Duffer - nice list, you my friend are truly prepared, but for what? So what would you say is the percentage of those items you have actually used on the trail? If it is high, is it from a lack of garage time, doing things with your vehicle it cannot handle or old age? Not trying to be mean or anything, I just would like to get a feel for the need for all that stuff. I'm a minimalist kind of guy and I think it is good fodder for discussion of what is enough. And like you said, this will vary greatly from owner to owner completely dependent on our originality - one of the things that set older jeeps and their owners apart from the rest!!
My jeep was not prepared for what I did with it. In the process of working on it, I took it for a spin and found some rocks to play on. I popped a tire in the process and did not have a jack let alone a wrench to change the tire -STOOOOPID. So I am now totally prepared for any tire issues I may have because of past experience.
Being "Prepared" can and will mean different things to different folks, solely depending on there level of mechanical ability , knowledge and how they wheel & treat there equipment off road.
Basic tools, bailing wire, hose clamps, tape , stop leak , tire repair kits ,jack & lubricants along with a few others mentioned above
are a given..........
What else you carry should be in the category of what you think is the weak link of your own Jeep and whether or not you have the mechanical savvy to fix or change those items while laying on your back in the mud.
Point is no reason bringing U-joints if you don't know how to change them nor have the tools to do so! ........The other big question is where do you wheel and how extreme do you wheel? Are you alone or always with other folks?.........If your within cell phone or text range that Obviously lessens the load of spare parts needed...........survival gear , maps , water , energy bars , TP paper should always find a place on board.
I've been known to do some extreme wheeling......Hunting all over the West for 2 decades.....off road 50-60 miles 1 vehicle , small trailer, 3 guys , 8-14 days and never see another person again until we get back to the pavement........No GPS , No Sat phone or recovery electronics! Yes we broke U-joints, a front drive-line, springs and a few other things , but none of those kept us from returning.....in fact each year we would get smarter about what we needed to carry............As I look back in the tool kit now some of those items we carried after 20-30 years were still in there original boxes. What we did learn was most mechanical things we could fix or patch.......
things like electronic components that cannot be tested that play a part in things like ignitions systems to make the motor run is what I would key up on..........for us back in the day that would have been points, condenser, rotor, Cap, coil, new plugs and plug wires......also some primary wire and a small multi-test meter.
Your mind and mechanical knowledge along with proper vehicle preparation before you leave will be the most important tool that you have on board.........our standard MO was always the same......once off the pavement , we were already in Survival mode.........take no chances and don't abuse your equipment.
Tell someone where your going and when you will return.
