What tools do you carry in your DD?

upnover

upnover

Grumpy, decrepit Old Man
Moderator
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Morganton NC
I have several vehicles, too many, but still I have several. I am not talking about my trail rig, I pretty well have that covered, but talking about the one you drive daily, to work, on trips, to town to get your groceries, and so on. I have a massed a lot of tools over the years, and usually have tools with me, where ever I go. Some are old, some are new, some are cheap, some are cheaper. But IMO any tool that will get you going again, is a great tool!
What I have in my tool bags(so far)
Wrench sets, 1/4 up to 7/8 and the metrics for the ones that both are needed
Socket sets, 1/4, 3/8's and 1/2" ratchets, extensions
Screw drivers Both Phillips and straight, of different sizes
Pliers, vise grips, needle nose and channel locks
Hammer, punches and chisels
Amp meter(cheap ones, but the work)
assorted wiring fixers, switches, fuses, bulbs, length of wire
assorted hose clamps, zip ties, duct tape.
spray lube.
file,

Plan for tire plug kits, mini air compressor, jumper cables ( I have one set, need 3 more)
All fluids

I am sure I am forgetting something

So what do you carry? What do you see I am missing?
Vehicles are: 99 Suburban, 83 Suburban, 87 Ford F-150, 99 E-450 RV
Not worried a lot about the RV as it always has the Jeep in tow, if it comes down to not, I will just use the bag from the 99 Suburban. I do carry my 1/2 cordless impact for flats when it's rolling out.
 
A bunch of stuff...most notably, my 1/2" electric impact with a large assortment of standard and metric sockets. Even though that's the one I use in the shop too, it lives in my truck and comes in very handy. Luckily, I've never had to use it to change a flat tire of my own.

I've got allen wrenches, an all-sixteenths wrench, hammer, pry bar, a few tow straps, ratchet straps, a 1/4" metric socket set, a screwdriver set with like 20 different bits, zip ties, various fuses, pliers, dikes, channel locks, a wire brush or two, jumper cables, a handful of wrenches, electrical tape, tire plugs, and whatever else finds its way in there.
 
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I used to have every tool to do just about anything to anything in my DD. Now I have about enough tools to maybe change a waterpump on my Jeep. That reminds me I need to reload my box in my Jeep with my spare tools. My wife's Jeep on the other hand, has maybe a screwdriver, maybe a tire tool, and a broken ratchet.

IMG_20170927_032019569s.jpg
 
Everything that’s on my work truck is on my dd, bottle jacks, chains, straps, wrench’s, socket sets, patch kits, gasket picks, electric impacts, etc
 
Holy crap. Is this stuff you might need for work? Or just that paranoid about a breakdown?
My primary DD is a 02 mazda.
It has a tire plug kit w a 4-way tool, jack/spare, a little lithium battery jump kit, a Leatherman, and a pair of vice grips.
I keep the same in my beater weekend Toy pickup.
 
I carry an iPhone in my DD
 
RatLabGuy said:
Holy crap. Is this stuff you might need for work? Or just that paranoid about a breakdown?

It has a tire plug kit w a 4-way tool, jack/spare, a little lithium battery jump kit, a Leatherman, and a pair of vice grips.
Click to expand...

/\/\ THIS!

My DD is a company car....a honda accord. Since it's NOT something that would qualify as something seen on Roadkill, the above are all the "tools" I carry as well. Anything more than a flat and AAA can be there in an hour or less. Wheeling trips, family vacations are another story. I pack pretty much everything on those
 
a $40 dollar Tool kit from lowes and some vice grips, and adjustable wrench, and jumper cables. my truck has a tool box so it has fluids for the truck and wheeling rig always.
i use to not carry tools in the truck since it is fairly new, but After breaking down at 9:30 and was just lucky enough that @WARRIORWELDING was welling to come help me i had to get some simple stuff. it took him longer to get the tools and get there than the fix took.
 
Now that I think about it, the tool kit I carry is primarily used for working on stuff at whatever house I'm at that doesn't have tools that I need. Or if I'm too lazy to walk to the shop when I'm installing whatever new accessory I've bought. Or mountain bike maintenance at the trailhead. Or disassembling something I bought on Craigslist so it will fit. Etc...
 
RatLabGuy said:
Holy crap. Is this stuff you might need for work? Or just that paranoid about a breakdown?
My primary DD is a 02 mazda.
It has a tire plug kit w a 4-way tool, jack/spare, a little lithium battery jump kit, a Leatherman, and a pair of vice grips.
I keep the same in my beater weekend Toy pickup.
Click to expand...

x2. I carry jumper cables/booster, factory jack and stuff to change a tire. Most of my vehicles have a phillips, flathead, pliers and knife in them too. Any other tools are food whatever work i need to get done, not for the car.
 
Jumper cables, rope and ratchet straps, tape measure, pressure gauge, a spare fuel filter and the wrench to change it, a couple of sockets to change trailer tires.
 
I've never been one to have new vehicles, so there comes the need to want tools to fix if needed. I guess this all begin when I was on a family outing down on oak island. Jeep was running hot. I stopped at Advance on the way to the Ferry, was easy to figure out why. Clutch fan was barely turning. No tools. So, I bought a $10 socket set, a new belt, and a clutch. Let it cool during the wait(30 mins) before we drove onto the Ferry. Once the whistle blew allowing passengers to get out of vehicles, I started. changed it out on the 30 min ride over to Fort Fisher. Drove it off, put everything away, and went to play on the beach. since then, I keep some tools on board.
 
My dd is a 16 f250. I carry jumper cables and a 4 way lug wrench. And a cell phone, cause anything else its going to need a tow to the house where all the scan tools and stuff are anyway.

The trail rig is a rolling toolbox obviously, my 67 fairlane I keep a 100 piece tool set from HF that folds up into its own toolbox. Similar to the one linked above. Its good enough to work on the carb or distributor, change a hose or belt. Anything else is getting a tow home like the dd. Taking it on the Power Tour this year along with Dad's 67 c10 and I plan on hitching the trailer to the truck before we leave so we can call someone to come rescue us if needed.

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upnover said:
.... since then, I keep some tools on board.
Click to expand...
all the crap you listed is a lot more than "some tools"...
just seems like a lot of space and weight taken up.

I forgot to add to my list a tire pressure gauge and a cheap 12v pump.
And more importantly, as Woody pointed out - a credit card is always in the wallet, which I'll always have when driving, so that's the real magic tool.
 
When I was DD'ing one of my old trucks, a simple socket set, a crescent wrench, a couple screwdrivers and a blade of some sort could take apart 90% of the vehicle. With my new stuff...I have a couple different trucks and a 30' trailer or my cell phone and a credit/AAA card. I have no idea where my jumper cables are at, and the 26" craftsman toolbox that was once filled with a hodgepodge of tools is there more for nostalgia than anything and missing 75% of the tools it once carried. I'm to the point now where if my DD is a breakdown risk, I'll scrap it and buy a new one.
 
RatLabGuy said:
all the crap you listed is a lot more than "some tools"...
just seems like a lot of space and weight taken up.

I forgot to add to my list a tire pressure gauge and a cheap 12v pump.
And more importantly, as Woody pointed out - a credit card is always in the wallet, which I'll always have when driving, so that's the real magic tool.
Click to expand...

Everything listed fits into one bag. What I carry, for the most part, has been needed at one tome or another.
 
I have tool boxes that have task specific tools in them. After blowing 6 wheel bearings in my boat trailer due to bad calipers I keep everything for a change in a tool box. Tow the trailer tool box goes. I also have a tool box for the boat. Otherwise jumper cables and tire chains for my car (that way I don't lose them) otherwise it's my insurance tow card
 
Wow. I only carry a pair of sunglasses, a couple ratchet straps and some rags (in case I have to ratchet something in the bed and to wipe my hands off, I hate driving with dirty hands).

But I only live 8 miles from my shop and don't ever go anywhere. Also have AAA.

Tow rig is another story though.
 
jumper cables, ratchet straps, gloves, the tire change stuff that comes with the vehicle and a cell phone

Its my DD if it needs more than a flat change its going on the hook
 
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