alright this is out to all of the "prepared" 4wheelers out there, what tools and spare parts do you take with you out on the trails? and why. also i could use a little help stocking my rig with parts too, so what do you guys recomend i take with my 77 f150 with 400, C6, D44 front and 9"rear?

so lets hear ideas thoughts and experience. i am not the most hard core wheeler, but i want to start having fun and not be worried about getting stranded because of broken parts. i have never broken anything off-road that i couldn't drive home with afterward, the worst i have done is broke the shifter linkage in a jeep manual tranny, but i still was able to use third gear to get me home.

 

I have spares for all u-joints and a tool to install them...carry plenty of normal tools...most fluids....spiders from the axles that now have lockers....spare axleshafts for the rear...now I just need to get spares for the front axle....the list keeps growing.

 

what tools you need for u-joints?

 

a ball joint press works like a charm to do ujoints.

 

You can use a c-clamp, but these work well too.

 

Don't forget the Hi-lift, and most importantly the on-board to run the pnuematic blender!

 

i have heard that a socket and hammer work too is that true? or should i pick up a ball joint press? will the c-clamp work good, i have one of those too. which high lift will work best? 48" or 60"?

 

a socket and hammer runs a good risk of bending the ears on the yoke.

 

well thats no good, alright i will buy the right tools. keep them coming, what else?

 

I also carry a spare tie rod......forgot about that. I keep it wrapped up with the axle shafts.

 

Fire Extinguisher - you can't work on any parts if they all burn to the ground.
Engine Belts - save the old ones when putting on new ones, and they may someday help you get home.
Spare front hubs - you can't wheel if they break and the axle isn't turning the wheels.
Hacksaw - you can trim any troublesome body panels(ok, you said you weren't hardcore, but you never know) A 5lb hammer does this job well also.
Tire repair kit - plug a tread, or if you need an emergency fix for those nasty sidewall cuts, stuff a bunch of plugs in them.
WD-40 or similar type water displacement stuff - water crossings can do a job on your electrical system.
Spare U bolts can sometimes save the day.
Extra headlight bulbs - they always go out when you most need them.
Rubber hose of varying lengths and diameters - repair anything from windshield washer tubing to the return fuel line (on a Jeep Cj-7 after a body mount has shifted and the body crushes what is actually a very important line!)
A furniture pad or scrap of carpet can make working on soggy ground a bit less unpleasant.
Cash - some tow truck drivers won't take the plastic. Of course, exhaust all of your options before calling the tow man!
Wrap around safety goggles - dirt and rust falling into your eyes while working under the truck can be more than just aggravating.
Spare axle shafts - they can be hidden behind bumpers or along roll bars.
Voltmeter - almost a necessity on today's modern engine management stuff and always useful with diagnosing even simple electrical problems. While on the electrical system, always carry wire, connectors, and tape.
Snap ring pliers - because they make snap rings so much easier.
Zip ties - if you need to hold anything in place or outta the way....
And the very BEST thing to take with you when wheeling is a friend in another vehicle - recovery is easier with two vehicles, working on a problem is usually easier with two brains thinking about it, and hard jobs are made easier with two pairs of hands.

 

thanks for the info. would my best bet on spares be to use the old one after i replace them? like when i get warn shafts and new u-joints? or should i order 2 sets of shafts, and do i need spares for the rear too, or it the front more prone to breaking? thats alot of little stuff i would never have thought about. thanks again.

 

If the older shafts fit, then use them. You only want them to help get you home....not as a permanent fix.

 

I'd use the old shafts for spares...only problem with it is that if you do break a warn shaft, and you try and do the same thing again with the stock one, your likely to break it too.....so after changing shafts you'll need to be a little easier on it. The rear shafts are even more important than the front. You can't drive home with a broken rear shaft.

 

so whats the weak links in the 31 spline 9"? the axles? anything else?

if i do break something i am sure i will do what i need to to just get home.