Truck tool kit bag vs box

[gsea]

So I've been looking high and low trying to decide what to do for my truck box tool kit. This is not a trade-specific kit or even an emergency kit, but rather a half mechanics / half general repair kit to just keep in the truck. Seems like I'm always needing tools for something, whether it is a friend's car, or grandma's vacuum, soembody's laptop, or girlfriend's plumbing.

I started out with a craftsman rally box loaded up for any conceivable auto repair. That proved to be just too bulky, and I realized that a lot of the time when I needed tools it was for random household stuff and I didn't have tools for that. So I switched to a big plain canvas bag and now have a massive jumble of stuff that takes forever to search through.

It seems like most of the tool bags out there (veto pro pac, clc, etc.) are geared more for contractors/tradesmen and associated carpentry/electrical/etc tools.

I'm thinking a pro pac XL may work, or something like a 16" wide mouth bag with some internal pockets (snap-on, mac, or toughbuilt).

Again, I'd like to carry a fairly comprehensive mechanics set, and a solid mix of general purpose tools for home repairs, and a few items for electronics (precision screwdrivers, etc). Essentially fix most anything at any time.

As this will live permanently in the truck box, I'd like it to be minimally bulky as well.

Any recommendations?

 

[Antique Engine]

This guy did it very well.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1652594&postcount=9

It sounds like his setup would suit your situation very well. I'm in the process of rigging out my junkyard tool bag in a similar way.

 

[Provincial]

Try keeping your wrenches in a roll with pockets. It keeps them sorted and if you get one with big enough pockets, you can put more than one wrench (of the same size) in each pocket. If you use both SAE and Metric, having separate rolls keeps them organized. The rolls don't have to go in your bag. Keep them separate and throw in the appropriate one if you will be needing a wrench for the job at hand.

I keep combination, double box end, and adjustable wrenches in my rolls. I started with a Proto roll, and now have one custom-made by a friend. Having a flap above the open end of the pockets helps keep the wrenches contained if stored where gravity would help them fall out of the pockets. Extra eyelets along the top edge allow you to hang the roll on some nails or screws which makes the wrenches very easy to access.

Consider having a large bag of general tools and dividing the rest into smaller bags specialized for tasks, like electrical, plumbing, etc. That way you grab the general bag and the specialized bag for the task and don't have to dig to find the special tool.

Sockets on a rail in a bag works well if you organize the bag so the sockets don't get knocked off. Good rails are a must to keep the sockets from falling off too easily.

Strips with many pouches that can be rolled up for storage and rolled out flat to expose the tools are great for organizing. They keep the tools sorted and when rolled out they expose every tool to view and when packing up an empty pocket alerts you to a missing tool.

 

[Deskmechanic]

I have one of these:

http://www.offroadtrailtools.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=164

With all the tools I need to work on my vintage car/truck. Except for a 1/2 inch breaker bar with a 13/16 socket, which lives under the seat.

Edit: Just saw you are trying to be more comprehensive. How about a Craftsman Rally box? They are small enough and light enough for that kind of use.

 

[Automag88]

or girlfriend's plumbing

I think you're on your own with that one

 

[tshetter]

I think you're on your own with that one

We have a plumbing outfit down in FL called....wait for it....The Pink Plumber.

Worked with a highly womanizing plumber and I always wanted to find one of their shirt for him, but no go.

Time to snake that pipe!!


Anyway...

I have used a tool backpack for a go-bag for a few years now. Made by Custom Leathercraft, although it is nylon not leather.

48 POCKET DELUXE TOOL BACKPACK:

Holds up pretty well, I've got about 35lb of tools in it and its MUCH easier to carry than a similarly weighted toolbag. Putting the weight on your back is much more comfortable and also frees up a hand for carrying other items. The organization is also much better than with a standard tool bag, or the open top rigid side bags.

They also make a larger bag:
75 POCKET HEAVY-DUTY TOOL BACKPACK

People seem to dismiss the idea of a tool backpack right off the bat until they try it in person and see how much easier it is to carry and organize tools with.

 

[sparky7]

I think that the tool backpack is the best way, but it is pricey. Doing line maintenance on aircraft and taking tools to a remote location to fix a plane i have seen a lot of guys use the tool backpack.

Edit:The backpack guys were using for aircraft maint. was around 300 bucks, that 100 bucks seems like a no brainer but i wonder about the quality?

Short of that i think that guy posted earlier with the bag with containers in it is one of the better ideas i have seen. The only thing i dont like about it is that you cant really tell if you are missing a wrench when you pack up because they are all jumbled together.

Personally i hate the tool rolls because stuff can fall out of them when you are transporting.

 

[gte718p]

I have done the tool rolls. I used one very similar to the off road on deskmechanic posted. I had one for general tools, and two for wrenches. I out grew that setup and had a lot of extra tools in a line man's bag. I upgraded to the leather craft backpack tbat tshetter posted. I like the backpack a lot. However it has some glaring problems. I might be switching back to my roles. First the backpack has a ton of small pockets that are wasted to me. It also only has one set of pockets for wrenches. You can either carry standard or metric in a nice organized fashion. Finally, no pocket was big enough to drop my socket rails into. I had to modify my rails to get the to fit in the big pocket. Despite its problems I still like the leather craft backpack. If I didn't have to carry a full set of standard and metric tools it would be great.

 

[GCncsuHD]

Personally i hate the tool rolls because stuff can fall out of them when you are transporting.

Tool roll with a flap over the tools, and nothing will fall out.

 

[gsea]

Anybody use one of those wide-mouth type bags?

 

[gsea]

Anyone... Buhler?

This:

I wonder if their soft boxes are designed to fit just nicely inside? I'm thinking I could put foam cutouts in them for a nice compact socket sets, and then have the remainder of the bag for a wrench roll or two, saw, hammers, drill, etc.

Or these:

 

[GCncsuHD]

I just went with a 155piece Craftsman mechanics set that was on sale, then used the extra empty space in the box to fill up with ziplock bags with electrical crimp fittings and wire nuts, extra lengths of wire, zip ties, random small nuts and bolts, pliers, screwdrivers, adjustable wrench, electrical tape, extensions, a few extra deep well 1/2" sockets the kit didn't come with (3/4, 13/16, 7/8 for lug nuts), a set of quadbox gearwrenches, and probably much more I'm forgetting. It fits nicely standing up inside my toolbox, taking up very little space. I have a few larger items -hammer, pry bar, 1/2" breaker bar, etc that have to stay outside the box.

I have one of these in my daily driver, and an almost identical setup in my 78 one ton truck.

 

[wolf_from_wv]

I'm also trying to set up a bag. Just one portable bag. Jeff Foxworthy, with his redneck words, might call it a sensuous tool kit. No, not that... "Since you is" here, could you help me with __________?

I like having modules. A brake kit, battery kit, plumbing kit, etc. The problem comes with not knowing what you will be doing and making multiple trips to load all the modules...

Whenever I load up the tool boxes, bags, jack, jack stands, power tools, electrical kit, I envision something like an extended cab F550 with an enclosed utility bed/workspace, ladder rack, generator...