On abandoning your vehicle:

[edpdx]

I have, so far,[knock wood] been very lucky about not having to abandon my vehicle to seek help (walk out). Last time we had known issues was in my friend's Jeep with a stick, so I reminded him to park facing downhill, if his starter would not crank in the morning we could roll start it- it turns out that it was a good idea. With my Automatic Blazer, this is not an option So I try to give my self any advantage I can.

If I have to leave my rig because of a breakdown, I wonder about how I might get back to find my rig vandalized or broken into and all my gear ripped-off. I suppose the thing I would do if I had to leave my vehicle is to give the appearance that it is anything but abandoned:

• Push the rig off road as far as possible to look like you are pulled over camping instead of broken down.
• Set-up a privacy tarp to limit the view from the road so it appears their could be people in camp
• Set up a tent or two and all the chairs
• put out coolers, tables
• Hang clothes, towels, clothesline, etc
• put camp clutter around- bottles, cans, trash bags.
• Take along a very big dog bowl and leave a BIG tie down chain near it so it appears Fido is off-leash.
• Wrap and bury any true valuables, tools, guns, expensive electronics so that if you do get ripped off, at least they don't get the most valuable stuff.

Above all, don't leave anything around that says you had problems and you have gone for help. If you have a flat, hide the fact that you are up on a jack by stacking gear around this wheel. If your rig screams broken down, went for help, you are inviting trouble.


I might still get ripped off after all this work; but I personally would never think of entering anyone's camp in the outback without a friendly invitation. So I think that most others would avoid walking in and getting caught red-handed with your gear. Still, it would give a little more protection than just leaving your fully loaded rig next to the road.

 

[Anubis8472]

Empty rifle case/empty ammo box (branded store bought type) on the dash couldn't hurt.

 

[Skinny]

Been fourwheeling for 13 years and never had to abandon my vehicle on the side of the road. I have driven for hours way below highway speeds due to bend driveshafts, blown out suspension bushings/shocks/rims, and very large oil leaks draining my transmission and filling my tcase. I think you either need to pick a better wheeling truck or get better at performing maintenance.

I gave up years ago helping trail riders with broken driveshafts or overheating because everytime it happens, the response is "I never grease those things" or "never had to change a hose".

Granted most of my rigs were hand built Toyotas with maintenance records that would rival an SR71

 

[Derrickl112]

Double post..

 

[Derrickl112]

Or call a tow truck...

 

[m16ty]

These days, batteries and radiators won't last long in a abandoned vehicle. Then you have people that like to tear stuff up just to tear stuff up.

Unless it was on private property where it was unlikely that somebody would find it, I would try any means possible not to leave it.

 

[rchalmers3]

I've been tens of thousands of miles in Baja, the SoCal desert, Australia and off road here in CR. The ONE time I had to hike out I was so remote there was nothing to worry about. I was where no man had gone before. and it was not a mechanical failure, it was a driver failure.

PM is the key. I'm no prepper but I do love my machines.

Rick

 

[Skinny]

On another note, you shouldn't be traveling out to such remote places with one truck. Especially if you cannot remote call in parts/tools and have them brought to you.

Again, having the correct tools and training can get you out of a pickle. My friend blew his diff up in his Range Rover. Didn't matter because we yanked it out at camp, pulled the guts out, reinstalled the diff, and drove on front wheel drive the rest of the trip. You can't exactly do that with some junk S-10 or other throw away domestic SUV turd...no offense. Start with something that was made to be in the outback to begin with. I will give you a hint. It won't be made by one of the big three during the 80's, 90's, or newer

Even if you have to immobilize the vehicle due to damage, with a multi truck convoy, you can always send someone out while guarding what you have.

 

[gooder]

You can't exactly do that with some junk S-10 or other throw away domestic SUV turd...no offense. Start with something that was made to be in the outback to begin with. I will give you a hint. It won't be made by one of the big three during the 80's, 90's, or newer

No offense taken...if it wasnt for 80's, 90's or newer Toyota SUV's what would the girls drive to the start of the trail before they parked and got in their boyfriends 80's, 90's or newer Jeep to ride to the end of the trail?

I agree that it is always best to offroad in groups when at all possible, not just for the vehicles sake but for safety in case someone gets hurt.

But lets face it we dont always travel in groups and darn it when you see a trail that cant be driven up...you just have to try it anyway! If you havent broken your truck enough to be force to go seek help then you havent tried hard enough

I like your ideas especially the tent, most people wont walk in to someones camp and would deter most jerks from harming your rig.

 

[rickf]

Been fourwheeling for 13 years and never had to abandon my vehicle on the side of the road. I have driven for hours way below highway speeds due to bend driveshafts, blown out suspension bushings/shocks/rims, and very large oil leaks draining my transmission and filling my tcase. I think you either need to pick a better wheeling truck or get better at performing maintenance.

I gave up years ago helping trail riders with broken driveshafts or overheating because everytime it happens, the response is "I never grease those things" or "never had to change a hose".

Granted most of my rigs were hand built Toyotas with maintenance records that would rival an SR71

Well Skinney, let me know when you have been wheeling for 40 plus years. Toyotas were not exactly popular or even in the US in the 60's and I was going many hundreds of miles into the wilderness. You talk like you are the most knowledgeable man in the universe when it comes to off roading, you are not I assure you. Do you know a guy named Granville King? Great man, learned a lot from him. Get a couple more decades of off roading under your belt. I have never had to hike out but I have had to camp and repair on several occasions. Welding with the battery works great but you have to remember that you need to be able to start the vehicle afterwards, Oh, I forgot, They have built in welding units now. Didn't have them "back in the day" as you kids say. I think the OP's ideas hold merit.

Rick

 

[Kaiserjeeps]

Granville King and SUPERDAWG! Thats quality reading.

I remember a story of blowing a hole in a block and pulling the piston, carving a branch to plug the cylinder and seal the water jacket to make it home on 7 cylinders.

I'd have a hard time leaving my CJ. I would call for help and wait there. To many removable expensive items attached to it.
I would have a hard time controlling myself if I found someone lightening up my CJ or my duece. I have had the CJ 30 years now. It sleeps under cameras and other junk.

 

[Skinny]

Well Skinney, let me know when you have been wheeling for 40 plus years. Toyotas were not exactly popular or even in the US in the 60's and I was going many hundreds of miles into the wilderness. You talk like you are the most knowledgeable man in the universe when it comes to off roading, you are not I assure you. Do you know a guy named Granville King? Great man, learned a lot from him. Get a couple more decades of off roading under your belt. I have never had to hike out but I have had to camp and repair on several occasions. Welding with the battery works great but you have to remember that you need to be able to start the vehicle afterwards, Oh, I forgot, They have built in welding units now. Didn't have them "back in the day" as you kids say. I think the OP's ideas hold merit.

Rick

Maybe you misread that. Most rigs before the 80's were built strong regardless of where they came from. I was posting that some junk S-10 or Jeep with slipyokes, c-clips, and chains for tcases are not worthy of offroading, especially way out in the middle of now where.

I don't care who Granville King is? Does he duct tape broken tires back onto Jeep YJ's after the Dana 35 seperated???

As young people said twenty years ago...piss off if you don't like it

 

[F18hornetM]

Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Toyota... All have strengths and weakness's... alot of times personal preferences.

 

[M1031CMT]

Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Toyota... All have strengths and weakness's... alot of times personal preferences.

You forgot Nissan's

I guess it really depends where you break down and how badly. I never go wheeling without someone else, or make sure I am in cell phone range. I bought a "SPOT Connect" last year which syncs up with my smart phone and will let me send out messages anywhere you can see the sky (to see the satellites) just in case it really gets bad so that I can not only send a brief message, but also tell them where I am. I can't get messages myself (is one way), but at least I can tell people where I am and update them regularly.

Towed a friends truck for 8 hours through the brush once to get it back near the main road. There was never a question about leaving the rig in there. The only time I could see about abandoning a rig is if someone is hurt (and we need to get them to medical care) or if the rig really can't be pulled out (like if it fell down a ravine or somewhere else impossible to get to).

And like rchalmers3 said. The only other time I would leave it is if the rig is really in the middle of no where and the chance of anyone coming across it is pretty remote. In that case I would lock it up best I can and go. If someone really wants to steal the stuff, they are going to take it. I would leave a note so that people know that I intend on coming back (so they don't think it is a stolen vehicle that was abandoned). As well as my general direction. Just in case someone happens to me on the way out so that at least someone who finds the truck will know where to start looking for me. Never know when you could not only break down in the truck, but then get hurt walking back and no one knows where you are. Too many people die that way every year sadly.

 

[nattieleather]

To get back to the OP. I think you'de be hauling a lot of extra crap with you just in case you broke down. By the time you set up camp you could have gotten help and ben back on the road. If y ou are driving a HMV you should carry some spare parts with you always. You should always have modern civilian chase vehicle following you. You should have tools with you to fix the problem. These things are better to haul then camping gear and coolers to make it look like your broke down.

I agree with those who said try not to leave it if all possible. If your are traveling the back roads then you might be able to pull into a secluded area or even a farm and ask the owner if you can leave the truck there for a day or two. If you on the interstate try to get off at an exit and find a parking lot to get into. I know that isn't always the case as vehicles seem to know that your between exit when it's time to break down.

I left one vehicle on the highway (not even a MV) in my youth because I needed to be someplace for a job and couldn't get back to it till Morning. When I got back to it the head lights and the windshield where busted. My ten dollar repair got even more expensive after that. If I had only been carring a few spare parts and tools with me.....

 

[UNIMOG-GUY]

I once (with a couple of friends in other vehicles) came upon a CJ-7 which was stuck in a mud hole. Since we didn't see the owner walking out on our way in I stopped to see what was wrong with the jeep. I had a CJ-7 at the time. I ended up determining that he was stuck and we hooked up a strap and with me behind the wheel pulled the jeep out of the mud hole. Now had the owner locked the hardtop doors I wouldn't have been able to pull the jeep out because it was in gear. Found out later that week that it was my best friends father's jeep. He had just bought it and took it up to the mountains to see what it could do. He thanked us for pulling it out since he had come back with only a come-a-long. Granted I know that this is not the rule. And I have personally seen vehicles that were left or stuck on the trail vandalized. And I wouldn't leave a vehicle if I absolutely didn't have to. I have helped friends drag broken vehicles to the trailhead so we could load them on a trailer rather than leave them on the trail.

 

[rickf]

Granville King and SUPERDAWG! Thats quality reading.

I remember a story of blowing a hole in a block and pulling the piston, carving a branch to plug the cylinder and seal the water jacket to make it home on 7 cylinders.

I'd have a hard time leaving my CJ. I would call for help and wait there. To many removable expensive items attached to it.
I would have a hard time controlling myself if I found someone lightening up my CJ or my duece. I have had the CJ 30 years now. It sleeps under cameras and other junk.

I spent two weeks with Granville and SuperDawg II I think it was. The man was a genius when it came to wilderness survival both with and without a vehicle. His off road fixes are legendary. He was also the most generous individual alive, if he had it and you needed it then it was yours.



I don't care who Granville King is? Does he duct tape broken tires back onto Jeep YJ's after the Dana 35 seperated???

As young people said twenty years ago...piss off if you don't like it[/QUOTE]

Pleasant fellow aren't you, yes that would be about the beginning of the generation of disrespectful young people. I work in a college and I hear it all day. It is a shame. By the way, the Chain cases are quite strong and because of the planetary design they will handle much more power. The old Quadratracs were the bad ones and they went out in the 70's. You are entitled to your opinion and have the right to voice it but in the process of doing so please do not slam other people.

Rick

 

[Cucvnut]

I dont go wheeling with out friends plain and simple. do not put your self in a position where you are alone and with out help. if your unsure dont go.

 

[Odyssey M]

[FONT=&quot] There is something to be said about biting off more than you can chew and that no man is an island. But let’s not forget as the great Paul Newman said, "You only grow when you are alone.".[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot] Plan ahead and be prepared to adapt and overcome.[/FONT]
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[Flyingvan911]

If you set up a camp they will steal your truck and your camp.