"Matt Brown" (superfastmatt)
03/06/2019 at 19:00 • Filed to: None
0
12|
"Matt Brown" (superfastmatt)
03/06/2019 at 19:00 • Filed to: None | 0
| 12 |
For the last several years I have had the super cheap Harbor Freight 130 piece tool kit in my various cars, and it has been exceptionally good at having the tools that I need for the most random jobs. It has been exceptionally bad at everything else, easily being the lowest quality tools I’ve ever used. It also doesn’t hold the tools in the case, so every time I open it, a bunch of screwdrivers and wrenches fall out. I’ve decided to build a trebuchet capable of launching the aforementioned tool kit the requisite 12 miles offshore, where it really belongs.
This will leave me without an emergency in-vehicle tool kit. I know I can piece together a kit that will do the job, but I thought I’d ask here: Have you found an off-the-shelf, all-purpose, “something randomly broke in BFO and I don’t know what it is but I need to fix it here” tool kit? What do you keep in your vehicle?
Chariotoflove
> Matt Brown
03/06/2019 at 19:03 |
|
Most of the little-bit-of-everything off the shelf kits I’ve run across are not top quality. But then again, if it’s for emergencies, it’s not a big deal for the most part. The high quality stuff is most important for tools you’ll use a lot.
Chinny Raccoon
> Matt Brown
03/06/2019 at 19:10 |
|
My set is cobbled together, with a mix of cheap but reasonable tools. The off the shelf kits always seem to be missing something. They’re all in a Dewalt bag that came with a 10.8v kit, which is nicely sized to fit in the MR2 Frunk.
Having something to kneel on is also handy, as are a selection of Zip ties, tapes and similar other bodgy supplies.
nermal
> Matt Brown
03/06/2019 at 19:15 |
|
My emergency repair kit consists of a cell phone, a credit card, and a big hammer.
Hasn’t let me down yet!
Liam Farrell
> Matt Brown
03/06/2019 at 19:18 |
|
I’ve had that exact one in my old Land Rover for a while and have had all those problems, as well as rusting of the sockets. Since the Land Rover is no where water tight, it just that’s all those tools. I’ve just been slowly buying the wrenches that are commonly used in the car. I always keep a hammer and zip ties in the car and that has saved me multiple times, but once I get back from school I’ll definitely put together one that’s proper good. Since it’s never too far from home I just use the tools there, so far I’ve never had that big of a problem that I could fix on my own. Having a AAA good membership has been a savior.
NotUnlessRoundIsFunny
> nermal
03/06/2019 at 19:20 |
|
Clarkson, is that you?
lone_liberal
> Matt Brown
03/06/2019 at 19:20 |
|
I gave a similar set to my dad as an emergency kit to keep in his camp trailer, but emergencies are all that it is for. It’s definitely not a good set for routine use. I haven’t found an all-in-one solution that’s good quality and still small enough to tote around. I think Costco used to sell a Stanley kit but I don’t know what the quality was like.
|
Chariotoflove
> nermal
03/06/2019 at 19:21 |
|
My cell and may AAA card has saved me more often than my jumper cables.
Interestingly, I’ve saved more people with my cables than myself.
Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
> NotUnlessRoundIsFunny
03/06/2019 at 20:02 |
|
Clarkson is such a knob.
|
Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
> Matt Brown
03/06/2019 at 20:04 |
|
Of course, you can leave the
woodworking
tools at home in the workshop.
Jayvincent
> Matt Brown
03/06/2019 at 20:28 |
|
I’d go with all of those things, bought separately and combined in a hard or soft case of your c hoosing.Specifically:
- screw drivers - yes and good ones or a m
ul
ti-bit with a single handle
- vise grips - yes, small and medium
- needle nose - yes for when nothing else will reach
- side cutters - yes because things (see zip ties, below)
- pliers - i guess, but what can they do that a vise-grips can’t?
- adjustable wrench - yes, obvio
us
ly
- open end wrenches - yes, but only the metric/imperial version for your vehicle
- sockets - see open end wrenches
- hammer - is your car made of wood?
- tape measure - what? why?
- screws and wall anchors - hahaha
- allen wrenches and micro-screw drivers - if they amuse you, they don’t take up much space
+ missing from the kit above are the things listed below :
++
a good flashlight (preferably two!) -
even the harbor freight freebee light is more valuable than the rest of the tools because you can’
t fix what you can’
t find or see
+electrical tape, a dozen good zip ties and maybe duct tape
+ a utility knife
+ a set of electrical fuzes for your vehicle
+ 12v air pump for reinflating t
ires/spares
+ tire pressure gage
Good luck and stay safe, OPPO
|
Jayvincent
> Matt Brown
03/06/2019 at 20:36 |
|
Or you could take this guy’s recommendations:
https://brainyconsumer.com/best-tool-kit-to-keep-in-car/
I’m not opposed to some combination of the first 3 options, but I can’t vouch for the brands, so you might prefer a visit to your local tool store where you can see and examine the quality of the tools in the kit
ateamfan42
> Matt Brown
03/07/2019 at 08:09 |
|
It has been exceptionally bad at everything else, easily being the
lowest quality tools I’ve ever used.
To me, an “emergency” tool kit ought to be cheap tools that you don’t care about very much. If they are just to get you out of a jam in a parking lot, do you really need high quality tools? Save the big jobs for when you get back home and can use your “real” tools.
I have the kit pictured, and for $30, I think it is pretty hard to beat, both in diversity and compactness. It is just
ballast in the trunk 99% of the time.
It also doesn’t hold the tools in
the case, so every time I open it, a bunch of screwdrivers and wrenches
fall out.
The screwdriver bits and hex keys do that on mine; everything else seems to stay put. Those cheap blow molded cases aren’t going to have low dimensional variance. I might add a little electrical tape or equiv as a spacer to tighten up the problem cavities.