Making a ride-along tool kit- what should I include?

[5horizonsrr]

Hi everyone,

Hopefully this makes for a fun thread with good insights. I'm preparing my 2001 for some extended travel, and I want to assemble a small but very effective ride-along tool kit in case the s*^t hits the fan on the road. I'm wondering if there is anything insightful I should be packing or bringing? The idea is that if everything goes wrong in the desert (on-road), I can at least bandaid if not fix the thing to get out of trouble.

Of course sockets, screwdrivers and wrenches are a must. Plus some pliers, WD40, tapes, quart of oil and maybe a few fuses, but what else do you guys consider "must pack" items - in particular for roadside repairs?

Thanks in advance!

 

[phattyduck]

Communications (satellite or capable radio)

Axle/suspension specialized tools (35/36mm socket, among others)

Self recovery gear

Or, its a Toyota - just send it!

-Charlie

 

[pluton]

I think in terms of what specific jobs I might have to perform on the road. Belt + hose change. Replace broken section of wire. Improvise exhaust hanger. Tighten any bolts/nuts that loosen up. Replace brake pads/shoes, stereo head unit, other parts that could fail without warning or give short warning or get damaged on the trail.

 

[_Ace_]

• 
  Air compressor
  tire plug kit
  spare belts
  Gorilla duct tape
  metric sockets & wrenches
  pliers
  vice grips
  pry bar
  utility knife
  zip ties
  electrical tape
  spare fuses
  1 qt engine oil
  1 gallon 50/50 antifreeze

That's about the minimum I carry on long trips.

 

[ArthurKotb]

I always carry a tool bag with a good selection of tools, breaker bar, mixed antifreeze and a good spare. This past summer we took our 99 Sienna on a 5500 mile round trip to Oregon. We got 300 miles from the house on a Sunday and the R/F strut top rusted through and the strut was hammering just under the windshield. We stopped at the next hotel (luckily only 6 miles) and on Monday had it towed to a Toyota dealership, also lucky that it was only 30 miles away. Again lucky that their usual amount of customers was very low and they replaced the struts and we were on our way again by 3:00 PM.

So I recommend you get an AAA membership, the package that has the single tow 300 miles and the rest for 100. Also bring a credit card and sign up at the Best Western site as a member to get the automatic discount on any stay. Also have Verizon or AT&T cell carrier.

 

[DAW89446]

I used to do a lot of remote off roading back in the day, and I carried a lot of emergency items, supplies and tools. Now, a senior, I do little off roading.

In my experience my tools were used by others trying to trail fix parts that manufacturers obviously designed not to be removed or serviced without special tools. my jacks were only used by others I came upon that were without. My recovery gear was used only to recover others. My supplies went unused and degraded to the point of uselessness. My tools eventually rusted and broke. About a dozen years ago I went through my two 50-caliber ammo cans I kept in the bed of my last truck (‘02 Tacoma TRD, which I gave my grandson when I bought my ‘18 T4R) and threw everything away.

I nearly always wheeled with one or two friends, each of us in our own rigs. We communicated by various radios of the day, CB, FRS. I believed and still do that is one of the safest ways to travel in case of problems.

With today’s vehicles in general and Toyota’s in particular, and if going it alone, keep it light, simple and compact. and carry a satellite based SPOT, InReach or similar emergency/communications beacon.

 

[MCgrease08]

I thought this video was interesteing. I'm also getting started and this has options for starting small and going bigger depending on what you're going to be doing with the vehicle.

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[shadow247]

I carry every tool I have ever used to work on my rig. Electrial repair supplies, extra wire, a shitload of fuses of all types, extra fuse holders.

Axle Socket
Extra Belts
Extra CV Axle
Extra BallJoints and Bolts

I don't carry any fluids on me generally, except when I am going really far out for a while. Then I will pack an extra quart of oil and a quart of transmission fluid. Otherwise I don't bring a whole lot of fulids with me.

 

[3bears]

I will add to above lists, of course torque pro or similar on your phone, fusion tape, qt of tranny fluid, brake fluid, couple hose clamps, about 6 feet of 12 gauge wire

 

[Endlessblockades]

I would add as a must-have a powerbrick/jumpstarter such as the NOCO Boost line of devices.
These versatile devices can even keep your engine running with a dead alternator (hopefully long enough to get you to civilization).

As others said, the ability to repair a tire without help:

Glue Tread sidewall patch kit, a puncture plug kit and a small air compressor. I haven't carried a spare in a while (which is sorta dumb, I admit). I also think about how I can help others as much as myself. I carry a 1/2" cordless impact driver with a fat battery and a set of lug lock removal sockets in case I run into some vulnerable folks with a flat who can't find their lug lock key. It is ridiculously easy to blast off a lug lock. A breaker bar, a 5lb hammer and the right socket will work in a pinch, of course. Wood blocks to elevate whatever jack you are carrying (burn them in an emergency).

A kinetic rope and a soft shackle.

A Krazy Beaver shovel (factory 2nds/blems are always on sale)

A large Tri-Tip.

 

[5horizonsrr]

Thanks everyone! Excuse my delay in reply, family chaos this weekend.

Tons of great ideas. Are there any specialty tools I'm not thinking of? I just did the timing belt and H20 pump needing effectively nothing fancy, but I'm amazed there isn't some oddball tool size or weird angle of wrench or nothing like that? (my other hobby car is german!)

The 35/36mm socket being a good example I'll need to procure.

 

[TexasCW]

Two things jump to mind beyond the scope of "normal". There's a (I believe) 40 amp fuse in the under-hood panel labeled AIT or something. I had that pop once and found out the truck won't run without it. It's also hard to see if it pops which wasted hours of time for me. Sorry for the vague details but it's midnight and raining. so I'm reluctant to go outside and look. Since then I've been carrying a spare. Also, a firearm and enough magazines to get out of whatever you got into. Everybody here is probably carrying something so I assume this is a given.

 

[jross20]

Some guys might scoff at some of these but here is what I would add:

Rubber Gloves (maybe a small pack or box)
Leather/Heavy Duty gloves
Rags
Wipes
Spare headlight bulbs (I use koito)
Spare turn/brake/etc bulbs

Tool wise, don't forget a decent few screwdrivers.
Fluid wise, at least 1 quart of oil and 1 quart of Dexon III

If you need something to store parts in, I'd get one of those mtm ammo crates. Great boxes made in the states. They are just plastic but they are fine as long as you treat them realistically.

Ammo Crates