The essential car tool kit....any thought?

[BackTracker]

I stopped to help a guy on the side of the road today and I pulled out a champion, yes champion, tool kit in a blow molded case my mother in law had purchased me a few years ago. It's the perfect size and weight. But, while I popped the timing belt cover off a 3000gt today for this poor kid, I noticed that my car kit was decidedly lacking...a basic ratchet and a couple wrenches just weren't enough on the side of the road when I couldn't dismantle what I needed to to get to one bolt. I quickly realized that an extension and a u joint would have been ideal addition's... I got to thinking about it (as I seem to be in this situation a lot) and I'm thinking about putting together an "essentials car tool kit"

What do you guys think would be the necessities for the car tool kit. It's got to be small and space efficient, relatively light and versatile. not to mention inexpensive enough that I won't have a heart attack when the car gets broken into but no so cheap that it breaks the first time out.

I'll start off with Duct Tape, just because

 

[nissan_crawler]

I have:

1/4", 3/8", 1/2" socket set
side cutters
needle nose/tongue and groove/slip joint pliers
#0,1, 2, 3, 4, phillips/three flat blades
metric/sae wrench set
hammer
pipe wrench
1/2" breaker bar and 1 1/2" socket for trailer balls
first aid kit
jumper cables
tow strap
paper towels/waterless hand cleaner
leather gloves
duct tape
oil pan/gas tank sealer if something gets a hole
flashlight
head mounted light
silicone
fuse kit

On long trips, a crate with mix antifreeze, engine oil, ****** fluid, and spare hoses/hose clamps/barbed fittings(for repairing hoses)/belts/plugs/plug wires goes in. I just keep the old stuff that was due to be replaced, but still worked fine. It's free, and can save your ***.

The trailer has:
spare wheel bearings (greased)
spare hub
cotter pins for wheel nut
spool of wire
crimp connectors, side cutters, and crimp tool

way overkill? maybe, but I have yet to get myself stranded. I've swapped plugs and wired when it was -40*, replaced a trailer hub on the road, put new bearings/brakes/drum/hub on our minivan along the road, put a radiator hose on the eclipse, and a belt, repaired 3 burst ****** lines.

It honestly doesn't take up that much space. Socket kit, a backpack, and a toolbag. Then there's the crate for long road trips.

 

[TheToolMan]

I have an AAA card

 

[DHCrocks]

wow nissan you cary a lot of stuff, but a #4 phillips? anyways I'll add to that list a wire stripper/crimper along with some terminals and a couple of feet of 16ga, 12ga wire and plastic wire ties
(big 12" ones come in handy to hold things together in an accident). Also, the tire sealer/inflator in a can thing, and an adjustable wrench for any odd size fasteners you may come across.

 

[illmatyk]

wow nissan you cary a lot of stuff, but a #4 phillips? anyways I'll add to that list a wire stripper/crimper along with some terminals and a couple of feet of 16ga, 12ga wire and plastic wire ties
(big 12" ones come in handy to hold things together in an accident). Also, the tire sealer/inflator in a can thing, and an adjustable wrench for any odd size fasteners you may come across.

Dont use the tire sealer/inflator of your vehicle has tire pressure sensors, it'll screw them up and you'll have to get new sensors or look at a tire light all the time.

 

[olds88]

I have
1/4 ratchet - SK
3/8 ratchet - Craftsman
1/2 breaker bar - Fleet
basic set of Craftsman sockets, SAE and Metric, Deep and Shallow, 1/4 and 3/8
17mm, 3/4, 21mm, and 7/8 deep 1/2 drive sockets (Craftsman)
Various 1/4 adn 3/8 Extensions (Craftsman)
Test light (Lisle)
Digital multimeter (Actron)
cutters, needle nose, and groove-joint pliers (craftsman)
Metric Hex socket set (Craftsman)
Set of Metric and SAE wrenches (mixed, Blue-Point, Craftsman, S-K)
Phillips, flat, and Torx screwdrivers (Craftsman)
Equus Innova OBD2-CAN scanner I picked up off the clearance table at Sears for $80, with live data, mode 6, freeze frame, etc
heavy jumper cables

It all actually fits in a pretty small Craftsman canvas tool bag. Pretty heavy though.

 

[Big_John]

I have an AAA card

and a cell phone.

 

[speed bump]

1/4, 3/8, and 1/2" socket sets.
Wrenches up to 7/8 and 16mm
Pliers
Vice Grips
Safety Wire
Various screwdrivers
Hook pick set
U-joint, extensions
1/2" breaker bar
some other tools that I am forgetting.

 

[krehmkej]

+ A battery terminal cleaner.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Def a 1/2 breaker bar, and a few sockets. One for lug nuts. Some cars you use the breaker to remove belt. Carry a spare belt, too. Can of fix a flat....In case you see a hottie in need. I always carry a pair of bolt cutters. I've been locked in parking lots a few times before, and its nice to have "a master key."

 

[metaleltr]

Dont use the tire sealer/inflator of your vehicle has tire pressure sensors, it'll screw them up and you'll have to get new sensors or look at a tire light all the time.

Fix a Flat brand make it that is safe for the sensors

 

[metaleltr]

Vise grips, duct tape, electrical tepe, hose clamps, hose splicer, heater hose, motor oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, rags, grease. Small stable jack and jack stand for tire changes, small air compressor, tire gauge. Socket set ranging foe 1/4" dive up to 1/2" drive. Breaker bar, gearwrenches, prybar, jumpercables, a good flashlight, fix a flat, piece of brake ine and compression fitings, tubing cutter, line wrenches, trailer ball wrench, BFH, SFH, screwdrivers, torx bits, stripped bolt remover. Several feet of wire, crimp on conectors, wire stripper, liquid electrical tape, multi meter. Baking soda and water. Epoxy putty for gas tank repairs. WD-40, PB blaster, teflon lubricant. Rope, tow strap. This is just what i can think of right now post more if i think of anything.

 

[metaleltr]

channellocks
wireties
slip joint pliers
side cutters
needle nose pliers
magnetic parts tray

 

[Givl Reggin]

I have an AAA card

and a cell phone.

...and the number to the local tow truck.

Realistically, I carry the bare minimum, if it's going to take more than duct tape, or a screwdriver and pliers it's being towed to the shop. I can't imagine changing radiator hoses on the side of the road. let alone doing any kind of brake work!

 

[metaleltr]

I can easily see a radiator cange on the roadside, That adds another iten to our list radiator hose pliers

 

[ihredo4]

I carry bare minimum with me on short and local trips. Pliers, Socket set, breaker bar and lug nut spare light bulb and wiper. For long trips I can rebuild the vehicle. To the extent that I can rebuild most anything on the side of the road. 5 years ago I was going thru the Rockies and lit my breaks on fire. I literally had flames 1-2 feet above the hood. I was towing a gooseneck trailer that weighed close to 12,000lbs. We lost breaks on the trailer at the continental divide. No prior notice to the grade and length of the pass. Anyhow. I had to replace everyhting on the front end of the truck. Pads, rotors, calipers and lines (both rubber and steel.) Dad and I rebuilt the front end sitting in the park in well over 100 degree heat. I had all my tools there to do it save for the parts. Carquest was across the street and had all the parts on hand...Thank God for that.
Anyway I go prepared during that kind of trip.

 

[olds88]

Carrying tools saved my *** once...

I was on my way back to New York from South Florida, and in the middle of nowhere my generator light starts glowing. No problem, changing an alternator on a 1981 Oldsmobile with a 307 is easier than swapping the spare tire on. I find an AutoZone or one of those places and I'm in the parking lot putting the new alternator in, and to get it in place I had to push the upper radiator hose out of the way a little bit. Suddenly I'm getting sprayed with coolant, the neck cracked. Back into AutoZone, now buying a radiator, and they were nice enough to give me a drain pan that they were gonna throw out anyway because it was missing the cap. Needless to say, thanks to carrying tools, and a little luck, I was back on the road without ever needing to call a tow truck or having someone else work on my car .

Since then I also carry a spare alternator, and added a 15/16 wrench to my kit for swapping the pulley, my 1985 Pontiac 6000 2.8 2BBL has a serpentine belt for the alternator, and my spare has a pulley for a v-belt. Which is kind of strange because the power steering, a/c, and AIR pump belts are v-belts.

 

[Givl Reggin]

I can easily see a radiator cange on the roadside, That adds another iten to our list radiator hose pliers

The problem with that is you also need to carry both the upper and lower radiator hoses, heater hoses, extra hose clamps, might as well throw in there a heater control valve because they seem to leak all the time, plus 3 gallons of antifreeze and a couple of gallons of water.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

The problem with that is you also need to carry both the upper and lower radiator hoses, heater hoses, extra hose clamps, might as well throw in there a heater control valve because they seem to leak all the time, plus 3 gallons of antifreeze and a couple of gallons of water.

5 gallons of fluid? Are you planning on changing a semi truck radiator?

 

[evintho]

As stated, cell phone and AAA card w/100 mile towing option are the best tools you can have on the road!

On long trips I carry a small tool bag. All of my cars have metric fasteners.
1/4" ratchet, sockets and a bunch of extensions.
3/8" breaker bar.
3/8" to 1/4" adapter.
#2 phillps screwdriver.
Medium and large flat blade screwdriver.
2 really tiny flatblade screwdrivers to disconnect wire harness connectors.
10mm - 14mm combination wrenches.
Wire cutters.
Small ball peen hammer.
Channellock adjustable pliers.
Small and medium vice grips.
Wire ties.
Duct tape.
Pair of Mechanix gloves.
Rags.
Small flashlight.
Multimeter.
Small magnet and small mirror.
Pre-moistened towelettes.

 

[Snappy]

The problem with that is you also need to carry both the upper and lower radiator hoses, heater hoses, extra hose clamps, might as well throw in there a heater control valve because they seem to leak all the time, plus 3 gallons of antifreeze and a couple of gallons of water.

I can easily see a radiator cange on the roadside, That adds another iten to our list radiator hose pliers

Might want to bring a rad hose pick too.

 

[Givl Reggin]

5 gallons of fluid? Are you planning on changing a semi truck radiator?

Hardly...

Ford 5.4l Expedition - 20.6 quarts (5.25 gal)
Cadillac 5.7l Fleetwood - 16.8 quarts (4.35 gal)

 

[nissan_crawler]

I have an AAA card

and a cell phone.

I've never found it very useful, IMHO. I had it and dropped it.

Call them (assuming you have reception, in BFE, you don't)

Wait for 2-3 hours if you're in BFE.

Get towed to a shop.

Get a motel.

Wait until Monday for shop to open.

Pay shop exorbitant amounts of money to do a half assed job.

Meanwhile, I'm breaking out the tools and have it fixed before the tow truck shows up.

 

[pjcforpres2020]

Sounds like some of you are carrying a shop's worth of tools and parts with you! I have a jack, a jack stand, a 3/8" drive metric socket set, 1/2" breaker with the standard lug nut sizes, a 3/8" to 1/2" adapter so those sockets have double duty, jumper cables, and one of those boxes with a bunch of different electrical connectors. I also have spare fuzes. All in all, it takes up a small duffel bag for the tools, and the the jack and jack stand.

If I come across someone on the side of the road, I stop, will do my best to help, but I am not going to hall tools around so I can fix their car. I have what I need to do a quick fix on my car, if it takes more than that, tow truck! It usually isn't a great idea to do a bearing change on the side of the road. Most I have had to do is switch out an intank fuel pump, but that was a 10 minute job in my works parking lot.

The best car tool kit is to make sure you car is in good running order before you leave on that long trip. Things rarely suddenly break without notice, except for electrical stuff.

 

[Givl Reggin]

I've never found it very useful, IMHO. I had it and dropped it.
Meanwhile, I'm breaking out the tools and have it fixed before the tow truck shows up.

In the past 25 years the only times I have ever been left stranded were because of an alternator and a fuel pump - what do you do in those situations? Do you carry spare parts with you? If so where do you draw the line? fan belt, radiator hoses, water pump, alternator, fuel pump, spark plugs & wires, PCM, BCM, master cylinder, brake lines, ball joints, tie rod ends? In my experience you can't cover everything that will fail and what will actually fail will be something you never thought of.

My father was one of those that carried everything including the kitchen sink... the one time the car stalled on the side of the road he didn't have when he needed. A fuel line had burst and sent fuel all over the engine and into the crankcase.... a cold strong wind helped the fire engulfed the front of the car in a few minutes time... the next day he goes out and buys a a fire extinguisher for each car - can't think of everything! But, that's my point; at what point do you say: ok, I can change a tire on the side of the road, but replacing a ___ it gets towed?

 

[nissan_crawler]

In the past 25 years the only times I have ever been left stranded were because of an alternator and a fuel pump - what do you do in those situations? Do you carry spare parts with you? If so where do you draw the line? fan belt, radiator hoses, water pump, alternator, fuel pump, spark plugs & wires, PCM, BCM, master cylinder, brake lines, ball joints, tie rod ends? In my experience you can't cover everything that will fail and what will actually fail will be something you never thought of.

My father was one of those that carried everything including the kitchen sink... the one time the car stalled on the side of the road he didn't have when he needed. A fuel line had burst and sent fuel all over the engine and into the crankcase.... a cold strong wind helped the fire engulfed the front of the car in a few minutes time... the next day he goes out and buys a a fire extinguisher for each car - can't think of everything! But, that's my point; at what point do you say: ok, I can change a tire on the side of the road, but replacing a ___ it gets towed?

fuel pump, I would catch a ride. That's what I had to do when the wheel bearings on the minivan went. Got the parts, caught a ride back and fixed it.

Fuel line...I have stuff to repair that, and a fire extinguisher.

I pulled a manual transmission and changed a clutch in a parking lot with tools bought from the parts store. Unless I absolutely, positively have no option, I'm not calling a tow truck.

 

[pjcforpres2020]

I caught a ride myself as well... only time she has been towed is when the mass air sensor went out, and we didn't get that diagnoised in the field properly, and only had a day to either fix it or tow it, and the other time, well...

 

[HandyManny]

Had AAA, but let it expire in July. Guess I should renew it. Otherwise I always carry the following minimum in both vehicles:

Jumper Cables
10" adjustable wrench
10" Channellock pliers
7" diagonal cutter
8" Slip-Joint pliers (hose clamp)
Ace 4-in-1 screwdriver
7" long nose pliers
36 piece 3/8"drive socket/ratchet set
21" long 1/2"drive breaker bar
19mm lugnut deep socket 1/2"drive
2 D cell maglite LED
2 AA mini-maglite LED
battery terminal puller
battery carrier arm
telescopic inspection mirror
tire pressure gauge.

This may seem like a lot, but most of it fits into a football sized vinyl zip case, what doesn't fit's under the back seat or in the glovebox or consel box.

Before long road trips I make sure my vehicle is in good working order. On those trips I also throw in a funnel and extra quart of motor oil, and some distilled water for the battery.

 

[speed bump]

In the past 25 years the only times I have ever been left stranded were because of an alternator and a fuel pump - what do you do in those situations? Do you carry spare parts with you? If so where do you draw the line? fan belt, radiator hoses, water pump, alternator, fuel pump, spark plugs & wires, PCM, BCM, master cylinder, brake lines, ball joints, tie rod ends? In my experience you can't cover everything that will fail and what will actually fail will be something you never thought of.

My father was one of those that carried everything including the kitchen sink... the one time the car stalled on the side of the road he didn't have when he needed. A fuel line had burst and sent fuel all over the engine and into the crankcase.... a cold strong wind helped the fire engulfed the front of the car in a few minutes time... the next day he goes out and buys a a fire extinguisher for each car - can't think of everything! But, that's my point; at what point do you say: ok, I can change a tire on the side of the road, but replacing a ___ it gets towed?

If I can limp it home I get it there. Heck 95% of the time my tools and what not are in the truck to work on someone elses **** or some project i'm working out of the truck on. Its much easier to go out to the truck and pull out exactly what I need to fix something than to hope I can pull it off with nothing more than a leathermam, a crescent and a prayer.

 

[Big_John]

I've never found it very useful, IMHO. I had it and dropped it.

Call them (assuming you have reception, in BFE, you don't)

Wait for 2-3 hours if you're in BFE.

Get towed to a shop.

Get a motel.

Wait until Monday for shop to open.

Pay shop exorbitant amounts of money to do a half assed job.

Meanwhile, I'm breaking out the tools and have it fixed before the tow truck shows up.

When the cars were simplier and I was younger, I did a lot of repairs on the side of the road. The cars are a lot more complicated and don't lend themselves to roadside repairs like they used to. I'm a lot older now too and laying under a car changing a starter in 0* degree weather isn't gonna happen either.

The AAA card and the cell phone are like anything else... tools... You have to know when and how to use them.

I carry a few tools for the simplier things. I won't get stranded for something that can be fixed with a screwdriver and some duct tape.

Getting back on topic, I do have a serious suggestion. I've used ammo cans to carry tools and parts. They're available cheap and pretty much weather proof.

 

[RLRRLRLL]

I carry a stanley set i bought at walmart a few years ago...has like...idk...id say 80-100 pieces. Works when i need it. Got a tool box full of tools in the garage if i have to limp home.

 

[wreckercologist]

Some of you guys are nuts!

Big_John makes a good point. Auto's are much more complicated now.

I guess I have it easy. I've built tow trucks and carriers for everybody in town. I'd probably get a free tow if I really needed it.

By the way, anybody mention:

test light

band aids/first aid

multi-meter

hand cleaner

cardboard(to lay on)

 

[e-tek]

I carry only the absolute essentials -

bottel o' Jack Daniels, pack o' CaMeL lights with a little green mixed in.....
....a blanket.....and my sweet little Mrs. E-tek....

 

[speed bump]

I forgot about the just in case anything at all breaks fix, the Airco Super Hornet 300 amp engine driven arc welder I have in the bed.

 

[ihredo4]

I had to carry extra tools on my trip since I collect International Harvestor tractors. All the gages were replaced with mechanical units over the idiot lights. Good thing since my fan clutch went out and the auto trans fluid helped heat the radiator. That gage saved my $3-5000 in engine repairs on the IDI 7.3 diesel. Still have the same truck, 92 F350, But now running a 12V Cummins w/a NV4500 5 speed manual. Not just anybody is getting to even touch that much less work on it.

 

[JD6619A]

I had to carry extra tools on my trip since I collect International Harvestor tractors. All the gages were replaced with mechanical units over the idiot lights. Good thing since my fan clutch went out and the auto trans fluid helped heat the radiator. That gage saved my $3-5000 in engine repairs on the IDI 7.3 diesel. Still have the same truck, 92 F350, But now running a 12V Cummins w/a NV4500 5 speed manual. Not just anybody is getting to even touch that much less work on it.

Adding real gauges saved my **** in my Jetta (autometer volt and oil press, a month or so back my alternator went and the only way i knew it went was the volt gauge I added was way down near 11 volts, so luckily I had enough time to get to a VW dealer and buy an alternator and install it with the tools I had in the back of my car (toolbox) in about 20 mins then bring the old one in and collect my core money and went on my way

 

[Coach James]

I got stuck changing the alternator on a '93 Saturn in the rain on the side of the road once. Only tools I had were a $5 cheapo socket set and a couple pliers that my dad brought me. Since then I have carried:

a rubber mallet,
#1, #2 Phillips and slotted screwdrivers,
10" adjustable wrench,
combo wrenches 5/16 to 7/8 plus the metrics that go along with them,
slip joint and tongue & groove pliers,
vise grips,
zip ties,
hose clamps,
spare serpentine belt,
knife,
small wire brush,
8" C clamp,
battery terminal cleaner,
fire extinguisher,
first aid kit,
jumper cables,
3/8 socket set with metric and standard sockets from 1/4 to 7/8,
electrical tape,
some rubber hose
few other things I don't remember.

Minus the fire extinguisher and 1st aid kit, it all fits in a C-man 14" tool bag and takes up very little space.

I understand the cell phone and AAA but if I'm four hours from home on the first day of a several day trip, I don't want to have the car towed home, trip over when I could fix the problem in 15 minutes to a couple hours.

We were at a gymnastics meet in Charlotte when one of the brake pads fell of the backing plate. I dropped my wife at the meet then went to Advance Auto, bought the parts and put on new brakes in about an hour. Still the rest of that day and the next two to enjoy the trip.

Also, I have roadside coverage with GEICO so I skip the AAA service.

I've helped several friends/relatives that were stuck when we were on trips together when their alternator or battery went bad. Strange though, the battery terminal cleaner has helped more stranded drivers than any of the other tools.

Coach

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Do you guys regularly drive through the desert or something? You carry a mobile workshop in your cars..

 

[nissan_crawler]

Do you guys regularly drive through the desert or something? You carry a mobile workshop in your cars..

I don't know how england is, but the U.S. is much more spread out than most of europe.

I can easily be 1-2 hours from a major town on a road trip. Hell, even IF I had to be towed, I would still rather be towed to a parts store and have the tools to get what I need and get it fixed and back on the road, than wait around until monday for some hack shop to overcharge me to fix it.

When I drove from Denver to North Dakota, we might see 2-3 cars an hour in some places. Good luck on somebody stopping.

Short of a complete engine/transmission/rear end failure, I'm doing it myself.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I could understand for a real long/remote journey. But keeping a mobile workshop and parts department in your car to drive 20 mins to and from work every day is a little excessive to me.