Posted on Jun 29, 2014 in
FEATURES
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Summer is here, and it’s time to pack up the family and hit the open road for summer vacation. But before you head out on the highway, make sure your vehicle is road ready and that you are prepared for any mechanical malfunctions. Walt Brinker, author of Roadside Survival: Low-Tech Solutions for Automobile Breakdowns, offers these tips for surviving on the road.
Walt’s Top 10 Roadside Survival Tips
1. Prevent tire failures by having tires inspected and balanced by tire professionals every 5,000 miles. Replace worn out tires.
2. Prevent tire failures by frequent checks of tire air pressures, especially before long trips, using a tire pressure gauge (the only accurate method); then ensure correct pressure.
3. Do not drive around without a serviceable spare tire (maximum six-years-old), designed for your vehicle (spare tire rims are designed for specific vehicles) – fully inflated, or with means to inflate, like a 12-volt compressor.
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4. Do not drive around without jack and tire changing tools that actually work on your vehicle and its wheels (you need to verify that they all fit and work).
5. Practice, before the flat tire occurs, removing the spare tire from stowage and mounting it on a vehicle wheel using the vehicle’s jack and tire changing tools. Check: Lug nuts too tight? Jack functions okay? Know correct vehicle lift points; have key to locking wheel lug nuts; have key to security lock for spare tire.
6. If towing a trailer, pay special attention: tire age is not over six years; have jack, lumber for jack support and proper size wrench for lug nuts; have at least one spare tire (not older than six years) with means to inflate if needed; ensure spare tire can be removed from trailer for use (sticking due to rust is a common problem).
7. Check tightness of battery connections monthly (they should not be moveable by hand); tighten if needed, and keep the wrench handy with the vehicle.
8.Have 20-feet long jumper cables in the vehicle; know how to use them to jump start an engine and charge a dead battery.
9. Have a cell phone and its 12-volt battery charger in the vehicle. Then, if you need help, you can call for it. Have a road atlas in case you are far from home with a broken GPS, so you can describe your location accurately.
10. Listen/pay attention to your vehicle; it will “tell” you when it is about to fail: wheel vibration/pulling to the side/mushy handling; weak engine starts; dim lights; engine temperature gauge reads hot; warning lights; unusual noises from brakes, wheels, transmission or engine; funny odors; excess or white exhaust; fluid leaks. Then, fix the problems before they become failures.
For more information, visit www.roadsidesurvival.com.
