Remote Desert Travel Preparations

[eric_rosenwald]

I just got a 2000 4Runner in insanely good condition. I'm really lucky. From what I've seen, it's pretty typical... People love their 4Runners, and keep them in great shape!

I'm about to take it out on a week-long backpacking trip to the Mojave desert, including Mojave National Preserve and Death Valley. I have plenty of experience out there, and did a good bit of 4-wheeling a decade ago. I have the basic survival equipment ready to go, and I know how to stay out of trouble on back roads. I don't plan on doing anything wild, or going down roads that are extremely rough. My tires are in good condition. They aren't made for major off-road travel, but the tire dealer told me that my BFG Long Trail A/T tires should be just fine for what I'm doing. I also have a Spot GPS emergency beacon in case I'm in serious trouble.

I'm preparing a list of supplies to have in case of a vehicle emergency. So far I have.

20' tow rope (with hooks)
oil, transmission/power steering fluid, coolant
Craftsman auto tool set
assorted bolts/fasteners
both radiator hoses
extra hose clamps
fan belt
emergency strobe light
box of assorted fuses
jack and proper equipment
plywood boards to use with jack
2 sand mats
shovel
axe
new spare tire
750 peak amps battery starter
duct tape
electrical tape
Leatherman tool
survival knife
tire pump (mechanical -- it may take a while to pump up, but I'd rather have something without electronics for reliability)

As far as my questions:

1) I don't have any auto maintenance experience, but I am an engineer and have good general mechanical experience/know-how. Does anyone know of a sort of emergency repair manual that I can get? One that is basically a condensed version of the massive repair manual? I would like something that would give me instructions for fixing things that I can handle with the above tools/equipment.

2) Did I leave anything off of my list?

Thanks in advance!

 

[JB.]

Since you have a Spot, I would make sure that no equipment was taking up any space that could be otherwise used for ridiculous quantities of water.

 

[maco33]

I hope at least your engine model is in here somewhere. Toyota Tacoma 4Runner/ FJ Cruiser FSM Page

 

[eric_rosenwald]

Thanks! Yeah, my VZ5-FE engine is in there.

 

[maco33]

Good luck and have a safe trip.

 

[alaskaman]

Communications and backup
Water / Food
Shelter
Protection

 

[Doc2012]

Good repair manual is a Haynes manual. OR, if you're bringing a laptop or something, I can send you the 4Runner FSM.

 

[Doc2012]

I would also recommend getting a hi-lift. YES, they can be dangerous, but if it's an amazing tool.

I've used it to pull out people that were buried past the axles in mud.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Just FYI

You could do most of Mojave Road in a Camry. : It's not like your crossing the Sahara or the Gobi desert.

Good tires (including a spare!), good running vehicle, lots of water and warm clothing in case the weather turns bad.

Make sure you have a "yuppie repair kit." You know, a cell phone and a credit card. Most of Mojave has cell service.

There are at least 3 well-traveled paved roads that you will cross so if you start having trouble you can bail out there. I don't think there is ever a point on Mojave Road where you are not within 20 miles of an interstate.

The only parts of Mojave Road that even require 4wd are the hill near Rock Spring (which can be easily bypassed, BTW, on a well-graded very wide dirt road) and the water crossings on the Mojave River at the extreme West end in Afton Canyon. There are also some deep sand spots just West of Soda Lake that you probably should be in 4wd and aired down (I would bring an electric compressor - no point in giving yourself a heart attack trying to pump up your tire with a bicycle pump!)

 

[Martinjmpr]

Incidentally, if you're interested, here's a recent trip report I posted on a different forum:

Desert Expedition IV trip Report: Mojave Road - Expedition Portal

Only mechanical problem we had was a guy in a Jeep JK who had his tie rod go loose which caused his front wheels to point in opposite directions. Took about an hour to fix by the side of the road and it stayed fixed until after I left the group at Afton Canyon. None of the Toyotas on the trip had any issues (1 FJ Cruiser, 1 Double cab Taco and my T4R.)

 

[eric_rosenwald]

Please send the FSM for the 4Runner -- I'll have my laptop out there.

Thanks!

 

[eric_rosenwald]

You could do most of Mojave Road in a Camry. : It's not like your crossing the Sahara or the Gobi desert.

Good tires (including a spare!), good running vehicle, lots of water and warm clothing in case the weather turns bad.

Make sure you have a "yuppie repair kit." You know, a cell phone and a credit card. Most of Mojave has cell service.

There are at least 3 well-traveled paved roads that you will cross so if you start having trouble you can bail out there. I don't think there is ever a point on Mojave Road where you are not within 20 miles of an interstate.

The only parts of Mojave Road that even require 4wd are the hill near Rock Spring (which can be easily bypassed, BTW, on a well-graded very wide dirt road) and the water crossings on the Mojave River at the extreme West end in Afton Canyon. There are also some deep sand spots just West of Soda Lake that you probably should be in 4wd and aired down (I would bring an electric compressor - no point in giving yourself a heart attack trying to pump up your tire with a bicycle pump!)

Thank you for the link to the trip report. That'll really help me out!

I got 5 (5) 5-gallon tanks of water -- gray Rhino BPA-free ones. I'm We generally consume about 10 Liters of water a day, assuming we do a strenuous day hike. So we're set for 10 days, since we have approximately 100L. We'll refill whenever we can, though. I've strapped them down with bungee cords right over the rear axle, side-by side. They just seemed to fit best right there. They should be secure.

Most of the time we're going to park the T4R along backroads and hike cross country for about 10 miles, where we'll spend a few nights. I'm not that worried about leaving the vehicle overnight. I'll definitely leave a note on the car. I have this feeling that people just generally don't mess with your car when you're on backroads in the middle of Death Valley, 20 miles away from a paved road. I've left my Corolla on the side of paved roads in MNP and DV for 5 days at the most, and it was fine.

I saw that you put gas cans on top of your T4R. Do you have any safety tips for doing that in the desert? I'll probably be in the Mojave Desert in the middle of summer, and I'm seriously concerned about the wisdom of carry gas on the roof in the summer heat, even if they're covered by a tarp or something. Either way, I don't have a roof basket yet, so there's no way I'm bringing any extra gas on this trip.

 

[jgue467]

Pretty good list going

2) Did I leave anything off of my list?

Thanks in advance!

Lighting, different types such as led flash lites (like LED lenser v2 and v7), led camp light, led work light. You had some of these on your list...

I like taking my 10" batt powered fan, not sure how hot it gets there but I like a breeze.

fix a flat - laugh if you like but it works for 100% of all my med to slow leaks on the runner, polaris' and riding mower that eats cactus for fun.

Med duty leather work gloves and med thickness latex gloves (sure beats getting your hands all oil/greasy in the middle of nowhere!).

binoculars and side arm (could be for plinking fun too!).

I would think fuel on top is safe as far as the sun's heat, think of open boats with their fuel tanks in the open sun. Obviously leave a little room for fluid expansion and/or let them breath mid to late morning.

Luck and Enjoy! :banana:

 

[eric_rosenwald]

I would think fuel on top is safe as far as the sun's heat, think of open boats with their fuel tanks in the open sun. Obviously leave a little room for fluid expansion and/or let them breath mid to late morning.

Luck and Enjoy! :banana:

The maximum air temperature I might come across is 120 degrees, though. At least it's up off of the surface if it's on top, but the metal from the roof might be really hot... I need to look up the flash point of gas.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Thank you for the link to the trip report. That'll really help me out!

I got 5 (5) 5-gallon tanks of water -- gray Rhino BPA-free ones. I'm We generally consume about 10 Liters of water a day, assuming we do a strenuous day hike. So we're set for 10 days, since we have approximately 100L. We'll refill whenever we can, though. I've strapped them down with bungee cords right over the rear axle, side-by side. They just seemed to fit best right there. They should be secure.

Most of the time we're going to park the T4R along backroads and hike cross country for about 10 miles, where we'll spend a few nights. I'm not that worried about leaving the vehicle overnight. I'll definitely leave a note on the car. I have this feeling that people just generally don't mess with your car when you're on backroads in the middle of Death Valley, 20 miles away from a paved road. I've left my Corolla on the side of paved roads in MNP and DV for 5 days at the most, and it was fine.

I saw that you put gas cans on top of your T4R. Do you have any safety tips for doing that in the desert? I'll probably be in the Mojave Desert in the middle of summer, and I'm seriously concerned about the wisdom of carry gas on the roof in the summer heat, even if they're covered by a tarp or something. Either way, I don't have a roof basket yet, so there's no way I'm bringing any extra gas on this trip.

25 gallons of water? Are you bringing a whole boy scout troop with you? I don't think I've gone through 25 gallons of water on my last 4 off road camping trips and that includes the ones where I took a shower!

Gas on the roof? Not a problem. Unless you're using a cheap "blitz" can like the one you might keep at home to put gas in your lawn mower, you should be fine with gas on the roof. I have 2 3-gallon RotoPax cans, and they are made to be carried on the outside of vehicles in extreme weather. This is my 3rd trip carrying the RotoPax cans through the desert and they've never leaked a drop, even though I always carry them on their sides. I carry gas on the roof because I hate smelling gas and I sleep in the back of my 4runner (if you read the trip report you know that I had a problem with gas odors from my white gas stove that eventually had me strapping that to the roof as well.)

Having said that, I did not need extra gas on Mojave Road. We filled up in Bullhead City near the East end of the road and while I did put my 2 3 gallon cans of gas into my truck on the morning of the 3rd day, I didn't have to. Although, the nice thing about having that gas (which I bought in Colorado on my way out) was that it kept me from having to pay highway robbery prices in CA. After I put the 6 gallons of gas into my truck, I had plenty to get me all the way to Las Vegas where it was considerably cheaper than CA.

If you have the time, I'd detour off the Mojave Road and explore. We were so focused on "the road" (and so restricted on time) that we didn't really get to explore much that was not on Mojave Road, and there are a whole bunch of things in the Mojave Preserve away from Mojave Road that are worth exploring and seeing.

Of course, that just gives me an excuse to go back! :boink:

 

[Martinjmpr]

Extra gas...

Ah, you know what? I just noticed you have a 3rd gen 4runner. Okay, I owned a 3rd gen (99) and while it was a great vehicle, IMO it has a seriously undersized gas tank (that and the lackluster power of the 3.4 when towing were the only reasons I got rid of my 3rd gen. It was an awesome vehicle otherwise.)

If I was you I would find a way to bring extra gas. That 18.5 gallon gas tank on your 3rd gen is probably good enough for the 140 mile length of Mojave Road but it doesn't give you much in the way of a reserve. Consider that you will be getting 10-11mpg for much of the time if you are on the Mojave Road.

If you can't carry extra gas, you might consider taking a detour through Baker to top off. Not sure where you'll be in the Preserve but there may be gas on the South side too.

 

[eric_rosenwald]

25 gallons of water? Are you bringing a whole boy scout troop with you? I don't think I've gone through 25 gallons of water on my last 4 off road camping trips and that includes the ones where I took a shower!

If you have the time, I'd detour off the Mojave Road and explore. We were so focused on "the road" (and so restricted on time) that we didn't really get to explore much that was not on Mojave Road, and there are a whole bunch of things in the Mojave Preserve away from Mojave Road that are worth exploring and seeing.

Of course, that just gives me an excuse to go back! :boink:

I know it sounds like a lot, but because we're backpacking from the T4R, it'll be really convenient. It's a solid 10 days worth of water for the two of us. 10 Liters a day covers our water needs for 10-mile hike with 50lb of gear, including enough water for cooking, and of course plenty of coffee. :hail: It's just so much more convenient to know that we can go the entire 10 days while filling up a few gallons when we pass through Baker or Furnace Creek. Incidentally, it's the most convenient way to secure water in the T4R. I'll try to post a pic of the setup. I use a couple of bungee cords on the front luggage hooks, and wrap bungees around the 5 water containers. It balances the weight, and sets it right over the rear axle, fitting perfectly between the wheel wells.

I think we'll only spend time on the Mojave Road on the west end, around Soda Lake. We'll probably drive around the Providence and New York Mountains, and maybe spend a few nights in the Clark Mountains, which is the only exclave in MNP, just north of the 15 freeway.

I'm excited to see those wandering rocks in Death Valley! The Racetrack - Death Valley National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

I've travelled through these areas a lot of the past few years, but only with a '97 Corolla! The car broke down a few times, too. It was torture not being able to see most of the attractions because of it... I'm so excited to have a T4R again, I can hardly contain myself. I've only had it a week and I'm practically worshipping the thing.

 

[eric_rosenwald]

Thanks for the additional info. I would be carrying gas on the roof... Have any tips on doing that? Are there any gas cans that you'd recommend? Unfortunately I'd have to carry it on its side.

Also, one other question... I will probably want to use some of the accessory cig outlets in the T4R. I asked the guys at auto zone about battery life, but they had no idea. My battery is rated for 120 hours (at least that's what it said under RC on the battery.) That sounds great, but it obviously would depend on how much current I'd be drawing. I'm also considering getting an inverter for future travel. Since I'd be mainly using accessories with the engine off, I need to know how to use accessories with or without an inverter, such that I don't kill the battery. At least I do have a 750 peak watt battery starter, just in case.

 

[Doc2012]

Thanks for the additional info. I would be carrying gas on the roof... Have any tips on doing that? Are there any gas cans that you'd recommend? Unfortunately I'd have to carry it on its side.

Also, one other question... I will probably want to use some of the accessory cig outlets in the T4R. I asked the guys at auto zone about battery life, but they had no idea. My battery is rated for 120 hours (at least that's what it said under RC on the battery.) That sounds great, but it obviously would depend on how much current I'd be drawing. I'm also considering getting an inverter for future travel. Since I'd be mainly using accessories with the engine off, I need to know how to use accessories with or without an inverter, such that I don't kill the battery. At least I do have a 750 peak watt battery starter, just in case.

Something you can do is get a battery meter. Did a quick search on Amazon and came up with these:

Amazon.com: battery meter

I would start the truck every 20-30 min, and let it run for about 10.

Honestly, I usually never shut my truck off if I have stuff plugged into it. Idleling at night, these things don't use a whole bunch of fuel. BUT, if you're going to be out there for an extended amount of time and don't have big jerry cans or anything, that obviously that's not going to work for you.

I would suggest getting the battery meter, and keeping an eye on it. See if there's one that has an alarm when it gets below a certain voltage. that way you can know to start the truck up.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Thanks for the additional info. I would be carrying gas on the roof... Have any tips on doing that? Are there any gas cans that you'd recommend? Unfortunately I'd have to carry it on its side.

RotoPax cans are expensive but they are very sturdy. There's no other plastic can I'd carry on its side like that, not even a MilSpec Scepter can. RotoPax cans are available in sizes ranging from 1 to 4 gallons.

If you do get RotoPax you'll find their CARB compliant spouts suck bawlz. I use a non CARB spout from my Blitz can at home, it works fine for pouring gas out of the RotoPax.

RotoPax cans have a hole in the middle for attaching to a rack, so what I do is just run a ratchet strap through the cans to my roof rack and crank it down tight. Other than putting a piece of cardboard underneath the ratchet strap buckle to keep from scarring or digging into the plastic can, I don't do anything special. 1 ratchet strap per can is plenty.

Also, one other question... I will probably want to use some of the accessory cig outlets in the T4R. I asked the guys at auto zone about battery life, but they had no idea. My battery is rated for 120 hours (at least that's what it said under RC on the battery.) That sounds great, but it obviously would depend on how much current I'd be drawing. I'm also considering getting an inverter for future travel. Since I'd be mainly using accessories with the engine off, I need to know how to use accessories with or without an inverter, such that I don't kill the battery. At least I do have a 750 peak watt battery starter, just in case.

Well, unless you've done the always-on modification, your 12v outlets will not be powered when the ignition is turned off. I did the conversion so I'd always have power and ran my small fridge on mine. What are you planning on powering?