What do you carry in your 4x4?

So if you've been following the "how many of you have a 4x4" topic you know that I recently purchased a cheap run about 4x4. Now being my first 4x4, I'm interested in knowing what people carry on board as a necessity.

Keeping in mind I'm an IT Consultant, for starters I've got a toolbox which includes a socket set, spanners, 100 mile an hour tape as well as small fire extinguisher.

What else should I carry?

Snatch strap...

what else, LOL

and the usual air compressor, long shovel, straps etc.

I was thinking the same thing

esky full of beer, swag, camping gear, family, axe, chainsaw, spare tyre, fossicking gear, drinking water, camera, ac/dc cd's and the list goes on ha ha....but honestly one thing that i always have is a UHF radio(some people will disagree wth me on this one) but make sure it IS NOT wired into the ignition, cause if you lose your keys you can always smash the window and use it to call for help.

Not a bad thought there Bisho...

In my car I always carry
Tyre repair/plug kit and air compressor and Tyre Pressure adjuster thinga
Snatch Strap
Winch Extension Strap
Pair of shackles
Tree Trunk Protector
Snatch Block
Aeroguard and Sunscreen
Handheld UHF

Few things I know butyou'd be surprised howoften you do something dumb when going for a quick drive and need to recover yourself

Fantastic info guys, I especially appreciate the advice on wiring the UHF straight to the battery, thats something on the list but I never would have thought of that

Nugget said:

Fantastic info guys, I especially appreciate the advice on wiring the UHF straight to the battery, thats something on the list but I never would have thought of that

Click to expand...

Maybe put a switch to chop it from Acc to Batt so for 99% of time you just leave it on Acc so it turns off with the car?

make sure you still put a fuse in though

The Evakool is a great fridge and doesn't draw a huge amount of power. I have mounted an extra battery in my ute with a red ark solenoid switch thingy a must for bush travel I think.

In regard to the UHF, I do agree with wiring, thru a fuse, straight to the flattery.
Most newer radio's have a thing called APO, check for it in the manual....its Auto Power Off, it can be set at various times..the radio will turn off and not batten your flattery....

Cheers guys, my brother's an auto installer so I'll most likely just get him to do it

not quite right ben, when you get out of the car ...turn it off... if you lose your keys you will still have a radio you can use. it might cost a piece of glass, but if it is wired to go off if the keys are not in the ignition how can you use it if you have lost the keys

bisho said:

not quite right ben, when you get out of the car ...turn it off... if you lose your keys you will still have a radio you can use. it might cost a piece of glass, but if it is wired to go off if the keys are not in the ignition how can you use it if you have lost the keys

Click to expand...

Because you have it switched to be ACC or direct to the Battery. Easily done with a DPDT switch.

Hay Mr IT consultant,

I might be over the top here but I can fix anything if I have the tools and equipment available and I hate paying someone to do something I can do myself.

I always carry a snatch strap and shackles, a good 12 volt pump, tyre plugs if you have tubeless tyres or patches and leavers and bead breaker if you don't.

I made a contraption that goes in the tow bar socket which you can use your jack against to break the bead on a tyre.

I also carry welding equipment. Just some leads with earth clamp and rod holder and a welding lens and welding rods.
I can hook both batteries together with my HD jumper leads and run a pretty hot weld with them.
You can make a welding mask out of a beer box and tape the lens into it if you want.

I also have a winch which comes in handy for clearing tracks solo. Also an all steel short handled round nose shovel, bow saw, axe or tomahawk and a couple of good torches.
A good quality set of tools, enough to strip the car if need be, a few spare nuts and bolts, spare fuel filters just in case you get a dirty load of fuel, spare glass bowl for fuel filter, spare fan and air con belts, spare radiator hoses, spare heater hose, hose clamps of various sizes, cable ties, tie wire, tape of various types, insulated wire, test lamp, multimeter, 12 volt soldering iron, spare power stearing fluid.

My dryazabone and hat.

Wow, when I look at that list I,m thinking how the hell did I fit all that junk in the car, but it's all in there and it travels with me everywhere even to and from work.

And if I'm going on a trip I will add to this.

You might say that you don't need all this junk but I'd disagree.

On our trip to Cape York the springs fell out of the center of the clutch about 100km south of Charters Towers and locked it up solid. I don't know why, it only had about 470,000 kms on it!

I had to drive without a clutch from there to Mareeba behind Cairns before I could change it. We spent a very pissy day changing the clutch at a mates place.
On the way to Mareeba it threw all the fan belts off, I blew a heater hose and hit a roo which snapped a spring on the bike trailer.
I had the heater hose to repair it, I had the spare belts, and we used a guide post, cable ties, tape, wire and a ratchet strap to fix the trailer which did about 600 kms like that.

So you see if you have the right gear you don't have to spend the night on the side of the road waiting for someone to rescue you.









Cheers
Mick

Hi All,
About the keys, Cable tie a spare under the car somewhere secret.

Cheers
Mick

G'day, Mines a work and play ute. In the back I have my prospecting gear which includes: A long handle shovel,spade, a 6ft crow bar and a 4ft crowbar,3 different size pick heads and 2 handles , cant hook, brush hook, a white steel box that contains a bilge pump and hoses (for the high banker), plumbing odds and ends for highbanker repair of modification, crevicing gear, sieves, pans.
A 90lt tub with the high banker in it. A cresswell concentrator, about 8 20lt buckets. 130amp and a 90amp battery, ark battery pak. 40ltr wacoe fridge.
2 large tin boxes, one has camp kitchen gear and food in it, the other has a chainsaw, oil bottles wedges, jumper leads, mackirk sluice, axes, pry bar,air compressor.
For vehicle recovery I have a high lift jack, snig chain. Also there is a toolbox and a 15ltr water bottle. I think that's it, will post photo when I get it looking neat Mick

My number 1 accessory is a set of MAXTRAX

My 4b still isn't regoed but in my 2wd ute when heading bush, I take a shovel, snatch strap, chain, hi-lift jack with winch attachment.
Basic tools to suit your car.

Palmer Kitty! .. My Best Bitch .. The Miner's Mutt .. My 3 and a bit year old Basenji .. Never go anywhere without her!