Which tool set do you have in your vehicle?

[LGMechanical]

I noticed yesterday while driving the temperature rising and a sudden loss of heat. Certain that I had a coolant leak, I pulled over as soon as I could and saw coolant pouring down from the rear heater supply pipes

Using my leatherman, I was able to pull off the hoses connected to the pipes and plug them with what I had, a chap stick tube and zip ties. I walked to the nearest gas station and bought 2 gallons of coolant, poured it in and bled the system. It got me home.

It's a good thing I keep my leatherman with me, but there are certain things it can't do. So for that reason, I'd like to have a small but functional tool set of a good quality. Any suggestions?

 

[tyndall]

Being that this is a tool site, and people here are supposed to be handy and all, I think the most popular answer you'll get is "a credit card and cell phone".

I don't understand it either.

 

[MattPersman]

None except I guess credit card and cell phone. I drive new cars though so repair is a call away.

 

[sberry]

It seems the leatherman did the trick.

 

[volvo92906]

I have a tri-fold Husky set. Has sockets and wrenches. Bit driver with torx, allens, and screwdriver bits. A small plastic 'truck toolbox' with my scissor jack, ratchet, breaker bar, and socket (all wheel related), and some zip ties. I always carry my Gerber multi-tool.

If it needs more than that, I probably wont do it on the road.

 

[LGMechanical]

I stay on top of things, but my SUV is now 10 years old and I plan on keeping it a while longer. I have to expect the unexpected.

 

[Motor-Mechanic]

Being that this is a tool site, and people here are supposed to be handy and all, I think the most popular answer you'll get is "a credit card and cell phone".

I don't understand it either.

The flip side of this, is that everyone else will provide a list of tools that will require nothing short of a small armarda of trucks to transport them around

 

[toolstools]

Being the the low use they will have (hopefully anyway) I have a Stanley 205 piece I keep in y vehicle.

 

[LGMechanical]

The flip side of this, is that everyone else will provide a list of tools that will require nothing short of a small armarda of trucks to transport them around

I am looking for something in between I have removed my 3rd row stowable bench seat and have some space for such a kit.

 

[#1SomeGuy]

I leave this in my car:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brow...t+Multi-Purpose+Tool+Set,+67-Pc.jsp?locale=en

On sale (I got it 65% off or something) it's not bad, it's self contained, and has enough of the basic tools to do most repairs. I also have a gerber multi-tool, jumper cables, small air compressor with light, a first aid kit, gloves, rag or two, and an 18" breaker bar with 21mm socket for my lugs. That with roadside assistance and a cell phone I'm pretty well covered.

 

[96snma]

I keep a ammo can under the rear seat in my truck. Its got a small first aid kit, flashlight, fire starting equipment, multi screw driver, adjustable wrench, couple pliers, multi tool with knife, ratchet with about 5 common sockets used under the hood and a few more small items. There isn't much I'd be expecting to do on the side of the road. Nothing more than what you did. Especially without parts

I do also carry recovery equipment to get out of a ditch as this is a more likely scenario. A serpintine belt as its an easy change and a breaker bar with appropriate socket for the lugs

 

[TinKnocker]

I think its a 27 piece masterforce set. Under 30 bucks and has metric and sad.

 

[grogthegreat]

I always have my leatherman on me. Other than that, it depends a lot on the vehicle. A knipex plier wrench can take the place of a wrench set in most cases. A lot of times it can be an electrical issue that leaves you stranded so I like to keep a bit of wire and some cheap cheap crimp connectors in the car and use the leatherman to cut, strip and crimp as needed. If there is a very common nut/bolt size throughout your car than keep some extra nuts and bolts of that size in the car in case one rattles loose and falls off.

 

[volaredon]

I stay on top of things, but my SUV is now 10 years old and I plan on keeping it a while longer. I have to expect the unexpected.

only 10 yo? My daily driver is 20 years old and does 90 miles a day.
My 2nd vehicle and my wife's, (2 different vehicles I'm talking about though thye are both Jeeps) are both 97s. all have miles in the low 140s at present

I have a Stanley plastic hand carry toolbox and a "gate mouth" Bucket boss bag that I throw in the Dakota when I either go to the junkyards or when I get a call to come "rescue" someone on the side of the road.

 

[greasemonkey44]

alot; ive got a junkyard kit, cheap HF kit, assorted hammers and other tools roaming around back there
and a cheap break in kit, rod, wedge and pusher
i always keep a tiny air compressor and cheap plug kit around tho
theres a spare serpentine belt in the truck, some coolant, water, and TP
btdt

the only one that ever quit on me was my toyota tacoma; stupid clutch interlock took a **** and blew apart, id put it back together three times
it did it outside the dentists office, i hard wired that circuit together.....hasnt been a problem since

 

[braol]

Mostly what I keep is extra fluids, duct tape, and jumper cables. But I do have a few sockets, pliers, and screwdrivers. No full sets because I dont need a bunch of tools, there isnt much I am going to do on the side of the road with no parts anyway.

 

[kts]

I have a bag filled with tools for junkyard visits that also is aways in the back of my car. A cheap but reliable set of metric wrenches and sockets/ratchet that I got from Costco a few years ago for $30. Tossed in some cheap screwdrivers and pliers and its been handy at the junkyard and a few times when my car has had issues.

The joy of taking a 16yr old beater that was sitting for a year before I bought it and putting it back on the road.

My track car has a little bit nicer set of tools in it along with more fluids.

In both I also keep a breaker bar with proper socket size for removing the lugs and a quart of oil. Oh yea and jumper cables.

 

[belvedere]

I look at it this way: if you have the tools, you won't need them...it's like insurance! Seriously, I carry a small plastic Craftsman toolbox with ratchets, sockets, common size wrenches, some screwdrivers, and misc.

In '07, we went to OK to see the unearthing of Miss Belvedere ('57 Plymouth). We were driving a '96 Intrepid. I had replaced the belts before the trip, but for some reason, it threw the AC belt going from OKC to Tulsa. When I change belts, I always put the old ones in the trunk, so I put the old belt back on in the motel parking lot that night. I think that was the only time I used my tools out on the road, but I sure was glad I had them.

 

[noslocars]

My DD is a 44 year old bug so I carry a hydraulic jack, a lug nut wrench, a few metric wrench's, an all purpose screwdriver, an extra distributor with points adjusted ready to be thrown in, a fan belt, a couple quarts of oil, a throttle cable, a clutch cable and a good spare tire. Most bug owners probably have this though. You know what they say, If you drive a bug, you are a bug mechanic also.

 

[firebox40dash5]

the only one that ever quit on me was my toyota tacoma; stupid clutch interlock took a **** and blew apart, id put it back together three times
it did it outside the dentists office, i hard wired that circuit together.....hasnt been a problem since

Dude, they put a button on the dash for just such an occasion!

Leatherman Wave, a 3/8 metric socket set, and a couple random screwdrivers and pliers in mine. I should probably invest in a little better kit for the truck/house since pretty much all my tools have migrated to the shop, though.

 

[djjsr]

No tools.

Reliable vehicles, auto club, cellphone.

 

[Requin6]

My daily driver is getting up in age (and miles) so I keep a Craftsman tool set in the trunk. 3/8 drive ratchet and sockets. Bit handle with the normal screwdriver bits. It is an older kit so it has a nice compartment in the upper lid for other tools as well. I keep a pair of needle nose, adjustable wrench, utility knife, 10in breaker bar and 10/12/14mm wrenches. Its nice and compact so it doesn't impact trunk space.

Like someone else said, if I need more, than I am most likely not going to do the work on the side of the road or in a parking lot. It will need to get towed.

 

[scouting]

One of those crescent sets in the blow molded case. Yeah, they're cheap tools but surprising quality, good enough for roadside repairs. It doesn't take up much space, and the selection is decent enough for basic repairs. Plus, everything's easy to find, I hate pawing through an ammo can at night.

 

[Jawn]

I have a canvas tool bag with the basics - socket set, combo wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, etc. Not only for fixing the car if it should break, but if I should need something for some other reason (i.e., at a friend's house and we get to messing with something)

 

[bmxr4life87]

I have an 18" CLC tool bag that houses approx 40 lbs of tools. Full 1/4 and 3/8 deep and shallow sae and metric sockets, full screwdriver set, wrenches from 1/4 to 1" and 7mm to 24mm, 14 and 18" pipe wrench, 12 and 18" adjustable, 18" prybar 16 and 32oz ballpein, few punches and punch holder, box knife with extra blades and a cheap folding knife, an assortment of vice grips and groove joint pliers, hacksaw and extra blades, a few 1/2 sockets and ratchet and breaker bar, autoranging meter and test light and a hardware organizer that came with the bag loaded with fuses and electrical connectors. Also have atleast 4 diff types of flashlights and gloves both mechanix and raven chemical resistant nitrile and electrical tape zip ties and a bungee strap. Thats not an exact list but it covers the bulk of it. I ause these tools at work if i have to perform roadside repairs so i always have atleast the most basic tools plus if i need to work on something while im at someones house or just helping someone out in a parking lot. I also keep fluids and an aluminum floor jack in my truck with a torque wrench. I dislike thr factory jack but its in my trunk too just incase lol