Trail Safety
Safety Requirements
All vehicles must be street legal and maintained to conform to highway safety standards, as well as meet the minimum requirements listed below. Have the items ready to display at inspection.
Mandatory Equipment (for members and guests)
- Fire extinguisher in proper working condition
- Roll Bar and/or Hard Top
- Seat Belts for Each Passenger
- Spare tire, rim, lug wrench, and jack to fit vehicle
- Tow hooks or adequate pulling device mandatory
- Tow Strap
- First Aid Kit
- UHF/VHF handheld (transmitting no higher than 2 watts) or 40 Channel CB radio.
CB handheld not recommended.
CA4WDC Events require ALL items.
- Roll bar or full cage or factory hard top.
- Parking brake or Micro-Lock (functional).
- Tow strap or rope. No tow chains. The type with loops (rather than hooks) is required, as the hooks can turn into deadly projectiles.
- First aid kit (what do you want when you are hurt?). It should be mounted/stored in an easily found and accessible location,
so that someone not familiar with your vehicle could find it in a hurry.
- Jack capable of lifting the vehicle and a tool capable of removing lug nuts (don't forget your wheel locks).
- Spare tire equal to or within 3 inches (measured at the outside diameter) of existing tires on the vehicle; must be an
appropriate off road type tread. No temporary spares.
- Fire extinguisher with gauge indicating good, appropriately stored (not a missile hazard). Like the first aid kit, someone not
familiar with your vehicle should be able to quickly find and access it.
- Seat belts for driver and all passengers.
- Antennas must not exceed 4'6" (54") measured from mount on body, bumper, etc., except where required by higher
authority, i.e. Off Road Vehicle Parks and sand dunes. Solidly mounted 8' whips with a safety flag must be used in these areas.
- Adequate attachment point’s front and rear, i.e., tow hooks, receiver, etc. Tow balls are generally rated for only 2,000 pounds,
and that is when hooked to a trailer. They can come off with devastating results and are not recommended. Instead, for SUV's
without a good tow hook attachment point, use the largest shackle or clevis (generally 1") which will fit in the tow ball hole on
your stock bumper.
- Battery hold downs; no bungee cords.
- Functional 40 Channel CB radio. Handheld (walkie-talkie) types are acceptable but not recommended.