Category: Vehicles

Letter Re: Modern Motor Vehicle Reliability

I have worn many hats, but the one I wore the longest was as a 12-volt installer. You know, stereos, alarms, custom fabrication; think Unique Whips, but with less drama and more snow (I live in Canada). After working as a mechanic, it seemed a lot more interesting and enjoyable than getting filthy fixing other people’s problems.                 What I have learned during my years working on vehicles has led to a personal conviction: I will never rely on a newer vehicle. I have seen too many newer vehicles  brought in on a hook with no-start issues, no-shift issues, and …


Letter Re: As Simple as Changing a Tire

Hi  JWR:           Just a quick addition to the comments about changing a tire from an earlier blog article. In a real disaster, natural or military/terrorist, the roads will likely be covered with debris, much of which may cause your Bug Out Vehicle (BOV) tires (that’s plural) to get punctured. I would certainly recommend several cans of some kind of Fix-A-Flat [or aerosol Slime] and a tire repair kit. But, even more important for us preppers who want to be ready for everything possible, we know that our vehicle’s trunk will be filled with all kinds of  emergency supplies.   Recognizing …


An Adequate Bug Out Vehicle (BOV), by Ed in Kentucky

A really tough Bug Out Vehicle (BOV) can be quite expensive, and possibly beyond most people’s ability to acquire and prepare. One also needs to ask how “serious” of a BOV can he/she actually afford to buy, maintain, and insure ? BOVs can be viewed as being on a scale of 1 to 10 .. a Yugo being perhaps a 1, and a specially designed “escape” vehicle being perhaps a 10. It’s probably true that situations most likely to happen, can be handled by a BOV in the 4 – 6 range on that scale. These would be some things …


Two Letters Re: As Simple as Changing a Tire

Dear James, It seems that life can test you in many different ways on how prepared you are for the unexpected.  I recently experienced an unexpected  flat tire while out purchasing some ammo.  The tire went flat just as I was getting onto the freeway, fortunately there was an exit close by which I took and ended up stopping at a nearby convenience store.  When I looked to see if I had all the tools for putting on my spare I did not see my jack as it was hidden behind a plastic panel.  I went into the convenience store …


Bugout Base Camp: My Solar School Bus, by T.K.

In a true breakdown scenario, one of the most crucial survival advantages, if not the most, has to be mobility. Pandemics or violent gangs that overwhelm congested populations can be escaped. More fertile land — wilderness with wild edible plants, big fish in the lakes, and game in the woods — can be reached. And if you can carry your shell on your back, along with an independent source of energy, you’ve got the ultimate survival advantage. An RV qualifies if you have at least $60,000 to toss around in this economy, but a more affordable, challenging (and fun) solution …


Two Letters Re: My Deuce and a Half – The Ultimate TEOTWAWKI Bug Out Vehicle

Dear James, It is heartening to see enthusiasts for the military M35 series of trucks, but I must take issue with some of the comments made by Tom E. in his recent post. My Background: I have been working in the automotive industry for over 35 years as a consulting design and testing engineer for both civilian and military builders. Specifically, I worked for AM General in the 1980s on the M998 HMMWV problems, the M35A3 proposal, and the FMTV proposal (the LMTV version was the replacement for the M35, the contract was won by Stewart and Stevenson) and currently own …


My Deuce and a Half–The Ultimate TEOTWAWKI Bug Out Vehicle, by Tom E.

I have been an avid follower of SurvivalBlog for several years now and you and I want to thank JWR and my fellow readers for helping me to get prepared.  I am not nearly where I want to be yet, but thanks to your books and your blog, I am leaps and bounds better prepared than I was even two years ago. I am writing this article to help others discover what took me some time and research to figure out – what would be the ideal kind of vehicle in a TEOTWAWKI bug out situation?  You’re ready.  You have …


Letter Re: Extreme Cold Weather Engine Starting Without Electric Heaters

First off, let me thank you for a great web site with lots of practical information. Over the last few months I have taken the liberty to read a large portion of the information i the SurvivalBlog archives. I have, I believe, an untouched tidbit: Many folks live in areas susceptible to frost. Some of us live in areas susceptible to sub-zero temperatures. Cold starting a vehicle, either gas or diesel can become problematic at best, or almost impossible when the thermometer dips into the minus figures. Having lived in an area that sees the minus 70s (without a wind …


Get Me Home Gear for Commuters, by Jeff J.

Lately, I have been preparing my work location and my commuting routes for the unthinkable “If the SHTF.” I figure that unless I am at home sleeping or on my weekend off of work, there is a great chance that I may be at work and or commuting when the Schumer goes down. This being said, I believe those of us who work away from home should be prepared for a possible workplace G.O.O.D. scenario or trying to get home to our families to G.O.O.D. with them. I have a bit of a head start or advantage over many of …


Two Letters Re: A Little Insight on Diesel Engines

Two Letters Re: A Little Insight on Diesel Engines Jim: I am prepper, survivalist, as well as a longtime waste vegetable oil (WVO) user. I wasn’t gonna get in this diesel game, except that it saved my life. In 2004 I was in a severe commercial truck accident where I was struck in the fuel tank and rolled three times. When the EMT was cleaning me up, she told me that using diesel fuel had saved my life. If I had been in a company truck that was gas-powered (Top Kick C6500) I would have died in a explosion upon …


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 …