The Vehicle (Off Road)
Four-wheel drives are only as good as the quality of their maintenance and preparation. As such, good preparation before you head off-road can help reduce the incidence or severity of any problems that may occur.
Spare parts
Make sure all the spare parts you carry are appropriate for your vehicle and include:
- At least two spare tyres for remote areas (over-inflated slightly to allow for air loss over time) with spare tubes
- Puncture repair kit and spare valve cores
- A complete set of belts for your vehicle including fan, air conditioner, alternator, power-steering
- Fuel, oil and air filters
- Fuses, for vehicle and HF radio
- Electrical cable, 4mm and 6mm
- Electrical tape and a selection of electrical connectors
- Radiator and heater hoses, with spare clamps
- Heavy duty jumper leads (as long as possible
- Ignition coil, distributor cap and a set of spark plugs
- Fuel pump kits (spare pump if your vehicle uses an electric pump)
- Water pump kit
- Wheel bearing kit (also for caravan or trailer)
- Spare tail light and indicator globes
- Workshop manual for your vehicle
- Lubricants, power steering and brake fluid
- Dewatering fluid, (WD40)
- Selection of self-tapping screws, nuts, bolts, split pins and spring washers to suit your vehicle
- Ducting tape
- Strong wire and ball of twine
- Radiator sealant
- Epoxy ribbon
- Hand cleaner, cleaning rags
- Tow-rope and snatch strap and rated bow shackles
- A good tarpaulin (from ground sheet to basic shade in emergencies)
- An easily accessible 1kg fire extinguisher
Toolkit
A basic “off-road” toolkit should contain the following:
- A torch
- Jumper leads
- Large and small shifting spanners
- Socket wrenches with extensions and ratchet handle. Don’t forget to take any special sizes to suit unusual requirements for your vehicle
- Standard, long nose and multi-grip pliers
- Flat-tip and philips head screwdrivers
- Side cutters
- Small pipe wrench
- Vicegrips
- Wire strippers
- Utility knife
- Wire brush
- Emery tape
- Ball pein hammer, and small sledge hammer
- Small axe or tomahawk
- Hacksaw with spare blades
- Grease gun and spare cartridge
- Soldering iron, 12 volt or gas
- Tyre pump, tyre pressure guage and valve tool
- Standard vehicle jack
- Jack and baseplate, steel or wood (30x30x5cm) for use in sand or mud
- Strong point nose shovel
- Tyre levers
- Sufficient water to refill your radiator
