For those of us who crave adventure and live for the days when we can be one with our Jeep, we always seem to pack the utter essentials when it comes to gear. But what do we do if a break happens and we forgot to pack the necessary tools to get the job done?

Let me start off by saying, this whole quest for hacks and creative solutions began during a conversation in the middle of our local McDonald's on a Saturday night. (Party hard-y, I know). One of our buddies mentioned swiping hotel bar soaps from all of our trips for a certain trick (which will be covered in this blog). It got me thinking about other solutions that could be useful on the trails. I searched forums and 4x4 groups to no avail. The most I could find was the usual "zip tie, duct tape, ratchet strap" redneck repairs. Don't get me wrong, those fixes are brilliant and worth it but I wanted more! Something creative and out of the ordinary. There has to be a few guys and gals out there that have done some sort of DIY repair or mend. I can't be the only one remotely interested in unusual uses for every day items, can I? So, once again, I took to social media to poll friends, fellow wheelers and groups and asked the compelling question: What unconventional offroad repairs and solutions do you know of that could save your ass, or your Jeep, in the middle of the trail? The response I got was downright hilarious, impressive, borderline genius and could probably help us survive in a post-apocalyptic world, too!

• Gallon Jug of Water + LED Headlamp: As anyone who comes here knows, if they wear those goofy LED lights on an elastic band, I call 'em minions. But this combination makes for a quick, resourceful lantern that can be easily moved around. Sometimes a cell phone light or flashlight just won't cut it.

• Bar of Soap: If you're like us, and stay at hotels often, those complimentary prepackaged mini-soaps can come in handy for more than just the usual personal hygiene. I mean, you've technically paid for them, right? Slip one or two in you bag, just in case this issue comes up in your future. If you're not a frequent flyer like us, a bar of soap from home will do the trick too. So why soap? Bar soap can temporarily plug any non-pressurized hole such as a gas tank. 

• Sandpaper + Glue + A Covered Jar: Glue a square of sandpaper to the top of the jar. Fill the jar with matches and a small variety of different kindling. This won't fix a Jeep, but it WILL come in handy if you're stuck on a trail and need to quickly start a fire for warmth or rescue. 

• Pepper (the spice, not the veggie): I had no idea until a few days ago that pepper can actually temporarily help to slow or stop small radiator leaks. You'll need close to 1/2 a container of pepper for this to work but unless you're the "Daryl-Dixon-seasoning-a-fresh-caught-woodland-animal" type, you should have enough and this could come in handy. 

• Muffin Tins: Ever have to do a trail repair that involved multiple steps with multiple hardware pieces? Muffin tins are a genius way to keep track of all the nuts, bolts, washers, etc, and stay organized, especially when making repairs with a lot of steps. Frisbee's came in at a close second place for holding hardware and tools.

• Biodegradable Trail Tape: We've all seen that light weight, bright orange tape hanging from trees before. While this type of tape can be good for marking your path or as a rescue tool, it can also come into play as a last resort binding method. It is made out of non-woven cellulosic material and, although thin, is very durable.

• Tape Measure: Tape measures are good for, wellll, measuring. But those little metal ends are often magnetic. Drop a nut or bolt into the engine bay? It's like the Bermuda Triangle in there. Unless you have itty bitty baby hands, those puppies are gone-zo. Or so you think. Stick the tape measure into the engine bay and it will be easy to find and pick up any lost hardware.

• Hi Lift Jack: Hi Lift Jacks have actually come into play a lot on the forum discussions that I found and for more than just jacking up a Jeep. The handle of the jack has been used on multiple occasions to "sleeve" a bent tie rod. I've never seen this done personally, but have read and watched many success stories. This one is good to know.

• Egg Whites: As delicious as egg whites are, they can also be of use if you have a radiator leak. Separate the whites from the yolk and add it to the leak. You'll need 3-4 decent sized eggs to achieve this hack and, please keep in mind, this will only work for pinhole sized leaks.

• Duct Tape and Compressed Air: One would hope that if you're planning on enjoying an offroad trip, you'd have a full sized spare with you, considering that is usually one of many standard requirements for using trails. If not, start off by dismounting the tire from the wheel. Line the inside of the tire with multiple layers of duct tape, covering the hole. Remount the tire and fill it with compressed air until the bead sets.

• Pocket Knife + Soda Can + Soldering Iron: Make 2 small slits in the sides of the soda can, close to the bottom. Feed the wires through the slits and solder away. This keeps the project or repair from becoming messy and keeps your fingers burn-free.

• Soda Bottles = Funnels: If you don't happen to have a funnel with you and need to do a quick fluid change while on the trail, an empty soda or water bottle can be made into a DIY funnel simply by cutting the bottom of the bottle off. You can also use the bottom portion of the cut-off bottle in case you need to drain fluids and need a catch-tray or pan. 

• Floor Mats for Traction: Hopefully you're not out on the trails with completely spanked tires. Tires have tread for traction purposes. Baldies or not, sometimes traction just isn't happening. In this case, if you have rubber floor mats in your footwells, pop one out and stick it under the tire that needs that extra help. 

Here are some runners-up when it comes to DIY trail repairs, daily hacks and more!

• Prescription bottles filled with Tylenol. alcohol swabs, bandaids and gauze make sure easy-to-store-and-carry first aid kits.
• Coffee grounds make great insect repellant. You don't need to rub the grounds on you. Just add them to a coffee filter, cinch closed with a bread tie or elastic and keep it in your pocket.
• 24" or 36" zip ties, connected together in pairs, can be wrapped around your wheels and tires for additional traction in mud or snow.
• Small pieces of rebar can be welded to the edge of steel rims to strengthen the bead and keep it from bending.
• Nylon straps can be turned into makeshift limiting straps for your springs. That way, if by chance they break, they'll simply flop down, rather than shooting out and hurting someone or damaging something. 
• Corn chips can be used for substitute kindling. They burn slowly, which helps the flame last longer. Just don't eat the burnt ones.  
• Liquid soap and cotton balls help to remove ticks
• Deodorant is the perfect itch relief for mosquito bites. It doesn't last long (only about an hour or so, in my experience) but at least the itch subsides for the time being.
• Mints or gum can also temporarily plug a leak. Chew the mints until they become sticky, but still solid, flatten them out by pushing them against the roof of your mouth and plug away. Gum can be chewed and then used as temporary gaskets and plugs. 

Big thanks to the JKNE group and Jeep Mafia for their input! These ideas, solutions and repairs were just what I was looking for and I'm glad I asked.

Do you have a redneck repair, DIY trail fix or hack of your own that has helped you out in the past? Feel free to let us know! Email us at sales@offroadelements.com and we'll add it to the list.