As Americans, most of us spend dozens of hours each week in our vehicles, from going to work, shopping for groceries, driving the kids to school or practices, occasional road trips, and whatever else we find the need to do. It only makes sense that we should ensure our vehicles are as prepared for an emergency as they can be.
As with any preps, it’s a good idea to ensure that the equipment we use, in this case a vehicle, is in tip-top shape. Therefore regular maintenance is a must. This includes basics like regular oil changes, replacement of belts and hoses, tire replacement and rotation, brake inspection and replacement, windshield wipers, spark plugs, battery, and so on. I would also include any major work you might be neglecting like suspension work or repairing leaking seals and gaskets as well. Fortunately, there are a variety of over the counter remedies for leaking seals and gaskets that work quite well and have the potential for saving you a lot of money!
I would also suggest we perform regular checks of several important areas, including tire pressure (remember the spare tire too), fluids (e.g., washer fluid, coolant, engine oil, transmission, etc), and the lights (headlights, brake lights, hazards, etc). It may seem silly to regularly check that your lights function but who knows for what reason you may need them to work, such as needing your hazards to work while you’re off the side of the road waiting for a tow truck.
It also behooves us to also ensure our vehicles are ready for the seasons. In the winter, for example, this could include a windshield scraper, sand, and snow tires or chains to name a few items that would be useful. In the summer there are likely fewer vehicle-specific needs, but things like additional coolant and a jug or two of water could become critical if your vehicle overheats and you’re stranded without any sight of help.
Certainly there are a variety of vehicle-specific equipment that are useful to keep at all times, including a functioning jack (best to replace the factory one if you can), lug wrench, tire repair kit and/or tire sealant, jumper cables, additional fluids (engine oil, coolant), and definitely plenty of fuses appropriate to your vehicle. A fire extinguisher would be good to include as well.
I would also suggest a basic set of tools (wrenches and screwdrivers are most important here), a hose repair kit (though duct tape could work in a pinch in some cases), a few extra hose clamps, and maybe an additional serpentine belt or appropriate hoses if you have space and the willingness to replace them.
It doesn’t take a lot of time or effort to ensure your vehicle is ready for the road. Add the basic vehicle-specific supplies and tools, ensure your vehicle receives any necessary maintenance as appropriate, and regularly check those things that you can check (e.g., tire pressure and lights), and you’ll be well on your way to being as prepared as you can be for the road ahead.
Hope that helps and stay safe on the road.
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Fortunately, we have some very gracious sponsors who are willing to sponsor this fun contest. Please visit their sites and review the products being donating as they are certainly good people doing good things for our community. Here’s the prizes…
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CampingSurvival.com is donating an Exotac nanoSTRIKER XL Ferrocerium Fire Starter in Olive Drab.The description says “We created an evolutionary derivative of the original nanoSTRIKER with a larger rod and striker handle. It utilizes the same innovative design as the original, but with just enough extra size and heft to improve its ease of use without making it too big or bulky for key chain carry. The striker handle is 46% bigger, making it easier to grip. The XL version also sports a 33% larger ferrocerium rod, which improves the durability and lifespan of the rod even beyond that of the original nanoSTIKERs. Slowly scrape shavings off the rod into a small pile. Use these shavings on top of your tinder bundle for even better sparks! Use the nanoSTRIKER? to light gas stoves, alcohol stoves, fuel tablets, BBQ grills, etc.” |
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MayflowerTrading.com is donating an The Guardian First Aid Fanny Pack. Contents include: 1 – Fanny Pack, 1 – Eye Wash, 2 – Instant Ice Packs, 1 – 3″ ACE Bandage, 1 – Bandage Scissors, 1 – First Aid Guide, 1 – CPR Mouthpiece, 3 – Iodine Prep Pads, 6 – Pair Nitrile Gloves, 3 – 2 x 2 Gauze Pads, 4 – 4 x 4 Gauze Pads 1 – Tissue Pack, 6 – Alcohol Prep Pads, 2 – Water Gels, 1 – 1 x10 yds Adhesive Tape, 1 – Bio-Hazard Waste Bag, 1 – Box 3/4 x 3 Bandages, 1 – Tweezers1 – 4 ounce Hand Sanitizer, 2 – Eye Pads, 6 – Wet Naps, 1 – Hydrogen Peroxide, 1 – 5 x 9 Combine Dressing Bandages |
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OzarkMountainPreparedness.com is donating $100 Gift Certificate to any of their wonderful survival courses.”Our mission is to provide the highest quality instructional courses to people who desire to pursue a self-reliant lifestyle; whether in the wilds or right at home. By blending both modern and primitive methods into our curriculum, we offer a comprehensive and practical view of survival and preparedness. Our course topics include wilderness and urban survival, fur trapping, bushcraft, primitive skills, long-term wilderness living, land navigation, home disaster preparation, outdoor cooking, food procurement and storage, foraging, wild edibles, and others.” |
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RifleStock.com is donating a set of five Self-Watering Grow Buckets. I recently got a set and will review them soon. What is a grow bucket? “It is a 4, 5 or 6 gallon bucket altered to grow vegetables and flowers using a water reservoir in the base. Growing plants in self-watering buckets has been around for quite a while now, but our design has improved on the old method of using two buckets, one inside of the other, to create the water reservoir.” |
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I figured my sponsors shouldn’t do all the work, so I’m throwing in a McNett Tactical Aquamira Frontier Pro Ultralight Water Filter: •Military edition portable water filter system with straw-style design •Attaches directly to water bottles, cups, or bladders •Removes 99.9 percent of Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and other contaminants •Activated carbon improves taste; universal connectivity adapter system •Filters up to 50 gallons; removable bite valve doubles as hanging drip filter |
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