Road/Portable Box for Track and Trail

[Drunkonunleaded]

Background:

I've been working out of an old 3-Drawer Craftsman Rally box for the past few years. This is a portable setup that I use for track days or ATV trips. Goal is to perform basic maintenance such as brake jobs, rudimentary alignments, etc.

The box presently looks like below:

As you can see, there is a lot of "dead" space. The socket rails were a temporary measure until I decided to do some DIY shadow foam, but it became apparent that the box itself is on its last legs.

Goals:

First goal is to optimize what I carry. There are things I don't need (or at least think I don't) and some things that I need but do not have. The goal here is to rectify that with a basic minimum tool set. As stated above, this would cover basic maintenance on a race car (brake jobs, tune up, camber adjustment) or most repairs on a dirt bike or ATV (clutch or belt replacement, rudimentary alignment, valve adjustment).

This, perhaps, is where I need the most guidance. So far, I am leaning towards the following:

• Sockets - Complete set of Metric ONLY. Thinking Tekton 6-24mm shallow/deeps. Some moto bolts are 6mm while the drain plug on my machine uses a 22mm. Anything outside of this range can be purchased separately.
• Screwdrivers - Carlyle or Williams 8-Piece and a Williams/Snap-On ratcheting. Ideally something quality in the event I am forced to use one as a pry bar or punch. Snap-On ratcheting screwdrivers are unmatched, IMO.
• Pliers - At a minimum linesman's, needle nose, and a set of cobra-style "water pump" pliers. Not sure if side cutters or slip joints are necessary if I have the other three. Leaning towards all Irwin or Tekton + Knipex Cobras.
• Combination Wrenches - Craftsman USA set (already have), metric only. Whatever adjustable wrench matches my pliers most likely as I'll buy them as a set.
• Ratchets - Carlyle 3/8 flex locking. A Snap-On if I can find a deal on one.
• Other - Misc. bolts/nuts/crush washers, a few pairs of nitrile gloves, magnetic flashlight, Longacre pressure gauge, safety wire pliers, 1/2 and 1/4 torque wrenches and 3/8 adapters, whatever misc. odd piece not mentioned above (socket for crank case, etc.), and a deadblow.

I'm open to input here. Am I setting up myself for failure leaving out SAE stuff? Will Linesman pliers suffice for side cutters?

In the next post, I am going to discuss storage solutions for something the size mentioned above.

 

[Drunkonunleaded]

The end goal, more or less, is to emulate something like this setup from Boxo:

Nothing against Boxo, but I can build something that fits my exact needs and spend less money. Even the shadowing supplies can be obtained from a local supplier, The Foam Factory, once I finalize the box layout.

While I could stick with a 3 (or 4) drawer "Rally Box" from Craftsman or similar, as I mentioned previously I would like to cut weight were possible.

In my posession, I have a nearly new plastic 3-drawer Craftsman box like shown below:

Considering that I am scaling things back, this might meet my needs as outlined above. However, the recent popularity of modular/stackable systems has intrigued me.

After doing some research, the DeWalt TSTAK system seems like it may work on paper. The drawers are a little smaller than the more traditional Craftsman boxes, meaning that I may end up requiring 2 drawer units and the "long handle organizer" to have similar capacity to the Craftsman boxes.

The drawer units weigh 9lb each, with the organizer as 5. That's 24lbs. In comparison, the metal Craftsman box weighs ~21, and the plastic 3-drawer only 15.

As far as weight goes, the Craftsman plastic box seems to be the clear winner. However, the TSTAK setup would let me add-subtract items on an as needed basis. I could even have a separate box for the 3/8 impact gun instead of carrying it in a separate bag.

The real question here is whether the flexibility of the TSTAK or other modular systems outweighs the weight penalty when compared to a traditional 3-drawer portable box.

As of now, my idea was to finalize the tool roster and begin to fill the plastic 3-drawer box that I do have. From there, I can make the decision as to whether I would benefit from swapping out to something else.

Having no experience with the modular setups, I am stuck seeking guidance here. The modular setups seem like a better idea in my head, but might lack in their actual usability.

 

[IndyGarage]

I have a setup like that which I use in all kinds of repair work. I carry it in my truck for when I buy things and carry it with me when I go to the pull a part junkyard, and in the golf cart at swap meets and places like that. It has most of that stuff, plus more - electrical repair tools and a meter, tape measure, scissors, flashlight, bug repellent, couple different saws, a small battery impact tool, pry bar, shims, zip ties, stainless wire + a clamptite , small first aid kit, even a battery powered dremel.

In fact I have two different versions of it. My original has all of the above, but I also created a mini version with the basics that is about 1/4 the size and weight.

I carry it all in a Veto Pro Pack and I would highly recommend one. It's different than the setup above, but in my opinion much more functional. I've been using it for about 10 years, and it's saved me over and over again. A couple months ago I was 1000 miles from home and had to pull an injector pump out of my Sprinter Van in a Lowes parking lot. Had to buy a couple special torx sockets, but mostly had what I needed in my kit.

 

[Shootinok]

My road box is a bag.
Some smaller zippered bags inside. Combo wrenches in one. An oil cloth tool roll holds ratchet, socket rail, pliers, utility knife...
I only have 2 screwdrivers one flat one #2 Phillips. Rip hammer and Small dead low. Flashlight. Gloves.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[tez929rr]

My road box is a bag.
Some smaller zippered bags inside. Combo wrenches in one. An oil cloth tool roll holds ratchet, socket rail, pliers, utility knife...
I only have 2 screwdrivers one flat one #2 Phillips. Rip hammer and Small dead low. Flashlight. Gloves.

I have a similar set in my truck. It started as a decent Craftsman set with some add ons in a blow molded case. I then put it in a small canvas tool bag to save space but it was hard to dig out what I needed. I started seeing those tool rolls with multiple zippered pockets, but the nice ones were crazy expensive (Atlas). I ended up with this one from Amazon for $45. It’s been a good solution for me.

https://www.amazon.com/Rugged-Tools-Titan-Deluxe-Tool/dp/B07ZP8Z56L/ref=asc_df_B07ZP8Z56L/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=416862317714&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10491291738543635166&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027958&hvtargid=pla-872369565788&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=90730999101&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=416862317714&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10491291738543635166&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027958&hvtargid=pla-872369565788

 

[joey1320]

The Lowes by me had the Craftsman plastic roll away boxes on clearance last weekend. A bunch where sitting there for $25. Not sure if you have that option around.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-15-2-in-Plastic-Metal-Wheeled-Lockable-Tool-Box/1002088210

 

[Drunkonunleaded]

I have a setup like that which I use in all kinds of repair work. I carry it in my truck for when I buy things and carry it with me when I go to the pull a part junkyard, and in the golf cart at swap meets and places like that. It has most of that stuff, plus more - electrical repair tools and a meter, tape measure, scissors, flashlight, bug repellent, couple different saws, a small battery impact tool, pry bar, shims, zip ties, stainless wire + a clamptite , small first aid kit, even a battery powered dremel.

In fact I have two different versions of it. My original has all of the above, but I also created a mini version with the basics that is about 1/4 the size and weight.

I carry it all in a Veto Pro Pack and I would highly recommend one. It's different than the setup above, but in my opinion much more functional. I've been using it for about 10 years, and it's saved me over and over again. A couple months ago I was 1000 miles from home and had to pull an injector pump out of my Sprinter Van in a Lowes parking lot. Had to buy a couple special torx sockets, but mostly had what I needed in my kit.

I'd be interested in seeing how you have your Pro Pack laid out. What you're describing is very similar to my use case. It's been a year or so since I've hit the JY, but my previous setup for that was a cheap canvas bag with a 3/8 HF metric socket set, extensions, a few screwdrivers, pliers, and a cordless impact. This is what kind of "inspired" me to reevaluate how much I take in the road box.

The only limiting factor to what I could pull would be having large enough sockets. Interior bits and cylinder heads were no problem though.

The Lowes by me had the Craftsman plastic roll away boxes on clearance last weekend. A bunch where sitting there for $25. Not sure if you have that option around.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-15-2-in-Plastic-Metal-Wheeled-Lockable-Tool-Box/1002088210

I actually have a 2 of the nearly identical Kobalt ones to house all of my camping stuff. They fit perfectly under a tonneau cover, but take up 1/2 of the bed. That is another area where I'm "reevaluating" how much gear that I carry (sense the common theme here?). The only problem is that one of those will take up 1/4 of a short pickup bed. Otherwise, they've held up great. and even double as a table/work surface in a pinch.

 

[Drunkonunleaded]

So it's been quite awhile (nearly 7 months, in fact) since putting this question out here and have finally reached a point where I feel confident enough to show where I'm at. With that said, let's start with the pictures:



As you can see, I chose to pay the weight/bulk penalty and go with a modular system. In this case, it was TStak. After weighing my needs and budget, this seemed to be the best option. What you have pictured is the following:

• Long-handle tool box. Top is used as a parts organizer and main compartment holds primarily sockets and oil change tools.
• 2-drawer box. Top drawer contains a smattering of screwdrivers, Gearwrench double box ratcheting wrenches, lights and some misc. tools. Bottom drawer is all pliers.
• Flat-top tool box. Holds a Kobalt 3/8" impact, flashlight, and charger.
• 4-wheel trolley. More mobile than the hand truck style bases.

It took awhile of buying (and returning) a few different pieces on Amazon to get something that suits my needs. I ended up keeping the clear-top organizer and large drawer box (neither are pictured) for future use/expansion. Additionally, I will be picking up one of their open-top totes to hold oils and other chemicals that normally reside in a cardboard box.

Over the past few months, I have put this setup through its paces. Not only have I done a lot of routine maintenance on our ATVs with this setup, but have used it as my main tool box and only dipped into the "main/home" box as needed. After awhile, I reached a two major conclusions:

• Blow molded cases have to go. This Tekton set is being replaced with Carlyle shallow/deeps on rails. The top box is deep enough where I can stand sockets up. This will allow me to get the appropriate hex and torx bits needed to maintain our equipment, items I have been carrying separately.
• I need some sort of open-ended wrench. In doing a clutch job on a sport ATV, I ended up needing a 14mm combination wrench due to access issues. This I am planning to remedy with an adjustable wrench. Irwin to match, of course.

After some fine-tuning, I will likely do Kaizen foam or similar at least in the socket and power tool drawer. Overall, I feel as though I accomplished the original goal of putting together a comprehensive and (somewhat) portable road box. The best part is that I can add/subtract boxes as needed.

 

[Drunkonunleaded]

BIG updates on this. Over the past 20 or so months, I've made a lot of changes:

• Moved away from Tekton blow molded case to a mix of Teq sockets from Advance Auto, Carlyle, and Kobalt bits
• Went to Kobalt XTR High Torque impact instead of the compact 3/8
• Shadow foamed the main tool and impact boxes

This stack has grown exponentially as well, as I added various TStak boxes to organize basically everything that isn't a mechanic's tool. At least 50% of this is supplies that I take on our ride trips and include things like recovery gear and extra fluids. Most of the bulk of the organization took place last summer prior to a trip to the Upper Peninsula. This trip really put things to the test and I figured out what needs to be improved upon:

• The Kaizen foam needs to be re-done. I didn't purchase their recommended tool set and not everything is held securely. The impact, in particular, has a hard time staying in place
• The XTR impact is too large/heavy, I have purchased the new Kobalt mid-torque (~490 lb. ft. per TTC) to go in its place
• I have a dead blow that is currently just sitting on top of the sockets, it needs a place in the top box, perhaps moving the torque adapter and oil filter wrench

Overall, I'm very happy with how this turned out. Things have come a LONG way since that Craftsman box. Over the past year or so, I've been rehabbing my garage and filling up a new tool box. This has been my primary box for basic car/powersports/power equipment maintenance and it was very rare that I needed to move outside of this box for a specific tool.

 

[KnurledNut]

@Drunkonunleaded
Thanks for sharing the update and pics.
Ive always been interested in mobile setups.
My current kit gets used frequently and has been evolving for well over a decade.
Ive enjoyed the challenge of "dialing it in" to keep it compact yet versatile.

Look forward to seeing how it transforms.

 

[Drunkonunleaded]

@Drunkonunleaded
Thanks for sharing the update and pics.
Ive always been interested in mobile setups.
My current kit gets used frequently and has been evolving for well over a decade.
Ive enjoyed the challenge of "dialing it in" to keep it compact yet versatile.

Look forward to seeing how it transforms.

Thanks! We have another big trip later this fall, so the plan is to use the summer to dial everything in.

I will be ordering some new Kaizen foam here in a few weeks and get working on that. Additionally, TStak has been updated a bit (sold as 2.0 outside of the US) and has some new features. The latest iteration of long-handle box I use for the top has the capability to have other boxes stacked onto it. All boxes also include channels for foam or an o-ring (2.0 that's avaliable elsewhere is IP rated. Goal is to transition those two slim boxes over to the latest design and figure out what kind of seal I can put in them. 99% of the time, this stuff lives in the best of my truck under a tonneau if not the garage/shed so it doesn't have to be fully waterproof.

 

[KnurledNut]

@Drunkonunleaded
Any new updates on your setup?

 

[Drunkonunleaded]

@Drunkonunleaded
Any new updates on your setup?

Not at this time. I used it again for a trip a few weeks ago and it performed admirably. Other than what I described above, I don't think there is much to improve upon. The kaizen foam arrived recently, so I will take another stab at organizing the top and impact boxes. I will likely pick up the latest iteration of TStak boxes for those as they finally use the "2.0" mold and feature a channel for a water seal.

My goal is to try and fit the dead blow into its own slot in the yellow box. Right now, it's just kind of sitting on top of everything. I may also bolt the socket rails down vs. try to make them work with the foam.

 

[p00p]

I dig the setup. It isn't ideal for me, but I see how it is functional for you.

I tend to use a few random plastic cases that are for general outdoor use. Take them with me to junkyards or on road trips.
In the past I would take more than I needed, but it just became a problem with me spending more time working on other projects that weren't mine.

 

[colin39]

This is my setup