Being prepared for the trail or getting ready to off-road is usually something that is not thought about until it is too late. “I should’ve brought this and should’ve brought that” does not usually come to mind until the moment something breaks.

The steering rack cracked after U-turn.

When I was on my way up to cover the Colorado-Canyon Takeover of Prairie City SVRA, our trip did not start out as planned. I headed up to Sacramento from Southern California early that Friday morning to beat the heat and traffic but that’s where the trip went south.

I stopped in San Bernardino of our starting location to get gas, and ice for the cooler. While doing a U-turn to get back on the freeway, there was a loud “pop.” The U-turn became just making a left-hand turn into the nearby parking lot.

Instantly, I knew it was something with the power steering. Exiting the truck and climbing underneath the vehicle, it was obvious to see what the issue was––the steering rack had cracked in half, rendering the truck undriveable.

Pool of power steering fluid sitting below the truck.

The moment it happened I thought the trip was over, then it came to me that I had come prepared. I made a call to the local parts store, and lo and behold they had the steering rack in stock, which was a blessing in itself. Then came the next step, removal of the rack.

I had packed a set of sockets and wrenches into the truck before I had departed. Always thinking the worst can happen, preparing for the inevitable is something that off-roaders should take into consideration before heading out.

With the little preparation that was completed before the trip, I was able to remove the broken steering rack install the new one, and get back on the road.

New steering rack installed with tools brought on trip.

Being prepared to do an engine swap is something that may not need to planned for, but quick minor fixes to get back on the trail and home safely are things that should be thought of beforehand. Anything can happen at any time, including doing a U-turn.

All told, it did take me eight hours to get the steering rack out of the truck. It happened at 3:45 am, so time was killed waiting for the parts stores to open.

You do not need any fancy tools in your emergency kit, just a basic set of cheap sockets can come in handy in a pinch. With my tools and some muscle, I was able to get the rack out of the truck. It is not the quality of the tools that are needed for the pinch; it is having the tools in the pinch.

Some of the items I have in my kit.

Special sockets, extra bolts, fluids, and a jack are all things that should be added to your off-road emergency kit. It is more important to have what you need with you because getting stranded in the desert or out on the trail when the local parts store is not a couple blocks away will not be fun.

Swapping a part on a vehicle in a parking lot is not how most people would want to start a trip, but I made the most of it, made it up North, and enjoyed the event.

The vehicle being driven and where the trip is headed are things that can influence what may or may not be put into the kit. If it might be needed it should be in the kit, as it is better to be safe than sorry.

Being prepared for the trip saved me and got me back on the road and the ability to off-road at Prairie City. Preparation will continue to be on the to-do list before leaving the driveway. What are things that you never leave home without? Tell us in the comments below.