Remote Desert Travel Preparations

[eric_rosenwald]

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.

Thanks for the gas can advice. I won't get one for this upcoming trip, but I'm planning a month-long trip this summer, and I'll get the RotoPax ones like you recommend. I will likely be driving through Death Valley in the hottest part of the summer. I'll probably call up Pink Jeep or other 4x4 companies that travel in the area to get some gas advice for 120+ degree weather.

I found a battery meter that should work well:

Universal 12v Digital Volt Minder with Car Adapter

The only thing is... I don't know what low voltage threshold I should set, to give me ample warning time. If it does go off, how long would you suggest I idle to recharge the battery? How long does it usually take for the alternator to recharge the battery?

Now that I think of it, there really aren't any major cigarette lighter devices that I will be powering. For my big summer trip, I'll likely just get a Goal Zero solar panel system for charging things like my laptop and camera batteries. I'm sure I could get some kind of inverter or always-on system like you have, but I think I won't risk messing with the battery or electrical system and just use a big portable solar system.

 

[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!

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

There it is... It takes up less space than I thought it would.

>>> every time I post a photo on the forum, it loads it upside down... at least from my view. Are you seeing it that way too?

 

[RedSled]

Yep.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Picture looks fine to me. :shrug:

Sounds like you're well prepared. Do you have maps? The National Geographic Trails Illustrated map of the Mojave Preserve is a pretty decent one.

 

[Ikat]

Tires

Heat and speed are death to tires in Death Valley. Not that the rocks are massive or excessively sharp, but people drive far too fast on hot ground with variable sized rocks. Honestly , 25mph is fine for anything but fully graded non-paved roads.

Make sure that your spare is really a full sized-tire and matches the installed other 4. A real backup would be another full-sized spare on a spare rim. But some would find that excessive. I don't mind being excessive.

The saying goes:
In DV one flat is an inconvenience. Two can be fatal.

With a SPOT, you are far ahead of the Vegas daytrippers who rely on their Ford Explorer GPS and near-non-existent DV cell coverage.

 

[eric_rosenwald]

where can I buy a GOOD gas can at the last minute?

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.

I know someone mentioned Blitz and RotoPax gas tanks. I'm leaving tomorrow, but I have most of the day available... Does anyone know where I can track down a good gas can, to put on the roof? I don't have enough time to buy one online.

I don't want to get one of those cheap ones... I don't have a basket or anything like that Should I put down a tarp or something to protect the paint on top?

 

[Martinjmpr]

I know someone mentioned Blitz and RotoPax gas tanks. I'm leaving tomorrow, but I have most of the day available... Does anyone know where I can track down a good gas can, to put on the roof? I don't have enough time to buy one online.

I don't want to get one of those cheap ones... I don't have a basket or anything like that Should I put down a tarp or something to protect the paint on top?

You can get RotoPax cans at 4 wheel parts. Other 4x4 or motorcycle/dirt bike/ATV shops often stock them, too.

You have the roof rack with the cross bars, correct? IIRC 3rd gen 4runners have the load bars going across the roof (at least mine did.) I would probably just strap it down with ratchet straps. As an alternative, you can get a rack that will bolt to your existing crossbars at most automotive stores or discount-type stores and strap the can(s) to that. RotoPax cans have a hole in the middle and you can run a ratchet strap through that and tighten it down.

 

[eric_rosenwald]

Can't find RotoPax!

I live in one of the biggest off road regions in the country, and half of the off road supply stores in the inland empire don't answer their phones, and the other half don't have any 4-gallon cans in stock... This is insane! I'm leaving tomorrow and I figured I can buy one SOMEWHERE around here, but it looks like I'm out of luck!

 

[eric_rosenwald]

Craziness

Well, after one P0420 code, a mystery squeak/hiss from the engine area, 2 simultaneous back road Death Valley flat tires, and 4 new tires that I should have had on in the first place (old ones were Long Trail TA's... new ones better for off road!) I'm still plugging along.

This 4Runner had never been off road in it's life. It also was put into 4WD only a few times. I refueled on Death Valley backroads twice -- 4 gallons from a cheap gas can that may have had some dust in it... and a RotoPax 2 gallon that had been left in the hot sun for a day. After driving on a rough road up a mountain, I got the P0420. Then I got back on the highway heading to Lone Pine, andn about 10 miles from my destination I heard a squeaky sound. I don't know if it was related to the P0420 code... I hope that it was due to the rough roads and vibrations causing sediments in the tank to get stirred up. Being a city-only car, I'm hoping that those sediments had just never been a problem, until I shook up that tank a good bit. Either way, I cleared the code and put a whole can of Sea Foam into it. I drove it 170 miles. Half was some serious uphill driving on highways, and 50 miles was more off road driving. The code never came up again, so I'm hoping that that confirms my gas tank theory. However...

the mystery hiss/squeak did happen again, ironically about 10 miles from my destination, once again. But no check engine code. I just got 4 new tires and had Brake Masters mechanics look at the engine regarding the sounds. They came up with nothing, but they were concerned that it was the catalytic converter.

So I'm trying to isolate these variables... The sound has been audible only following high speed driving after 30+ miles on backroads. It only sounds with my foot on the gas, and gets louder when I'm going uphill on the freeway. But... maybe it has nothing to do with the off road driving, and would be making the sound after a long drive, backroads or freeway. This is frustrating as hell! I haven't had the T4R very long, so I don't have a sense of it's driving patterns/behavior. I don't have much experience to go off of. So now I guess I just need to keep experimenting with these different factors/variables.

 

[eric_rosenwald]

Heat and speed are death to tires in Death Valley. Not that the rocks are massive or excessively sharp, but people drive far too fast on hot ground with variable sized rocks. Honestly , 25mph is fine for anything but fully graded non-paved roads.

Make sure that your spare is really a full sized-tire and matches the installed other 4. A real backup would be another full-sized spare on a spare rim. But some would find that excessive. I don't mind being excessive.

The saying goes:
In DV one flat is an inconvenience. Two can be fatal.

With a SPOT, you are far ahead of the Vegas daytrippers who rely on their Ford Explorer GPS and near-non-existent DV cell coverage.

I can say that I now completely understand this one. I got two flats in DV. I got out OK, but I'm never going again without 2 spares (no it's absolutely not excessive... I can attest to that haha)

I upgraded my air compressor.

By the way... My new tires were inflated to 36psi. But I don't think the 4Runner manual suggests that... What should it be? (Pathfinder Sport A/T tires)

 

[Martinjmpr]

I can say that I now completely understand this one. I got two flats in DV. I got out OK, but I'm never going again without 2 spares (no it's absolutely not excessive... I can attest to that haha)

I upgraded my air compressor.

By the way... My new tires were inflated to 36psi. But I don't think the 4Runner manual suggests that... What should it be? (Pathfinder Sport A/T tires)

I hope they weren't at 36psi when you were off-road. 15 - 20 is where you really should be and that can save you from getting a flat in the first place.

I believe the 3rd gen is 32psi (look in the door panel) but honestly, 3 or 4 PSI isn't going to make much of a difference either way. I typically run mine around 35 on the highway.

 

[eric_rosenwald]

I hope they weren't at 36psi when you were off-road. 15 - 20 is where you really should be and that can save you from getting a flat in the first place.

I believe the 3rd gen is 32psi (look in the door panel) but honestly, 3 or 4 PSI isn't going to make much of a difference either way. I typically run mine around 35 on the highway.

I was at 36. Very stupid. It's amazing that I was able to go so far, considering that!

I just got back from a trip to Mojave National Preserve. This time, I was responsible. I was using the right tires (not the best, but perfect for my needs) Pathfinder Sport tires, a quality air compressor, and I deflated them. I followed your advice and it worked great. I started out deflating to 23psi when the road got a little rough, and then down to 17 when I was on some very rough roads. It only took me 30 minutes (it's not the best compressor but it works) to inflate back up to 32psi. I used the battery starter, too.

Now all I need is to get an old rim for one of the tires I didn't pop, so I have two. That and a backpack compressor, and I will be really secure.