Survey / What tools to have on board.

[parcher]

What tools would you carry

Aside from a basic socket set, what tools have saved you on the side off the road? I added an inch and a 1/8" socket to my truck to swap out the fuel filter if ever get gelled. I carry a set of "Metrinch" in every vehicle I own along with jumper cables and appropriate spare parts. I'm toting a spare fuel filter and a bottle of PS 911.

 

[rmrc]

Just was wondering what kind of tools everyone carries in their trucks on a regular basis.

 

[Rob Thomas]

Along with the socket set, I carry a some screw drivers, prybar, channel locks, vise grips, a spare length of fuel line in case the pusher goes south (no longer needed now, but did use it once at 3:30am on the way home, glad I had it), some electrical tape/wire/crimp ends and cable ties, fuses, air compesssor along with a tire plug kit, tow strap, and a BFH. I'm sure a forgot some things, but I'm sure there is more in that toolbox in the bed. Gee, maybe this is way my heap weighs so much.



Later, Rob

 

[JCyrbok]

tools

I carry a small tool box under the back seat with metic and SAE size sockets and shorty wrenchs. Tool kit also includes electical tape and various size hose clamps, electical connectors, pliers, screw driver with several interchangable bits, pipe plug for fuel pressure gauage incase of leak, zip ties, razor knife, and spare wire incase I have to jump a bad circuit and fuses. I also carry a spare Lift pump with wire harness and spare fuel filter. I also carry a couple of bottles of stanadyne fuel additive.



That about does it for tools. I also carry a tow strap and jumper cables too.



J-

 

[bighammer]

Chain, tow strap, jumper cables, hydraulic bottle jack, 4 way speedwrench, and VISA and Discover cards.

 

[kevincook]

I carry a small tool kit, that has sockets (both standard and Metric), the kit also has open ended wrench's, screw drivers, pliers and cutters. I also carry gloves hats electrical tape and tow strap.



KC

 

[illflem]

Originally posted by bighammer

Chain, tow strap, jumper cables, hydraulic bottle jack, 4 way speedwrench, and VISA and Discover cards.

What he said plus a cell phone and sleeping bag. I have no desire to do even minor repairs on the side of the road.



I merged the thread in Products with this one, no need to have two going.



This older thread also covers the same subject Click here

 

[jwilliams3]

I would first suggest a spare lift pump, some spare gaskets, 1 gallon of oil, 1 gallon of coolant.



Also torque wrench, socket set, deep wells, wrenches, channel locks, adjustable wrenches, hammer.



--Justin

 

[Bob Cochran]

All of the above except fuel LP which I probably should. Can use all of it but plan on not so the cell phone is the best tool.

 

[GAmes]

A spool of steel wire. Lots of uses but especially handy when your throttle rod breaks. I once drove from Alamagordo to Tucson with the wire in place. Cruise works too cuz it has it's own cable.

 

[LSMITH]

The tool box I carry is just under 100 pounds, what is not in it would be a short list. I can do virtually anything that could be done on the side of the road and a lot of things that most could not do on the side of the road.

 

[RBSOB]

Fix A Flat

The largest can of tire inflator/sealer you can find [or 2] and a small 12v compressor. There have been and will be occassions where jacking/tire changing is dangerous or impossible. These items have gotten me back to a safer situation. I'm with illflem, bare minimal roadside/offroad repair. Have Fun, Jim G.

 

[schu777]

In a way it depends on where you are going. If you are just going to your job that is 10 miles away, just carry the cell phone, plastic, 1 1/8" wrench, fuel filter, bigger jack than comes with truck and check that air pressure in the spare. Now if taking a trip across the country, well add a few things like sleeping bag during the winter and a few other things. I agree, I'm not one that is good at doing mechanical things, will if I have to, but rather have someone else do it or show me how.

 

[Sasquatch]

Agree with the folks who opt to call the wrecker, when stranded at side of the road, particularly at night.



If it's anything more serious than changing a flat (and, provided I can get far enough off the road to attempt even that), I'm dialing for my friendly "AAA" wrecker, and planning on drinking the dealer's coffee for a couple of hours.



I stock a chemical A/B/C type fire extinguisher, a $50 "Sam's Club" First Aid kit, a cell phone, and—best emergency tool of all—my "Neverlost" ("Magellan") GPS unit.



A cell phone doesn't help much if you're stranded along I-80 in white-out conditions, somewhere between Snowshoe, PN and the next town. You don't know exactly where you are (distance to next exit), can't see the road signs, and you're taking your life in your hands, if you get out and start walking. Happened to me when I was a college student in the '70s.



I spent four hours shivering in a sweater, inside a 20 degree car ("meat locker") with a dead battery (alternator cratered) and I was just damned lucky that a Good Samaritan trucker (God love 'em) saw my road flares through the driving snow, and decided to stop. Most didn't.



I'd thown my dad's road flares in, earlier that day, as an afterthought.



This GPS unit is amazing, and will locate your vehicle to within ten feet. Push the "locate" button, and it'll give distances from nearest exits, roads, towns, etc. , everything the Highway Patrol needs in order to get to you. It even has a "lady" with a sexy voice, who'll direct your sorry butt to the nearest tavern, hotel/motel, hospital, or airport at the push of a button.



I also carry a "Cobra" CB.



I guess minimal hand tools are a good idea, but complicated roadside mechanical operations in this era of swerving drunks, and roadside "opportunists" are something that this middle-aged traveler is gonna ignore.



An earlier poster suggested a sleeping bag, and that's something I'm going to add to my list, for survival's sake, along with a six quart, canteen of water. Lightweigt, space-age foil blankets will fold up, and all but fit in the glove-box, too. I also carry a multi-purpose, emergency flashlight with highway blinker/beacon, and radio bands.



Happy Trails.

 

[roadranger]

A couple of fuel filters and the tools to change it, tow strap, tire chains, 4 way lug wrench, and a first aid kit.....

 

[Woodenhead]

I also keep the little Cummins B series service kit. It's basically the tools you'd need to change filters, and set valves incl. barring tool. Not necessarily everything you need on the road and some tools you'd never want to use on the road but the filter wrench, wrenches and sockets have helped more me than once.



Take it easy

Mike

 

[Straight6Jeff]

three pais of gloves, wool blanket, air tools, impact sockets, cordless sawzall, fuel filter, gallon of rotella, fuel filter lid, test light, wrench set to 1 1/4, and up to 35mm, 30k snatch strap, 25k clevis, chevy tow hooks bolted together, booster pack, fire extinguisher, electrical tape(3m super88), road flares, triangle, wheel chocks, matches, jumper cables, 3 bins of nuts, bolts, elec terminals, wire etc, 50' 2ga welding cable, and a roll of toilet paper.

 

[Ted Constantine]

I carry alot of recovery gear, my winch gear, a small POS tool kit, a very nice 3/4 inch combo wrench for cracking injector lines, fuel filter, filter wrench, extra oil and fuel supplement.
AAA and the cell have helped out greatly in the past.

Holy sh. . Jeff no wonder you went with the training wheels on the new one
just to hold all that stuff. What is the welding cable for???not jumpers so??? and I am having trouble invisioning the chevy tow hooks bolted together.

Ted

 

[Straight6Jeff]

I hav ethe chevy fullsize tow hooks bolted back to cback so they form an "S" great to hook to the fords that have the loop hooks with no opening mouth.



The welding cable I have just in case... . well, I'm not sure why I carry it.



I also have a bunchj of bungee cords and ratchet straps. teflon tape, loc-tite. zip ties, air hose, extra connectors, air tool oil. shop rags, hand cleaner, window cleaner, extra engine belts.

The list goes on...

 

[Alaskaskiff]

And... surprised tp not see it mentioned yet... Smith & Wesson . 357.