Road kits

Just wondering what everyone carries for a tool kit...? mine?...well to long to list. Lets just say i could likely pull the head , r+r the carb. fuel pump, distrubutor, rad and h2o pump . swap out accel cable and bypass the heater core. a test lite and a jumper wire, rtv and diaelectric grease , spare bulbs .tyre and jack etc etc......
curious as to what every one calls a Basic kit for a ride around the block...lol

Yo - Silent U,

For longer trips a basic kit would include a tire, jack, hammer or lug wrench, tape, wire, pliers, & screwdriver.

You could likely boost fuel mileage by 10-15 % by throwing the rest of that junk out. Besides if you travel with a group there are always others who pride themselves in carrying the "full kitchen sink" & are willing to help. I have never had a breakdown on the road. Good maintenance helps a lot.

For around the block, nothing is really needed. I sometimes even leave out the spare tire & just carry a couple of cans of tire inflator sealer. Have only had a two flat tires in 50 years of driving.

Seeing what I can stir up,
D

Nowadays, a cell phone!!

Maybe for longer journeys I would take some tools and spares along, but surely a cell phone should be the most important tool you can carry?

Silentunicorm:
Within100 miles from home I carry nothing but the cell. Call home and have wife bring emergency kit, if wife with me , car in excellent shape before trip.
On long trips, carry plastic tool kit, duct tape, black tape, some connectors and rely on Parts houses in emergency. Once traveled to Gatlinburg in GT6, waterpump started leaking. Bought a gallon of antifreeze and got a milk jug full of water. Drove to Knoxville, bought pump, then drove to Lynchburg to see the distillary and changed pump in Holiday Inn parking lot in 15 min. then drove to St. Louis non-stop.
Can't carry too much you won't have clothes for the lady!
Larry

For short drives, I don't take anything other than my wallet. Remember, I'm in NJ...there's something like 100 places per miles where I could stop and get help (even the area of our "remote" lake cottage has about 5 places per miles).

For longer drives, I bring a pre-filled gym bag that is always sitting in my garage. It contains a coat hanger (wire), leather gloves, needle-nose vise grips, can of fix-a-flat, duct tape (invented in NJ!), fan belt, some electrical wire, a small tin can with various nuts /bolts/etc (a "he11 box"), some common "inch size" wrenches and sockets (cheap import stuff) and a few screwdrivers....and a cell phone. If, by chance, I feel a spare tire is needed, I have to carry it inside the car (due to fuel cell consuming part of trunk space). I hate to say this, but occasionally I've used some of the "road trash" along the side of the road to help with repairs (i.e.-jugs for carrying water or bits of wire to "fix" things).

While I agree that good maintenance will prevent most problems, there also seems to be some sort of mystical, opposite correlary. If you bring along a certain spare part, *that* part never fails. (i.e. -I've never had a distributor fail while carrying a spare one). Sort of a "reverse-Murphy's Law".....works on Italian and French cars too!

My girls taught me something interesting: Never sign up for AAA until you need it ("AAA" is a roadside emergency service used in the U.S....most folks use it a towing insurance, although it has other benefits). When the key sheared in the Sprite cam-drive sprocket a few years ago, I took out the AAA phone number, called them, and signed up (using my credit card)....then I hung up and called them back and asked for a tow truck.....they don't seem to care. And I never renue my AAA....I just wait untill I need it (my cousin is a VP for AAA.....he says they still make money on this).

For really, really long drives I do this:

https://www.britishcarforum.com/pictures/sprite_512.jpg

Folding chair, cell phone a beer.

So I can sit in comfort whilst waiting for the Tow truck!.


Cheers

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by BEEJAY7:
Folding chair.....<hr></blockquote>

Good idea!....you don't want to get caught sitting *inside* the car drinking beer!

The reverse Murphy's Law works very well. i carry a spare radiotor hose, to replace the one that is ready to leave me stranded any day now, but i havent had to use it. It does work !
I probaly carry way to much stuff, i know this, and every now and then i lighten the toolbox of a couple of pounds of unnesacary stuff. but i just hate the idea of getting stranded for lack of the right tool. it s not as much as it sounds really just a box about 14x8x6 and a set of 3/8 and 1/4 sockets in a nice carrying case.
Always Be Prepared
Mark

One day on the way to work (50miles) I heard a squeal from the bonnet of my GT6. I pulled into the nearest store and bought WD40 and sprayed the bearings on the Altenator, and went on to work.
Later, 10:00P on the way home (20miles to go) the alt light came on amd the heat gauge started to rocket. Right, alt locked up and melted belt. My tie cut in half lasted 10 miles, used the other half and got home.
Larry

I don't I'd have any luck with using my tie....maybe my suspenders, though!

Actually, I carry so much stuff in the boot of my Mini, I think the li'l sucker now has 50/50 weight distribution.

Let's see...Haynes Manual; Tow strap; jumper cables; 3 quarts 20-50 Castrol; gallon of 50-50 anti-freeze; flat toolkit from Walmart with box&openend wrenches, pliers, socket wrench & sockets, variety of screwdrivers; roll of baling wire; duct tape; jack & spare tire; spare set of plugs; spare coil; roll of electrical wire; roll of electrical tape; wire stripper & crimper; assorted spade lugs; box of assorted fuses; V-O-M; flashlight....and a bunch of other stuff I can't think of at the moment.

Oh....and one more thing....cell phone with triple-A on speed dial.

Aren't British cars fun?

[ 06-29-2003: Message edited by: Xracer ]</p>

What British Leyland put in the trunk when it left the factory plus my cell phone & a credit card!