Heading to Adelaide on Friday, this will be our first major run. Wondering what tools every one takes for emergency or general maintenance. If there is a list just point me there please as the mind is a bit out this morning and it is not due to the red wine.

wheel brace, bottle jack and small trolley jack on board as a start. Cheers

Hi CC Bear,

If you hit on (Tools for thought) you will find 99% of what people take.

A few off cuts of treated pine 300mm x 300mm  x 50mm for jacks is a good start.

If you do your own servicing then you will take whats needed.

Have a Safe trip.

Jim

I suppose that it depends on how good your mechanical & general manipulative skills are.  No good having all the beaut tools if you don't have the skills to use them. 

In any case most reasonable sized towns have hardware stores where you can buy what you need and you have to be conscious of the weight factor.

My tool kit for the road includes mostly multi use tools including

. Screwdriver with multiple tips

. Good quality Leatherman multi tool (pliers/cutters/ saw/file /flat & Phillips head drivers/ scissors et. al.)

. Meter

. A socket spanner that uses needles to allow it to fit a range of nut sizes. I chose not to carry socket sets because of weight.  I have discarded a mini vice that I once carried for the same reason.

. Vice grips

. cold chisel

. Hacksaw blade

. Half axe (useful as a hammer)

. Folding shovel

. Bow Saw

. Wheel spanner with a long handle

. Adjustable spanners - Large & Small  (one will fit tow ball & wheel bearing nuts)

. Allen key set

.Small LED torch

My spare parts kit includes

. container of misc stuff like screws, nuts & bolts, split pins, tyre valve inners. valve cap & tool, push bike puncture repair kit, washers, a few John Guest fittings,  etc

. Plumbers tape

. Fabric tape

. Tommy tape

. electrical tape

. Supa glue, contact adhesive, vinyl repair glue & patch, double sided tape, velcro tape.

. WD40 & Silicon sprays

. A plumbers box - thread tape, tap washers, tap connectors

. A few common use vehicle & van light bulbs & fuses.

. The most recently replaced vehicle hoses & belts

. Best of the most recently replaced Wheel bearings (I'm a cheap skate I know) . Grease, split pins, brass dolly, brake adjusting tool & cleaning rags.

. Concentrated radiator fluid for top ups.

. A little power steering fluid with stop leak as my PS sometimes leaks.

. I also carry a temperature sensing gun for checking wheel temp.

That's about all that I can recall off the top of my head.

I have a set of plastic containers under a van seat that holds all of the spares in categories like .. Electrical, plumbing, glues & tapes, wheel bearing kit, etc.

It's perhaps true that I carry too much, but it gives me peace of mind.

(Just wait till you see Macs's list with trolley jack & welder.)

 Edit ... Forgot the most important ... A fully charged Telstra mobile & RACQ or eqiuv, Ultimate Membership.  

I have an electronic Patrol workshop manual on my Lap Top too. Most of it a bit over my head but nice to have. If in range then there is always the internet as a reference how to guide.

-- Edited by Cupie on Sunday 11th of December 2016 11:38:00 AM

What I take is

Normal tools and sockets up to 24mm (this includes pliers, hammer, electrical insulation tape, zip ties, etc)

Full screwdriver set

Fan belts

Tubeless puncture repair plugs

12 volt impact gun (for removing stubborn wheel nuts)

Torque wrench (with homemade extension) to torque wheel nuts up to 120 foot pounds

12 volt air compressor

Hydraulic bottle jack (for whatever reason the 2006 Fiat Ducato comes with a scissor jack)

Cordless impact drill and masonry drill bit (drill installs and removes coach screw bolts, drill bit is for hard ground, when putting up the sunshade/sat dish)

Spare fuses

Spare (new) windscreen wiper motor, as had to temporary repair old one, so it will not last for ever

All this essential (to me/for my vehicle) stuff fits in one plastic box, under the bed, plus some of it is behind the driver seat

This coming trip (for whatever reason), the wife has stipulated that we take the gen set with us

Full service before each long distance trip

I think that the bottom line is that as we are all different, we will all carry different stuff.

I have met people who carry next to nothing, and some who carry more than me

RACQ card.

I almost feel inadequate reading about the lists that some take.

Not a criticism of those who have answered, or do take the whole workshop, but I find it all a bit over the top.

Let me preface it by saying I am no great handyman and less of a mechanic, but I can get by with basic fixing of things when we travel.

That said, the worst thing we have had happen is needing to replace some bits on the roll out awning, and minor work on the car like change tyres, replace battery etc.

I firmly believe the best thing to take is a well maintained vehicle and van, both of which are serviced and ready to go. Then, if on road for a longer period, keep the services happening when due, replace parts if necessary, and check the normal things like tyres, oil and water each day before starting. Some basic spares like a set of bearings, hoses and belts, fuses and globes will cover you. Above that, you will generally find that you will get what you need on the road, when required. You can generally work around problems with the van, and many with the vehicle, and if they are beyond that, it is likely you won't have the parts or expertise or tools to fix anyway.

In your case, my question to you CCBear is how long are you going to Adelaide for? Is your car and van serviced and ready to travel? Do you have the basics to be able to either get out of trouble, or contact your road service provider? If the answers are only for a week or two, yes and yes, then I do not see the need for a garage full of spares and tools. If you are going for months then maybe some additional things will be necessary.

I guarantee that most of what you take will not see the light of day if you have prepared the vehicle and van properly, and most of what everyone takes doesn't see light of day. I say that based on how few people I have seen in our travels doing any work or major repairs. I know in 60000 kms of towing, I have not needed generators, grinders, trolley jacks, bearings, full tool boxes or sets of spanners screwdrivers or sockets, hoses, belts or any other major parts. It may happen, but I repeat the best thing to take is a well prepared vehicle and van.

As I say, this is not meant as a criticism of others, it is purely my opinion and reflects my approach to travel and comfort with my ability in repairing things, but I would very carefully consider what you can physically do, and what you feel comfortable using, before anything is loaded into the car or van.

Of course, if travelling fulltime, then you would reconsider what to take.

Yes I also take my RACQ card and good phone to call and enough money in case .

Thank you,

For years her indoors has been paying me out for the amount of things I carry. I find there is not a lot I can't fix on the run and there has been numerous times that I have been able to help a fellow traveller with the tools I carry.

I must confess after reading above there is a few things I will add to my kit. It was great to read that I am not the only one out here that believes in being prepared.

I noted that above it was mentioned that if I do not know how to fix something someone will and i have found this to be absolutely true On several occasions

Thanks again and be safe

Craig

vince56 wrote:

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I was given some very good advice once, that if you have an older car with a few K's on it and intend to carry new spare hoses, fan belt etc, put the new ones on at home where it is much easier and you have access to tools, shops and garages if you need anything else you come across whilst changing the items. Carry the old ones as the spares if in good enough condition.

Hey Cupie, great list to use as a guide, what is Tommy Tape?

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 Tommy Tape is what I & perhaps some others call that rubbery tape that sticks to itself.  Good for minor hose & pipe repairs.  Can be got at Bunnings and the like.

I forgot to add to my list 

. Caulking tape & cement

. small roll of fencing wire