Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Pub Talk). This thread is read-only.
I am looking to put a car tool kit together to keep in my car….you know…..just in case. Other then the basics like ratchet and sockets, breaker bar, pliers, screwdrivers, tire repair kit etc., what else should I keep in the car?
Rechargeable flashlight, jumper cables (or one of those fancy all in one jump packs) basic first aid kit, and the handymans best friend…duct tape.
Just remember to rotate your batteries in extreme climates, I keep a moving blanket, tow straps, flares
Jimbo
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I’d throw in a set of good jumper cables, the bigger the gauge the better. A flashlight of some sort would be good too. A cheap test light might be a good idea. My fuel pump took a dump on me a couple of years ago and I used a test light to see if it was getting power.
All basic hand tools, good quality jumper cables, flash lights, extra batteries, Bungie cords/ ratcheting cables, gloves, first aid kit, knife, that would be the bare minimum.
I have most of the things already listed in my truck, but I also carry the 26 inch Estwing axe. Believe it or not I’ve used it quite a bit. And if you get in a fight, who in their right mind wants to fight a guy with an axe!
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Excellent topic. Also first aid emergency kit and fire extenguisher, this way your safety is covered, repairs can come second. Granola bars and bottled water is usually overlooked too. Or are we just focusing on the tool side of things? HA
Snow shovel and salt in the winter? Mace/pepper spray? Have the local and surrounding city’s police number in your phone, in case of non fatal accident, and also a spare battery pack to charge your phone if you can’t use your car charger.
I have a husky box I am using for my truck. Currently off the top of my head I have:
Claw hammer
Deadblow
Screwdrivers
Picks
Ratchet straps
Paper Towels
Jumper cables
First aid kit
Traffic vest
Red towels
Kobalt Socket/Wrench set
Tape measure (or at least I better since I recommended it. lol)
Always always always carry at least a gallon or two of distilled water with me. When I’m in a big rig add a gallon of oil, gallon of coolant, a fan belt, chains, ratchet straps, flares, hazard triangles, extinguisher, Schwab’s number, safety reflective vest, large crescent wrench, can of pb blaster, basic tool kit (HF socket set and crescent wrench). I carry a gun with me all the time, but thats not an option for everyone or everyone’s cup of tea.
Here is the tote I use
http://m.homedepot.com/p/Husky-20-Gal-Storage-Tote-17200553/204774811
I also have pliers and a sandbag. The sand bag is so handy for keeping small amounts of lumber down without having to use straps.
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At the rate were all going just get a small trailer to put all this stuff in lol
Jimbo
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Oh yeah, toilet paper. Always have toilet paper…or wear long socks!
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Most items listed above are in my truck and wifeys car just wish I had 2 2763 fuels 😉 the one I do have thought stay in truck with me.
JimboS1ice wrote:
At the rate were all going just get a small trailer to put all this stuff in lolJimbo
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I have more than. Enough room in that husky tote. Easy to move in and out too. I have a bed cover so no tool box. I even have range targets as well in the tote.
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My new truck doesn’t have the same seat tray under the back seat but it has enough room for my trailer hitch, a Tekton tool box with a bunch of sockets and wrenches, some heavy gauge jumpers and a bag full of ratcheting straps and a roll of duct tape. My work vehicle has an axe, pry bar and shovel in it plus a ton of other crap and I agree, having an axe in the vehicle is a great idea. Now I have to get a darn axe for the truck. I would even go so far as a small saw too. I always have a tape measure in my truck and a Leatherman I will be adding a small trenching shovel. Matches or a lighter are nice to have. Getting a little off of tools, blankets, roll of TP or paper towels, first aid kit with Benadryl, I keep a stash of granola bars. I recommend water and a towel. Make sure you have the appropriate cell phone charger. If you do keep guns, don’t leave them in the car, if it gets broken into and the gun is unsecured……$$$$$$ law suit.
If you guys want a good lightweight axe you can’t go wrong with Fiskars. I have 2 of them and they are amazing.
ChrisK wrote:
3 hours ago, ChrisK said:If you do keep guns, don’t leave them in the car, if it gets broken into and the gun is unsecured……$$$$$$ law suit.
THIS! When you go in at night so does your gun. Throwing a jacket over it isn’t the same as securing it.
What are the axes for?
Stercorarius wrote:
What are the axes for?
Your never driving down the road and you think to yourself… Man I feel like being a manly man and chopping a tree down!
…maybe it’s just all the flannel getting in my head
Jimbo
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Hahahaha
for me the axe in my work car has been useful for clearing off downed limbs out of the roadway, it’s great for rescue and maybe as an impromptu door opener 😉
As far as the truck, seriously great for clearing a class VI road and whatnots.
JimboS1ice wrote:
26 minutes ago, JimboS1ice said:Your never driving down the road and you think to yourself… Man I feel like being a manly man and chopping a tree down!
…maybe it’s just all the flannel getting in my head
Jimbo
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Maybe, “man I feel like chopping down some sage brush”
ChrisK wrote:
6 minutes ago, ChrisK said:Hahahaha
for me the axe in my work car has been useful for clearing off downed limbs out of the roadway, it’s great for rescue and maybe as an impromptu door opener 😉
As far as the truck, seriously great for clearing a class VI road and whatnots.
Class IV roads must just be a NH thing.
Stercorarius wrote:
44 minutes ago, Stercorarius said:Class IV roads must just be a NH thing.
Unmaintained roadways. Most unnavigable by most vehicles. Great ATV, hiking and mountain biking trails. Occasionally fun to drive down….you know, when your truck is paid off 😉
Stercorarius wrote:
49 minutes ago, Stercorarius said:Class IV roads must just be a NH thing.
Come to think of it…..a New Hampshire thing includes the fact that it is 40 degrees cooler than it was yesterday. Same bat time. Same bat channel.
Great ideas crew. Moving blanket, bungee cords ractheting straps paracord Tekton flip socket set 1/2 breaker bar or if we travel out of town I’ll pack the Rockwell 1/2 impact Stanley screw drivers set blue towels gorilla grip gloves trailer hitch led flash light fastback. Might add few things now after reading this.
Realistically, cell phone (and one of those USB charger battery thingies) and AAA memberships. First aid kit, jerky, emergency blanket, jerky, water, jerky.
Also, some jerky.
Might want to put a backup battery for recharging your cell phone. A jumpstart pack should be standard in every car kit but the cost is hard to swallow.
Here’s what I have:
-Screwdrivers
-Multimeter
-Dead blow hammer(A must if your car has alloy wheels)
-Pliers of different types
-Locking pliers
-Adjustable wrenches/pliers wrenches
-Flashlight
-Regular GPS(for when your cell doesn’t have signal)
-Knife
-Bungee cords
-Gloves
I really have a bunch of other stuff but it’s just because I carry my tool bag in my car. The only thing I’m missing is a larger socket set, I only have a 1/4″ socket set.
A little modification I did to my box the other day. We’ll see if I like it or not.
[External image (i93.photobucket.com), not copied]
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I’ve found this jump starter/power bank to be useful in the car: http://amzn.to/1Uitimr
Ratcheting straps, a powerful flashlight, and a folding shovel are good too.
Gentlemen ……
this is the exact reason why a smart car is not all that smart …..NO ROOM FOR GUY CRAP !!!
hey…..
get a big truck and carry a spare smart car !!!!????
Foneguy wrote:
Gentlemen ……this is the exact reason why a smart car is not all that smart …..NO ROOM FOR GUY CRAP !!!
hey…..
get a big truck and carry a spare smart car !!!![emoji41][emoji41][emoji41][emoji41]
Is rather have a 4 wheeler
Jimbo
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Prius…….the rolling vagina of the metro sexual.
ChrisK wrote:
Prius…….the rolling vagina of the metro sexual.
That may be my all time favorite description of the Prius!
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Everyone should be driving 89 PI crown Vic’s with 302s in them and glass packs. No back seat. Instead half of the back section is toolbox and other half is bigass integrated cooler. Drove a gutted 300$ one for a while without a hood and straight piped (aka mufflers rusted through and fell off) Huge POS and had a lot of issues but when you slid that thing around corners or broke 100 mph on gravel you knew what love felt like. Anybody who has driven one knows that they have the most comfortable front bench seat ever. I mean ever. Slept in that thing more than all my other cars combined.
AAA membership card = priceless they come do it all for you just in case. More stuff in your vehicle means more things to get stolen/keep track of. I got better things to do than file useless police reports and deal with insurance companies
Now if we are going on say an extended road trip or camping or something then yes I do always bring some stuff. If I still lived out in the country as well,but since i live in town its not an issue really.
Maybe im more biased right now because someone rifled thru our cars a couple nights ago in our own driveway. I always tell my wife dont leave things of value in your car,thankfully she listened we did not lose anything other than piece of mind. Even thou we live in a decent neighborhood hoodrats as I call them are everywhere.
Fazzman wrote:
2 hours ago, Fazzman said:AAA membership card = priceless they come do it all for you just in case. More stuff in your vehicle means more things to get stolen/keep track of. I got better things to do than file useless police reports and deal with insurance companies
Now if we are going on say an extended road trip or camping or something then yes I do always bring some stuff. If I still lived out in the country as well,but since i live in town its not an issue really.
Maybe im more biased right now because someone rifled thru our cars a couple nights ago in our own driveway. I always tell my wife dont leave things of value in your car,thankfully she listened wee did not lose anything other than piece of mind. Even thou we live in a decent neighborhood hoodrats as I call them are everywhere.
I store some of my tools in the dead space of the spare tire compartment, those I don’t worry about at all.
…but I really do worry about my tool bag, it only has about $1500 worth of tools in it. If they stole my car I’d be more upset about losing the tool bag than my car, TBH.
BMack37 wrote:
33 minutes ago, BMack37 said:
I store some of my tools in the dead space of the spare tire compartment, those I don’t worry about at all.
…but I really do worry about my tool bag, it only has about $1500 worth of tools in it. If they stole my car I’d be more upset about losing the tool bag than my car, TBH.
Yeah dude for sure,me too. Ive had tools stolen in the past and its never cool.
Fazzman wrote:
20 hours ago, Fazzman said:AAA membership card = priceless they come do it all for you just in case. More stuff in your vehicle means more things to get stolen/keep track of. I got better things to do than file useless police reports and deal with insurance companies
Now if we are going on say an extended road trip or camping or something then yes I do always bring some stuff. If I still lived out in the country as well,but since i live in town its not an issue really.
Maybe im more biased right now because someone rifled thru our cars a couple nights ago in our own driveway. I always tell my wife dont leave things of value in your car,thankfully she listened we did not lose anything other than piece of mind. Even thou we live in a decent neighborhood hoodrats as I call them are everywhere.
Fazz… I hear ya !
Just seems every few months cars in my neighborhood are “gone thru”…. At least, they are unlocked …. My wife and I make it a nightly habit to lock vehicles and make sure all doors are locked …. It sucks , but these are the times we live in ….. really irritating
Foneguy wrote:
4 hours ago, Foneguy said:Fazz… I hear ya !
Just seems every few months cars in my neighborhood are “gone thru”…. At least, they are unlocked …. My wife and I make it a nightly habit to lock vehicles and make sure all doors are locked …. It sucks , but these are the times we live in ….. really irritating
Yeah I always lock mine for sure,the other night my wife had to work really late and she drove my car,so to be honest I have no idea if it was fully locked but nothing was missing or at least nothing I care about seems to be missing.
My cars windows are also tinted really dark so perhaps they thought i had some goods in there. just stock stereo and such so goof on them 😉
I do this thing where I don’t wash my car so it looks like crap. Theft deterrent, it makes me look poorer than I am! In reality, it’s just because every time I wash my car it rains, pollen falls, the birds start dropping bombs or it’s lovebug season.
I do the same Brian,cant remember last time i washed a vehicle of ours,and if you opened up my wifes car its like a friggin’ dump in there,I wont even getin that nasty thing,I cringe anytime i gotta lookin there. Guess thats my karma forbeingmarried to someone in their 20’s.
Out here in Cali I see people washing cars all the time,and only thing i can think is it must be nice to have nothing better to do.
I like my truck clean, but I can’t find the time to detail it …….
Fazzman wrote:
I do the same Brian,cant remember last time i washed a vehicle of ours,and if you opened up my wifes car its like a friggin’ dump in there,I wont even getin that nasty thing,I cringe anytime i gotta lookin there. Guess thats my karma forbeingmarried to someone in their 20’s.
Oh man you too!? Yeah I get after her all the time about keeping a bag in the van to throw stuff in right away, how hard can it be to do that
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I thought it was only my wife that did this lol!
Bigmikez wrote:
1 hour ago, Bigmikez said:I thought it was only my wife that did this lol!
I thought the same,until seeing this. Dang dudes,we gotta get a group together on this. lol.
Foneguy wrote:
13 hours ago, Foneguy said:I like my truck clean, but I can’t find the time to detail it …….
I like the inside clean,outside whatevs for me.
That’s me perfectly, I will yell at you if you leave a plastic bottle in my car. My dash is a little dusty but there aren’t any papers or bottles in my car, I don’t eat in my car. I don’t find it that difficult to throw away a bottle after I use it, literally every store has a garbage can outside by the entrance.
Every girl I know has plastic water bottles everywhere and a trunk filled with clothes and shopping bags. I think it’s their ploy for never driving anywhere, little do they know that even if their car was clean I wouldn’t let them drive because most are terrible drivers.
BMack37 wrote:
That’s me perfectly, I will yell at you if you leave a plastic bottle in my car. My dash is a little dusty but there aren’t any papers or bottles in my car, I don’t eat in my car. I don’t find it that difficult to throw away a bottle after I use it, literally every store has a garbage can outside by the entrance.
Every girl I know has plastic water bottles everywhere and a trunk filled with clothes and shopping bags. I think it’s their ploy for never driving anywhere, little do they know that even if their car was clean I wouldn’t let them drive because most are terrible drivers.
Haha oh boy yeah I wish I could just yell at my wife and the planets would align and she does an about face on her habit, but i think what works best is when something needs looked at in the van, I won’t touch it till she cleans up, so basically positive reinforcement is what keeps the peace.
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My wife amazingly cleaned up the inside of her van today. because she wanted to take the recycles in lol. i thought hell was gonna freeze over.
Fazzman wrote:
7 hours ago, Fazzman said:My wife amazingly cleaned up the inside of her van today. because she wanted to take the recycles in lol. i thought hell was gonna freeze over.
LOL! Fazzman!! I cleaned out the inside of my truck yesterday after work and didn’t even go near the wifeys car…… I could tell she was nervous though lol I always throw a fit when I open her car doors!!!
Fazzman wrote:
My wife amazingly cleaned up the inside of her van today. because she wanted to take the recycles in lol. i thought hell was gonna freeze over.
Yup I can usually count on the van to be pretty clean when I see the recycling taken in ha
Bigmikez wrote:
LOL! Fazzman!! I cleaned out the inside of my truck yesterday after work and didn’t even go near the wifeys car…… I could tell she was nervous though lol I always throw a fit when I open her car doors!!!
Copy that man, they just don’t get it, and I don’t get her reasoning (it’s an excuse really)
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