What tools do you keep in your vehicle?

[Old Red]

You all have helped me tremendously on your thoughts and opinions with vehicle mileage reports and cordless power tool choices. Thinking about these cordless power tools also got me to thinking.....what tools should I keep in my truck? The Milwaukee M12 screwdriver drill I bought is very compact and I just thought it might be handy to keep in the truck full time with some driver bits. I currently have a couple cheap socket sets, jumper cables, 12v tire inflator, hitch pins, zip ties, yada yada...

Do you keep cordless power tools in your truck? What kinds of tools and/or cordless power tools live in your truck? I am not talking bout service trucks or specialty trucks....just your normal everyday driver trucks and cars, grocery getters, etc...... Lets hear your setup? If you keep cordless tools, how do you keep your tools charged?

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm probably the wrong guy to ask since I'm a contractor. I have two toolboxes full of your basic tools. All sorts of wrenches, screwdrivers and pliers. 3 different sized levels. Sand Paper, wire nuts, and wire staples. Jumper Cables and tow straps, along with 4 tie down straps. Cordless tools with extra blades and a small tool box of just different types and sized of drill bits. Two battery charges for the cordless tools and at least four batteries. Sometimes six. joint compound and fiberglass tape and several putty knifes. Jigsaw, oscillating saw and a sds hammer drill. Crow bar, hand saw and wood clamps. Flashlight, probably five extension cords and two thing to plug three tools into a single outlet. a big spade drill and mixers for concrete, sheetrock and grout. Two tarps. different cleaners with Windex being used the most. Couple rolls of blue paper towels. Light bulbs. Different types of tape. eye protection, speed square, string line, four or five steel tapes and about that many sheetrock knives. Volt meter, gloves and an apron. Two jacks, one hydraulic for lifting sagging framing and beams, the other for flat tires. pieces of scrap wood and sheetrock. full socket set, along with sockets for my impact driver that are in my drill bit tool box. Probably a dozen pencils, and maybe as many pens. Graph paper. And who know what else that I'm forgetting.

 

[KTurner]

Really depends on your goals. Are you trying to fix a broken vehicle 'enough' to limp home? Or have enough tools to help a friend with a home/car/etc repair when you happen to be at their house?

The biggest thing for getting a broke vehicle home is a good imagination, ability to adapt and some base knowledge. Remember the old MacGyver show?

Keith

 

[ssrider]

Most people probably think I have overkill, but I cannot stand being un-prepared. I also am often in remote areas hunting, snowmobiling, ATVing, etc. I try to be prepared for anything I might encounter.

In my truck I keep the following tools:

Full socket set
Metric and Imperial wrench set
Screwdriver set
Pliers/Cutters
Knife


Other items I keep in my truck,

Roll of tie wire (VERY Handy)
Zip ties
Duct tape
Rope
Ratchet Straps
Tow Strap
Chain
Shackles
Receiver hitch
Axe
Lighter/Matches
Booster Cables
Flashlight
Small bottle jack
Multi-size tire iron
Lock de-icer
Tire gauge
12v tire inflation pump
12v solar panel charger
Gloves
Extra blanket
Usually have some wood blocks in box

 

[4570Man]

I used to keep enough stuff to remodel a house in my truck. I’m currently driving a regular cab truck and I had to cut back. Now I keep ratchet straps, muck boots, an adjustable wrench, a heavy coat and whatever I need for the project at hand. I’ve got a service body truck. I’m probably going to pull the bed off and make a trailer for it so I can have my stuff ready to go with minimal time involved.

 

[bunyip]

Mobile phone for roadside assist, I do have a gerber multitool in the car somewhere.

 

[frugalangler]

Much like ssrider, I try to play boy scout on this topic. The biggest issue is I could carry a whole lot more when I drove a 3/4T 8' bed PU, but since changing over to my Jeep, I'm space challenged! It's amazing what you can pack in if you're creative!

Full metric and imperial 3/8" socket set
Metric and imperial wrench set
Screwdrivers, assorted, and 1/4" bit for torx, sq, etc.
Pliers/Cutters
Pipe wrench
Utility knife
Zip ties
Duct tape
Multi-meter
Rope
Ratchet Straps
Tow Strap
Receiver hitch - always on receiver
Booster Cables
Lithium Ion Booster pack
Flashlight
Extra phone charge cords
Small bottle jack
Multi-size tire iron
Tire gauge
12v tire inflation pump
Gloves
Extra blanket
Prop wrench (for boats)
25" 1/2" breaker bar and 13/16" socket
Tape measure

Generally, I have enough to do a emergency roadside repair on either my vehicle or boat/trailer to get me somewhere safe to continue repair actions. What I've found is that I keep my vehicles relatively problem free, but my traveling buddies know where the tool crib is when they break down, but I always have favors 'in the bank' when I need a helping hand so it's all good.

 

[Paddy]

I'm in the camp of what are you trying to accomplish? Fix your truck? I always carry in my pocket/s, 6 in adj wrench, Leather-man and folding knife. But that's for any where.

Best truck repair plan; preventative maintenance! Parts only last so long and they will strand you on the side of the road if you wait until they are dead/worn out. On a road trip it's being towed to a shop.

Dead fuel pump, tow bill and $500+ repair. Done in your garage for less than $100
Good tires and a good spare
Don't wait until 6 years on your 5 year battery
Clogged fuel filter, tow bill + ?$
Change all the radiator hoses and belts at the same time.
Take a look at those break lines, super rusty lines can break with any hard stop.
Dead alternator, you have about 100 miles to get home

If you wonder what parts are best kept track of, google it. Like "Chevy Tahoe fuel pump died". There are so many truck forums sharing there history.

 

[JB13502]

If you ask my son, he'll say "Dad's".

 

[fried1765]

I'm probably the wrong guy to ask since I'm a contractor. I have two toolboxes full of your basic tools. All sorts of wrenches, screwdrivers and pliers. 3 different sized levels. Sand Paper, wire nuts, and wire staples. Jumper Cables and tow straps, along with 4 tie down straps. Cordless tools with extra blades and a small tool box of just different types and sized of drill bits. Two battery charges for the cordless tools and at least four batteries. Sometimes six. joint compound and fiberglass tape and several putty knifes. Jigsaw, oscillating saw and a sds hammer drill. Crow bar, hand saw and wood clamps. Flashlight, probably five extension cords and two thing to plug three tools into a single outlet. a big spade drill and mixers for concrete, sheetrock and grout. Two tarps. different cleaners with Windex being used the most. Couple rolls of blue paper towels. Light bulbs. Different types of tape. eye protection, speed square, string line, four or five steel tapes and about that many sheetrock knives. Volt meter, gloves and an apron. Two jacks, one hydraulic for lifting sagging framing and beams, the other for flat tires. pieces of scrap wood and sheetrock. full socket set, along with sockets for my impact driver that are in my drill bit tool box. Probably a dozen pencils, and maybe as many pens. Graph paper. And who know what else that I'm forgetting.

Yup!
With ALL that stuff.....
You ARE ....."the wrong guy to ask"