Long distance travel is often daunting but a successful trouble free trip depend on the preparation you have done.  While your trip may not be marred by leaving a chair at home, nothing is worse than being stranded, especially when help is a long way away.  Here are some quick tips before you depart, but should you become immobile, the Bush Mechanics Guide can give you pointers on getting moving.

Belts and Hoses - Check all your belts and hoses, and carry spares. Alternator/water-pump belts are the most important. Replacing an old belt and saving the original as a spare is a good idea.

Tires - Check for any cuts or damage on the outside and look for bumps or bubbles on the side wall from previous trip damage, don’t forget the spare(s).  Check that they are all inflated to the proper high speed pressures.  Take note of your tread and think about the terrain you will be traveling on.

Shocks – bounce the vehicle and listen for any squeaking sounds and feel for any excessive bounce indicating worn shocks. Look for any signs of physical damage or leaking on the shock

Running Gear & Suspension - Jack up and place the front of your 4x4 on trestles. Grab the wheel at the top and bottom and check for any excess movement by rocking the wheel. Do the same by rocking the wheel side to side. Any excessive free play should be seen to.  Look for signs of cracked rubber boots and worn ball joints or movement on suspension bushes.  While you have the vehicle up it might be a good opportunity to pump a squirt of grease in all the grease nipples.  Check the rear in the same manner.  Grease the prop shaft universal joints as well.

Lights - Make sure your head lights, tail lights and brake lights work. A ticket from local law is a bummer.  It’s a good idea to carry spare bulbs.

Tool Kit - Carry a tool kit that covers the basics of your vehicle.  Put your own together, The cheapies in a fancy box are for keeping in the hall cupboard.  Get reasonable quality tools. Have a good set of jumper cables with heavy-gauge wire and quality connectors.

Fuel - Fill the fuel tank prior to every trip.  When you reach your destination, top it off again before hitting the trail.  The last thing you want to do is start worrying about running out of gas while off-road.  Remember the One-Third/Two-Third Rule: Use one-third of a tank to get where you are going and save two-thirds for getting out.  If your fuel tank doesn’t have the capacity for the off-road portion of the trip, carry extra fuel or re-think your route. Always carry your extra fuel outside the vehicle. Fuel containers have vents and petrol fumes are explosive and toxic.

Recovery - Bring at least one recovery strap, preferably 2 or more and make sure you have a safe and decent hook on your vehicle front and rear.  A High-Lift jack also doubles as a winch and a jack (and lots more).  Bring a block of wood measuring about 300mm square. You may need it to support your jack if you have to change a tire on the uneven ground. It’s also good to have extra pieces of recovery equipment such as a D-ring or two and a tree protector.  If you have a winch, make sure you have winch related equipment such as a snatch block, gloves & tree protector. THINK SAFETY

Nature's Calling - Bring a roll of toilet paper packed in a plastic bag.  In fact, ALWAYS carry a roll in your vehicle. When you need it, you’ll thank yourself for putting it there. A small spade to bury the evidence is worth its weight in gold.

Communications to the World - Pack a cell phone and give it a full charge before departing.  Pack the phone car adapter.  When you're remote and off-road, you might still find signal even if it’s on top of a ridge or up a tree.   Be aware that if your are out of signal range, your cell phone will be hunting for a signal and this will deplete your cell phone's battery quicker than just sitting in standby when in range.

Communications Vehicle to Vehicle / Person to Person - Handheld radios are very handy and inexpensive.  They have fair range and are very portable.  Whether on foot or in the vehicles, it makes good sense to carry one communication can add to the fun and in the case of an emergency where the you need to temporarily split up the party, you do not want to be out of touch.  If you have to separate, stay in range.  29meg radio's also fall in this category but are less portable (most units stay with the vehicle) and the range is sometimes shorter than the vhf radios depending on the radio and the antennas.  Refer to the article on radios for 4x4 usage.

Food / Water - Bring plenty of food and drink, even on the short trips. Bottled water, energy bars, dried fruit, sports drinks or anything else that has compact energy are good items to pack.  Pack items that do not need refrigeration. Avoid salty foods such as chips and biltong, unless you have plenty to drink.  And no, beer doesn't count.  In fact it takes water to metabolize alcohol so the beer and liquor will dehydrate, not hydrate you.  Alcohol is never a good idea when you have to think clearly.

Spare for the Spare - If you have room, carry a second spare wheel and tire. At the very least, carry a repair kit just in case.  Nothing is worse than getting a second flat tire on the same trip. Learn how to use the repair kit BEFORE you need it.

Torch - Carry a torch and an extra set of fresh batteries as well as an extra globe

Weather - Watch the weather for the region you are visiting and the route along the way.  Be prepared with the appropriate clothing and protective gear (rain jacket, hats, sunglasses, lip balm, sunscreen).  Pack extra clothing in case you get wet or it gets a little colder than expected.  Even if you are not planning to stay the night, it’s good to have a sleeping bag.  It’s better to be over prepared than under prepared. A space blanket does not take up a lot of room and is relatively cheap but works wonders though noisy.

Most important is to let someone know about your plans. Let a family member or friend know of your intended route as well as the time you will spend at your destination and your return date. If something does happen and you are out of contact range help can be sent.

Happy travels

Henk