Toyota Tacoma

[giant_mtb]

Maybe a come along and some traxion mats would be a good start. 

Any advantage/disadvantage to a strap vs cable comealong?  Obviously strap would be better in the winter for ease of use, but I don't really go offroad much in the winter besides the occasional back road that is a plow session or two behind. 

Highest capacity strap one I'm seeing on Amazon is a 2 ton whereas a 4 ton cable one is about the same price.

[Soup DeVille]

Maybe a come along and some traxion mats would be a good start. 

Any advantage/disadvantage to a strap vs cable comealong?  Obviously strap would be better in the winter for ease of use, but I don't really go offroad much in the winter besides the occasional back road that is a plow session or two behind. 

Highest capacity strap one I'm seeing on Amazon is a 2 ton whereas a 4 ton cable one is about the same price.

The strap come along can be used as a pull strap too; a cable one will break. The disadvantage is that it doesn't fit as much on the reel (you pull the strap through just like on a tie down ratchet, before you start cranking). The cable types always want to foul on the reel and in general I just don't like them.

Fact is if you get really good and stuck, you're going to want a real winch in any case and stuff like this is better suited to a slight misjudgement correction rather than a "hold my beer and watch this" type of fuck up. With that in mind, one ton of pull is almost always enough, and if it isn't; two tons won't be either.

[Rupert]

You should also have a shovel, bow saw or chain saw, axe, and ways to store or mount all this stuff so it's convenient and not knocking around the bed. Also tools, flashlight, rags, tarp, a can of Fix-a-Flat, and a decent first aid kit. And extra oil and duct tape and wire...

[Eye of the Tiger]

Fixafat sucks. Tire plugs, slime crap, valve core tool and extra cores, and an air pump.

[Eye of the Tiger]

And duct tape sucks. Gorilla tape.

[Rupert]

I will grant you Gorilla tape, but I'm not going to hand pump a car tire or try to plug the hole myself. Fix-a-Flat does suck, but it sure beats being stranded by two flat tires.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I will grant you Gorilla tape, but I'm not going to hand pump a car tire or try to plug the hole myself. Fix-a-Flat does suck, but it sure beats being stranded by two flat tires.

Hand pump? Don't be ridiculous And tire plugs are stupid easy.

[Soup DeVille]

You should also have a shovel, bow saw or chain saw, axe, and ways to store or mount all this stuff so it's convenient and not knocking around the bed. Also tools, flashlight, rags, tarp, a can of Fix-a-Flat, and a decent first aid kit. And extra oil and duct tape and wire...

I used to have a kit like this for the Jeep.
http://www.4wheelparts.com/Winches-Winch-Accessories/All-Terrain-Recovery-Tool-Kit.aspx?t_c=18&t_s=124&t_pt=5155&t_pn=RUG15105.01&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping&emlprox=out&ppcfon=1&gp=1&gclid=Cj0KEQiAwMLDBRDCh_r9sMvQ_88BEiQA6zuAQybXB8fAGVAtTaUt59FQRuSLzoUqrYoLLeJ4tbeP4ZYaAh3H8P8HAQ

But if I was camping, I'd have one of those blue handled Estwing axes that worked better as an axe.

[Rupert]

Eh, it just does all those things poorly, but it's good for saving space.

[Rupert]

Hand pump? Don't be ridiculous And tire plugs are stupid easy.

Also not carrying a compressor, and IIRC the little tire inflater deals that plug into the lighter plug are shit.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Also not carrying a compressor, and IIRC the little tire inflater deals that plug into the lighter plug are shit.

Are you even serious. You would rather carry a dinky can of explosive goo than an air compressor. My 12V air compressor is awesome. It is in my car.

[Rupert]

Yeah, considering it's a last ditch backup and my spare is full of air anyway, and it's cheap, and I'm not going to plug my tires, that is exactly what I'm going to do.

[Rupert]

You should also have a shovel, bow saw or chain saw, axe, and ways to store or mount all this stuff so it's convenient and not knocking around the bed. Also tools, flashlight, rags, tarp, a can of Fix-a-Flat, and a decent first aid kit. And extra oil and duct tape and wire...

Also a fire extinguisher, just generally good practice.

[Soup DeVille]

Eh, it just does all those things poorly, but it's good for saving space.

Fair enough. It's just more of a problem when you have a wobbly axe head compared to an awkward shovel.

[Soup DeVille]

Yeah, considering it's a last ditch backup and my spare is full of air anyway, and it's cheap, and I'm not going to plug my tires, that is exactly what I'm going to do.

Old school practice was to inflate the spare to about 90 PSI and have a double ended hose. I've never actually heard of one exploding.

[giant_mtb]

Old school practice was to inflate the spare to about 90 PSI and have a double ended hose. I've never actually heard of one exploding.

I've got a 5-gal pancake compressor I can fill up and take with. Probably has the capacity to air tires back up given a flat or once my day's done and I'm back on a road. Or just get one of those portable 5-gal tanks to take with...more compact.

Most of my adventures start and/or end near enough a gas station to air up. But I do have the option to take a tank with me for a few psi.  I usually run 22-24 off road. Haven't run new tires off road, but I think they'll be great at 20-22.

[MrH]

Why don't you just get a small compressor? I have one of those in the 4Runner

[CaminoRacer]

Lots of autox'ers have the little 12v compressors. Never heard any complaints about them.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Lots of autox'ers have the little 12v compressors. Never heard any complaints about them.

Mine is great. In all my years of compressing air, this is only the second one I've had to buy.

[BimmerM3]

I have a cigarette adapter pump as well, but it's very slow. It would take a long time to fill an empty tire.

[giant_mtb]

Latest tank was like 14mpg. Thank you cold weather and snowventures.

I do keep getting a CEL for low cat efficiency, which may be an affect. Wish I had the $$ to just replace the whole exhaust system. 

[giant_mtb]

I have a cigarette adapter pump as well, but it's very slow. It would take a long time to fill an empty tire.

Been looking into compact air compressors/pumps.  The kind that connect right to the battery (20A) seem to be a lot better reviewed for larger tires/non-emergency-only use than the wimpy cigarette lighter ones (10-15A).

Might spend some of my Amazon gift card on this guy: http://a.co/iJXmJvg

Can't seem to find any (cheaper ones) with traditional compressor-style fittings, so you have to use their hose.

[giant_mtb]

Actually, this one has standard air hose fittings for $10 more.  Mmmmmmm, ordered.  Had $170 in Amazon gift cards ($100 from Christmas and got another $70 for signing up for their credit card).  Free air purmp!  Was almost gonna throw some OE tail lamp assy's on there, too, but I figured I'd save the free money for other things.  Dunno what.

Link: http://a.co/iuUZFad

[giant_mtb]

Started creating my tool/storage/camping/zombie apocalypse emporium with a Menards gift card I got for Christmas. 

- 23" plastic tool box with removable tray.  For bigger things like gloves, saw, hatchet, duct tape, recovery strap, tools, sockets up in the tray, zip ties, etc.
- Plastic ammo box style box.  Not sure what I'll use it for yet, but it was $5.  Would make a good tie-down/bungie box.
- Fiskars hatchet. http://a.co/cGziiQM  Has a nice sharp edge, some fancy-shmancy composite handle, lifetime guarantee.

I shall build up the tools I carry over time.  Was gonna get a basic Crescent socket set or build my own with a metric socket set and a wrench, but I was out of Gift Card at that point.  I really just need like an 8, 10, 12, 15, and 17mm socket to do most basic things on Taco ranging from changing a tail light bulb to putting on a serpentine belt, but it'd be nice to have a fuller set on hand for other stuff when duty calls.  Shall also acquire various pliers, screwdrivers (those 6-in-1 screwdrivers are really convenient), etc.

Also gonna get some medium totes for camping stuff like blankets/sleeping bag, clothes, tarps, firewood if necessary, etc...crap that is fine on its own, but is much easier to deal with in a box.

GEAR

[Eye of the Tiger]

You need to build a shed in the woods and live there.

[giant_mtb]

You need to build a shed in the woods and live there.

I first need land.  And I'd build a garage.  And just live in that.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I first need land.

So much land in UP. Dirt cheap.

[giant_mtb]

So much land in UP. Dirt cheap.

Yes on both counts.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I first need land.  And I'd build a garage.  And just live in that.

Or buold sjed, buy apeer.buold carport, then buld.gage while you live in alll tgat

[giant_mtb]

Or buold sjed, buy apeer.buold carport, then buld.gage while you live in alll tgat

Land, shed for living, commence garage build, move into garage, turn living shed to sauna shed.