Truck Breaking Down in the Backcountry

[mlgc20]

I was hunting this Fall in Colorado with my daughters (10 & 13). We were at 10 miles from a paved road. And these were 10 deep rutted, scratch your truck miles. From the paved road, we were another 45 minutes to even a small small town. When we got in my Ford F-250, I pressed the start button and nothing happened. I was mildly panicking while I waited 30 seconds and tried it again. It started up and we were able to drive out. It hasn’t done that since. But it got me thinking. What would I have done if my truck was truly broken down back there. I can fix a flat and bring power banks to jump a dead battery. But that’s about it. Have any of you broken down out in the woods? Are there mechanics that go out in the backcountry? How does that work?

 

[thinhorn_AK]

It’s happened to me but my truck dosen’t have a “button” to start it up. In my case it was bad corrosion on my battery terminals.

 

[Eltigreblanco]

We had a bad alternator this year limped back to a small town that happened to have one left on the shelf

 

[ArrowForester]

My first DIY elk trip....ride in partners truck for an honest 2000 miles to the trailhead to meet others for a base camp. Stop to read the sign board before pulling in to park and the truck won’t start again. Lots of fiddling around and we get it started and moved to park. More fiddling next day and we get it started and drive an hour to the closest small town. From there it was towed to closest big town and spent 7 days in the shop getting all new wires. We weren’t stuck “back in” but we were bent over a barrel for repairs since we had not much choice.

 

[ArrowForester]

Same trip....another guy in camp had a 3/4 ton truck less than 6 months old. Fine until he got to base camp and then it wouldn’t run for more than 5 minutes. We were finally able to get the shop in town to send a tow truck. Tow guy shows up in a half ton pick up with a 20 foot chain. That was a long ride to town with no power steering or brakes being jerked along less than a car length behind another truck on some pretty rough roads. That one also went to the big town for a ride over the barrel.

 

[ArrowForester]

In neither case was anybody interested in coming to look at the broke vehicle in the field. Getting towed was questionable. But both repairs were beyond field fixing with duct tape.

 

[Newtosavage]

I was hunting this Fall in Colorado with my daughters (10 & 13). We were at 10 miles from a paved road. And these were 10 deep rutted, scratch your truck miles. From the paved road, we were another 45 minutes to even a small small town. When we got in my Ford F-250, I pressed the start button and nothing happened. I was mildly panicking while I waited 30 seconds and tried it again. It started up and we were able to drive out. It hasn’t done that since. But it got me thinking. What would I have done if my truck was truly broken down back there. I can fix a flat and bring power banks to jump a dead battery. But that’s about it. Have any of you broken down out in the woods? Are there mechanics that go out in the backcountry? How does that work?

I'm sure there is a mechanic or just a knowledgeable redneck in every small town in America who will come and work on your vehicle for the right price, regardless of where it is. I think that's pretty much how it works.

 

[GunsAreFun]

My shifter cable mount was broken when driving over a log this deer season. I was a mile down a logging road with some bad ruts and mud. The tow truck driver wouldn’t come down to get me. My neighbors weren’t around. I was able to jam it into some gear that allowed the 4x4 to engage and then jammed it into reverse and went backwards for a mile.

If that hadn’t worked out, I’m not sure what I would have done. Probably walked out and start knocking on locals doors looking for a car trailer.

As far as deep backcountry, the areas we hunted in Colorado, even far down crappy roads, had other hunters. I really like to think we’d all take car of each other and offer tows or rides if needed. I know I would.

 

[ArrowForester]

We’ve come to realize that the rough roads can rattle a lot more loose that you don’t think of, not just flattening a tire.

 

[mlgc20]

It is a good idea to get the numbers of local vehicle recovery services in the area you will be heading into. Especially when kids are with me. I can leave a list of recovery companies with the wife and can message her with the in reach if I don't have cell service. Whenever I take the little ones for day trips I am extra careful and make sure to take a lot of extra water also.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

Very good idea. Thanks!

 

[PSUBowhunter]

We took my cousins F250 platinum edition about 5.5 miles back a 4 wheeler/jeep path and set up camp. We hunted there for a week and had one side by side come by. When we went to leave, the batteries were dead. I had completed a marathon about a month before the trip, so I was in pretty good shape. I took off on run back to trail to catch some guys from Missouri that we had met that were leaving the same day. Luckily I caught them as they were about to leave and they were nice enough to take a 4 wheeler back and jump us.

 

[KsRancher]

I always build a small/medium size tool box with an assortment of tools I know I might need to fix things that would probably break if something was going to break. Between my dad and I, we could fix most mechanical issues on our vehicles. And by most issues I mean. Tranny, rear end, heads, alternator and things like we would/could do in a park lot. (Water pump probably wouldnt happen on those yrs of chevys) they are a real PITA. Getting the parts could be a problem. The computer issues is where we would run into troubles, I would probably just have to call a tow

 

[Newtosavage]

We took my cousins F250 platinum edition about 5.5 miles back a 4 wheeler/jeep path and set up camp. We hunted there for a week and had one side by side come by. When we went to leave, the batteries were dead. I had completed a marathon about a month before the trip, so I was in pretty good shape. I took off on run back to trail to catch some guys from Missouri that we had met that were leaving the same day. Luckily I caught them as they were about to leave and they were nice enough to take a 4 wheeler back and jump us.

That's my biggest fear - a dead battery. Not much will work without it, and it's so easy to do especially in really cold temps for days. I have replaced my battery every 2 years, right before my elk hunt, for this reason. Might be overkill, but that's cheap insurance.

 

[Hunt_Jefferson]

I pulled a guy down the mountain this season. He was in a VW wagon and hit a chunk in the road at speed, taking out his oil pan. I saw the oil slick and followed it for almost a mile where I found the car when he ran out of momentum. Luckily I had a tow strap to pull him the rest of the way into town.

 

[lamp_ak]

Had my buddies truck blow a U joint on the driveshaft up around the Arctic circle a few years back. Truck was dead in the water. The closest wrecker was 200 + miles. Hitchhiked my ass to Fairbanks while my buddy stayed with the truck got $500 worth of parts and fluid, hitchhiked back up to our truck. New U joint, new center carrier bearing and 3 tubes of JB weld on the transfer case. Took 3 days to drive the 800 miles home and only used 5 gallons of ATF.
Moral of the story...didn’t get murdered hitching up and down the haul road. Oh and no moose because we had to get my dad emergently to the ER because of pneumonia.

 

[Idahoguy]

My wife and kids and I were on a Sunday drive up in the mountains. Well maintained gravel road about 5 miles in. Weird sound and then flat tire. The bolt fell out of my front brake caliper and the caliper runned on the rim and made a hole in the rim. Walked down the road about 1/2 a mile and find a bolt laying there. Went back and installed, put on spare tire and drove home.

 

[PNWGATOR]

Sh!t happens and it’s no fun.

Ever dropped a loaded horse trailer off of a cut bank on the way to a hunt?! FML Thank goodness for an in reach, a friend with an amazing wife to coordinate and sort logistics and good ol’ Tim from the tow company...

 

[mlgc20]

That's my biggest fear - a dead battery. Not much will work without it, and it's so easy to do especially in really cold temps for days. I have replaced my battery every 2 years, right before my elk hunt, for this reason. Might be overkill, but that's cheap insurance.

I do the same. My truck is a 2018 and I replaced both batteries right before archery season 2020. And I still bring 2 power banks for jumping just in case.

 

[mlgc20]

Sh!t happens and it’s no fun.

Ever dropped a loaded horse trailer off of a cut bank on the way to a hunt?! FML Thank goodness for an in reach, a friend with an amazing wife to coordinate and sort logistics and good on’ Tim from the tow company...
View attachment 265446

Holy #@&$

 

[AZ8]

Dead battery is my fear also.

One year I was turkey hunting alone. Decided to drive 4 miles down a 2-track road along a ridge to a dead end point at the canyon. It was overgrown with brush/trees on both sides. Clearly it was never used. No cell service. Anyways, after my morning hunt, I jumped in the truck to leave and it gave me that tale-tale sound of an almost dead battery. I quickly switched the key back to off. I sat there praying for one more start....just one more! Please!!

Finally got the nerve to turn the key again. It struggled and slowly turned over twice, but just enough for the truck to start! Man I was relieved! I went straight home.

Since then I now carry a jumper box everywhere I go.