed back out. Anything else can be skipped.

Anything and everything when you least expect it.

Rather than bring a spare u-joint I've found it's easier just to have a whole second driveshaft set to go in. It hardly takes any time to swap and gives piece of mind. Plus, spare u-joints aren't going to do you any good if you bash the driveshaft tube up real bad on the trail. It all depends on the cost of your d-shafts though. If you can still run a stock shaft or close to it's really easy. If you have $$$ custom CV stuff from High Angle, Tom Woods, etc if gets a little more difficult. Full size guys with divorced cases such that they can run the same length and style shaft front and rear REALLY have it good when it comes to that.

I typically have a quart of oil or two, some gear lube, and a gallon of coolant with me all the time. You never know when you're going to have a boil over or need to just top off a fluid. When someone else has a problem you will be their new best friend.

Interestingly enough I DON'T carry spare axle shafts with me. I probably should, but I just don't wheel in territory where I would need it. If a rear shaft goes I'm boned. I really should have a spare for each side complete with brake assembly, but I don't yet. As for the front....hopefully I can just get pulled out or something, but again...it depends on where you play.

i'm not completely squared away part wise, but i have an old d44 6 lug i am yanking the shafts for a spare..as for the rear, i hope it doesn't blow..

some things many people don't think of, one of my mags that i left in my locker has a whole page or 3 about what you need for a spare that many people don't think of such as sspare valve stems and tons of other setups..did you know you can make a primative arc welder with some arc weld rod, jumper cables and a car battery?

Whatever ya didn't bring will break.:smokin:

It depends on your truck and what mods have been done. Headers in my case mean a starter will blow out. I try to run with similar trucks that way our group dose not have to carry 6 sets of locking hubs. A set of Warn locking hubs as spares is a bit costly. But you can sell the other one to your friend. I try tp carry front end parts. i can drive home on front wheel drive if I have too.

Whatever ya didn't bring will break.:smokin:

hence the reason I wheel with no spares or tools :flipoff2:

What kind of rig is it?

you never know, I carry a couple birfs, a trunion bearing, inner axle seal, long and short shafts, and a hub, some misc steel. No matter what you bring you will break something else so a couple extra birfs, beer and cash are for trading material.

What kind of rig is it?
he mentioned birfields so its probably a toyota

I always try to bring extra knuckle studs as well as something to get the broken studs out with. Another thing with the Yotas is the inner hubs, I always bring an extra hub w/wheel bearings and another lockout. Sometimes I'll bring more than one, just depends on how long I'm planning to be gone for. Then like said before, Extra birfs, inner shafts, and plenty of beer for trading.

Whatever ya didn't bring will break.:smokin:
that's murphy's law right there..it always happens and with my luck it does..

your going to want

http://www.offroaders.com/tech/Offroaders_Checklist.htm#Vehicle

thanks, guys. also, that list was great, habitatxskate.

btw, my truck is an 88 toy4x4 with an aussie locker in the rear, downey header and cold air intake, and old man emu suspension. i bought a dual transfer case adapter but haven't installed it yet, but am anxiously saving my spare cash for the axle work. my 3 bros have almost the same truck so of course we can share spare parts (except they all have solid from axles).

happy camper

I'm wondering what parts to bring (and know how to replace). What is your experience? From searches here I've compiled this list, but I'd like to get some more detail, know which repairs are most common, and what I'm missing. There may be errors in this list; I'm not much of a mechanic but I'm trying to learn.


birfields (common)
1 Old school Longfield. Buy the 30spline set and worry no more

inner axles
1 Superior Cromo. Again 30spline Longfields

axle seals
Nope

knuckle bearings/studs/nuts
1 steering arm stud, then replaced with FROR ARP studs and locking nuts.

brake line
Nope

tie rod ends
Nope (Heims)
broken belts
Nope, that's just general maintenance

broken radiator hose
Nope, but you can keep those PVC/hoseclamp repair kits with you
damaged, leaking radiator
Nope

leaf spring center pin (i don't understand this one)
Nope

hubs and drive flanges
1 Hub clutch

steering parts (which?)
Just the frame, near where the steering box is mounted.:D

drive shafts
Nope, but I run .250 in front and .120 in back

brakes (which parts?)
Nope

starter
Nope

alternator
Nope


This is in 4+ years of hard wheeling. Go light and don't bring the whole damn autoparts store.