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Beyond
Tool Kits in Field Repair Situations
by Bill Burke
 Having
a good tool kit is very important, but only half of the
solution. KNOWING how to use those tools and spares is
equally as important.
CASE IN
POINT: Recently, I was leading a club over some
rough routes and a few of the rigs were set up quite well.
Having all the goodies on the rig made one person in
particular feel invincible! He would take all the tough
lines and even wanted to climb a very tough section of the
route that required winching along with using the lockers on
the front and rear axles. Once I guided him over the
section, he had to turn around and come back down. While
maneuvering to turn around I asked this "well-prepared"
person if the ARB lockers were OFF. His answer was, yes!
Then I heard the SNAP, CRACKLE, POP of one of the front
half-shafts.
DISCUSSION:
When using lockers of any kind on hard surface
terrain like slick rock, granite faces, large sedimentary
rocks and even dry dirt, make sure that they are disengaged,
or unlock the front hubs. I usually recommend that a slight
throttle bump (or "goose"), or quick tap on the gas pedal
will give enough momentum to slacken the gears so that the
air/electronic lockers will disengage themselves from the
binding that usually occurs when on unforgiving surfaces.
BEFORE trying to steer, make SURE that the lockers are
actually DISENGAGED, even if you have turned them
off!
Once off the obstacle, I
used the tire hydraulic jack to lift the front end up--like
changing the tire-- and diagnosed the problem as the left
front axle being broken. Some of the other club members had
a good set of tools, but had NO knowledge on how to make a
field repair. They didn't have a shop book, or Haynes or
Chilton books. The rigs were all basically the same--Land
Rover products. Since I carry a tool or two, I began to
disassemble the front wheel, rotor, stub axle and exposed
the steering swivel housing. Land Rovers have enclosed
steering knuckles (CV joints). Sure enough, the CV joint was
fragged! Having full-floating axles really is nice in these
situations. I removed the broken axle and bits and pieces
and began to reassemble the parts.
The question came up,
"What if Bill wasn't here?"
One of the club members
mentioned he had a special tool kit put together by the shop
mechanic back home! Great! PROBLEM was, the owner of this
great tool kit didn't know a slip joint pliers from a vise
grip and the tool kit didn't have a wheel bearing nut socket
or snap ring pliers even if he could figure how to get the
rotor off the stub axle!! I am not being condescending here,
just stating some important facts.
As mentioned in other
field repair articles, at least be somewhat familiar with
your rig or go with a group where hopefully someone else
will be there to help you. I was responsible for this group
so I affected the field repair, a somewhat advanced repair
for most 4WD SUV owners, but more common than most Land
Rover owners would like to think! Having an ARB
locker in
the front axle helped with the next few days of wheeling.
YES, the rig--once I spent some MAJOR quality
training time with
the owner, finished the day and did Steel Bender the next
day with a missing axle! Love those full
floaters!
We were able to
air-freight the new axle and miscellaneous parts in and I
could install the new axle without a problem at the hotel.
Getting all the broken pieces out of the swivel housing was
a problem and really the swivel housing should be inspected
for damage, but, it was a field repair that allowed them to
drive home and 4-wheel the rest of the weekend!
ANOTHER CASE IN
POINT: While leading a trip over the East side of
the Hole-in-the-Rock trail one of my clients was
experiencing difficulty on some of the ledges going in the
first day. While guiding him up I noticed that the front end
was not spinning either of the tires. "Are you in 4WD?" I
asked. "Yep," he replied. Hmmmmmm! I strapped him a few
times that day and then at camp that night I looked for the
reason why the front axle did not work!
DISCUSSION:
It was a General Motors product with the electric solenoid
axle disconnect. The transfer case was in 4WD, but the axle
was not getting the signal. Power was going to the solenoid;
test light confirmed this. I unscrewed the solenoid and
decided that I could shim the plunger out to engage the
front axle. I just needed some type of shim. I rummaged
through my box of goodies and found a transfer case spacer,
kind of like a piece of conduit. I used the hack saw and
made the spacer fit to keep the solenoid extended. The front
axle worked all day and I was able to guide a stock 4-door
Tahoe to Cottonwood Canyon and the Hole-in-the-Rock
viewpoint and back to camp. The owner finally realized what
4WD really can do. For two years from when he bought the
used truck, he never really had 4WD! From what he told me,
he kept getting stuck in places that he should not have. I
really think that he drove that 2WD rig with luck and some
skill. Once he had 4WD, was he ever impressed!
Go back to my photo essay,
A 4-Wheeling Photo-Essay, and look at the pictures of the
items I carry along and by all means get a shop or
Chilton/Haynes book to help you figure it all
out.
The point is, don't let
someone else fix up a tool kit for you without knowing what
is in it, how to use the tools, and having a reference
manual/shop book to help figure it all out. Also, and this
can't be repeated too many times, carry along some special
tools like the wheel nut socket or fuel injector puller or
whatever. Take a few classes from the local trade school or
adult education on basic mechanics and repair procedures.
Understand the methods of fasteners and torque
specifications. Hang out at the local 4-wheel drive shop;
maybe even offer to sweep the floors in hopes that some of
the knowledge will rub off on you!
Knowing how to use your
rig properly off the highway, knowing how to affect field
repairs and knowing when to say when on the difficult
obstacles will make you feel more confident when in the back
country. It's like if you carry all the right stuff and the
proper spare parts, you will never have to use them. That
one item you forget, like the toilet paper, will be the only
thing you need!
Drive like you don't want
to break, like you want to smell the flowers, like you don't
want to get greasy, sandy, dirty, like you want to enjoy the
scenery, like you get a thrill from climbing that rock face,
mud bog, sand hill or dirt road! Watch your tire placement,
keep throttle openings to a minimum--don't spin the
tires--use the winch or Hi-Lift jack instead of beating the
old tired horse. Join a club or go with a trusty guide for a
few of the first trips, learn the ropes and get some ideas
before you have to actually use them when on your own! And
Don't be a stick-in-the-mud!
TREAD
Lightly! Leaving a good impression.
©Bill Burke’s 4-Wheeling America LLC
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Bill
Burke's 4-Wheeling America LLC
