How do you carry your off road stuff?

[idahoron]

For me Items like tire chains and tow straps and small stuff I can tuck into the area between the camper and the inside of the bed.The two big items I have been having trouble thinking where to keep are the hi-lift jack and a shovel. After some thinking I decided to get a front hitch and carry the Hi-lift jack on the front. I have used this set up for a couple weeks of off road hunting and it works great. I made the piece that I put into the hitch and an anti rattle pin. It is solid and I got no rattle or anything. I can't even tell it is there. The only problem is it does block the licence plate. But the only time I have it on is when I am heading into areas where I most likely will never get pulled over for this anyway.

I added a small tube right below the jack for a shovel. The problem with it is my Pony shovel is too long for this mount. and just won't work. I am thinking about just using bungee straps and strapping it to the hi-lift. I didn't get a top roof rack and I don't really want to go that route just for a shovel. I have been looking at different shovels.

How do you guys carry the extra stuff? Ron

 

[craig333]

I bungee my shovel to my hi lift.

 

[Ramblinman]

I cram it behind the rear seat

 

[Smokecreek1]

I've got the same set-up as Craig333, thanks to a fellow WTC inventor and designer-camalracer! Before then the handyman was under the rear seat and the shovel was on the floor of the camper. Over the years i have concentrated most of the "survival gear and getting unstuck stuff" either in the right rear cabinet or under the couch. There are several different threads dealing with these solutions, but I'm sure MarkBC, Ski ot one of the more literate pc types and post the locations(that's why I didn't post a picture of my set up-to dumb) . Still have a problem with the jerry can though, one day do something about it!

Smoke

 

[idahoron]

I bungee my shovel to my hi lift.

How is that hi-lift attached to the back of the camper? I am thinking bungee for my shovel right on my jack as well.
Ron

 

[Smokecreek1]

It's attached to the camper by a bar and some screws- it is seperate from the truck and only attaches to the camper, through the right rear. Look up camal racer and see his posts, he shows the entire process complete with all the data you need! I'll try and find the post and get back to you, but even I followed the instructions and did it..

Smoke

 

[Smokecreek1]

I have not figured out the new system yet, but around 23 april of last year we were discussing the modification, look at my posts and pictures (and others) back then and the conversation between Craig, me, Camelracer and a few other folks about putting it on, sorry I can not direct you to the exact start of the discussion in the WTW data base, but again I have not figured out this new system yet; it seems to me we started with the question of mounting a handyman and went from there, I know Camal Racer has all the data, but you need to talk to him about it, but just follow the posts and pictures. The system works really well and I'm very happy with it.

Smoke

 

[craig333]

Jonathan did his like this. http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/7382-mounting-a-h-lift-jack-on-a-fwc/
Here's the other thread. Camelracer has some nice closeups. http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/6095-hi-lift-jack-receiver-mount/

 

[idahoron]

He has a great design. I really like the mounts he made for the shovel. I am going to study that a bit. I made a cover for my Jack out of a old tire tube. I also have wd-40 on hand. I also have the lift-mate to jack up the wheels. I think that is the slickest thing for jacking up trucks I have seen.
I got super stuck a couple years ago. We had record amounts of rain and snow. On Christmas eve my son and I went Chukar hunting. It was frozen when we went in but got soft and we headed for the truck. In hind sight I should have stayed right there until it froze and drove out. But it was Christmas eve and I had to get home. Well the truck moved a little and sank until a rock under the transmission stopped the sinking. I called a friend and he got stuck. I called another friend and he got there with all 4 tires chained up and took us home. We went back the next day to retrieve the trucks. The overnight low was only 28. We got there with some borrowed floor jacks dug under the truck and put wood down. If I would have had a hy-lift and Lift-mate, I could have saved some digging. After some serious effort we got the truck out. I chained up all 4 tires and didn't take them off until the chains were making sparks on the pavement. Now that I got a camper on the truck I am going to be very careful not to go places when it is wet like that again. Ron

 

[craig333]

I have the lift mate and the bumper attachment thing. You have a base for the jack? I have one in the Jeep, need to get one for the truck.

 

[idahoron]

I don't have the base but I am planning to pick one up. Do they work as good as I have heard?

 

[Smokecreek1]

Got all the extras too, including the thing with the three cables you lift up the wheel with to get unstuck-never used any of of them yet and hope not too. Had just the jack and the base with my old 80 Toyota LB 4x4 and used it alot over the years, but I guess you need all the attachments because the bunpers arn't square! Makes sense I guess, all my old 80 BLM Dodge powerwagon had was the jack and base -used it allot too, I guess these new rigs were designed not to get muddy or dirty and just pull your boat up to the lake or to take you snow skying during the winter.

Smoke

 

[Smokecreek1]

I don't have the base but I am planning to pick one up. Do they work as good as I have heard?

Yep they do, keeps it from slipping, especially in mud or snow-your major worry is keeping the handyman's handle from kicking back-while you are jacking it up-never never ever jack it from directly behind-always stand off to the side because you don't want to behind it it kicks back-people have been killed by that kick!

Smoke

 

[Bdold]

"On Christmas eve my son and I went Chukar hunting".

And...was it good?

 

[idahoron]

The hunting was great.