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Basic Car Tool Set for non-mechanical son

markdtn

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My 18 YO son leaves for college next week. It is 500 miles away. He has a '97 Blazer with 110K miles. It has been pretty dependable. He is a good boy, but not at all mechanical. I want to send a small set of tools with him. I am thinking:

common and Philips screwdrivers
10, 12, 13, 15mm combo wrenches
basic 1/4 drive socket set
vice-grips

I can fix a lot of things with that. Do you have any suggestions of other must-haves for even the non-mechanical?
 
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Finky198

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colin39

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For what? It sounds like if something is broke to the point that he would have to jack the car up then he can't R&R the item to repair it.

Maybe just to show the ladies and get their juices flowing I guess.



Oy! Kids need help, both my boys have no mechanical knowlage, but they have an oz of comman sense and if i could get them to remove something then i could explain how to either repair or reistall an item thats been repaired or a new item. Its only nuts n bolts and could at least save them the labour.

A 3/8th torque wrench so they dont stip bolts and 1/2 so there wheels dont fall off
 

cgrutt

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Duct tape, lots and lots of duct tape :)

Seriously though, congrats on college. Might be a good idea to throw in a hammer, a combination wrench and fastener assortment for the dorm. Good luck!
 

gdocktor3

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Buy one of those large socket/ratchet sets made by Husky or whatever in the plastic cases. Has everything covered including screwdrivers. I'm sure he will find many other uses in his dorm and what not - fixing beer pong tables, repairing keg taps, fixing his bed after some fun with a girl, repairing the kitchen table after someone gets body slammed through it, etc etc stuff like that. I actually have this cheapo set by Crescent at work http://m.westechrigging.com/crescen...d=crescent-148-piece-tool-set&channelid=FROOG

This looks pretty good though also http://www.walmart.com/ip/15638685?...75035&wl11=online&wl12=15638685&wl13=&veh=sem

That second set is cheaper and bigger than the one I have. I work in maintenance at a hospital and that's what I carry around with me when I have to make small repairs. It's nice because it has everything necessary in one small box. Of course we have nicer Proto stuff in the main shop, but this hasn't let me down once.
 
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R. Johnson

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If it's a 4.3L, the accessory drive belt requires a 3/8 ratchet/breaker bar to leverage the tensioner. A cheapo scan tool would be on my list. Makes it easier to tell from a distance whether the vehicle needs to go for service or if it's something that can wait.
 

redmondjp

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"Non-mechanical"

I'm not sure what that means, but it sounds like he needs a good quality tool box containing a cell phone and a credit card.

Yup. You can also add emergency towing to your car insurance policy for much less than an AAA membership - you have to have a credit card in order to pay for the tow, but then you submit the receipt and get reimbursed by your insurance company. I've used this several times when I had older cars in my youth.

I know a lot of "not at all mechanical" youth, who don't know which end of a screwdriver to pick up. No offense, but having some tools available to somebody who doesn't know what to do with them will not be of much benefit. Especially if you are trying to tell them what to do over the phone.

A 5/16" ratcheting battery terminal wrench (assuming GM side-post battery, 1/2" combination wrench if top-post), along with whatever other wrench or socket setup is needed to get to the battery hold-down, probably would be a good idea to keep in the glove box.

Tire pressure gauge. Also, make sure that the spare is properly inflated and that he knows how to access it and install it, and where the jack and lug nut wrench are located. Jumper cables, along with the knowledge of how to properly use them. Box in the back containing a gallon of 50/50 mix coolant, along with a couple quarts of oil and a quart of ATF, along with the necessary funnels to fill them. Good-quality flashlight.

And possibly most importantly, explain where to and where NOT to attempt to change a spare tire. These days, sitting on the side of a road is getting to be so dangerous (due to inattentive drivers veering off onto the shoulder), that it is in many cases better to slowly drive along the shoulder until reaching an exit or other very wide spot where one can stop far away from the outside lane, even if it does ruin the flat tire (assuming that it isn't ruined already from whatever caused the flat).
 

T45

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1) A mirror and a magnetic pickup for inspection is useful, goes along with the flashlight etc you already have.

2) Spare fuses, electical tape, etc.in case something simple but stupid were to happen with wiring or electical (like obvuiosly frayed insulation).

3) Adjustable wrench+combos 8mm up to 14/15 or whatevr for that make/model is good. Don't need to be expensive, just decent and have fitments that are correct.

3) LN-6 Pliers or similar, maybe Nose plier, mainly to reach and pick up a dropped tool/nut or whatever, avoid touching stuff that is hot. Pliers should have a crude enough wire cutter so dikes are probably overkill.

3) pair of nitrile, gloves and some rags etc.

4) stainless baiing wire is very helpful with more 'stupid' fixable w/simple hacks, like exhaust hangar or other bracket-breaking.

Basically I think of roadside tools as enouh to get you to the nearest town/napa/wall-mart and maybe then to change oil/fluids, swap a fuse, fix a flat etc.

Anything more than that is credit card + auto club and long-range towing etc. Just pay the fees, totally worth it, especially if driving home for breaks/holiday etc over the next couple of years.

5) Changing sparkplugs is probably at the limit here, for example, but maybe consider if that is worth the hassle to even think about.

An ounce of prevention is also worth a pound of cure...so make sure the care is checked out before leaving and that more easy fixes are sorted out early...hoseclamps and that kind of stuff...you should be probably inspected and swapped out ahead if major issues seem lurking.
 
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crewchief888

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i think i'd add a tire plug kit,
a 12v compressor
wire stripper/crimper & an assortment of conectors
jumper cables
hammer


:beer:
 

four.cycle

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Raymond Fast said:
"...a cell phone and a credit card."

When I saw the thread title those were the first things that came to mind.

But seriously.... you might consider something along this line:

Thorsen kit.jpg

... and make sure that whatever vehicle he's driving is equipped with a jack that will actually pick the vehicle up, a decent lug wrench, some gloves, and something to lay down on when he gets a flat in the rain or snow (or better yet cheapie muck pants/coveralls.)
 

iron block

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Not a car tool as such, but he might find it useful around the dorm to have one of those sets of oddball security/Torx/hollow hex/etc. bits, and a driver handle to go with them.

Ten bucks gets you 100 bits at Harbor Freight.
 
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markdtn

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Thank you all for your replies.

I think I will add a hammer and a crescent wrench to the list. I will also add some basic fasteners, clamps, wire, fuses, and tape. I was planning on those, I just wanted to talk tool list. He has a spare belt.

The truck is in good shape. It had a major service at 100K (plugs, wires, cap, rotor, trans service, belt tensioner, belt, hoses). It has had an a/c compressor, water pump and antifreeze change, and new tires in the last 1000 miles. Battery is 2 years old. Brakes are OK. It will get an oil change before it leaves. Tempted to do starter and alternator but they are working so I think I will leave alone. He has AAA and a phone.
 

jd_1138

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Duct tape, lots and lots of duct tape :)

Seriously though, congrats on college. Might be a good idea to throw in a hammer, a combination wrench and fastener assortment for the dorm. Good luck!

Mechanic's Wire -- not duct tape. ha ha. A buddy came over because his left hand mirror was dropping. He had put about $2 worth of duck tape on it but to no avail. I wired it up with mechanic's wire.

Also, I'd send a 25" Pittsburgh breaker bar ($10) along with him. It'll make changing a tire much, much easier. Those included tire tools ****. Just make sure he knows to be careful when using it to reinstall the lugs so as to not overtorque them. Explain 100 foot-pounds to him, so that he is only putting 50 pounds of force onto the breaker bar. Or just have him use the tire tool to put the lugs back on. He might be the dorm hero if some cute co-ed young lady has a flat. He can rescue her.

If he's not mechanical, the most he'll probably be doing is tire changes, fuses, changing bulbs, battery, etc.. Just the basics like screwdrivers, adjustable wrench, some common wrench sizes, pliers of various kinds/sizes ought to be enough.
 
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FJ 432

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Congratulations on having a son who has his head on straight and sorry for taking your thread a bit off course.

I hope he can appreciate this time in his life.
 

Jure

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3/8 socket set,allen set,letterman multi tool,ph2 and flat head screwdriver. buy a few hose clamps of each size,zip ties and piece of fuel line hose. ah yea and the flashlight!
 

anndel

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Thank you all for your replies.

I think I will add a hammer and a crescent wrench to the list. I will also add some basic fasteners, clamps, wire, fuses, and tape. I was planning on those, I just wanted to talk tool list. He has a spare belt.

The truck is in good shape. It had a major service at 100K (plugs, wires, cap, rotor, trans service, belt tensioner, belt, hoses). It has had an a/c compressor, water pump and antifreeze change, and new tires in the last 1000 miles. Battery is 2 years old. Brakes are OK. It will get an oil change before it leaves. Tempted to do starter and alternator but they are working so I think I will leave alone. He has AAA and a phone.

I think you got it covered but another thing he may need is an emergency kit, with road flares, flashlight, safety triangle, tire sealer, 12 volt air pump, etc.
 

four.cycle

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... and let me add this, from a son who was also not very "mechanically inclined" at that age (other than repairing my 10-speed bicycle):

teach him how to change a tire safely. seriously. especially if he's driving a truck - put a decent jack in there. I've had factory OEM jacks collapse on me, and I've (stupidly) learned the hard way all the reasons one should not attempt to jack up a vehicle on a sloped gravel road with nothing blocking the wheels.
all fine and well to "learn from our mistakes", but trying to figure out how to pick up a vehicle with the brake drum embedded in 3 inches of gravel really *****.
 

LB-1911

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The truck is in good shape. It had a major service at 100K (plugs, wires, cap, rotor, trans service, belt tensioner, belt, hoses). It has had an a/c compressor, water pump and antifreeze change, and new tires in the last 1000 miles. Battery is 2 years old. Brakes are OK. It will get an oil change before it leaves. Tempted to do starter and alternator but they are working so I think I will leave alone. He has AAA and a phone.

As part of the preflight.

Owners Manual in the console or glove box?

Is he familiar with it in general and how to reference the various sections for specific information.

Familiar with checking the fluids, tire pressure, location of the fuse box (s)

Comfortable with bulb replacement?

Have him install a fresh set of wiper blades.

Suggest he use wiper fluid rated for winter use year round - no surprises with the first freeze.

General use First Aid Kit.

Best of luck to you both.
 

Jure

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Thank you all for your replies.

I think I will add a hammer and a crescent wrench to the list. I will also add some basic fasteners, clamps, wire, fuses, and tape. I was planning on those, I just wanted to talk tool list. He has a spare belt.

The truck is in good shape. It had a major service at 100K (plugs, wires, cap, rotor, trans service, belt tensioner, belt, hoses). It has had an a/c compressor, water pump and antifreeze change, and new tires in the last 1000 miles. Battery is 2 years old. Brakes are OK. It will get an oil change before it leaves. Tempted to do starter and alternator but they are working so I think I will leave alone. He has AAA and a phone.

you stated he's a non-mechanical,so to me serp belt seems to be useless,i doubt he will be able to change it on the road..
 

ez-duzit

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My 18 YO son leaves for college next week. It is 500 miles away. He has a '97 Blazer with 110K miles. It has been pretty dependable. He is a good boy, but not at all mechanical. I want to send a small set of tools with him. I am thinking:

common and Philips screwdrivers
10, 12, 13, 15mm combo wrenches
basic 1/4 drive socket set
vice-grips

I can fix a lot of things with that. Do you have any suggestions of other must-haves for even the non-mechanical?

I would have thought a Blazer would be SAE. Get him the whole combination wrench set.

1/4" drive? Try 3/8". Get a set that includes sockets, a few extensions, breaker bar, ratchet...

~6" and 10" adjustable wrenches.

~6" and 10" adjustable wrenches.

Get him ONE 6-way screwdriver, to start.

mpSTPE7cRBUcMm-feHVLILA.jpg
 

gte718p

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I'll second the AAA membership.

Because most people here are mechanically inclined they assume everyone is or at least should be. If it is not an area of interest, no use wasting money one something they are not going to use anyway. In this day and age of cell phones and internet, it is really not necessary as it was even ten or twenty years ago.
 

redmondjp

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I'll second the AAA membership.

Because most people here are mechanically inclined they assume everyone is or at least should be. If it is not an area of interest, no use wasting money one something they are not going to use anyway. In this day and age of cell phones and internet, it is really not necessary as it was even ten or twenty years ago.

Well that, AND modern-day cars are much more complex, and can fail in ways that cannot easily be diagnosed and/or repaired along the side of a highway.

I grew up driving 1960s and 1970s cars. I drove them across the country multiple times. In some cases, I had one breakdown per day. In most cases, I was able to fix the problem using tools and spare parts I had with me, or obtained from a parts store along the way (which 99% of the time, actually had the part in stock). Other times, I had to limp into or get towed to a repair shop.

There are still a few repairs that can be done on the road. For example, a battery or alternator, or easily-accessible cooling hose. Random electronics failure that causes a no-start or no-run, or in-tank fuel pump failure, and you're going to need a tow.

OK, and here is a big difference for me (who now goes on long trips without so much as a screwdriver with me) - I do PREVENTIVE maintenance. That means replacing parts before failure. When I was young, I didn't have to worry about interference engines and the like, and money was tight so I didn't replace parts until they failed. Sometimes, that happened right in the middle of your vacation, which was why you had a spare water pump, hoses, and the tools to install them, in a box in the trunk.
 
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Loren871

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Breaker bar with the sockets that's fits his lug nuts
Small easy storable jack if the truck doesn't have one
Jumper cables
Tire plug kit. They sell a decent kit at advance with patches,air gauge etc for like 10 bucks

I would not go anymore then that. You've said he has no mechanical skill so these are the most basic things I feel like every man should be able to do.Some people on here are thinkin of themselves and not someone who has no mechanical skill.
 

3baygarage

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^ I agree, breaker bar with socket for lug nuts. Look on ebay and grab him a nice long breaker bar to keep in the truck. Every young driver should know how to change a flat.

I like Jure's Leatherman and Allen wrenches idea. Things that will probably get used!

Some of these comments priceless you guys.
 

Siteman25

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I would say someone who it non-mechanical should not plug a tire. If he can change the flat, take it to a tire store, most will do a proper patch on the tire for around $10 to $20 bucks, much safer than someone plugging a tire who does not know how to do so.
 

redmondjp

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I would say someone who it non-mechanical should not plug a tire. If he can change the flat, take it to a tire store, most will do a proper patch on the tire for around $10 to $20 bucks, much safer than someone plugging a tire who does not know how to do so.

I agree; even though I have been using them for years, sometimes even I make a stupid mistake ("Shoot, I pushed it all the way inside the tire again, D'op!").

And that tiny tube of contact cement - once that is opened up, don't count on it being viable for very long. I always keep a spare sealed tube with my kit. When plugging at home, I can fall back on the quart-sized can of contact cement on the shelf, which stays fresh so long as the lid is tight.
 

PJNJ

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The AAA card is probably the best idea and I would upgrade it to the Premier grade. That gives him 4 tows per year of up to 100 miles and one of those tows can be used for up to 200 miles. That way if he is close to home or campus, he can be towed there rather than the short distance to a service station on the regular AAA terms.

That list of pre-leaving maintenance sounds pretty good but I would add to check the brake pads, flush the brake system and check the condition of the spare tire.

As for a list of tools for him to make repairs other than tire changes, I would probably skip everything other than duct tape, zip ties, bungee cords, nylon rope and some spare fuses. Sometimes having a somewhat comprehensive set of tools and not knowing what to do with them can cause more problems than they solve.

For tire changes I would get him a HF breaker bar along with the proper socket for the lugs, a can of fix-a-flat, a small 12v tire air compressor, a good rechargeable led light that can stand on it's own, a jack stand and show him how to properly use the vehicle jack.

:beer:
 

moron88

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didnt see anyone else say it so i will, a good knife. something like the buck 110 or, for a little added functionality, the sog escape. the buck 110 is made in the USA and hasnt really changed since it was introduced 53 years ago. it's the quintessential lock back pocket knife. the sog escape is a newer chinese made knife with a seatbelt/rope cutter and glass breaker bottom.
 

ez-duzit

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...Sometimes having a somewhat comprehensive set of tools and not knowing what to do with them can cause more problems than they solve...

Come on! Can't be trusted with tools?

Having tools in his car, if he breaks down, will at least let someone else help him, if he needs help.
 

bigjeff94

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I'm a 22 year old college student and I'm heading to my last year of college next week. I personally carry a craftsman rally box in my toolbox as well as an assortment of consumables and fluids, spare belt, I run a 97 Silverado. Honestly, I think a stanley mechanics set from Walmart should have him pretty much covered, add a few extras like more extensions more wrenches, etc . I second the Pittsburgh breaker bar and lug socket recommendation too.
 

M6erfan

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Good suggestions here...

I'd add a heavy duty 55ga drum liner. It has a ton of uses including a waterproof ground mat, or cut a few holes in it and it's an emergency poncho, slice it apart and it's a tarp, etc...it takes almost no space

Also, a good headlamp. It lets you operate hands free. Keep lithium batteries in it as they will take the temp extremes of an automobile interior much better than alkaline.

Good luck!
 

bigjeff94

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Also I just wanted to add, good luck to your son, I'm sure he will enjoy himself.
 
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