General Tech....

By: Rick Boiros

There was talk at the last open board of directors meeting of implementing technical inspection of club vehicles prior to trail rides. No formal policy has been adopted yet, but Norm Wnuk and myself will be looking at safety and mechanical items respectively in the future.

The club reserves the right to do inspections for everyone's safety and enjoyment of the trips. We are not trying to be the police, but to head off potential weak links, unsafe modifications and unnecessary trail fixes! Please spend some time looking over your vehicle, below are some general items that should be inspected and kept in mind when working on or modifying your vehicle. Some are obvious, some more subtle but important. The focus here is mechanical, not necessarily required equipment or accessories.

First off, the relevant club rules:

- Vehicle width is limited to a maximum of 70".

- Vehicles must be Jeep type or sport utility vehicles with a low range transfer case.

- Minimum tire size shall be 30" with the exception of the Suzuki Samurai which will be 29". Maximum tire size shall be 36".

- Tow hooks up front are mandatory and some type of tow hook or receiver hitch, clevis or other secure means of towing from the rear is required.

- All non-hard top vehicles must have a rollbar. (Properly mounted, not to a rusted body).

- All vehicles must have seat belts for ALL occupants. (Properly mounted)

Additional items that could be checked:

• Battery : securely held down. Bungee cords are not recommended.
• Cargo : e.g. Toolboxes, coolers, chainsaws etc, must be tied down.
• Body lifts : 3" maximum recommended. No stacking of hockey pucks.
• Sway bars : should be disconnected for off-highway driving. (Allows greater flex)
• Steering components : No loose fasteners or excessive play. A steering box brace is recommended on Jeep CJ and YJ vehicles.
• Brake lines : Long enough for full range of wheel travel and out of the way of suspension and steering components.
• Locking hubs : no loose bolts for externally bolted hubs (could lead to breakage).
• Wheel bearings : Should be tight and well maintained.
• Tow hooks should be bolted with grade 5 or grade 8 hardware, not welded.
• Winches : Properly mounted per manufacturers kit or similar design. Cable should be free of major defects.
• Skid plates : transmission, transfer case, gas tank and even u-bolt ends should be properly protected.
• Drivetrain : No excessive fluid leaks of any kind.
• Tires: Aggressive all terrain or Mud type at a lowered air pressure.
• Antennas : No steel whip or out of control CB antennas.

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