Many vehicles use the hub as the weakest link in the front drivetrain, so if something is going to break, it may be those plastic factory auto hubs. Be sure to swap those things out for the premium metal manual hubs before any serious adventures, as well as carrying an extra set with you. Nothing is worse than being stuck on the trail in two-wheel drive with a several-mile hike, or more, back to civilization.
Think it can't happen to you? Unless you have a sealed gel-type battery under your hood, any type of high-speed or off-camber situation can cause your factory lead-acid battery to drain its contents, leaving your battery dry, with no way to start your rig. We always carry jumper cables in our box and have rescued a few souls in the desert who swore they were on their way to purchase an Optima when this happened. Stock batteries just aren't made for this type of vibration or terrain.
With the ever-increasing convenience of technology and as GPS becomes more popular, we see fewer paper maps out on the trails, but what if you're in an unfamiliar place and your GPS fails (forgot to pack those extra batteries, did you? Or was it the cheap model that wasn't waterproof of vibration-resistant?)? Much of the GPS mapping software lacks the detail of the surrounding terrain that a regular old-fashioned map book has. Buy one with GPS coordinates and you'll be better able to visualize your location, and even if your GPS is working, you'll know right where you are.
Believe it or not, some people forget about the basics that every wheeler should have on board. These are faithful stand-bys that have saved us many a time. In our gear, we carry a coat hanger (good for tying up exhausts if the hanger breaks, opening locked doors, or keeping broken sway-bar end links out of the way), WD40 (100 uses here, everything from drying out your distributor to lubricating stubborn bolts), duct tape (can you say makeshift CV axle boot or soft-top sealer?), silicone sealant (another item with countless uses-bring along the high-temp stuff so you have your bases covered), and JB Weld (need a quick fix on that hole in your tranny pan?). These items are the bare essentials and, when used creatively, will get you home.
We call it the "I'm just going for the day" syndrome. But the fact of the matter is, no matter how long you are planning to explore away from civilization, you should always be prepared to spend a few days out there. This means have plenty of water on any trip, some extra high-energy food to snack on, and some blankets to keep warm. These are items you should never leave behind.
This is our list-what's yours? We'd love to hear from you, so log on to blogs.fourwheeler.com and let us know what items we may have missed that you have on your list or in your box.