by "gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
Published 04/06/2017 at 20:01
by "gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
Published 04/06/2017 at 20:01
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STARS: 3
Every so often someone posts up asking what tools Oppo carries with them. I’ve never truly been able to answer until now.
Well, part of moving here meant my roommate is also a coworker, and we commute together, alternating vehicles. Well today he complained about how far forward my passenger seat was because of the tools behind it.
I knew that contained within the above space there was some redundancy, and considering I live significantly less in the middle of nowhere (and actually have a passenger on a semi-regular basis; bizarrely cell service is even patchier here though...), I decided to take inventory to see if I could cut back.
The extent of tools and/or survival gear I had back there. Most of it contained within the box/bags at bottom right. The organizational matrix there was mostly determined by the order I pulled it out of the bags plus sticking like items with like, it sure as hell wasn’t so organized when it was in the bags.
This also doesn’t include the floor jack, pair of axle stands, and tote of extra fluids and parts strapped down in the bed with the spare tire.
Now to figure out what all I can cut out. Probably don’t *need* 100ft of recovery strap... or the mini sledge... or three socket sets. This may be a process. Any suggestions?
"Ready for an adventure!" (liljoe)
04/06/2017 at 20:05, STARS: 1
KEEP.IT.ALL. that is my suggestion. whatever you take out today is what you will need tomorrow.
"Little Black Coupe Turned Silver" (littleblackcoupe)
04/06/2017 at 20:07, STARS: 1
Needs more toasters.
"My bird IS the word" (mybirdistheword)
04/06/2017 at 20:09, STARS: 1
Why in god’s name do you need so many vise grips?
"e36Jeff now drives a ZHP" (e36jeff)
04/06/2017 at 20:14, STARS: 0
Don’t drop the mini sledge, I find myself needing that every other time I work on my car.
"V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me!" (v8demon)
04/06/2017 at 20:18, STARS: 1
The socket set on the left has the most. Id keep that one in the car. Also, why do you need 80 screwdrivers? One stubby and regular length with removable bits for different size flathead/crosspoint/torx/hex screws. One or two vice grips as well; not a flock of them.
Just appears that you have a lot of redundant stuff as you stated. Cull the herd.
Lastly....Are those snow shoes? I mean....How far North are you?
"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
04/06/2017 at 20:19, STARS: 1
Vice grips and snow shoes.... Sounds like some dirty kink
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/06/2017 at 20:21, STARS: 0
This has been my justification for hauling it all around. Lol. As you say every major failure I’ve had has happened after the tools needed to fix it came out. Ditching the survival stuff is a higher priority I think. Some of the less valuable stuff could theoretically go into the tote in the bed too.
"My bird IS the word" (mybirdistheword)
04/06/2017 at 20:22, STARS: 1
You don’t want to even ask what the ratchet strap is for.
"BJ" (benjamin-bignell)
04/06/2017 at 20:35, STARS: 0
I’m in awe.
Can you come to my house and organize a nice tool bag for my truck?
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/06/2017 at 20:35, STARS: 0
About 53° I think without checking. But yeah, before I moved I was living north of NoDak, middle of March we got a blizzard that left the odd 20' high drift across the highway. Snowshoes were a must, lol.
The socket set on the left has most, yes, but again it’s a redundancy thing. It’s got the smallest size ranges, just in 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" drive. The other two have a better range but fewer drive options. If I ditch all but the one on the left it leaves me with nothing above 18mm or 11/16. The middle one goes higher in both 3/8" and 1/4" but has no 1/2" options. The one on the right is a set of 1/2" deep impact sockets, with the best range but no sockets. Previously I’ve been keeping the outer two around and I was surprised to find it cause I thought I’d left it back home in the Niva where it usually lived. Honestly a lot of it looks like I consolidated the tools from the MJ and Niva at some point (possibly before the LeMons Rally last summer maybe) but I don’t remember actually doing that. The vice grips are definitely a symptom of that... Some of them were structural and/or critical to certain features of the Niva for a while.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/06/2017 at 20:35, STARS: 0
I still don’t own one :(
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/06/2017 at 20:39, STARS: 1
Some of them were critical to certain of the Niva’s features for a while. Also my grandpa gives me a set every other time I see him (like, once a year, we live pretty far apart) so I’ve accumulated a bunch. I also didn’t realize quite how many I ended up stashing there.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/06/2017 at 20:43, STARS: 0
Where do you live and are you paying expenses? I work 9-9's so every other weekend is three days. It could happen.
"BJ" (benjamin-bignell)
04/06/2017 at 20:45, STARS: 0
Montreal. No expenses paid. Nice try, though.
However, if ever you feel crazy enough to drive either of your vehicles out this way (but especially the Niva), I’ll make a point of organizing a trail run with the Toyota club. It’d be a ton of fun.
"MonkeePuzzle" (monkeypuzzle)
04/06/2017 at 20:52, STARS: 0
snow shoes, perfect
"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
04/06/2017 at 21:07, STARS: 0
Holy shit that’s a lot of tools. I think I have a screwdriver in my car, that’s it.
"Frenchlicker" (frenchlicker)
04/06/2017 at 21:17, STARS: 0
See, others are saying to get rid of tools you have duplicates of. I have to disagree. In my XJ I need two of everything I may need to make some jobs easier. Plus if you have a passenger a job may get done quicker if they also have a tool.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/06/2017 at 22:15, STARS: 0
I’d be down for that. But like, not any time soon.... because you know, 4000km.
That’s something I’m excited for out here in the mountains, cause there’s not much in the way of trails in ‘Toba. Everything’s either private land or a public park-type space where people frown upon wheeling. If you can find somewhere you’re looking at mostly muddy or sandy back roads sorts of spots that aren’t really technical or anything, and there’s not much in the way of rocks, at least not in my neck of the woods. Up north there’s some decent stuff but it’s very easy to end up waaaaay off the map, a few hundred km from help and probably also cell service. I mean, with mostly stock rides I’m not looking for anything super challenging but I’d like to at least push them a little more than crawling over curbs at the grocery store, haha.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/06/2017 at 22:16, STARS: 1
This is exactly the problem, haha.
"Long Live the Longdoor" (victoryred08)
04/06/2017 at 22:21, STARS: 1
I think one of my reasons for wanting an older car to daily, is so I can justify carrying all the tools around lol. Nice collection!
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/06/2017 at 22:22, STARS: 0
Geez, can’t even pull a spark plug with only a screwdriver. Or change your oil. Or a thermostat. Or an axle shaft. Or a brake calliper. Or a fuel pump. All of which among others are things I’ve done at the side of the road, or a back alley around the corner from the parts store.
"Frenchlicker" (frenchlicker)
04/06/2017 at 22:24, STARS: 0
Wait, what about a locking toolbox for the bed?
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/06/2017 at 22:27, STARS: 1
Necessary when a storm can come through and dump 20' deep drifts on the highway. I’ve also debated using them like makeshift MaxTrax but I haven’t quite *needed* to yet. They have done duty as snow shovels though.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
04/06/2017 at 22:32, STARS: 0
I found one in the camper I just bought. You can have it.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/06/2017 at 22:33, STARS: 0
Takes up too much space. Also drilling holes in the bed, inferior weather exclusion, etc. But mostly it’s a space thing.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/06/2017 at 22:34, STARS: 0
As long as it does chicken fingers I’ll be happy.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
04/06/2017 at 22:36, STARS: 0
I’m thinking you probably don’t need 10 pairs of vice grips. I’d lose half those, I bet half those screwdrivers are duplicates, and maybe get rid of one of the recovery straps. I’d probably keep the rest.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/06/2017 at 22:54, STARS: 0
The issue with that strategy is it doesn’t account for much volume reduction.
I’m thinking ditch the backpack (what the wrenches, pliers, vice grips, and screwdrivers were in) and stick those into the smaller tool bag with redundancy eliminations, ditch the single-purpose tools (lock plate tool, caliber spreader, etc) and probably almost all the electrical and survival stuff, and a bunch of the recovery stuff. Don’t really need the hitch on board at all times either. Roll back to two bags of more basic stuff, one socket set, plus a couple others for lug nuts, etc, in the glove box.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
04/06/2017 at 22:57, STARS: 0
I imagine it would work on whatever you shove in the holes.
"Die-Trying" (die-trying)
04/06/2017 at 22:57, STARS: 1
i used to have the same problem. i took a head swap as an opportunity to whittle down my tools. i took care to note which tools i had used and put them in this small box. i have another small box with odds and ends, bits of wire, fuses, a few bolts washers and nuts, some old sparkplugs, i keep a couple of coat hangers, because you can work miracles with them. and a couple of specific sockets, that i know fit things, like the one that fits the nut on the axle yolk.......... but it is down to tools that fit specific things on the truck.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/06/2017 at 23:00, STARS: 0
That’s what she said?
I’m a child. What’s shipping to T0E 1E0?
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
04/06/2017 at 23:01, STARS: 0
That makes more sense. I was going on the assumption that you actually needed all that stuff for some reason.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/06/2017 at 23:03, STARS: 0
I’ll likely end up doing piston rings this summer so maybe I’ll have to do exactly that.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
04/06/2017 at 23:04, STARS: 0
*rimshot*
I imagine international shipping costs for a toaster are significantly more than buying a toaster. If you’re ever in Chicagoland, you can pick it up.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/06/2017 at 23:06, STARS: 1
Well, I mean, I do, but it’s much easier for me to hitch a ride back home to grab random bits I need from out here than it was in ‘Toba.
"Die-Trying" (die-trying)
04/06/2017 at 23:12, STARS: 1
doing the rings, means that you should be as far into the engine as you ever will be. whatever you use between teardown and button up, should be about it. and pretty near all of that OUGHT to fit easily into one of those backpacks. BUT........ THE important thing is that you will have the confidence of KNOWING that you have all the tools required to get the job done. and you wont be still dragging around all of the rest of the others .
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/06/2017 at 23:14, STARS: 1
Chicago is a crazy place. I spent the night there on the way to the LeMons Rally, also borrowing a LeMons team’s shop. I was almost convinced my navigator was sending me around in circles it took so long to clear the met area.
So you never know, it may happen yet. But I’ll probably already have a toaster, yeah.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
04/06/2017 at 23:16, STARS: 0
The metro area does seem to go on forever.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/07/2017 at 01:04, STARS: 0
That particular ratchet strap was last used to keep my clothesline post from twisting and falling over.
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
04/07/2017 at 05:19, STARS: 0
my 643k km Lancer has only what came with it from the factory.
"BJ" (benjamin-bignell)
04/07/2017 at 06:11, STARS: 0
I didn’t see that you had moved. Where are you now?
I’ve done Edmonton-Montreal 3 times by car, and it’s a haul. Especially the 17 days it takes to cross fucking Ontario.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/07/2017 at 08:02, STARS: 0
I take it you don’t live in one of the less populated areas of Australia.
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
04/07/2017 at 08:05, STARS: 0
not any more
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/07/2017 at 08:15, STARS: 0
Jasper, AB. The move was not quite two weeks ago now, so you haven’t missed too much I don’t think.
I’ve done MB to Ottawa a couple times. Ontario does seem to take forever, haha. Especially if your dad (who isn’t driving) insists you take the northern route so the scenery literally never changes... It doesn’t help either that the speed limit is so low. Like there are so many signs warning about fatigue, but if they let you drive at a reasonable speed... I was doing 110-115 any time my dad quit paying attention.
"MyJeepGetsStuckInTheSnow" (myjeepgetsstuckinthesnow)
04/07/2017 at 16:31, STARS: 0
Why so many tools? I daily drive a car with 264k miles and carry only enough to change a tire. If something is broke or sketchy I fix it so it won’t leave me stranded.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/07/2017 at 19:27, STARS: 1
It’s the little things you don’t know about. And when you tend to frequent areas where there’s no cell service for 20 miles that are hundreds of miles from home, where it could be several days before someone else comes along, and it could be -40° or worse, you make damn well certain you’ve got what you need to get yourself out.
"MyJeepGetsStuckInTheSnow" (myjeepgetsstuckinthesnow)
04/07/2017 at 19:30, STARS: 0
Do you carry spare parts too? Rarely have I been able to fix a problem without a trip to the parts store.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/07/2017 at 19:34, STARS: 1
As I stated in the original post, yes.
"MyJeepGetsStuckInTheSnow" (myjeepgetsstuckinthesnow)
04/07/2017 at 20:27, STARS: 0
Ah I missed that. This makes sense then.
What on earth attracted you to such a cold desolate place?
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/07/2017 at 21:57, STARS: 1
Those two words you used, cold and desolate? Dunno. I grew up not far away. It’s home. Everywhere else has too many people. It’s pristine nature mostly untouched by human hands. Why does anyone else live in “cottage country”? I just lived there year-round... almost no one else does though, and I could never understand it.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/16/2017 at 09:13, STARS: 0
Thank you very much for this suggestion. Had to do a u-joint yesterday, and was very glad to have the sledge. And to think I was going to get rid of it...
"e36Jeff now drives a ZHP" (e36jeff)
04/16/2017 at 15:53, STARS: 0
The sledge is like WD-40's angry uncle.
"gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee" (gogmorgo)
04/16/2017 at 17:28, STARS: 0
WD-40 is ineffective against stubbornness from the land of winter. Or frankly in general...