VC Posted February 3, 2001 Share Posted February 3, 2001 Follow a minor domestic regarding not needing to take any tools with me as I could aways call SWMBO if I ever broke down, I'd be interested to know what people think you could get away with as a limited tool kit for travel that can get you through most common on-road fixes. At present I am thinking: molegrips, pliers, small ratchet a few sockets, a bike multitool (small adjustable spanner, allen keys and a chain splitter(?!)), screwdriver with changeable bits, very small hammer and a selection of spanners. A tyre weld thingy. Spares will comprise nothing more than a throttle cable. What would you go for in socket/spanner sizes? Seems a bit more than the old kit which comprised a mobile phone and a wife in a VW Golf (as I only had to carry the former around in the 7)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Ranson Posted February 3, 2001 Share Posted February 3, 2001 Spares will comprise nothing more than a throttle cable. If relevant to your car add a clutch cable. If you look in Halfords they do small packaged toolkits with most things you need to do most jobs. A sort of canvas case with four layers. Convenient to carry, but (IIRC) not particularly cheap. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony pashley Posted February 3, 2001 Share Posted February 3, 2001 Facom do a neat thing they call a lock-grip wrench - a smooth-jawed, adjustable that locks 'over-centre' (rather as a vise- or mole-grip, grip strength being adjustable) so can be used a clamp too. As most of their stuff, it's nicely made and turns the despised adjustable spanner into a reasonably acceptable tool. It opens just far enough to fit lock nuts on top front ball joints. Makes a good standy-by... Facom 114.8, about 7.5 in long, about 10oz weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R500 CYA Posted February 3, 2001 Share Posted February 3, 2001 One piece of advice though: I carried a small tool kit in the boot for ages. One day it broke free of the little canvas bag and spread itself all over the boot floor. A couple of decent right handers later and I had a very attractive spanner shaped dent in the once virginal aluminium. sad.gif If you need to carry anything I'd put in a holdall at the very least. Personally I just carry a mobile phone and AA membership card now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Jones Posted February 3, 2001 Share Posted February 3, 2001 With reference to a tool kit my comments as a maintenance engineer, would be if you are looking for a minimalist tool kit, you only need the tools for the jobs you know how to repair, with the available parts you have with you of can find where you have stopped if you do your own maintenance you will no doubt know the most popular tools for the jobs you can do yourself and also the things that are high maintenance so these things either need improving or tools and spares to repair road side. I know this does not actually answer the original question but I hope it is of some use. With reference to the Facom tools mentioned earlier in the thread I can get between 30% and 40% discount off the catalogue prices. paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Martyr Posted February 3, 2001 Share Posted February 3, 2001 Don't forget the Duct tape. Those sticky pads for holding on rear view mirrors are useful. Tools should reflect the repair capability of the driver remembering that on track days, as with ordinary trips, it may not be your car that needs help. I also take a couple of meters of wire and cable crimps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number Six Posted February 3, 2001 Share Posted February 3, 2001 You can keep a portable kit in a leather roll-up affair... undo the knot and roll it out and you're away. Lockwire pliers + lockwire is useful, duct tape, spare bulbs etc. etc. Ultimate though is AA + mobile (I speak from several experiences!). You can add velcro to the base of the roll-up + ali on boot floor. It works, mount the roll-up tight in rear corner. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Plato Posted February 3, 2001 Share Posted February 3, 2001 I take : Handfull of cable ties , gaffertape , clutch cable and spanners required , throttle cable tie for DTHTB's , tyreweld , mobile , AA card . And of course a big grin teeth.gif Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave H Posted February 3, 2001 Share Posted February 3, 2001 I always have jump leads plus mobile & breakdown cover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Carmichael Posted February 3, 2001 Share Posted February 3, 2001 I know the answer to this one - a Mancunian once told me... ...a hammer. Bigger the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS CLARK Posted February 4, 2001 Share Posted February 4, 2001 I hope your rear srings have adjustable platforms 'cos with the lot listed above you'll need to wind 'em up!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simos Posted February 5, 2001 Share Posted February 5, 2001 Hi VC, For the Le Mans trip... A bunch of cable ties, duct tape, lockwire, a small selection of nuts and bolts in the sizes pertinent to your car/engine, a few pre-drilled metal strips for fabricating brackets, a small selection of fuses and bullet connectors, pack of 5 min epoxy. These are light weight and fix 50% of problems which are: lost nut / loose widgets. Bahco (expensive but worth it) adjustable wrench 10" and 6", wrap the handles with electricians tape in case of work near the battery. Big flat head screwdriver, for levering, things plus medium and small crosshead drivers. I have these incorporated in a: Small 1/4" socket set in cheap plastic case with all non-relevent sockets and torx bits etc removed. Long-nosed pliers with nasal cleaning attachment. Molegrips (I have long nosed ones). Pair of very cheap and nasty jump leads (very light but they'll get you going and at night they glow so you can see what you're doing) Smallest can of tyre weld. De-Dion tube with 1/4o off set ears (joking) Cheers, Simon. PS I used the lockwire, epoxy, nuts and bolts when the the exhaust mounting broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PACR Posted February 5, 2001 Share Posted February 5, 2001 I carried a throttle cable and clutch cable with me to prevent either of them developing any problems. You will find that only the things you can't fix with whatever kit you carry will go wrong. For long trips insulating tape, a couple of juibilee clips (right sizes for your hoses - two shorts do make a long though), zip ties etc will help with niggly things. An adjustable spanner, and long nose pliers came in useful. Spanner for hitting in tent pegs and pliers for removing slivers of chrome that came off the spanner and embedded in my finger. Insulating tape used to stem bleeding caused by gougeing flesh with pliers. A swiss army penknife is good, get one with a corkscrew. Tweezers come in handy as well - (see above) but make sure your missus doesn't loose them doing her eyebrows... Wire coat hangers can be used to fix virtually anything - wishbones, exhaust hangers, punctures (well maybe not but they are very good). As part of my work I used to carry loads of tools round but they were never the right ones to do the job or it was a component failure (not in the Seven though - an old escort). Some oil is useful to prevent the engine burning any. Piers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EFA Posted February 5, 2001 Share Posted February 5, 2001 Those of you going on the Le Mans trip will be pleased to know that those wonderful people at redline Components supply us with a kit of bits commonly found faulty at service time (and a kit of bits often found faulty when they do recoveries) The more obvious things never seem to break however, so Redline will also courier essential get you home items (like radiators for people who insist on nudging the car in front in traffic jams whilst simultaneously trying to fall asleep) to the campsite. TTFN Arnie Webb Organiser- L7C Le Mans Trip To book for this years Le Mans Trip see The Le Mans Trip Website It really is very very very very full now!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Perry Posted February 6, 2001 Share Posted February 6, 2001 I would add to this Scissor jack (and handle) a few fuses and a headlamp bulb, I seem to carry everything else that is mentioned above. On a long journey I might add clutch and brake cable and a set of A frame bushes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STEVE GILBERT Posted February 6, 2001 Share Posted February 6, 2001 Rope is good. In my 7 I use it mainly for towing and making tourniquet's to hold the back Axle following A frame failure All.Knowing1@talk21.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted February 6, 2001 Share Posted February 6, 2001 By the way, what is the normal life time of A frame bushes on a de Dion used exclusively on roads? Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elie boone Posted February 6, 2001 Share Posted February 6, 2001 Nobody ever heard from Leatherman tools i presume ? They are verry small and you can do about everything with it, but they are expencive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Perry Posted February 7, 2001 Share Posted February 7, 2001 A frame bushes seem to vary from car to car. I have heard of one racer who religiously changes them between practice and a race. I never seem to get through more than a couple of sets a year doing sprints . I would have thought for purely road use 5000 miles would be the norm, but I have heard of them doing much less. What do others find ? Paradoxically I seem to have nearly as much trouble with the bushes at the Chassis end of the A frame arms. I typically get through one of those a year as well. Its such a pain to change them that I made a special punch to extract them as they are force fit and so take a bit of getting out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted February 7, 2001 Share Posted February 7, 2001 Well, I never changed mines. My seven has almost 30 000 km on the clock and I feel no sign of wear. What are the symptoms of wear? Noise? Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Perry Posted February 8, 2001 Share Posted February 8, 2001 Some say a knocking noise, but mine have never done this. I remove them periodically and visually examine them. Its pretty easy to see how close to failure they are by their general condition. If the other bushes fail at the chassis end of the arm, its easy to identify as you get a jolt through the car when you lift the clutch sharply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rynicolson Posted February 8, 2001 Share Posted February 8, 2001 Stunning blonde in passenger sear to flag down assistance, failing that a credit card.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted February 8, 2001 Share Posted February 8, 2001 question.gif question.gif question.gif Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodster Posted February 8, 2001 Share Posted February 8, 2001 Tools are fine but what if it is dark? I got caught out when traveling round Scotland last summer in the cat. I therefore always have a torch handy. I've just ordered one from www.glow-bug.com. They sell LED torches which are pretty indestructable and last for ages. They even have one which doesn't require a battery it works on shaking the torch which moves a magnet through a coil which induces an electric current which is then stored on a capacitor, which in tern powers the LED, simple and clever me thinks. I saw them being demonstrated at one of the Army's test and evaluating centres this week and they said that they got bored after the torch had been on for twelve days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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