Category: Vehicles

Letter Re: A Little Insight on Diesel Engines

Captain Rawles: Let me add a caveat to burning raw oil (Filtered Vegetable Oil, Waste Vegetable Oil, Straight Vegetable Oil, Raw Vegetable Oil) in diesels. I have heard claims stating; “These engines will burn anything! You can dump in cooking oil, heating oil, kerosene, bacon fat, filter your used crankcase oil through a nylon stocking…you can even burn perfume!” To that I must add; “Garbage in, garbage out”, only not all the garbage goes out… it settles in your engine. All myths are based on some truth, and those claims are no exception. First, stay away from animal fats. They …


Letter Re: A Little Insight on Diesel Engines

JWR: I second the recommendations in Gary’s letter wholeheartedly. My survival vehicle of choice is a 1997 Dodge Ram 2500 with faded paint and some cosmetic body damage from its former life as a work truck. Now it is known as the “McDodge”, thanks to the conversion kit from Greasecar.com which has been running in it for about two years and 12,000 greasy miles. I did extensive research when I was deciding what vehicle to purchase and came down to either an 1980s model Mercedes diesel (which have legendary reliability) or the 1994-1998 Dodge diesel with the also-legendary 5.9L Cummins …


Letter Re: Recommendation for Reunel Truck Bumpers

James Wesley: I live in a part of western Wyoming “where the deer and the antelope play.” Drivers around here often have deer collisions. There are so many collisions that “deer wreck” repairs are the main source of business for the local auto body shops. (And the standing joke here is, you aren’t a real citizen of the state until you’ve had your first deer wreck.) Because of this, it is pretty typical to see heavy-duty brushguard type bumpers on pickups and SUVs all around my region. But I heard from the local body shop that many of these bumpers …


Letter Re: A Little Insight on Diesel Engines

JWR, I can’t wait to read the sequels to your novel. I’m writing on the topic of pre-electronic ignition diesel trucks — preferably a 1998 model year or older Dodge with the 5.9 Cummins engine. Having serviced and rebuilt several of these engines I am familiar with the design, and it is certainly my favorite. I won’t go into much detail on the 24-valve engine because they may not be of use in the event of an EMP, or a grid-down collapse where diagnostics cannot be performed. (For reference, there is the 12 valve- ’89-’98 5.9 Manual (non computer/electronic) Cummins …


Letter Re: Getting Started in Self-Reliant Living

Editor’s Note: The following letter, suggested by a SurvivalBlog reader, is reprinted with permission of Backwoods Home magazine–which was one of my favorite print publications, even a decade before they became SurvivalBlog advertiser. Dear Jackie, I have to disagree with your Ask Jackie column answer to Joe Leonetti’s questions about getting started in self-sufficient living in Issue #124 (July/Aug 2010). They missed all the most important points that a “city” person would have to master first. Here are my own suggestions: Joe, forget thinking “self-sufficient” and start thinking “frugal;” if you have the consume-and-spend mindset so prevalent today you’ll need …


A Range Camp Trailer as a Mobile Retreat, by L.D.

I would like to put forth an idea that works for me and my family. Following my retirement, I took up my passion and have been guiding fly-fishermen for over twenty years in Canada, Alaska, New Zealand, and the Western States. My previous job had taken me to Africa, Australia, Europe, South and Central America…some forty-six countries in all. I was in the oil exploration business, and virtually all my work was in deserts, mountains, marshes, savannas, jungles, and other inhospitable terrain. I have lived in man-camps, tents, trailers, on board barges and ships, cabins, yurts, skid mounted “dog houses,” …


Letter Re Peak Oil–The Short Version

Dear Jim and Family, There are many web sites dedicated to Peak Oil. All the explanations, the various arguments about when and explanations about why and the different methods for mitigating this disaster. I’ve spent most of 10 years involved with it. Once you get past the Kubler-Ross Grief Process, then Peak Oil is a matter of approach. It’s a huge problem for civilization, but its not necessarily an end. I admit to being optimistic about civilization because we are adaptive people. We will find a way. I take a lot of cues from the Third World because they adapt …


My Family Preparing for TEOTWAWKI, by Peter B.

Five years ago I really started watching the economy and the way the whole world was going. I started preparing then. I recently purchased two of JWR’s books. Both are great resources for those who have no idea of how to do things in a back to basic scenario. Being a former Eagle Scout, military man and a current Law Enforcement Officer (LEO), I already have skills to rely on. I never thought that being high tech was good, so I have centered on a low tech plan. “KISS” (keep it simple, stupid) is my motto. The easier the better …


Letter Re: Bug Out Vehicle – Re-Inventing the Car Trunk

Hi SurvivalBloggers, I just watched this video: Bug Out Vehicle – Re-Inventing the Car Trunk (more of a slide show) that was mentioned in SurvivalBlog. I see a couple of obvious problems. Firstly; If he is going through all of this trouble to provide space for emergency/survival gear in case of emergency, why is he leaving the small donut spare tire in there? They are not rated for high speed, heavy loads, or extended distances. Go pick up a spare rim and tire! Yes, a full size spare weighs more, and takes up a bit more room… but in my …


Letter Re: A Recommended Vehicular G.O.O.D. Kit Packing List

Jim: I developed the following vehicular bug out bag (BOB) or “Get Out of Dodge” (G.O.O.D.) kit packing list. [JWR Adds: There is no “one size fits all” for G.O.O.D. lists. Your own list should be tailored for your personal circumstances. Your age, climate, local terrain, local hydrology, population density, physical fitness, and many other factors will necessitate changes to the following list. There are also vast differences between “what you can carry in your car” versus “what you can carry on your back” lists.]   Food & Water: ­­3 – 10 days of lightweight food _____ MRE (1 = …


Letter Re: Calories and Cross-Country Travel

Traveling in the aftermath of a societal collapse will become more difficult without the use of a motor vehicle, which is why you hopefully live near a water source. It is easy to visualize how after a collapse how one could move around locally. Whether or not what one is planning on doing locally is energy efficient or not, to some degree, will not matter as there is not very much distance that needs to be covered. If however you need to move over long distance how efficient the travel is becomes much more important. Lets look with some detail …


Letter Re: EMP Attack and Solar Storms: A Guide

Sir: Mr. Hayden presented an outstanding, almost-verbatim review of the commission reports. After having read in the last few months both of the reports, I sought to find as much corroboration of them as I could find. My motive for doing further research was pretty elementary and is simply stated: “This is a government commission, right? Since when have I believed the contents of a government commission?” (I am a former and long-time employee, now retired, of a technology-heavy government agency, and so I am naturally skeptical when I read any government report.) That research has led me into some …


Two Letters Re: Getting Myself Home to Bug Out

James, I want to disagree with anyone who might suggest that during a SHTF event that the highways and byways will suddenly be overcrowded with millions of sheeple trying to get home. I was on the road from work just after the second plane hit the second tower on 9/11. I was pretty convinced that this was an attack as soon as it happened. I had 20 miles in front of me on Highway 270 surrounding Saint Louis, and other highways and it was smooth sailing all the way. Most people were at work by then and while this was …


Getting Myself Home to Bug Out, by H. Billy

If the Schumer hits the fan (SHTF) and you’re at work miles away from your home and/or Bug Out Location (BOL) what will you do?  Have you planned your route to get home?  What if it’s not possible to use your route?  Do you have alternate routes?  Getting home to or to your BOL should a SHTF scenario arise will be trying, slow going and stressful enough unless you plan for it properly.  I’m not talking only about physically planning but mentally planning as well.  Giving yourself more options should you need them will hopefully lessen the stress and get …


EMP Attack and Solar Storms: A Guide, by Kevin Hayden

An Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP), is generated from the detonation of a nuclear device. A similar waveform is created by extreme solar activity, such as that which was experienced in 1859, 1921, 1989 and as recent as 1994. The US Government and military have studied these phenomenon extensively and several reports have been issued regarding EMP effects on vehicles, computer networks, critical infrastructure and more. In this report, we’ll briefly cover many of the topics discussed and researched in regards to geomagnetic anomalies, solar storm activity and the effects of an electromagnetic pulse. It should be noted, however, that Congress has …