Where or how did some of you guys get your knowledge?

Some of you guys have so much knowledge when it comes to suspension, our trucks, mechanical repairs, maintenance, etc. I've always wanted to get into overlanding and now that I finally have my dream truck I'm trying to learn as much as I can to be safe and competent while off road, and be able to maintain my truck properly. I already know more than I ever have (which was basically nothing) from this forum, but I'm trying to learn more, I want to be able to diagnose my truck when something goes wrong, fix it off road if need be, etc. I'm not a mechanic, don't have mechanic friends, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to get educated. Anyone have recommendations from personal experience?

 

Don't go alone. Trust me. Find a buddy with a rig to go with you. It's kinda crappy sometimes, but it will save you from having to walk off a trail and return to your truck later. I think @Spvrtan will agree with that

 

Yea I got the entry level stuff down. Basic recovery equipment, I've gotten out of some easy sticky situations. I just read stuff about guys getting into mechanical trouble on the trail and these dudes seem like they can fix about anything. Hear a noise and know exactly what it is. Don't know where they learn all this stuff when they're not even mechanics.

Read some awesome recovery threads on TW about guys who've done some gnarly repairs in the field.

 

Toyota care doesn't even cover preventative maintenance. Need to learn to do that stuff myself.

 

Some guys have had some wild things to repair on TW. It's all learning gotta start somewhere

 

Yea I've been youtubing repairs that I don't need yet just to get an idea of how to do them haha.

 

Really want to answer. Working thoughts

 

Here goes.

At 24 I watched and paid a friend to change brakes on my 1989 VW golf. Since then no one changes my brakes.

I study the maintenance intervals. Then go to YouTube to see how it's done. May get a handnow and then but to me if it's on you tube all you need is tools. Harbor freight and sears became my friend.

My cars were more Maintenence related but. Then it got more intense. Have taken my vehicles to the atealership to fix codes

So I bought a code reader from harbor freight, read the codes, go to the forum search engine and spend time reading the fixes, then visited YouTube to find that fix

- replaced Fuel pump on 2000 Escalade

- changed maxima spark plugs

- replaced engine and tranny mounts

- replace drive axle

- move tranny and engine from a 92 cougar to a 90 ( supercharged) plus electrical carpeting everything

It's a gift that you have within and want to learn and gain that independence.

YouTube has tons of info. Get psyched to do a job, get it done then go to the next one. Add to your skill set. It will take lots of trial and errors.

Am a medical professional

 

Motivation is key...making the decision that I CAN do this and I WILL do this are next. After that, for me anyway, it was mostly trial and error (pre interwebs anyway). Oddly enough you learn a crap ton from just doing it (especially if you do it wrong) hahahaa

 

I took my truck to the shop and they quoted me $859,432.53 to change the brakes. So I learned how to do it myself.

 

These two guys have the best answers so far. The best advice I can give you is:

GET OFF THE FORUMS AND SOCIAL MEDIA

The internet is making society stupid. I'm 40 years old. Everything I learned I leaned by either doing it myself or having someone show me. YouTube is great for having someone show you. However, you have to be smart enough to know whether someone else is smart. Don't just trust someone, know their qualifications.

Read. Read from trusted publications. Do not read the forums and expect to gain knowledge. You won't.

Do. Do the work yourself. Even if you have to struggle. If you run into a problem, call some shops and ask for advice. Reputable shops will actually spend a minute or two helping you over the phone. Use the service manual. Most can be found online for free. As a backup, use chiltons or haynes.

Go out alone. Yeah yeah people say don't do that. Didn't I tell you not to read the forums? lol My first year with my truck, I went out over a dozen weekend. Solo truck, just my girlfriend and I. I had contingency plans. How far I would have to walk to find help and I made sure I had enough gear and supplies to make that walk. I thought about things like traction boards. I'm in SoCal, we have deep sand. I didn't want to spend hundreds on maxtrax so I cut some 2x8 and routed a diamond pattern on the face. I carried other recovery equipment. Over the first year, I started leaning what gear I needed, what I didn't. What was working, what wasn't. What my limits were. What trail to avoid, what trail I could take.

I do as much work on my truck as I can. I am also smart enough to know when to take it to a shop. Know your skill set. I cant weld so I dont even try. I'll never weld enough to maintain the skill, so I pay a fab shop. Most everything else, I do on my own.

One final piece of advice, run it till it breaks, then fix it stronger. I very rarely break the same thing twice or make the same mistake again.

 

Thank you OSI

I summated over 20 years experience into a 2 minute read.

 

haha brakes I've done. The pads at least.

I'd like to think I have a good gauge on who knows what they're talking about, but I definitely still take what I read on forums and see on youtube cautiously. If I think I can do the work myself, I'm gonna try. Never used to be that guy, but it felt good when I actually did work on my own truck regardless of how easy a job it was. And fyi if you ever want someone to tag along who's looking to get more off road experience under their belt, I'm in OC and looking to get out with guys who know what they're doing and where to go.

 

Cheers mate!!

Also, I would add, learning from others' mistakes can be beneficial. I, too, have done about 98% of off roading solo. There's a reason why...I go out there to BE alone. But you inevitably have to answer the "what if" questions and be prepared to play out those answers.

Fear is generally the only thing really keeping anyone from doing anything. Get out there and practice. Start small and challenge yourself and your equipment slowly. Hell, I spent 5 yrs of my late teens/early adult hood wheeling in a Caprice Classic (no shit) from Maine to California. The places I went with that car...made me shiver to think. Hahaa

 

I'm in Temecula. I'm always looking for new wheeling buddies! I go on a trip about once a month or more. Next week is Tundras to Sedona. End of May we're doing a week in southern Utah and Moab. Big Bear in June. Hit me up!

 

It's one of those things that just takes time to accumulate but the more you do, the more you learn.

I spend 5 days a week staring at a couple of computer screens... on my weekends, i want to be doing something with my hands - I also love learning - so in the beginning, I'd start by helping friends out who were doing things, then over time, other friends would ask me to help them fix their cars/trucks/washing machines/etc and the more i did, the more I knew.

At some point i got bored fixing things around the house and the more simple auto problems so i bought a rust bucket of a camaro. Over 5 years, I learnt a boat load across everything auto related... paint/bodywork, rebuilding transmissions, motors, suspension and so on. at the end of it i have a pretty sweet toy and a lot of experience of how to fix things. I dumped way more cash into the car than it will ever be worth but the skillset I picked up along the way saves me thousands a year I'm sure...

The other thing with time is that you get to accumulate a decent toolset. I rarely hold back on that - I view it as the money i've saved going to the shop, i can invest in tools. Having the confidence to take something on combined with the right tools goes a long, long way. Knowing how to improvise and fix surprises helps a little more and finally... knowing when to call in the pros is key too.

 

Yea I'll be there thurs-sat. Was supposed to be going out with the wife but she couldn't get the weekend free so I'm heading out solo.

 

Hells yeah homie! I'll see you there. We'll drink beer and talk trucks and I'll show you some shit.

My favorite way to learn

 

I don't have a lot of knowledge, but if I did, I would have gotten it right here.

 

the most important thing is willing to learn and if it's a hobby then it's a lot easier to learn than a 8-5 job.

I watched my dad work on his tractor when I grew up (farm boy...) so I'm not scared to get my hands dirty or to start pounding metal..lol.

I also have my little commuter honda civic which i keep fixing each time something break:along the way I learnt ignition, spark plugs, fuel pump, tires ,oil change, cooling system..etc..

Get some good tools, a good jack and go on.

Also good friends...and beers

 

This. My dad bought me a beater car when I was 16 and said, if you really want to drive then fix it yourself, register, and insure it and drive it until you have enough money to buy what you want. It was an old Subaru Justy. I spent weeks fixing small stuff like brakes, oil leaks, suspension issues, trans issues. I got it running though and got everything registered and insured it passed safety and I was stoked! Been trying to repair anything I can since then. There's nothing like being able to do something yourself. I just looked everything up in old manuals and found what I needed.

 

I learned what I know by digging into my geo. then bought my 4Runner and started digging it to that.

Having something that your not afraid to dig in to is priceless. I spent way more money on that geo then it was worth but I wouldent change that for the world. My logic is that when I lost money on something it was a learning experience that I had to pay for.

 

Everything I've learned has come from a variety of places (talking to others with experience, trial and error, forums, DIY/self, etc.) but the key thing you need to have is the desire to want to know more ..or rather the passion for the offroad/outdoor life itself. That passion fuels everything else as far as adventure, mechanical knowledge, and learning about your wants versus needs (for your style of offroading). That being said, the best way to fuel the passion itself is to just get out there more.. go on trail runs, find groups or clubs to tag along with, explore on your own on trails not too far away from home, and so forth.

(Also, it really helps if you're willing to break shit by pushing your truck to its limits. I'm talking beyond worrying about scratches on your paint, which most Tundra owners worry about.)

I always try to do all the maintenance and modifications myself because that's the best way for me to learn about the truck (handy in case of field repairs), get under the truck to see any damage, and because it's rewarding (also saves you a ton of cash). The only mods I didn't do myself are the supercharger install (for dealership warranty) and initial suspension lift because I don't cutting the cross-member to install the drop-bracket kit was better left to the shop with experiencing installing it.

Before the Tundra I had a FJ Cruiser, I've gone back-and-forth with that rig as far as how I wanted to build it (crawler, pre-runner, little of both, etc.) several times -- it cost more money in the end because I was constantly redoing mods). I did learn a lot from it in general and ultimately it lead me to wanting a platform with more power to do more overland-type offroading but with a little crawling and pre-running mixed once in a while.

Pluto is where it stands today because of my almost 6 years of garnered experience and knowledge. I'm far from an expert but I'm definitely a lot wiser than I was years ago. I still run into problems, too, like @Thegr8punkin alluded to. I wouldn't necessarily say don't go alone though; if you do, just know your limits -- but sometimes shit happens. Below was the first time I've ever gotten stuck like this ever. and this was this past weekend..

 

Haha I had a Subaru Forester in College and I was always taking it places only trucks should go. Went through 8 cv axles and all four wheel bearings in 5 years with that car.

 

I think I was born with an erector set in my hands. I've always had a thing for taking things apart and fixing them. My first car was a 63 rambler that my dad left for dead in the back yard. When I was 14 he was talking about having it hauled away. I talked him into letting me get it running. Went to the salvage yard and put a used engine in it by myself. Then learned how to drive in it. Then dear old dad decided that it was still technically his and cut the roof off. So yeah, my first car was a ramblero. But I didn't care, I had wheels and a sense of accomplishment. Been doing everything I can myself ever since. But still have to get help from more knowledgeable guys. That's the key, if you're stumped don't be afraid to ask for help. By the way, that's why I joined this forum. Because I had questions and this is the place to go to get the best advice.

 

My first vehicle was a 1993 ford f150 4x4 did practically a complete restore. New floor pans took the back bed off so on. My father always had junker cars. Was always working on those. My mom and stepfather had a small farm. So i learned how to worm on old tractors. I've had a wrench in my hand since before i could walk. I love getting my hands dirty and working on vehicles. It calms me down. So i found a job doing what i love. It involves mechanics, explosives and guns every guys dream. The only down side about this job is that its hard to work on my projects or my truck. We live in an apartment so i can only do so much in the driveway and if i rent a stall on base itll only be for the day unless i take a day off. So its tuff but it can be done. I'm the guy that all my friends ask to work on their vehicle. I love what i do. Its fun to me. Its a sense of accomplishment when you finish the job and see/hear the before and after.

 

A lot of it is just common sense. Since as long as I can remember I could take something apart and fix it without even researching much. Just have one of those minds. At 16 I figured out how to replace brakes, a clutch, oil changes, body work and anything else needed to keep my vehicle running. I even swapped a motor on my car and my mom said it would never run again. 2 days later I was done with no issues. Not afraid to tackle any job as long as I have time. Taught myself to weld and learn from others. I can watch or read how to do something and just do it myself without too many issues. I built a house that way to, but contracted out the big stuff. I don't let anybody work on my vehicles unless it's something I don't have time for or the proper tools for.