Overland tool kit

[Surfscottydog]

Hey all, sorry if this has been done before but I couldn’t find anything on it. I’m getting a tool bag together to live in my truck. Not a huge carry everything thing bag, but one with the basics. So far my list is compiled of: wrenches-open/box set. 3/8 drive socket set-standard/deep six point. Screwdrivers-long/short Phillips,slot. Pliers- normal,vice grips, cutters, channel locks. Small mallet. Zip ties, 2 part epoxy putty, duct tape, electrical tape, ratchet straps. Electric meter
Too much, am I missing something vital?
I am just talking about tools in a tool bag, not big stuff like jacks, compressor etc. any advice would be appreciated

 

[OTH Overland]

Not a bad list, one thing that can help out if you are concerned with overall size of the kit, you can tailor it to you particular vehicle. Most vehicles will not require a full set of sockets and wrenches, and those that don't fit fasteners on your vehicle can be left behind, this does require some advance knowledge or investigation of fastener sizes on your vehicle so you know what you can omit. Also beware that a lot of brands may have a mix of metric and imperial fasteners. Also there will likely be torx and other fasteners on modern vehicles. My Jeep has a surprisingly minimal selection of bolt sizes, at least in those that may vibrate loose or get damaged, I carry a decent selection of spare bolts and nuts of various lengths in those sizes and thread types, nothing worse than having all the tools and you are side lined due to a bolt that fell out or broken. I carry a ball peen hammer rather than a mallet because I feel like if i need to beat on something it will likely require a bit more force, the ball peen side is useful for rearranging dented sheet metal to clear a tire after an oops on the trail. spare fuses in sizes that fit, plenty of rubber gloves and a tube of hand cleaner, small tube of form-a-gasket and bailing wire are also in my kit. Organization of my tools is important to me, I want to be able to find what I need without digging through a dark bag, or dumping them out on the ground. Seems like its always dark and raining and I don't want to loose any tools. I use the Blue Ridge Overland tool bag, has 6 removable zippered pouches with windows so you can see what's inside, is expensive at a bit over $100 but very sturdy and a lot of tool space in a compact space. I also bring a small 4x8 tarp to lay on in an under the rig to minimize getting wet and dirty and to prevent loss of fasteners and tools when dropped. My personal tool kit does carry full sets of wrenches and sockets in all drive sizes along with some specialty tools because I have a lot of mechanical experience and find myself helping people work on their vehicles, so I put up with the extra weight and use of space.

 

[Surfscottydog]

thanks for that. I will add fuses and rubber gloves. My mallet is a small one, maybe 3 lbs. I'll also check out the tool bag. The one I have is a very sturdy one, but very few pockets. The truck is a 2002 Tacoma and I don't think it has any torx or even Allens on it. I may add some wire two, you're the second person who has mentioned that.

 

[Zarddog]

Looks like you have all the bases covered. Inevitably there will be something you need and don't have. I've been a field service tech working on heavy equipment for more years than I am willing to admit to and I do have a suggestion. Many times my job required me to get to equipment that was in terrain that was difficult to access. I would have to pack tools and ride out on an ATV. I have always taken thread files with me I know it's not a common item but they can be found at NAPA stores among others. I still use a pair of KD tools files that are at least 25 years old. They don't take up much space and are inexpensive and there is one with metric and one with SAE thread sizes. They've saved my butt more than once, you can use them to clean up damaged threads on bolts and studs. Nothin worse than trying to start a nut on a wheel lug only to find rounded over threads. I wish I had one in front of me so I could send a pic. Good old hacksaw can be a godsend too. Hope this is helpful

 

[Bama_Kiwi]

Maybe some 22-gauge stainless steel wire and some end cutters. Never know when you might need to secure something.

 

[old_man]

Tools are great. Spare parts are great. Knowing how to troubleshoot and repair is more important.

 

[USStrongman]

Like the above, I try to carry everything to fit under my passenger seat. Everything you have listed above, but I add allens and torx bits because my rig has quite a few. I also carry a 18" torque wrench in 3/8 and 1/2". Leverage is a good thing. Last, is a simple tap and die set. It all fits under my passenger seat for my daily driving and is out of sight for knuckleheads trying to spy my shit!

 

[tjZ06]

It sounds like you have a good start there. I like some 3/8 impact swivels and a 3/8 cordless impact (with a few extensions and such) on top of the stuff you listed. I also try to carry a few different gauges of wire and an assortment of connectors (including the butt connectors that have solder and heat-shrink built in and a little torch to use them). You just never know when you're going to be in a jam and need to hot-wire an e-fan, a fuel pump etc. Because of that, I've also considered starting to carry a few inline fuse holders. Hot-wiring is always a last resort, but with something like a fuel pump it might have killed it's usual circuit for a reason and you don't want to just feed it pure power with absolutely no fuse.

Also, anything odd/specific to your rig that it would be doubtful anybody else in the group might have. USStrongman mentioned torx, that's a great call because I know my rig has some, but *most* people don't carry them (I carry something like this: but honestly sometimes it can't get into the spot you need and it's a limited spread of T6-T25 so I think I need to consider something else).

Something else often overlooked: pry-bar(s) and hammer(s). I can't tell you how many times we end up looking for a rock to hit something, or using a large crescent as a hammer, or ruining a few screwdrivers using them as pry-bars. Just carry a few!

-TJ