Road Tools In My Pickup

[Art From De Leon]

No Chicrap here!

Enough to change a tire, fuel filter, replace a bulb, tighten a hose clamp, or replace the belt.

 

[makgreens]

does your truck really fall apart that much

 

[wadd1]

Chinese Truck ?

 

[vartz04]

I keep a 50 piece tool set I got at walmart for $3 on clearance in my truck box. I threw some duct tape in with it and its enough to do most any temporary side of the road repair. I drive an 08 silverado though so I will never use it anytime soon haha

 

[HandyManny]

I'm sure his truck doesn't fall apart that often, unless it's a Ford

No seriously, he keeps that stuff in his truck because he's smart. I do the same and have almost exactly the same items in my Jeep all the time too. No Chicrap for me either. Channellock brand pliers (10" tongue&groove, 8" slip joint, and 7" diagonal cutters), Long Cman 1/2" drive breaker bar, various sockets, 10" Cman adjustable wrench, 3/8" drive stubby flex handled ratchet, ACE 5-in-1 screwdriver. Bondhus fold-up Torx tool. I also include a 2D cell Maglite with factory LED module bulb and a Lisle battery terminal puller, Gerber folding shovel, and Leatherman multi-tool and a few red shop rags in my vehicle. In my opinion it's always wise to have stuff like this handy, especially on a long road trip, because you never know.....

 

[tw33k2514]

I keep a set of metric sockets and wrenches, ratcheting screwdriver, pliers, flashlight, and a knife in my truck box.

 

[r6_cannibal]

The knife and flash light are on me wherever I go. in the trunk I have a small set of the basic combo wrenches, basic sockets in 1/4 3/8 and 1/2, raised panel ratchet in 3/8 with adaptors for 1/4 and 1/2, pliers, adjustable wrench, and a breaker bar in 1/2. I made a "custom" holder for everything. It's fiberglass modules that sit in the spare tire and i shadowed it all with foam inserts into the fiberglass. Doesn't take up any cargo space and keeps it all organized. I keep a first aid kit in the trunk too, but no room in the holder for that one. Another thing I keep is a bottle jack, because I don't like the scissor jack that the car has.
I do drive a ford, so this is all needed as it likes to break down at the most inopportune moments.
I'm sure most of you on this board are also "go to" guys when a friends car breaks down on the side of the road, so it's convenient to have all this stuff already packed when you need to go rescue someone.

 

[Hiball]

I can remember when i was a kid, when we vacationed we always drove account it was cheaper. My step dad had a friend that owned a parts store, So everytime we would get ready to go somewhere he would grab belts,alternator,starter,hoses and other misc parts that he would keep in the trunk along with suitable tools just in case we broke down. I used to think this was super wierd but i too like to be prepared for some of lifes little problems also nowadays. I drive newer vehicles so i dont carry replacement parts but i do carry a small bag full of hand tools a breaker bar with apropriate socket to change a tire and of course a real jack.

 

[makgreens]

i used to carry alot of tools with me when i drove an old dodge....
now i drive a toyota so no worries haha
actually i have a cheap tool set that came with some campbell hausefeld kit i was given

 

[JD6619A]

I recently put my car's tool box back together, has a good host of tools in it and I also keep a fully charged booster pack in case I have a dead battery or a flatg tire, it also has 2 120V plugs and a 12V cigarette lighter which is good for charging phones and the like. I have a survival kit as well, pair of booster cables, 2D maglite LED, shovel, Flares, triangle and all that, warm pair of gloves, coveralls and for the odd thing a propane torch, I also keep traction aids and a extra gallon of washer fluid ( i usually buy the 2 gallon jugs since they don't go dry as much.

You can never be too prepared IMO

 

[eborcim]

You can laugh, but we drove out to SD last year and I packed enough tools to pretty much overhaul the Escape. Wife balked at the cherry picker though. I did bring a cordless impact in case we were somewhere with a flat tire and I needed to take a nap..

 

[alex71]

no need for torque wrenches in the truck kit...

get rid of that and pack a small o/a outfit

 

[Art From De Leon]

no need for torque wrenches in the truck kit...

get rid of that and pack a small o/a outfit

Torque wrench for tightening lug nuts.

I forgot to show my tire pressure gauge, Maglite, OTC 5 ton USA made hydralic jack, and knife (which maybe Chicrap)

 

[bb1970]

+1 on the torque wrench. I was kind of puzzled. I would grab a few wrenches. And a few more sockets. And leave the torque wrench at home.

 

[vartz04]

honestly just get the lug nuts as tight as you can and leave em, I have never torqued my lug nuts and I have never had a wheel come flying off/be damaged from being loose

 

[Art From De Leon]

+1 on the torque wrench. I was kind of puzzled. I would grab a few wrenches. And a few more sockets. And leave the torque wrench at home.

I am going to put a battery terminal cleaner, and maybe a battery cable puller in the 'kit'. As far as other tools, if anything major should happen, it is not going to be done along side the highway, or in the parking lot of the parts store.

 

[Need4racin]

Not torquing lug nuts can lead to a rotor warping.

 

[Coach James]

I am going to put a battery terminal cleaner, and maybe a battery cable puller in the 'kit'. As far as other tools, if anything major should happen, it is not going to be done along side the highway, or in the parking lot of the parts store.

I keep one of those in my travel tool bag. Rescued two "It won't start" vehicles with it. Both times they were male drivers and neither seemed to have heard of cleaning battery terminals.

As to belts, on my Grand Prix, a 3/8 ratchet or breaker bar is all I need..or an adjustable wrench. On my Grand Caravan, I have to jack the front end up, take off the passenger side wheel, mud guard, tensioner cover to replace belt. Total BS that you have to tow a trailer of tools or call a tow truck due to a broken belt.


Coach

 

[Coach James]

Not torquing lug nuts can lead to a rotor warping.

Uh oh, Is it time for torque/don't torque lug nuts round two?

 

[JD6619A]

Although it may be handy in some cases but I don't see myself needing a torque wrench for roadside repairs. If I need my torque wrenches I'll bring it with me but It's not something I use all that much. Can't bring myself to get a cheap TQ wrench either. I don't buy cheap brake parts for the car so I can't say I've had warped rotors yet due to that plus I've been tightening on my lug bolts to know what's tight enough (my calibrated arm) If it's for anything else then I'll use my SO Tech Wrench's

 

[r6_cannibal]

Rescued two "It won't start" vehicles with it. Both times they were male drivers and neither seemed to have heard of cleaning battery terminals.

In a grocery store parking lot I was walking out and on my way to my car this guy with two girls in his car had the hood up and when asked he said it wouldn't start. come to find out his battery was just low on fluids and i jokingly said "well, looks like your flux capacitor is shot". The two girls kinda giggled and he replied "oh man, is that going to be expensive??"

doc brown would be rolling over in his grave.

 

[lauver]

No Chicrap here!

Enough to change a tire, fuel filter, replace a bulb, tighten a hose clamp, or replace the belt.

Art,

You've got a good assortment of emergency tools there; you could easily make due without the Torque Wrench though (you can always check the lugnuts when you get home). Replace the TW with a good flashlight and your good too go.

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

In a grocery store parking lot I was walking out and on my way to my car this guy with two girls in his car had the hood up and when asked he said it wouldn't start. come to find out his battery was just low on fluids and i jokingly said "well, looks like your flux capacitor is shot". The two girls kinda giggled and he replied "oh man, is that going to be expensive??"

doc brown would be rolling over in his grave.

I have done that at autostores... I tell the guy i need a flux capacitor for a new car(2004 S10), and I told him it was the fuses. He spent like 10 minutes looking for it<(this not part for this truck....., haa

 

[oldtools]

My friend car was broke into and all his tools were stolen. Because of that I would not put Snap On tools in my car. I only carry Crapsman and HF tools. How often do you need to use those tools?

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

My friend car was broke into and all his tools were stolen. Because of that I would not put Snap On tools in my car. I only carry Crapsman and HF tools. How often do you need to use those tools?

I only put a cheapo set...., I wish I could buy TNT.....

 

[Stick Figure]

I'll have to take some pics of my truck tool kit... i grabbed a duffel bag w/ a ton of pockets in it from one of the bass pro shop/ cabellas places for like $20. I do have more to add, but i even have a butane soldering kit, cheap multi meter, basic hand tools of course, as well as some recovery gear. I have never needed it, but on some of the trails the 4runner sees, i would rather be over prepared for sure.

Now my cars, different story, they don't have tool kits. Of course this is how i ended up w/ some of the cheap wal mart/gas station/auto parts store tools that i have. You really just never know! I remember sitting in the vail area inside a car wash one october at about 1am trying to re-attach a coolant hose on my MR2. Who would have thought driving a car w/ a failing head gasket 1600 miles was a bad idea? lol