Valuable Hacks For Four-Wheeling And Camping
Many four-wheeling trips entail improvising at some point. Often, we use a tool or common household item in a creative manner. Over the years I’ve developed a long list of hacks related to four-wheeling and camping. The following eight tips have proved invaluable over time.
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Use a Sharpie to write the minimum breaking strength on all recovery straps, and stamp the working load limit onto the pulley. Don’t use any recovery equipment for which you don’t know the rating. Much of the equipment sold to us does not meet OSHA requirements for labeling. Manufacturers don’t record the working load limit and breaking strength on the recovery straps.
That information is in the package, which gets tossed. Stamping the working load limit on the pulley ensures you will have that information long after the sticker becomes unreadable (or peels off). Harbor Freight has an inexpensive stamp set.
Paint the end of your 4-way lug wrench corresponding to your lug nuts. Any color will do, but the brighter, the better. Then, when you pick up the wrench, you know immediately which end to use.- Speaking of the lug wrench, the ¾ inch end and the 19 mm lug wrench can be used in lieu of a ¾ inch wrench on a ½ inch x 13 bolt or 19mm bolt. If you’re going to bolt something to the vehicle, consider using a ½ x 13 bolt or 19 mm bolt. The lug wrench will work in a pinch.
Photocopy the wiring diagram for the winch control box. Keep a copy with you whenever you’re off-road. You can use that to rewire the solenoids in a breakdown. Recall that there are two solenoids in the control box. If the one for winding in quits working, referring to the wiring diagram. You can rewire the unit to use the other solenoid. The winch will now retract the cable. If you need to use the cable again while off-road, release the clutch and pull it out by hand.
Pack four small but very strong magnets. I use them to hold down the corners of a map when reviewing it on the hood or side of a vehicle. The magnets keep the map from blowing around. Most new vehicles do not have much metal that a magnet will stick too. Do a walk around to test various areas. I was amazed what areas worked and which did not.
Replace any cotter key on a Hi-Lift® jack with a PTO (power takeoff) pin. With the PTO pin in place, you’ll have quick access to the jack’s handle. The jack handle is a 3-foot piece of pipe, and can be used in a number of creative ways (as a cheater bar, to fix a bent and weak tie rod, and so on). You’ll have to drill out the cotter pin holes to ¼ inch. Using the jack handle for those other purposes may destroy it. That’s fine. At least you can get home. Simply buy another handle.- A PTO pin can also be used to keep the pin from coming loose on a screw pin bow shackle. (See the image.)
- Use a marker to write ‘in’ and ‘out’ on the winch controller. Sure, the buttons have arrows indicating direction. But they can be difficult to quickly interpret. Your eyes can’t miss the writing on the controller.
These hacks have helped me throughout the years. I’m sure you can find a useful solution in this list. Feel free to add your own. Good luck in your next outdoor adventure.
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Did you miss the previous articles?
2025
- 2025-05-26 10 Concepts For Responsible Four-Wheeling
- 2025-04-15 Trail Leader Safety
- 2025-03-22 Wheel Cheat: What It Is and How to Avoid It
- 2025-02-09 How to Quickly Escape a Natural Disaster
- 2025-01-14 Be A Hit At Camp With A Dutch Oven Chicken Pot Pie
Some Upcoming Events (click on the link for details)
The 2025 schedule of clinics and adventures trips has been posted on the web site.
It is time to sign up for the Rubicon trip and take one of the Rock skills class.
June 2025
June 14, 2025 Synthetic Rope Repair Mini Clinic – NEW!
June 21, 2025 Starting Rock Crawling
June 28, 2025 Dutch Oven Mini Clinic
July 2025
July 19, 2025 Starting Rock Crawling
July 26, 2025 Tire Repair and Hi Lift Mini Clinic – LA Area
August 2025
August 11, 2025 Rubicon Adventure
August 23, 2025 Sand Dune Off-Road Driving – Oceano Dunes
August 24, 2025 Self Recovery Clinic – LA Area
August 30, 2025 Labor Day Club Run
San Rafael Swell Off Road Guide Book & Companion Map $45.00
If you want to order one: https://www.4x4training.com/w/product/san-rafael-swell-off-road-guide-book/
At almost 300 pages, “San Rafael Swell Off Road: A Trail Guide to 42 Destinations for Automobiles, 4WD Trucks & ATVs” is a guide to the in the San Rafael Swell area of Emery County. The desert area is ringed by small towns like Price, Green River and Castle Dale.
“Every chapter includes helpful advice for novice or experienced explorers of the area, such as, “Easy dirt road for high clearance automobile, although four-wheel drive is recommended to several sandy sections along the road. “according to Ed Helmick the author.
The San Rafael Swell area of south-central Utah. This is an area that provides approximately 2,000 square miles of fantastic scenery, fascinating history, and fun off-road adventures. The only paved roads in the San Rafael Swell are Interstate 70, which bisects the Swell in an east-west direction for 67 miles, and a spur of I-70 called the Moore Cutoff. The major difference between off-roading in the Moab area and the Swell area is fewer people, and the area is more remote in regard to the distances to small towns with services. Utah towns that ring the Swell are: Price, Green River, Hanksville, Cainsville, Emery, Castle Dale, Huntington, and Cleveland.
The companion map, the National Geographic San Rafael Swell (#712) comes as a package deal with your book order.
73 KI6FHA
I hope to see you on the trails!
Tom Severin, President Badlands Off Road Adventures, Inc.
4-Wheel Drive School
310-613-5473
www.4x4training.com
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