After input for ideas on a basic breakdown toolkit?

[Edz66Vert]

Looking for ideas for a basic breakdown kit after blowing thermo fan fuses today and not having a test light or 1/2" socket? I thought this might be a good topic to help others get out of trouble.

I don't want to carry 40 kg of tools, I have NRMA Premium Care cover which anyone who drives an old car like we do should have. It costs me $200 a year but first 6 weeks of having it my car broke down on an interstate trip on its maiden run when the alternator bolt broke (I didn't know the front bracket was missing). They gave me 2 motel rooms for the 3 of us ($240), flatbed truck to the depot and hotel, taxi to Port Macquarie from Kempsey next day ($178) to pickup a hire car of choice, 7 day car hire to finish our holiday ($1100), and 700 km car transporter back to Canberra ($800). Not bad for $70 more than the standard cover.

This is what I've put together so far for my tool kit:


- Test light
- Shifter
- Combination ring spanners - basic set (8-14 plus 1/2")
- Socket set 1/4" & 1/2" (8 - 14 mm plus 1/2") (metric but gets me out of trouble)
- 1/4" and 1/2" ratchet plus extension
- Side cutters
- Combination pliers
- Multigrips
- Crimpers
- Long nose pliers
- 1/4" socket driver
- Phillips head screwdriver - long and stubby
- Flathead screwdriver
- Knife
- Gaffa tape
- 3M electrical tape
- Cable ties - different lengths
- Multiple types of electrical connectors
- Relays
- Fuse holder
- Fuses
- Radiator hose clamps
- Allen key set
- 20 amp Wire

I also have a spare set of radiator hoses, fan belt, old towel which was great to get my arm down deep into a hot engine bay and water bottles in the boot.

So, what have I missed? Any other handy stuff? I don't want another 30 kg worth, just the critical necessary stuff?

[hybrid]

How about one of the little LED work lights that's got a magnet in it?
I've got one of these little ones. 5 bucks at supercheap.

[Edz66Vert]

Forgot to mention that, yes good idea, I have one in the glove box already with a super-small emergency raincoat, sunblock and mosquito spray.

[malscar]

cheap fuel filter, jumper cable, safety triangle, light bulbs. Forgot, esky with ice and your choice of poison.

[Nuts]

You don't need any of that shit, except Mals Suggestion of the Esky! All you need is just a phone. But please make sure you call me when you break down so I can share the news with the Forum because they're really concerned about you! Oh and the beer is for you passenger/s while they wait!!

[lukep6470]

I work on what you used to have to carry for extended HW trips. You just need to get it going enough to get to the nearest servo.

I carry a full set of spare belts and the tools needed to change them.

A water container full or empty doesn't matter as you will probably be near somewhere you can fill it up.

I should get a top and bottom hose as well. All my smaller hoses are near new so don't need them. That reminds me so I'm going on Ebay now

Maybe a length of wire, that way you could've done some sort of hack to hardwire the fans permanently on to get you home.

A large shifter? Pliers, wire strippers.

A set of fuses.

Any more than that and it's a tow truck job anyway.

[Edz66Vert]

You don't need any of that shit, except Mals Suggestion of the Esky! All you need is just a phone. But please make sure you call me when you break down so I can share the news with the Forum because they're really concerned about you! Oh and the beer is for you passenger/s while they wait!!

Nuts just threw that one in for me! Had to call him for 8 liters of water to get home doing one of my 28 test runs checking radiator temps when the temporary straight bit of stainless I used to replace the TEFBA filter let go and all the coolant pumped out. I was about 3-4 k from the nearest servo so I didn't want to drive it and damage my motor.

But seriously, it's nice to just have a basic kit to get the old girl back on the road. Sometimes it's the simplest of things that make us break down. As I said, I have top NRMA cover, but having a couple of fuses got me going in 5 minutes when it blew the thermo fan fuses coming back from North Canberra last Sunday.

I've added Gaffa tape to the list, it would have saved me damaging the paint when I pulled over to remove a side scoop the a motorist next to me at the lights told me was flapping around.

[Edz66Vert]

So this is the updated list (don't forget the Fire extinguisher) :

- Test light
- Shifter
- Combination ring spanners - basic set (8-14 plus 1/2")
- Socket set 1/4" & 1/2" (8 - 14 mm plus 1/2") (metric but gets me out of trouble)
- 1/4" and 1/2" ratchet plus extension
- Side cutters
- Combination pliers
- Multigrips
- Crimpers
- Long nose pliers
- 1/4" socket driver
- Phillips head screwdriver - long and stubby
- Flathead screwdriver
- Knife
- Gaffa tape
- 3M electrical tape
- Cable ties - different lengths
- Multiple types of electrical connectors
- Relays
- Fuse holder
- Fuses
- Radiator hose clamps
- Spare Radiator hoses
- Spare fan belt
- Allen key set
- 20 amp Wire
- Old towel
- Rags
- Small bottle of hand cleaner
- Spare fuel filter
- Jumper cables,
- Safety triangle
- Light bulbs
- Fire extinguisher

[Pinto-Pete]

don't forget a tow bar for the trailer..