Vehicle Tools (Merged thread)

[Inmused]

This makes me wish you were available for pre flight inspection on my rig before I head off into the Sierras...

This is just the start. Left to check:

• Recovery equipment
• Communications
• Games box (family activities for wet weather)
• Sleeping gear
• Swimming and wet weather gear
• First Aid and Fire
• Navigation
• Galley equipment
• Pantry boxes and fridge
• Camp furniture
• Fuel and water stores
• Camper Trailer
• Land Rover

 

[Anders0nic]

Are you perhaps an engineer by trade? Or a quartermaster? [emoji2]

My wife made fun of me when I made checklists for each individual container for our camping equipment...

 

[Inmused]

Are you perhaps an engineer by trade? Or a quartermaster? [emoji2]

My wife made fun of me when I made checklists for each individual container for our camping equipment...

No. I am an Anglican (Episcopal) priest. But I have a military background.

 

[4randal]

All my stuff goes in one bag. Trying to find a tool/socket/wrench is always a interesting...

 

[pierceg]

I pack a whole, tool kit with a breaker bar.
I do pull a trailer, so the extra weight isnt a huge concern.

 

[Inmused]

I pack a whole, tool kit with a breaker bar.
I do pull a trailer, so the extra weight isnt a huge concern.

I added a breaker bar yesterday.

 

[F4T XJ]

Under passenger seat a set of spanners from 8mm to 22mm in a tool roll, under drivers seats a set of grips in a tool roll. Under rear seats, breaker bar, screwdrivers, axe, hammers ,first aid kit and breakdown emergency stuff required for EU (bulbs, fuses, hi-via jackets etc). In the rear cargo a toolbox set with assorted sockets, torx, allen bits.

 

[Inmused]

Thanks everyone for your input.

I have revised my kit and have made the following changes:

• Included a ½" Breaker bar
• Included a ¼" Ratchet driver
• Made a selection of ¼", 3/8" and ½" commonly used sockets
• Included an 80mm, 150mm solid and 150mm flexible extensions for 3/8"
• Ditched the 300mm adjustable wrench (duplicated function with the hammer and Knipex Plier Wrench)
• Added a hex bit set, spinner and square drive adaptor
• Moved all sockets, adaptors, extensions and drives to the tool roll

Here is what's in the kit now:

Tool kit

• ½” Sockets: 27, 24, 22, 21, 20, 19mm
• 3/8” Sockets: 19, 17, 16, 14, 13, 12, 11 mm
• ¼” Sockets: 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 mm

• ½” Bahco Breaker bar
• 3/8” Stanley Ratchet Drive
• ¼” Stanley Ratchet Drive (purchase
• ½” to 3/8” square adaptor
• 3/8” to ¼” square adaptor
• 3/8” universal joint
• 3/8” 80mm and 150mm extensions
• 3/8” 150mm flexible extension (purchased)

• ¼” to hex bit adapter
• ¼” Spinner handle
• ¼” hex bit set (Flat, Cross, Allen, Torx)

• Vice Grips (Medium curved grip)
• Vice Grips (Small long nose)
• Pliers - Long handled Long Nose
• Pliers Combination

• Knipex 250mm Plier Wrench
• Adjustable Wrench 150mm Wide Jaw

• No2 Cross 250mm screwdriver
• 6mm Flat 250mm screwdriver

• File- Half Round
• Ballpein Hammer
• Small Hacksaw (To be purchased)

• Inspection light
• telescopic Magnetic Grabber
• Circuit Tester
• Stanley Box Knife

Elsewhere in the Vehicle

• ARB Tyre Repair Kit
• Jumper Leads
• Tyre Lever
• Compressor and blower
• Scissors
• Victorinox Multitool

 

[old_man]

Around here trips get pretty rough and you are rarely within cell phone service. We try to be prepared and carry quite a few spares. My question is what do you do for tools and what spares do you carry. I even carry a 20lb CO2 bottle for airing up and down and running air wrenches. Jeep Cherokees are a mixture of English and Metric...ugh.

 

[Josey Wales]

Anyone keep a torque wrench with their rig?

 

[old_man]

I'm more likely to carry a breaker bar.

 

[Sparky]

Anyone keep a torque wrench with their rig?

I have the digital torque wrench adapter from harbor frieght. It's well reviewed and tested online, packs small, and has its own hard plastic case. For what it is I'm pretty impressed.

 

[Sparky]

I'll add one tool I consider to be both last resort and indispensable due to the number of times it's saved me.. a pickle fork. I'm not sure there's a job where another tool wouldn't be more appropriate, but it gets things done.

Other than that, last time I weighed it I take about 70lbs of tools. I always make sure I have what I need for the most likely jobs. Hub nut sockets for changing cv axles, clamp for u joints, and sockets and wrenches big enough for suspension linkages. I have a half shoebox full of spare nuts and bolts which have come in handy, and a small electrical set.

Cash isn't a bad thing to store either, you can't fix everything and sometimes you really need a tow into civilization.

 

[000]

I keep a toolbox tucked away towards the front of the bed with all the usual stuff, and though I have a Toyota I carry inch tools too just in case someone else needs something. I also keep a small tool pouch with the commonly needed tools around camp like small and medium size flat and Phillips screwdrivers, needle nose and regular slip joint pliers, utility knife, etc at the back of the bed so I don’t have to climb in and unload stuff and unstrap things to get something every time I need a screwdriver etc. this has been a very nice thing to have handy and has saved me a lot of time for little stuff around camp. I also keep some tie wire and a few zip ties and a roll of duct tape easy to get to. Since I’ve done this I haven’t had to get into the serious tool box so I can keep it well out of the way for packing everything else. If I need the real tools, I’m probably screwed and have plenty of time to unload... I use a Milwaukee 1/2” electric impact at work everyday so when I’m heading out on a trip I just throw it on the rear floorboard in case I need it and take it back to work. I also carry all types of fuses even though I only need one type since you never know who will need one and they don’t take much space as well as various lengths and sizes of fuel line, hose clamps, wire, tape etc... with past rigs I’ve saved hoses and belts I replaced with routine maintenance for my kit, but my new rig is still new enough I haven’t replaced anything yet. I carry plenty of tire plugs and the tools to use them. I’ve seen a guy use 7or 8 plugs to fill a gouge to get him off a trail after he already used the spare. If he didn’t have them he would’ve been screwed. Quality real jumper cables are something I won’t scrimp on, wire gauge makes all the difference and the cheap Walmart cables are all insulation and tiny wires that won’t start a really dead battery. I have isolated dual batteries so I can jumpstart myself, but I also keep a small portable jump pack behind the seat in case I need to jumpstart someone quick with that’s not totally dead. I have a small Costco air compressor that is actually pretty decent but is going to get upgraded soon with a twin arb. I don’t Air down as much as I would because airing up takes too long, so the new compressor should solve this. Commonly used extra fluids are also a good thing to carry, especially in an older rig that leaks a little or burns them. The strains of Off-roading will sometimes exasperate a normally managed leak and you’ll end up halfway to nowhere with lower than normal fluids. You never know what you’ll need so it can be hard to not bring the whole garage. Looking at the weak links and what will really strand you will usually help build your kit to be useful without becoming a snap on tool truck.


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[Canoehead]

My approach has been to do as much repair and maintenance on my vehicle (2007 Tacoma) as possible in my driveway. As I attempt a new job, I acquire the tools. Based on this personal experience, I have assembled two tool sets. I have a smaller tool bag which never leaves my vehicle, and a second larger one containing tools I would not likely need on the trail. Depending on my trip plan, I can pull the supplementary tools from the stay home bag and pack them.

Over time I adjust the contents of both kits. For example, I never owned a 35mm socket until I had to replace a wheel bearing. I learned that job at home, and now that I know it I have included the socket I need to remove the axle nut. With each new job completed I become able to do more and more out on the trail. Without the corresponding experience I would not be inclined to carry tools I had not yet learned to use. Having said this, it might be wise to carry tools specific to your rig for likely repairs that are beyond your expertise as you may have a friend who can do the job.

I would also add that it is tremendously valuable to have used your own tools to work on your own vehicle. There are a lot of tool sets out there that look just perfect on the shelf and pack up neatly, but if you are going to learn that the wrenches are too weak to turn the bolts on your rig, or that the pliers slip, it is best to learn that at a time of your own choosing and not out in the rain on a dark night in the middle of nowhere.

Tools are important, knowledge is critical.

 

[xathor]

I've found that whenever I work on my vehicles I just leave the tools that I used in them, then buy replacements to put in the toolbox at home.

I went super prepared for the fly-and-drive when I bought my Defender, except I failed to see that TSA will only let you fly with tools less than 7 inches.
The only thing I needed on the trip was a phillips head screwdriver, sunscreen and ant spray.

 

[xathor]

Here are all the tools I brought with me when I purchased my Defender, minus the vice. I figured this covered most of anything that I would want to fix on the side of the road or in an auto parts parking lot.

Packed into a pelican case.

All of those tools now fit in a toolbox I mounted in the back of the Defender.

 

[pl626]

Here are all the tools I brought with me when I purchased my Defender, minus the vice...

Have you tried using the hub nut wrench on your rear hub? I have the same thing, which worked fine on the front hubs, but the wrench arm bent on the rear hub of my ‘95 RRC. Supposedly, a long 3/8” extension will work; I opted for the “meaty beast” 52mm hub nut socket instead...
https://goo.gl/images/ZVu9xk


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[xathor]

Have you tried using the hub nut wrench on your rear hub? I have the same thing, which worked fine on the front hubs, but the wrench arm bent on the rear hub of my ‘95 RRC. Supposedly, a long 3/8” extension will work; I opted for the “meaty beast” 52mm hub nut socket instead...
https://goo.gl/images/ZVu9xk


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I haven't tried it on the Defender yet, but I've been all around my Disco with it. I just stick a 3/8 extension through it and hope I don't pull a muscle.

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[pl626]

I haven't tried it on the Defender yet, but I've been all around my Disco with it. I just stick a 3/8 extension through it and hope I don't pull a muscle.

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Meaty beast w/ 1/2 drive breaker cracked it loose in seconds, while I struggled and bent bars using the wrench. No contest which one resides in the rig now...


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