The Art of Spotting

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The following article on spotting contains a combination of information derived from the The Four -Wheeler’s Bible, 2nd edition, by Jim Allen and from a conversation with John Marshall, certified I4WDTA and owner of Coyote Adventure Safari and Coyote Land Tours. In The Four -Wheelers Bible, Jim states that it is vital that the spotter and driver understand and follow the rules/hand signals that they have established. Jim outlines his philosophy, techniques and hand signals. John does the same and adds a different twist as well as some additional helpful tips. Both are presented here as possible techniques to use when spotting. The first portion of the article comes from Jim Allen’s Four-Wheeler’s Bible.

Nobody rides for free. The person sitting in the passenger’s seat should assist the driver in keeping an eye out for hazards, particularly on their side of the vehicle. It doesn’t take much skill to notice a fender is in danger of being torn off, so virtually anyone can be of some use. Should the person riding “shotgun” be skilled and knowledgeable in the four-wheeling arts, so much the better.

spotting_leitner — Hungry Valley SVRA in Gorman CA

There comes a time when a view from outside the cockpit is needed, and a clued-in spotter can be walking disaster prevention. Using a spotter comes with a price; the driver has to relinquish some control. The only way it works well is if the driver gives the spotter control of the situation and does no more and no less than ordered by the spotter. The driver and we’ll assume he’s the owner of the vehicle, retains overall veto power and the option to “fire” the spotter, but a spotter is worthless if the driver doesn’t follow instructions. The spotter then takes responsibility for what happens, assuming the driver follows instructions. Friendships and closer relationships have gone awry in situations where mistakes were made and damage resulted. It pays to keep an adult perspective on these things, a little que sera sera (whatever will be will be) perhaps, and also to delegate spotting duties to people who are qualified. If you get help on the trail from relative strangers, it’s a little more problematic. Another que sera sera time, I suppose.

TAP_coyote_adventure_safari1 — Jim Marshall of Coyote Adventure Safaris

Basic Spotting Rules.

There are some basic rules that both spotters and drivers should understand. Some clubs have adopted spotting rules like these for use at events. You can invent your own. The main thing is that both the spotter and driver are reading from the same page of rules. Even spectators can be a help by understanding what’s going on and letting the spotter and driver do their work without interference. That doesn’t prevent you-the-spectator from helping; just do it in a way that doesn’t disrupt the process.

General:
-At least 99 percent of spotting should be nonverbal. Use hand signals. This avoids words being misunderstood or drowned out by engine noises or spectators. Verbal conferences should be face to face with the vehicle stopped and secured.

-There’s only one official spotter: The person the driver has chosen. The spotter should ignore the more vocal armchair quarterbacks on the sidelines. If spectators get to be a problem, make an appeal for silence. If you are not the spotter and you see a better or safer way, make a quiet comment to the spotter.

-The spotter directs other helpers, such as in piling rocks, pushing, and so on.

Driver Tips:
-You have the right to refuse a spotter, or fire him, buy you also take the responsibility for what happens.

-You are handing over 50 percent of the control and 50 percent of the responsibility to your spotter.

-Keep your eyes on the spotter. If you can’t see the spotter, stop and get his attention. It’s worse than uncool to run over your spotter.

-Do no more and no less than your spotter directs. Continue with the last instruction until your spotter tells you to stop, or changes the instruction. If it becomes clear that your
spotter isn’t paying attention, stop and get his attention.

-If you disagree with your spotter, don’t just ignore him. Stop and have a conference. His perspective is a little different from yours, so it’s good to know why he’s made a particular decision.

Spotter Signals from Jim Allen:

the_adventure_portal_the_art_of_spotting_jim_allen — From “The Four-Wheeler’s Bible” by Jim Allen

Spotter Tips:
-Take the time you need to get a clear picture of the problem and a good solution before giving directions. The odds are good that you are dealing with someone’s pride and joy. Take as much care as if it were your own.

-Stay in view of the driver.

-Make clear, bold hand signals that can’t be misunderstood.

-Don’t stand too close to the line of travel. A foot slipping off a clutch pedal or an accidentally applied throttle could take you out. In some cases standing 10 or 15 feet away
gives you the advantage of being able to see the whole picture.

-You are responsible to keep any extra help clear of the vehicle when it moves. Rock pilers have a bad habit of getting run over if the spotter isn’t paying attention.

-Watch your step. Spotters spend a fair bit of time walking backward or moving around on instinct while watching their vehicle. While not always possible, it’s better to stop your
vehicle and find a spot to stand than to split our focus between walking uncertain ground and providing guidance. Seek the best way to protect yourself and the driver throughout the
run.

spotting_coyote1 — John Marshall spotting the group.

A while back, I was speaking with John Marshall, owner of Coyote Adventure Safari and Coyote Land Tours about this spotting article. John is a certified Off-Road Driving Instructor (I4WDTA) and has been guiding, off-roading, and training folks for 30 years. Here are a few things that came up in our conversation.

“I feel that 100% of commands should be delivered by both hand signals and verbal commands. To avoid any confusion, some words are eliminated from the start such as “right” and “left”. They become “passenger” and “driver”, to indicate the direction of a wheel adjustment. “No” and “go” can be confused, so I use “stop” instead of “no” (along with a hand signal). This understanding between the spotter and driver eliminates confusion with verbal directions. To further reduce confusion, I keep my hand signals high and uniform. Both hands up to passenger side, to driver side or directly overhead lets my driver know which direction I want them to move in. I use small “karate chop” type movements meaning come forward in whichever direction my hands are pointing. I find that most people over`compensate when directed to turn their wheel. Before starting out, I let them know that I will give verbal cues to quantify how far they should turn. “A click” is equal to a quarter turn of the wheel, so I will use my hand signal and also say “1 click to passenger” etc. I never tell my drivers to straighten out because they may not know how, due to the amount of information they are processing while driving over challenging terrain. I take their tires back to a forward position by using the hand signals and “click” commands, for example, “Two clicks passenger”. This way, the driver makes small, incremental adjustments to the wheel which increases the overall level of safety. I provide a steady stream of verbal cues along with my hand signals and ask that the driver has his window down and is focusing on my directions.”
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coyote_spotting — John spotting his son on the Rubicon Trail, illustrating the importance of holding hands up high so the driver can clearly see the intended signals over their hood.

The bottom line for spotting is making sure that the driver and spotter are on the same page in terms of the use of particular hand signals and verbal cues. Expectations about the relationship between the spotter and driver should be set beforehand and safety should be set as the ultimate priority. If you want to learn more about, or brush up on your spotting skills, take a 4WD training class from a certified International 4-Wheel Drive trainer in your area. Then get out there and…

TAP into Adventure!

TAP sends Special Thanks to:

Jim Allen for letting us use the contents of The Four -Wheeler’s Bible 2nd edition for this article.
The Four-Wheeler’s Bible can be purchased at Amazon.com and is TAP recommended.
John Marshall, certified I4WDTA and owner of Coyote Adventure Safari and Coyote Land Tours for sharing his wisdom with us.
Bernhard Leitner of Leitner Designs for his spotting photo at Hungry Bear.
John Marshall and Chris Conrad Photography for sharing their photos with us.

Any further tips on spotting? Write them here in the comment section.

Edited by: Lori Palmer

Rig of the month-Das Mule

By

Lori Palmer

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DAS MULE, VW VANAGON, SYNCRO, Mule expedition outfitters, overland, overlanding, over land, off-road, off-roading, off road, vehicle supported adventure,

Das Mule: Don’t You Dare Sell That Van! Joe Marshall, co-owner of Mule Expedition Outfitters, owned a passenger style tin top Vanagon Syncro when he and Dana started dating in 2009. It had been on blocks in his driveway for over a year due to a blown head gasket on its transplanted Subaru engine. In truth, it had become a bit of a source of contention between Joe and previous significant others in his life… and so it sat there. Sad. Alone.

In 2010, as the couple planned their upcoming wedding, Joe broached the subject of the Vanagon with his wife to be. He thought he should probably sell it due to the previous relationship conflicts it had caused, but Dana was having no part of that! She wanted a camper van, and not just any camper van, but the best that could be built. The build plan was set in motion to create Das Mule because, you know, “happy wife, happy life”.
The build occurred in stages, over weekends and evenings, over roughly two years. A Boeing Structural and Mechanical engineer, the quality of Joe’s work extended into the super finite details. The build was an exploration into what limits could be pushed with a Syncro, our goal was to turn it into a useable (and reliable) adventure rig. Before starting any building, we stripped the van down to its naked beginnings; bare metal and nothing else.

The build list was extensive, but we really had no time line. It was more a project we were enjoying and doing together with the goal of someday driving it instead of working on it.
The bodywork came first. While it could be argued that the old van wasn’t in desperate need, this was to be a project that we had built completly ourselves from start to finish so we could own every inch. Once it was stripped down, the laborious process of sanding and filling the body panels began. We will skip through that process fairly quickly here to keep your interest and just share a “ready for paint” and “painted” photo. However, if you’d like to get an idea for timing – leave this article on your nightstand for 3 months and come back to it. Now consider yourself sanding and buffing for that entire time….

Some of the mechanical features of the build were critical. The stock VW engines in the Vanagons were (are) notoriously underpowered for the size of the vehicle. We found a Subaru 2.5L VOHC engine with 11,000K miles on it to serve as the power plant.

The VW vans are also infamously known for catching on fire: new fuel lines, stainless steel coolant lines, and other tasty upgrades were incorporated for both safety and performance.

We knew we wanted better clearance and longer travel with the suspension. This required modifying the rear trailing arms and wheel wells to fit the larger 16” Mercedes CLK wheels and 31” Goodyear Duratracs and installing Fox Shox instead of some of the more common options available. (And yes, we powder coated the wheels ourselves with an oven we purchased on Craigslist. Where there is a will, there is a way.).

Considering this was an overland build and knowing we would often be traveling by ourselves, we wanted to know we had the means for self-recovery. A winch was high on the priority list, so Joe designed a front bumper that would offer better clearance, allow a winch to be mounted in the OEM tire carrier spot (Vanagons are rear engine vehicles, so the tire carrier is in the front.), and complement the aesthetics of the Syncro. He also incorporated a skid plate.

As the build continued, we turned our attention to creature comforts. Customers come in the store all the time and ask, “What do I need?” I have to confess to perhaps being a terrible salesperson, although an honest one! The truth is, you don’t “need” anything. You can go out in the woods for a night with a tarp, a can of beans and something to make a fire and survive. This “need” idea is a first world idea. That said, there’s certainly creature comforts and gear items that make living in your vehicle and sleeping in the woods much more enjoyable and we offer all kinds of them at MULE Expedition Outfitters. The truth is, a tarp, can of beans and fire starter isn’t going to entice anyone into a life of awesome adventure! It’s just that we encourage our customers not to miss out on the experience of being in the wilderness because they don’t have this item or that item yet. The idea is to go with what you have and then plan what gear you want to add from there.
So, leaving my soapbox regarding first world amenities, Joe and I do appreciate and did incorporate some pretty fine features into our van build. We cut the roof out of the top of the van and added a Westfalia pop top conversion so we’d have a bed up top. We also insulated the entire van before putting the interior panels back in, added a thermostat controlled Fantastic Fan, and installed a Propex HS2000 heater for climate control. Joe designed and installed a built in hot water system with a shower head off the back cabinet. We also added some interior lighting, a dual battery system, a propane stove, a sink with running water and a water tank. For external comforts, we run an ARB 2500 awning, we always pack a table and some lawn chairs and we run an ARB 50 QT fridge so we don’t have to deal with ice for a cooler.

As our build neared completion, we set the date for a three-month trip south to the Baja Peninsula. We hadn’t yet started Mule Expedition Outfitters, so taking an extended leave of absence from our jobs was a doable reality. Requests were filed, insurance documents were purchased, and we scrambled to complete our packing list.
In September of 2012, we left Maple Valley, WA and headed south. The goal and rules were simple. We would drive on nothing larger than two lane highways (read: NO FREEWAYS). We would have a rough idea of where we were going, but no itinerary. We would live in the van with our dog, Bella, and just travel and explore, for three months.

About Mule Expedition Outfitters: Building our own overland vehicle from start to finish, and then living in it for three months, solidified our passion for vehicle-based adventure. Our van, Das Mule, and the build, and life experience of using it, laid the foundation for our company and even inspired the name: Mule Expedition Outfitters. Ultimately, it’s not about the vehicle or gear you have or don’t have – it’s about building what you can and getting out there to explore. We offer design assistance, advice, custom fabrication, a full retail store with regular hours and even sponsor free classes to help equip our customers for having the same experiences we enjoy. We tell our customers constantly, “If you wait until you are ready, you will never go.” Our van has undergone several re-designs and modifications since our trip in 2012, and we are always coming up with new ideas and things we want to change a bit. The interior has actually undergone a complete overhaul, and the entire driver’s side has been rebuilt due to a small tip over incident we added to our list of off road experiences in Eastern Oregon. That, however, is another story!
Contact Info:
MULE EXPEDITION OUTFITTERS
90 NW Gilman Blvd, Issaquah, WA 98027
206-818-7908
www.dasmule.com
Facebook/Mule Expedition Outfitters

DO YOU HAVE A CONVERSION YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH US? SEND IT TO INFO@THEADVENTUREPORTAL.COM.

TAP INTO ADVENTURE!

TAP thanks Dana Marshall, co-owner of Mule Expedition Outfitters for this step by step conversion article.
Photos: Dana and Joe Marshall
Editor: Lori Palmer

For more overland and off-road capable rigs, CHECK HERE

Timbren Bumpstops- a pillow on your suspension

By

Lori Palmer

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Timbren bumpstops, overlanding, overland, off-road, off-roading, vehicle supported adventure,

New Active Off-Road Bumpstops from Timbren Industries.

A few months ago TAP was invited by Timbren Industries to help with the testing of their new Active Off-Road Bumpstops that will be launching at SEMA this week in Vegas. We used them extensively in our trips this summer in the Sierra and also recently went out to one of our favorite areas, Anza Borrego Desert State Park.

Let’s hear what TAP’s Editor, Lori has to say: It was the first time I had personally gone out since putting Timbren Bumpstops on my Rubi (Jeep JK). As we were entering Coyote Canyon with its washboard surface, I noticed that I heard the rumble of the vehicle over the washboard, I felt the movement, but I didn’t experience as intense a jolting that we all love when driving, no matter how slowly, over washboard trails. Next, I drove up a corridor filled with small to medium rocks. Again, Rubi rolled over and through the rocks, but the thud of the suspension bottoming out, was not even close to what it had been before adding the new bumpstops. Later that day, we drove down the very steep drop at The Slot and Rubi floated on down. I was amazed and impressed at the upgrade over the OEM bumpstops. Honestly, before using the new bumpstops I was skeptical, but now after our desert adventure, I am a believer. What was really fun were the whoops. I would swear someone put a pillow on my suspension!

TAP called Andrew Hodgson of Timbren Industries to get the scoop on the company development of off-road bumpstops. Here is what he said.

“Timbrem was started over 50 years ago by my grandfather who bought the rights to the AEON rubber spring. He began selling it in the heavy-duty truck market: Mac trucks, heavy farming machinery, mining cars, freight liners etc. About 25 years ago, we started making airbag suspension kits for smaller trucks: Ford F150, Chevy 1500’s etc. Then about 25 years ago we started making Timbren SES (Suspension Enhancement Systems) for smaller light duty and medium duty trucks: F-150, Chevy 2500’s, etc.”

“A little while ago, I bought a Jeep and got interested in everything Jeep. I scoped the forums to see what sort of componentry people were adding to their vehicles and saw that a group of people, mostly Toyota FJ Cruiser and Tacoma owners, were ordering our Timbren SES product but requesting different rubber springs. The springs they asked for were shorter and softer than a stock kit so not to phohibit axel articulation and to get a softer, smoother ride off-road. Because our Timbren SES product line was designed as a helper spring to support the vehicle under heavy loads, it didn’t work for what this group wanted to achieve. They wanted to absorb the axle at the end of suspension compression, not haul heavy loads around.”

“Once we identified this we started working directly with some of these off-roaders in order to develop a product that fit their off-roading requirements. It took some time, a variety of vehicles and fine tuning to evolve our Timbren SES line into our Active Off-Road Bumpstops but we’ve finally done it and the outcome is amazing.”

The Active Off-Road Bumpstops have part numbers for the following vehicles:

-Toyota Tacoma
-Toyota 4Runer
-Toyota FJ Cruiser
-Jeep Wrangler JK
-Jeep Wrangler TJ
-Nissan Xterra
-Nissan Frontier
-Chevrolet Colorado
-GMC Canyon
-Ford

Check out Timbren Bumpstops at Timbren.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Timbren.Industries

TAP into Adventure….Smoothly!

Editor: Lori Palmer

Self-Sufficiency and Generosity Ensures a Successful 4×4 Experience

By

Tom Severin

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All trips entail a certain amount of group dynamics. Personalities play a part, of course. But preparation, or the lack thereof, can be a factor, too. Four wheelers know that preparation is key. Each driver must account for his or her own needs, but the real ladies and gentlemen in our hobby go above and beyond: They try to anticipate what may occur, and pack extra supplies accordingly. If the trip is short, you probably won’t have any issues. On a longer trip, something as simple as a shortage of basic gear can cause friction and conflicts. You and the others can minimize or eliminate these by packing extra gear.

Off-road tools and gear to pack

-When deciding what additional items to pack, think of basic needs. Space permitting, I suggest you bring extra gas, blankets (or a sleeping bag) and radios. Don’t worry about trying to pack for everyone. Even one extra blanket can come in handy. If space is limited, focus on smaller items. Some of the more valuable ones include batteries, rope, band aids, aspirin, ibuprofen, tire plugs, tin foil, toilet paper, garbage bags, Ziploc bags, and tent stakes.

Having this extra gear has as much a physical effect as a psychological one. Drivers are more focused and less worried about their gas situation when the tank gets low. Therefore, I always recommend bringing an extra 5 gallons of gas, even if you don’t need it. The additional gas provides peace of mind, and supports the opportunity to take an unplanned side trip along the way. While gas is always in demand, you may not have extra room. If your vehicle holds only two containers and those are spoken for (one each for gas and water, for example), don’t sweat it. Concentrate on smaller items. Similarly, a cold, restless night can really spoil the trip for a participant. That person’s demeanor can affect the entire group. Your extra blanket or sleeping bag can make a big difference.

Bear in mind that four wheeling naturally requires a certain amount of self-sufficiency. You should put a lot of thought and preparation into what you are going to need to bring on each trip. When going with a group, it may sound logical to divvy up gear among the drivers, but this can cause some serious problems.The group may have only one of a particular item (say, a stove). If that breaks or the owner gets separated from the group, the other drivers will be forced to compensate. Also, you don’t want everyone in the group to start relying on the others for gear. As I mentioned above, four wheelers are naturally self-sufficient. If you’re going to participate, you must be able to handle your own basic needs. What would you do, for example, if you got separated or stranded? Another possibility is that your group may want to split up. Drivers with certain skills or interests go in one direction, while the rest remain on the established route. (In extreme cases, say, due to severe weather or other dangerous situations, you may need to split up your group.) If gear is divided up among the vehicles, each group is going to be short of a number of items.

Bring the gear even if you’re not skilled. Some people wonder whether they should bring a piece of equipment that they can’t use (or use very well) themselves. I always recommend that they do. Even if that person isn’t very adept with the tool, another driver may be. Having that piece of equipment on hand could mean the difference between a successful trip and one that ends early. Due to the punishing nature of four wheeling, various parts can break on a vehicle during the trip. Someone with welding skills is a real asset to the group. You may not be skilled at welding, but you can still pack the necessary supplies.

Believe it or not, it is possible to weld with two 12v batteries and some jumper cables. (Eye and face protection are crucial, too.) Another useful tool is an axle nut socket. Got one laying around? Throw it in your vehicle before the next trip. If anyone breaks an axle along the way, you’ll be considered a hero.

While you cannot be responsible for anyone else’s careless attitude and you can’t possibly foresee every issue that may arise, you can mitigate many problems with a little more planning. Carrying some extra gear you can give or lend to a teammate can improve the 4 x 4 experience for everyone.

Bring your gear and TAP into Adventure!

Author: Tom Severin 4×4 Coach, teaches 4WD owners how to confidently and safely use their vehicles to the fullest extent in difficult terrain and adverse driving conditions. Visit www.4x4training.com to develop or improve your driving skill.

Photos Courtesy of: TAP, Jerry L’Ecuyer (tembotusk.com), and Bernhard Leitner (leitnerdesigns.com)

Editor: Lori Palmer

Off The Grid Rentals

By

Lori Palmer

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off the grid rentals, trailer rentals, off-road trailers, over land, overlanding, off-road, off-roading, vehicle supported adventure,

TAP just published an off-road trailer buyers guide and thought we would tie in this off-road trailer rental company for those of you who are interested in trying out overland trailer camping. Nizar Najm gave us some background on his company, Off The Grid Rentals. How he got started and why. Read on and TAP into Adventure!

Business Overview: Off The Grid Rentals was started a little over a year ago.

I approached Bond Gilmer, owner at Rebel Off Road with the idea of renting off -road trailers and roof top tents out of his Laguna Hills shop. We both knew there was a market for this and no one serving it. We also knew that in places like Australia and South Africa, there were many successful companies offering this kind of service. As an avid outdoorsmen, I wanted to give people this option here in the states. Bond agreed and Off The Grid Rentals was born.

After researching the available options, we decided to go with the teardrop style trailer designed and built by Gabe Pari of SoCal Teardrops (www.socalteardrops.com). Some of our requirements were to offer our customer something that was easy to use, intuitively designed and was built to last. SoCal Teardrops delivers all of these things. Customers can easily be trained and become comfortable using the trailer within a short time. In addition, SoCal Teardrops is in Southern California and that has proven to be convenient as we are located in Orange County (also in Southern CA).

When considering roof top tents, the same thing was true. The tents needed to be easy to use, dependable and long lasting. We went with Autohome and their line of Columbus and AirTop hard shell tents. We then added the ARB Fridge option and some small portable generators. Our goal is to offer customers the best camping experience possible.

Locations: Southern CA, AZ, UT
We started with the one location at Rebel Off Road in Laguna Hills, CA. After seeing the success we had there, we began to look for other areas and hooked up with Nena Barlow of Barlow Adventures. Barlow Adventures rents Jeeps and takes customers on off-road adventures all over the Southwest. We partnered with Barlow’s and now rent trailers, tents and more out of their Sedona, AZ and Moab, UT locations.

About the Business:
We had some major challenges to overcome starting this type of business. Insurance, a reservation system, security and getting systems in place were all very challenging. It was a steep learning curve, but things seem to be running smoothly now. The Laguna Hills location has seen steady rentals year round as there is no off season due to the weather here in Southern California.

There are so many camping options here in the southwest that vary from beaches to mountains to deserts. Our customers have ranged from the single Jeep owner to larger families in their SUV’s. Many families like the idea of putting a roof top tent on the teardrop trailer and being able to sleep up to five people comfortably. Plus the kids love the roof top tents and always want to go to bed early!

We handle all our bookings through our website www.RENTOFFTHEGRID.com. The online rental calendar is item specific and always up to date. Customers just go on there, select their dates and instantly know what’s available. From there they can reserve the item(s), and get pricing. We offer many discounts based on the length of the rentals and those discount codes are right there on our website. Payments are made by credit card and they are all set to make their plans.

We have had steady interest in Off The Grid Rentals on social media and in many online magazines. Companies like Motor Trend and Outside Magazine have used our services and written some great follow-up reviews. Overbuilding the teardrop trailer with Method Race Wheels and 35” Falken tires has really made them stand out with a huge “cool” factor. Some of our pictures have gone viral on the web with millions of views.

My experience is that most people who initially don’t know that our business exists, see us and see that it is an affordable rental and think, “Hey, we can camp in this!”. We love seeing people get fired up by these rentals. Check out our press page to see how we have been welcomed by so many. https://www.rentoffthegrid.com/in-the-press/