WANT TO GO ON A TRAIL RIDE? LET’S TALK ABOUT THAT…

​           We just finished up Jeepin with Judd and there are a few things I would like to share. First off there were tons of Jeeps this year and I mean 1000s The Judd website was pretty clear as to what was needed to go on the trails and yet somehow people still missed it. This is not a complete list of things needed but it is a good starting point and I would recommend them before trail riding.

TOW POINTS:
What is NOT a tow point:  Bumpers, leaf springs, axles, and most importantly, tow ball hitches.
What is a tow point: Bolted D-Ring mounts, not welded, we all know weld break. Most off road bumpers come with D-Ring mounts and a soft shackle will hook into a D-Ring with ease. You should have a minimum of 2 tow points, one in front, and one in the back. If needed there are D-Ring  Reese hitch mounts that just slide into the hitch and they work well. See link below.

RECOVERY STRAPS WITH LOOPED ENDS:
No chains or hooks, why? Because they can kill you when they break and fly into the back of your head or strike an onlooker in the face. The old days of yankin someone out with a chain are done. Tow straps are Cheep and they work to pull someone out of the mud or tow someone back to camp, just NEVER try to snatch with one. The best method to recover is a KINETIC RECOVERY ROPE. Not cheap but they work wonders on pulling people out of a hole. They stretch and then transfer that energy to give you extra power and not stress you hook ups.
 
CB RADIO:
Too many people showed up with no CB this week. There are instructions given and useful information when it comes to what side of a hill is a better ride, or a better challenge.  It also lets you know where the lead is and when the tail gets past a certain point. If you get hung up you can let others know.  If you have to take a break you can ask. When you are clear of a hill you can inform the person behind you it’s safe. There are plenty of options when it comes to CB’s from cheap handhelds to dash mounted less than $50 models. A full setup with everything needed from radio, antenna, mount and antenna wires is less the $100 and money well spent. It’s a Jeep and it gets wet so putting an expensive radio might just be asking for someone to break in.  Keep it simple. Learn a bit of radio etiquette before ratchet jawing yourself on the radio.  It’s always good to respond when you are given instructions; I can’t tell you how many times I would ask for something and not know if the tail could even hear me.  Short waves are the next thing and need some tuning to get the right channels in.
 
FIRE EXTINGUISHER:
Pretty simple, have one and learn how to use it. Make it mounted in the right space so in a jam you can get it in a hurry. Second count and a fire will get out of hand very fast. It is not just your jeep, but the environment that can suffer. Make sure it’s the right kind, and service it so it will work when you need it. See the link below for a good guide or what kind to buy.
 
BASIC SET OF TOOLS:
Something is better than nothing but a cheap set from walmart is just that, cheap. A good set of select tools will be your best friend when you have to drop a drive shaft off to get home.  Vice grips, hammer, screw drivers, wrenches, zip ties, duct tape, electric tape, a breaker bar and anything else yo might need. I had to change the front drive shaft and it took forever to get the 12 small 8mm bolts that would only turn 1 click at a time. I sure wish I had a nut driver that day. It took awhile to find a shallow wall 1 ¼ socket to put the new yoke on too. 
 
WORKING SEATBELTS:
Seat belts will save your life.  ALWAYS have it on when in a moving vehicle. If you fall out, you can get run over. If you roll you can get crushed. If you hit a tree you can smash your face on the windshield. And no a tow strap does not count and you can’t share a seat belt.
 
WINCH:
Sometimes you might need more than a light pull, a tug or a push. This is when a winch comes into play. They are not cheap, but the day you need one and don’t have one you will wish you had put one on. This applies triple if you are on a trail alone. See the blog below about that. It is always better to have a wheeling friend along for the ride. You can get a winch with a steal cable or a synthetic rope. The rope cost more but weighs less. If a cable breaks it becomes a deadly whip, if a rope snaps it tends to just fall. Not always so have something draped over the mid section.


OTHER THINGS:
Spare Tire
Full Tank of Gas
Health Information Sheet
First Aid Kit
Seat Belts
Automobile Registration 
Trash Bags
 
 This is by no means a complete list but it is a good start to get you out on the trails.