Florida Land Cruiser Association

SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures)
REVISIONS MADE 02/29/2008

SAFETY
Mandatory/Minimum safety equipment required for a TLCA Sponsored Off Highway event and all must be in good working order:

1. Any open vehicle must have a roll bar firmly attached to the floor. A roll bar is recommended for all vehicles.
2. Seat belts for all persons. Must be usable.
3. First aid kit.
4. Fire extinguisher, must show full charge and/or have the seal intact.
5. Tow rope, chain, cable, or strap.
6. CB antenna longer than 60 inches must be secured top and bottom, no metal whips allowed.
7. Jack, lug wrench, and a spare tire. Spare tire must have 3/32" minimum of tread. Event shall decide if spare must be carried on the vehicle.
8. Operable brake lights
9. A functioning braking system to include a parked position. Event host has the final decision of safety rule compliance.
Each vehicle must demonstrate its braking system works.
10.Current vehicle registration and proof of insurance.
These are minimum guidelines, Event Hosts may have additional requirements. Please check event listings.

To continue Archie’s list of safety items for GSMTR, use some COMMON SENSE.

Anything you have in your vehicle, ice chest, tool bag, recovery straps, etc., make sure they are strapped/tied down securely. They become lethal missiles if you take a hard bounce or roll over. Bungee straps don’t work. Even the lid on the ice chest can fall open and the ice and drinks can cause bodily injury. That CB radio stuffed between the seats will become air borne, so will that FRS hand held radio. Do you have your dog in your vehicle; does he/she have a restraint of some sort? A 25 – 100 pound dog can do some damage to you and to itself.

Don’t venture out on the trail by yourself unless you are a veteran off road driver. You can break the smallest thing, or get your vehicle hung up and be out there quite a while. A new driver should go with a group that has at least two veteran off roaders in it. They can help by telling you what to expect on an obstacle, and guide you through it. You will need to put your trust in someone when going over obstacles. Chose that person carefully, and only watch/take direction from that ONE person. Five or six people telling you what to do on an obstacle will result in trouble.

Go in a small group, maybe 4 – 5 vehicles. Any more than that and you will be tied up on small obstacles for hours, and trying to clear off the trail to allow other groups to pass you, becomes a nightmare. Each vehicle doesn’t have to have a full set of spare parts or tools. If each vehicle carries certain items, such as one may have the better tools, another carries some spare parts the other has a jack and/or jack stand and a work tarp, don’t forget some sort of air compressor (tires can come off a rim, or pick up debris between the bead and rim).

Those spare parts…what is easy to break? The famous Birfield, a driveshaft, steering links and arms, wheel valve stems, manual lock-out hubs, and everyday things like radiator hoses, belts, fuel filters, and don’t forget to have a spare key. Do you have battery jumper cables, engine oil?

If you have an older vehicle, you can just about guess what can break. On newer ones, well, read some user bulletin boards and see what recurring problems are and assess those needs. If you are a hard “go for it” driver, you’ll break much more that a driver who looks at an obstacle first and decides his/her best line.

Take along a change of clothes, even a nice warm jacket or blanket. If you get stuck or your vehicle gets disabled, at least you will be comfortable until someone can get more help and get back to you.

You’ll have fun, you will learn, take your time and enjoy the ride, it is beautiful country. Like the Boy Scouts, be prepared.

Jerry Dixon

Excellent advice! Thanks to someone who knows and has experienced the trials of the trails.