This might be a long shot, but does anyone offer a class on field repair of 4x4s? I'd love to take a class and learn what can be done with few tools and some spare parts.

Let me know if you're aware of anything.

Come along a trip with th SWANKy crew (nissan4wheelers.com). JW can do some amazing things with a ball point pen and duct tape.

Agree with Tim - it's the sorta thing you learn by watching others go through it. I saw a Torsion Bar strip a mount first hand in order to have any idea what a Torsion bar was myself. Then the repair job on an Xterra with a rock and a couple of ratchet straps to lift the front end up enough to get off the trail was classic.

Which is why it's always best to wheel with a bunch of people who know what they are doing, if you don't mechanically yourself. If you venture along the unending 'Mod' path, good idea to install all of those mods yourself.

AZXC has mod days from time to time, where we all get together as a group and tackle any jobs people have been hoarding parts for. Very informative day to go and watch & lend a hand with other folks projects that you might want to tackle in the future.

I would almost put some feelers out and see if you can recruit another person to come along on the trip that has mechanical experience. Check out the expeditionportal.com forum. Lots of folks on there that have years of experience with trips like baja that might wish to join you.

would be interested in helping out with that.. if when it happens..

We've done some creative trail fixes in the past.

Go to the 4wd section on this site. I put up a good list of stuff to carry in your truck.

With regard to doing trail fixes, first you have to know what everything does, how it goes together, etc.

What work have you done to your truck?

As also stated, the mod days are a good way to learn how things come apart and go back together again.

Some of the things we've dealt with include:

Dead alternator
Broken Tierods
Stripped out Tbar anchors
Broken halfshafts
Broken hubs
Broken motor mounts
Broken Ujoints
Rollover recovery
Coolant leaks
Broken brake lines
Disintegrated wheel bearings
Blown transmission cooling lines
Some of the most unimaginable stucks

There's no substitute for a good inventory of spare parts, Recovery gear, an air source, duct tape, a well equipped toolbox, and all the fluids your truck needs, as well as survival equipment for yourself.

Ultimate trail fix is still a rolled Xterra being driven out by the owner. That takes some intestinal fortitude and a pretty tough truck and great friends.

and a ball point pen from what i've been told

some of these would be interesting to figure out what you did without spare parts.. sounds like some good stories to be had while working on a truck perhaps? and once upon a time i was going to school and working at firestone to become a mechanic but found i liked it better as a hobby. as far as working on my '00 xterra i havent done much with it but a truck is a truck, only thing is that means i havent learned all the nuance's yet.

Dead alternator - We had a guy lose one but another guy had a portable 12v/120v generator that ran on gas. We bungeed it to his hood and got him off the trail. I carry a spare.

Broken Tierods - Carry spares. Sometimes you can hammer them straight enough to use. On Gen 1's, it's typically the center adjustor that breaks. Find someone who bought a steering kit and offer $10 for a spare stock center adjustor. One time, we even used batteries to weld a part of a tire iron between the two tierod ends to get one back together. The guy drove his truck 2000 miles home that way.

Stripped out Tbar anchors - hammer them back in - typically we've been able to get enough spline to keep them in. Worst case, put a block of wood between the lower A-arm and the frame to keep the ride height up and drive gingerly.

Broken halfshafts - Go into 2wd, or remove one completely.

Broken hubs - Go into 2wd and take a strap when needed, or carry a spare.

Broken motor mounts - Ratchet strap from the engine lift point down to the frame after you loosen the bolts and get it to reseat. Duct tape the broken air intake tube that usually results.

Broken Ujoints - carry spares along with the tools to pound one out and replace it. Ujoints are cheap.

Rollover recovery - Ask Adam about this.

Coolant leaks - Tape, the ballpoint pen trick, etc.

Broken brake lines - I ripped out a soft line once. Put a set of vice grips on the line and wired them up to the frame and drove it with brakes on 3 wheels. Carry a bottle of fluid.

Disintegrated wheel bearings - Carry spares or get friendly with a tow truck.

Blown transmission cooling lines - Carry extra fluids and some soft line, locate the leak, Patch it up.

Some of the most unimaginable stucks - High lift jacks, straps, rock stacking, winches, shovels, rakes, and other implements of destruction - You name it. I've seen some creative unsticking as recently as our trail ride yesterday in the east valley.

at this point my truck would be laughed at. but hey wth, could be fun anyway.. and to see the cool swanky trucks.