15 Things Every 4x4 Should Carry Off-Road

The only thing worse than being out on the trail with someone who isn’t prepared is when that someone is you! Being the guy borrowing tools to air down tires, the one without a tow-strap attachment point anywhere on his vehicle, or bumming beers off of us when the day of off-roading is done isn’t going to win you any friends. We’ll put one of the core unwritten rules in writing: Bring the stuff you need to be self-sufficient.

How much stuff you need is dependent on what type of four-wheeling you like to do and how frequently you break parts on your rig. But there are a few things that should be in and on every 4x4 all the time. By doing so, it will completely remove unnecessary hassle and inconvenience for the whole group. Don’t get us wrong, working together to overcome big challenges has made some of our off-roading trips the most memorable. There’s always an opportunity for the group to pool tools and supplies together to patch up a broken C-clip axle or rebuild a suspension link. One guy will have a grinder, another a welder, and a third enough scrap to fabricate whatever emergency fix is needed. But someone needing a Band-Aid shouldn’t bring the whole group to a stop.

We put together this list of 15 must-haves to keep in your 4x4 for any off-road foray. Actually, there’s more than 15 items listed, but no one ever complains about getting more than advertised. If you have this stuff with you off-road, everyone will be happier and safer. Feel free to chide us if you catch us on a trail without something on this list.

Stuff To Put Your Stuff In
Now that we’ve convinced you to carry the right stuff to make yours and our off-roading trips more enjoyable, let us show you the value of properly storing all of that stuff in your 4x4. First, you want to be able to quickly and easily find your tools and parts when you need them. Keeping them contained and organized makes this a snap. Second, all of these things will become projectiles during bouncy off-roading or worse, a rollover. You really don’t need a 30-pound bag of tools hitting you in the head as you’re fighting the steering wheel to maintain control over your 4x4. When we first started off-roading, we tossed a towstrap and tire wrench under the seat of the truck and within 30 minutes, both ended up under the pedals. Not good.

If you four-wheel a truck, buy a bed box and bolt it in. Fill it up with your tools and parts and then add a utility blanket or two to keep stuff from rattling. These are also handy to toss on the ground when you need to make a repair. For Jeep owners, you can buy bolt-in boxes of various sizes and shapes. The Tuffy Security Deck shown creates a large lockable storage area in the back of an ’07 or newer Wrangler that you can access via the tailgate. The company also offers a variety of all-steel security boxes in various sizes for SUVs and pickup trucks, including some small bed-size boxes and slide-out drawers.

Safety first. Every rig on the trail should have a first aid kit. This one is waterproof and has all of the basics you’ll need. Some of the products in a first aid kit go bad over time; it’s a good idea to write the purchase date on the case in permanent marker and replace it when it’s more than two years old. The other safety item your 4x4 should not be without is a Class B and C fire extinguisher. This should be mounted securely in the cab so it doesn’t bounce around, and it should be within easy reach of the driver. If your 4x4 has a rollcage, you can attach it to the cage with a mount such as one from Poison Spyder.
Safety first. Every rig on the trail should have a first aid kit. This one is waterproof a
Assemble a recovery bag, and here are a few things you should have in it: a tow strap, a tree saver, gloves, and a couple of clevises (D shackles). This is a medium-duty winching accessory kit from Warn, and it also comes with a winch snatch block (not shown). Even if you don’t have a winch, this is a great way to get started on a nice off-road kit. We’re big believers in gloves too. The leather ones shown here are good for winching and we like to have a couple pair of more flexible gloves for changing tires and other off-road work.
Assemble a recovery bag, and here are a few things you should have in it: a tow strap, a t
Naturally, you’ll need a jack that will actually lift your 4x4 high enough to change a tire. The Hi-Lift is one of the favorites for this because it can lift a vehicle very high, and it can be used on unlevel ground. Always use extreme care that the vehicle remains stable when you raise it. You’ll also want to keep a can of spray lubricant with the jack, as the mechanism gets dirty, requiring lubrication to work smoothly. Of course, the lube attracts dirt, perpetuating the need.
Naturally, you’ll need a jack that will actually lift your 4x4 high enough to change a tir

No, you’re not having “Smokey and the Bandit” flashbacks. Even with smart phones, two-way radios, and all of the other modern technology, a CB is every bit as necessary for a group to communicate today as it was in the ’70s. You don’t have to spend a mint on one, but get a decent CB and hard mount it and the antenna to your 4x4 so it will work well.
No, you’re not having “Smokey and the Bandit” flashbacks. Even with smart phones, two-way
The other bag we like to have with us off-roading has an assortment of tools in it. We started out with a general collection of tools. We added specific tools as we found out what broke on our 4x4 and what was needed to make the repairs. We like a bag instead of a metal or plastic box because the tools don’t clank around and we can toss the bag around without denting a metal box or destroying a plastic one. Naturally, a Leatherman multi-purpose tool is part of the toolbox, and is the most used tool in the bag.
The other bag we like to have with us off-roading has an assortment of tools in it. We sta
You’ll often find that a fullsize spare tire is required for events. The reason for this is twofold. One, a stock-sized spare isn’t worth beans on a trail. You’ll lose ground clearance and the stocker is bound to be some worn out all-terrain tire that provides zero traction. Two, you’ll be a wounded soldier dragging a damaged limb off the battle field. The other reason is to protect your differential. You probably have a locker or a limited slip, and running tires that are different diameters can damage a performance differential. Another must have in this photo is a lug wrench or proper socket that fits your lug nuts. The stock tire iron often won’t fit the fancy lug nuts you added when you upgraded the wheels and tires.
You’ll often find that a fullsize spare tire is required for events. The reason for this i

Every vehicle should have a towhook or some type of towstrap attachment point at the front and rear. While most 4x4s come with front hooks from the factory, very few have them on the rear. We like this receiver bracket that accepts a clevis that we can slide into the trailer hitch when we need it. In general, we prefer a clevis over a hook because you can capture the end of a towstrap and you don’t have to worry about it coming off the hook. Some smaller towstraps will fit into the hitch receiver and only need a hitch pin for a solid tow point.
Every vehicle should have a towhook or some type of towstrap attachment point at the front
Along with realizing what tools we needed, we also quickly found out what parts were the weak links on our rig. Some of them aren’t too fun to change on the trail, like the transfer case gears, but U-joints and various steering links aren’t too bad. Carry with you whatever parts are going to break on your 4x4 so you can do a quick repair when needed and keep the pack moving. Smaller parts can be kept in your toolbox while larger parts like a drag link or driveshaft should be strapped to the floor or rollcage.
Along with realizing what tools we needed, we also quickly found out what parts were the w
Some of the best four-wheeling we’ve done has been after sunset. Of course, that’s also when some of the best breakage happens. Make sure you have at least one flashlight with you. If you are the one who breaks down frequently, have a battery-powered work light in your kit to make repairs a bit easier and faster.
Some of the best four-wheeling we’ve done has been after sunset. Of course, that’s also wh

At the end of the trail ride, it’s a good idea to air back up, at least to a reasonable pressure so you can drive into town and use a real air compressor. An on-board-air system can be expensive, but it’s also a useful capability to have. This Warn PowerPlant winch has an air compressor built in that’s great for airing up tires. There are a variety of portable air compressors available. Make sure you get one designed to fill large off-road tires or you’ll be there for days waiting for your generic automotive compressor to fill one 35x12.50 or burn up trying. Another option is a Power Tank which gives you loads of pressure for airing up tires quickly and running air tools.
At the end of the trail ride, it’s a good idea to air back up, at least to a reasonable pr
Also in our tool kit is a tire plug set. Rugged Ridge makes a nice kit that comes with a case. You can also get simple versions from most off-road shops, hardware stores, and the Tractor Supply Company. The most common tire puncture while off-roading is through the sidewall. This tool set lets you plug the hole quickly and get back on the trail. These are ideal for small holes, but we’ve seen people stuff a wad of them in slices as long as an inch. This is usually faster than changing the tire and lets you get some more off-roading out of the tire before having to replace it. You should not drive on the highway with plugs in your tire’s sidewall as they can pop out.
Also in our tool kit is a tire plug set. Rugged Ridge makes a nice kit that comes with a c
At the start of nearly every trail ride, you air down the tires, which requires two tools. One is a good air pressure gauge that accurately reads pressure under 20 psi. This one is from Power Tank and is liquid filled for extreme accuracy and has rubber insulation around the gauge to protect it. You’ll also need a tool to quickly deflate the tires. We like this deflator from Rugged Ridge because you can thread individual pieces onto all four tires at once and check the pressure while the tires are deflating. Currie Enterprises offers an EZ Tire Deflator which is a combo gauge and deflation tool that is quick and easy to use.
At the start of nearly every trail ride, you air down the tires, which requires two tools.

SOURCES
Warn 12900 S.E. Capps Road Clackamas OR 97015 800-543-9276 www.warn.com	Poison Spyder Customs 47275 Twin Pines Rd. Banning CA 92220 951-849-5911 www.poisonspyder.com
Currie Enterprises 382 North Smith Corona CA 92880 714-528-6957 www.currieenterprises.com	Leatherman 12106 NE Ainsworth Circle Portland OR 97220 503-253-7826 www.leatherman.com
Rugged Ridge 460 Horizon Drive Suite 400 Suwanee GA 30024 770-614-6101 www.ruggedridgeoffroad.com	Power Tank 2214 Babson Dr. Elk Grove CA 95758 209-366-2163 www.powertank.com
Hi-Lift Jack Company 46 W. Spring Street Bloomfield IN 47424 812-384-4441 http://www.hi-lift.com/index.htm l	Tuffy Security Products 970-564-1762 http://www.tuffyproducts.com