tools for a long journey

[steve bain]

so i am heading off to ultimate dubs on friday for a 220mile, 3.5hour journey each way. Since completely rebuilding my car i have only done 75 miles in it (due to shite weather) but i figure most big issues would have appeared by now and i have fixed them, tyres rubbing arches, coolant leaks, sensors etc.

I am however nervous about sitting on dual carriage ways and motorways for 3 hours! I have breakdown cover but figured it would be sensible to take a few tools should something straight forward go wrong.

I plan to take,
leatherman
10mm spanner
13mm spanner
300mm adjustable spanner
flathead and posi screwdrivers
mole grips
hammer?! (not sure i need this)
big bag of zip ties
jump leads
few lengths of cable
electric tape
old rad hose that can be chopped up if needed
instant gasket

can anyone think of anything else that may be useful?

[mr.brown]

I have a small socket set - not this one but similar
http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/ ... socket-set
Mine has the main ones 7mm (idle screw + hose clips?), 10mm, 13mm, 17mm. I also carry a 15 & 19 socket.

You've got most of the serial killer kit there - just forgot disposable gloves & a plastic sheet (for lying down on if doing repairs of course)

[steve bain]

i love a car were you plan for failure! i may chuck in the main sockets in as well as its not too many. good point about the gloves and sheet too. fingers crossed i wont need any of them!

[BlackGTX]

enough water to refill the system? jack and emergency brick, wire strippers and connectors to repair loom?

always a hammer

[Nate]

i don't bother with a huge toolbox anymore. never used most of it, so it was just costing me more in fuel. i've got spanners to change the alternator belt, a decent length wheelbrace with decent socket and i think thats it.

if you run into problems anywhere around swindon/cirencester, feel free to give me a shout

[SYNCRO]

AA Card is my best toolkit :)

[the edmundator]

Chill out. For my first trip in the Cup car after it had been finished, I took, well, no tools at all. Except the adjusters for the shock absorbers, they must count as tools. Oh, and I think Ant left a small screwdriver in the glove box.

Most of my cars have one of these in. http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/ ... s-tool-kit I usually add a small set of open spanners.

If I can't fix it with that, it's a job for the recovery service.

[whiteshark]

Best recovery for a long journey, AA cover with relay to ensure your car is towed home if it breaks down. Long journeys with a car that have not been serviced properly, or one you have bought recently and do not trust, usually involve water or oil loss if there is a leak somewhere. Water loss will cause overheating, oil loss will usually blow a head gasket and cause lots of damage on a long journey if you have not checked your oil level before leaving. Enough basics and bullshit. Unless you have full breakdown cover with your insurance company, get AA cover with relay. That is unless you have a close friend with a car trailer that likes driving. I have had AA cover for the last three years. Only because of my 16 v. Engine. If the fuel pump goes, I've no chance of carrying out a repair on the roadside. My policy covers me and my partner and all of our cars. So for me it's great value and peace of mind with the kids in the cars. I used to have in my Scirooco ,a set tool kit for changing the alternating belt in less than a minute, with a few other tools. I'm getting old, if something goes wrong besides a blow out, call the AA. For the record, I think my cars are kept well enough, and I ve never had to phone them ever, but for a long journey and piece of mind, never mind your tool kit, join a recovery service. If you join, haggle, haggle and haggle again to get the best price. Make sure you have recovery that will tow you and the car home as part of the membership with no questions and no bullshit. Good luck getting there and back, you will be fine, just keep on Rooco 'ing!

[scrappy1382]

steve , how'd ya get on ? i remember getting my storm ready for its 1st appearance at the nationals. ( gatwick to telford ) 11.30pm the night before me and my mate dave are readjusting the gear linkages as he wasnt happy when he drove her round the block. luckily he followed me up there in his blue 406 estate !!! the 2nd time i went to the nationals, i was running late to join the convoy due to getting the car ready again with little bits, and oh my, the m40 was my savour travelling at quite a fast pace continuously ... i trust all the work i do on my cars/cars. i must do, i have a child in them and dont fancy crashing due to my bodges. have trust in your car, im sure it will love the cruise there and back.
shane.

[unknownmale]

I have a little kit with me all the time.

Cheap socket set, screwdrivers, cable ties, jump leads and a multimeter...And my RAC card if all else fails.

[eefy]

When I went to the green hell I also had a fan belt in the boot as well as trolley jack :)

[mark1gls]

Some oil and water/coolant maybe?
Latex gloves, old coat to lye on if working underneath anything and a torch.

[james butler]

jubillee clips of all sizes and a 22mm spanner and spare alternator belt.
dont forget to check the spare and if you can ditch the space saver for a full size wheel for long journeys would be a good idea.
bit of rag and a tin of wd40 and carb cleaner can go a long way and roll of duct tape.
i dont really bother with much else as like the others have said get decent breakdown cover.

other than that plan your route and make regular stops to check oil and water n the like.
eventually when you come to trust it you wont need half this stuff anyway.
but if you do breakdown you`ll be glad your prepared.