What tools do you keep in your car?

I realized today that I need to start carrying some tools in my 51. I dont even have a spare tire.

I figure I will carry a can of fix a flat, some basic open end wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, maybe some vice grips. Also I'll bring along some duct tape, some zip ties, a rag or 2, a couple feet of air line, and a couple connectors.

I am not sure the best jack to bring. I wont have room for a floor jack.

What else am I forgetting?

 

How about one of those scissor jacks?

Woody

 

Bought my daughter one of those fairly complete (rachets, sockets, end wrenches, screw drivers, etc.) tool sets in the flat blow moulded case, and one of those smaller (less than 20lbs) aluminum floor jacks with the 2 piece handle that seem to be for sale everywhere right now, to carry in her Mustang. Small gas can, too, but she doesn't keep fuel in it, says it makes her car smell. Stuff fits pretty well, even in that small trunk. Hopefully she won't have to use any of it.

 

I carry a trolley (sp?) jack. Like a mini floor jack but safer then a scissor jack.

How about that spare and a tire iron?

Flash light and batteries are nice.
Gas can FULL of course is handy.
I carry a gallon of water, couple quarts of oil, trans fluid, brake fluid and Brandy fluid as well.
Zip ties, various wrenches, pliers, hose, extra belt.....ha that ****s when that goes.....shop rags, first aid kit, bailing wire, duct tape, electrical tape, knife, fuses and various OTHER things....

GOD I carry a lot, but in all reality, it all fits in the spare tire well in the trunk and I've actually used EVERYTHING I've listed.......but you'll still find that ONE thing you forgot.

Brandy

 

I always make sure at least a screwdriver & Phillips, ya never know. For a long while, my truck's battery had charging issues, got into the happen of having a pair of 1/2-inch wrenches because of it. Zip ties have come through when you least expect it.

 

It seams like I always have one less tool than I end up needing I never got stranded by a lack if tools, just got delayed a little.

 

Brandy has it pretty much covered here... I throw in a bunch of misc nuts, bolts, and any weird fasteners of various types. I try to think of what I could use to McGyver **** on the side of the road, in the dark, (on someone elses car - 'cause mine never breaks down!) knocking on my head cause it's the next best thing to wood. ha!

 

Two of the main pieces I carry are s mall battery with cables, and all of the stuff needed to pull a nail out of a tire and plug it.

 

why would your daughter need to carry gas in her mustang (i'm ***uming the gas gauge works) why can't she just keep an eye on it?...

 

I don't usually carry any tools,,,,,,,,,,,if ya take em you'll have to use em!

In all the years we have traveled in Hot Rods I think the only time I remember taking tools was when the family of 4 went to the NSRA nationals in 1987 in our 40 sedan and I had a Mullins trailer with exrta room.

Three other familys were travling with use and everybody on that trip used a few of my tools at one time or another.

I didn't use them on that trip.

I travel a lot during the HOT ROD season in the Flathead powered sedan,,,and without tools,,,,brave,,,,nah, just lucky I guess. HRP

 

A baseball bat. No, really.


Take an extra fuel pump along.
Crescent wrench.
Allen wrenches.
Uni-syn.
Condoms.

 

In the wagon I keep a number of items, more then is needed for around town but since I do alot of night driving by myself to out of state locations I feel better having the stuff

My list includes

spare tire
light weight jack (one of those nice alumn units)
a block of wood - to drive one corner of the car on to get the jack under if a tire goes flat (or to set a jack stand under)
sometimes a jackstand if I have room
a tool kit (wrenches, sockets and screw drivers, wire strip/crimper)
breaker bar and one large/long screw driver (aka light pri-bar if needed)
flashlight
knife
extra airhose line and quick release fittings, plus an extra airbag
a bag of bolts/ washers (various sizes... this has proved helped to others)
zip ties and bunge cords
extra 12 and 16ga wire and fittings
a tarp or something to lay on
paper towels
extra oil, ****** and ps fluids


This stuff normally stays in the wagon all the time.

 

the ultimate tool kit.... ( for Aussie conditions)
1x 1/2 x 9/16th ring spanner
1x flat head/ phillips combo screwdriver
1x BFH

anything else and you need a flatbed towtruck.

 

roll of duct tape

 

I tend to travel with guys like Boones,,,so if I need something they normally have it,,,

 

In an ODD BALL car - I have a FUEL PUMP, MASTER, DISTRIBUTOR, COIL, TOOLBOX, WIRE, RTV. Probably ought to throw in some hose, hose clampsn and ,maybe soem of that radiator/gas tank putty. Having this stuff almost guarantee's you of not needing it, but if you do. In my coupe I have well pretty much nothing, but a tire s**** - sorta ironic I guess since I don't have a spare tire in there.

 

I have the leatherman "crunch" which is the one with the locking pliers, I love it and would reccomend it. I has come in handy more times than I can count. Road flares come in handy if you don't want to get rear-ended while changing a tire at night.

 

Flathead (of course!) screwdriver, vicegrips, one allen wrench and my cell phone. I can completely dis***emble my car with those three tools. How simple can you get? The cool part is my new electrical center is an early '50's vintage Craftsman toolbox. All the electrical hides under the cut down tool tray. Works good.

 

She's probably like my kids, runs around on an empty tank, Tried tell'in 'em that the car burns just as much gas on a full tank as it does on an empty tank, but it didn't seem to help.

I carry all the tools I can think of, and even then end up short of something. My son and I are flying to Seattle and driving Tony Bones truck back to Missouri TODAY, Jan 6th, and we've packed EVERYTHING but a snow shovel and chains. Hopefully we won't need any of this stuff!

Tony says the truck has a heater, so we're good to go. Maybe he'll give us his phone number for rescue back-up?? Wait, we've got it.................I'll bet that'll work, yeah right!!

JayD

 

A stick.... To eat the yougurt in my lunch when I forget a s****.

A set of cheap jumper cables without two end clamps - insulation cracked off the ******s the last time it got really cold.

An eighth roll of duct tape that has rolled around in the trunk since 84. looks like a ball of fuzz

A jack with no handle

A flat spare

A lug wrench that fits my old toyota and nothing else

A flashlight that has one side missing from battery corrosion.

What can I say? I'm a traditionalist..

 

the above mentioned....socket set, wrenches, hammer, duct tape, zip ties, circuit tester. Since some of the stuff on the truck is a little wierd, i also carry, upper rad hose, fuel pump, ignition module,small plastic Jesus.
Only time i had to use any of it in the last 3 years, was coming across the Causeway over Lake Ponchatrain, when the fuel pump failed.
This was not a pleasant experience, however, 20 minutes later...we were rolling again

 

fuel pump, wrenches, screwdriver to open the trunk, length of wire, jumpers, cell phone

 

I bring a lot of that **** (tools and parts) along so I can have fun wrenchin on other guys' cars on road trips. I also bring the camera so I can take pics of the adventures and embarr*** them later.

 

.45 ACP, .45 Long Colt, .44 Magnum, church key, condoms.

 

Strait lug wrench, stores nice under front seat.

 

I stalk the garage sales & flea markets to pick up spare tools and keep a set of tools in every car, ready to roll on a minutes notice. I get my nuts busted every time we go on any long distance rides (over a 100 miles or so). On those jaunts, in addition to a set of comb. wrenches, 3/8" & 1/2" drive sockets & ratchets, floor jack, etc., etc., I carry a Xerox box (OK, 2 Xerox boxes) in which I have a spare fuel pump, generator, fan belt, water pump (yeah, laugh, but just try and find a Nailhead water pump on a trip), spare dizzy all set up to go, jack-stands, a 12v tire pump, tire repair kit, qt. of oil & a filter, gallon of pre-mixed, anti-freeze, an ***ortment of nuts, bolts, springs, clamps, tie-wire, cotter pins and whatever else I can cram in them. Just carrying my stash transforms my '55 into a tail dragger !!!

I've been carrying stuff like this ever since I was a kid, around the dawn of time, when I had ****-cars that broke down pretty regularly. In the last 20 years or so, the only major break-down I've had was blowing up the engine on my '37 about 1200 miles away from home and have to rent a car, drive home and go back with a tow bar to get 'er home. I still carry all the **** with me, though.......old habits are hard to break !!

 

All the above plus my hair spray really not cause I'm gay but because of what I posted on the road breakdown thread.

 

A full roll of toilet paper, much easier on the skin than a corn cob or maple leaves

 

cell,rain x,cresent wrench ,vise grips,2screwdrivers,2 foot of rubber fuel hose.case of long necks

 

The keys to my VW.