Cheap Tricks for 4x4s all makes

[Brody]

Here is another link to a site with a bunch of Cheap Tricks:

http://www.4x4spot.com/cheap_tricks_and_trail_fixes.htm

And here is another. This link contains quite a few winter driving off road tips and articles, too:

http://www.automotive.com/auto-enthusiast/02/4x4/tips-tricks/index.html

[Brody]

Here is yet another one, this one dealing with plastic wire loom:

If you have ever had to deal with reusing old plastic loom or if you have had to deal with putting the once flexible and easy to manage 'new' loom on wires in cold temperatures, and know how frustrating that can be, this is the trick for you.

Simply take the loom, new or old, and stick it in the dryer for about 5 minutes. If it is old, but still usable, then you had better stick it in an old pillow case or your SO won't freak. At any rate, after 'cooking' it for a little bit, the loom is now flexible and easy to use again.

This is all a moot point if you are trying to do this in 90 degree weather where you can simply stick it in the sun, but in cold weather, it works like a charm...

BTW, this also works for zip ties that tend to break when you don't want them to when it is cold. Into a sock, then into the dryer for 5-10 minutes, and they are good to go....

[Brody]

Don't throw away any of the rubber hoses or tubing that you replace...or at least keep some of it around. Here is why:

A worn radiator hose will make a welcome trail spare as will a heater hose, providing they are simply worn and not trashed out. If they happen to be trashed, cut a couple of pieces of them off and include an inner sleeve that fits inside the hose for a trail fix. After all, it is the same size hose as what you have on the rig, right?

Pieces of hose can be uses to sleeve wires or other hoses that run through bulkheads or body panels. Just cut off a piece and zip tie or tape it to the wires or hoses that run through the panel.

Smaller hoses, like vacuum hoses and fuel lines can be split down the middle and slid over odd shaped holes that you will never find a grommet to fit. This protects any wires or hoses that go through the odd shaped holes. If you have trouble keeping them in place, simply put some silicon around the opening first.

Small pieces of hose, split down the middle can also be used to insulate and protect areas where hoses or lines rub together or hit body or mechanical parts. Again, just zip tie these in place.

If you are running a single wire and cannot find the hard to find 1/4" loom to sleeve it with, take a small ID piece of vacuum line, hose a little WD40 down it and carefully feed the single wire through the vacuum line. Note: it helps if you then label this as to all appearances it will now look like a vacuum line instead of something that has a wire in it....

Here are some shots where I used chunks of old hose split, cut to length and zip tied for anti abrasion sleeves and a couple more where I split small diameter hosing and used for the same reason on bulkheads where I needed to get wire or hoses through the bulkhead:

[4finger]

Ive also seen somewhere that you can use one of those "hammer-on barbed irrigation coupler fittings" as a quick trail fix for radiator hose. if you get a hole and cant fix it, cut the hose at the hole (all the way through)and put one of those in, clamp it off and your good. its ONLY a quick fix- enough to get you off the trail, back to the trial head to get parts.

you can get these anywhere that has irrigation supplys. i cant for the life of me remember the size needed, for any make or model vehicle.

[Fordguy77]

Ive also seen somewhere that you can use one of those "hammer-on barbed irrigation coupler fittings" as a quick trail fix for radiator hose. if you get a hole and cant fix it, cut the hose at the hole (all the way through)and put one of those in, clamp it off and your good. its ONLY a quick fix- enough to get you off the trail, back to the trial head to get parts.

you can get these anywhere that has irrigation supplys. i cant for the life of me remember the size needed, for any make or model vehicle.
In a real pinch even a deep well socket ill work as well. I blew a heater core hose coming back from Wyoming one time between rock springs and rawlins so i used a deep well socket and it held together great all the way back to denver. Even drove on it that way a little longer while i looked for the fitting i wanted.