Best Tool Kit for Overlanding?

[SiliconTi]

I have the same problem with those cases. in addition, my experience with them is that they tend to break down quickly and stop holding tools securely after a short while.

Here's how I carry my common tools.

It has everything I need to work on my rig, short of a complete engine teardown.

You have done what I should do - narrow it down a bit. The kit has many redundant tools in it and I should thin it out.

 

[AFBronco235]

You have done what I should do - narrow it down a bit. The kit has many redundant tools in it and I should thin it out.

That's why I don't buy pre made kits except for use in a garage. My first mobile kit started with an old Craftsman clamshell tool box and I slowly filled it with tools as what I commonly need. What you should do is get small kits, like sets of sockets or a small roll of wrenches and combine them into the kit you need. Leave the big case you have for the garage. Part of the reason I changed to a bag was to make scavenging parts from the local parts yard easier. Carrying around 50 lb. tool box gets annoying after a while. I still keep the box in my Bronco, but only because I don't have a garage to keep it in instead.

If you're dead set on using a pelican case, you should do what the tool crib at my base does and make a CTK (Consolidated Tool Kit). They take a pelican case and some hard foam board and make tool trays that they layer inside. Each tray is made of two layers of stiff foam, the bottom for a backing and the top has spaces cut to hold the tools. They then stack each tray inside the case for max space usage. Do it right and you can get an impressive number of tools in a small box. In fact, you should see what our full sized tool boxes have in them.

I do need to get some kind of roll for my wrenches though. Its a real pain having to search through the bag for the right one.

Here's an actual list of what I've got in mine:
3/8" ratchet
3/8" SAE deepwell sockets
3/8" Metric deepwell sockets
3/8" "multi wrench" shallowell sockets (on the steel strip)
1/4" ratchet set (small craftsman set my grandpa got me years ago.)
3 different vice grips
pipe wrench (more useful than you'd think.)
full set of pliers (needle nose, wire cutters, square tip and basic pliers.)
Full set of screwdrivers
2 adjustable wrenches
ball peen hammer
Cutco super shears (I HIGHLY recommend them. They'll cut almost anything!)
various common and specialty wrenches
LED flashlight
Hand turned "easy outs"
three blade pocket knife

The bag itself I got from a military surplus store and is actually sold as a travel satchel, but its tough enough and has enough pockets to make a nice tool bag. And the shoulder strap is REALLY nice for when I got foraging in the junkyard for parts. All told, my kit weighs in at around 20 or 25 lbs.

This bag lets me do 90% of the work on my bronco. The other 10% I keep in a separate tool box and contains things like torque wrench, adhesives, gasket material, RTV, silicone sealant, coolant tester, extra hardware, various electrical wire and connectors, small butane torch and a few extra sets of pliers and wrenches.

 

[Weasel with a Diesel]

What you pay is what you get.
I get mad when I read such stories of people never had to work with the tools they recommend.

First, your main concern should be dimensional accuracy.
A cheap tool can't fullfill this point. It will round off nuts and bolts. Sometimes you do have only one try. Are you going to waste that try and and invest lots of effort to get rid of "that bolt"?
Secondly craftmanship- just compare a cheap craftsman hex nut (Yes, I know, they aren't cheap tho) and a snap-on hex nut- same size of course- what do you recognize - Right, the snap-on hex nut is made much more petite. That detail allows you to work in thight areas.
Try that with craftsman...
If the snap-on tool will brake- don't worry, the craftsman tools will be broken too.
Damage depends on the application- and "your knowledge" where the load limit is...
So you need that tool "experience"- Do you have that tool in your toolbox?

Funny thing is travelling in a convoy draws your comrades like a moth into the light when it comes to good tools.
Hopefully you remember tool rule number one:Are you going to borrow your girlfriend- of course not- same applies for tools.

Remember, in a worst case situation you might have only a single try to loosen "that" stubborn bolt. Do you really want to play against a stacked deck? No?
Me neither- if you can afford a million gazillon overlanding equipment, there should be a well spent reserve for good tools.
You simply can't risk it- since our leisure time is limited to a couple of weeks.

Tool chest to have: Peli 0450 Mobile tool chest

 

[Stumpalump]

I use the tools in the rig to work on the rig. Same with the dirt bikes and boat. That way when I need something I can add it from the shop. I put special emphasis on non typical repair like a broken tie rod, fuel line, broken and leaky diff cover or break line. I keep punches, files sand paper and just about every nut, bolt and washer that fit my rig. I sheared off my steering box bolts and guess what I had with me? Bolts that got me home and I was solo that day. Can you chain a tie rod on to get you out? Can you fill a diff, engine radiator or crankcase if you spring a major leak? Do you have the epoxy, silicon and Gorilla tape to at least get you to where you can fill it? Can you put out a fire or cut a seat belt to free somebody in a hurry? Think of bad situations or repairs and solve them at home. There really is not that much stuff or weight that you need if you bring just what you need. I can't ague with any items listed in this thread but one thing that very few carry is a way to trouble shoot and repair electrical problems. Make up a small kit for that stuff and throw in a meter or test light because the best trail repairs are the ones that you don't have to do over once you get home. Trail malfunctions and repairs can be fun when they are not a day ender so bring all the crap you may need to do it.

 

[mantree]

I have a lot of tools from harbor fright and some bits of better gear. The key with harbor fright tools is to get Pittsburg they are a bit tougher and have a life time warranty. I have a set of met and sae sockets and wrenches along with a collapsable dual drive ratchet and swivel extensions. I also carry socket adapters for a power drill and a 18v lipo drill. I'm going to pickup a collapsable breaker bar to use with my digital toque wrench. There are also several kinds of pliers including hose pliers and vice grips. I also carry a 4 in 1 screw driver, tire kit with small compressor, jumpers, specialty wrenches (spark and oil filter) and tow rope along with crimp ends and crimp tool and a box of fuses and bulbs.


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[unseenone]

I have a small Pelican case kit, the top is an assortment of tools for the vehicle, the bottom 2/3 is an assortment of spares. It's an IM2200 a decent size, not to bulky, no rattling around. A few pictures here if you want to check it out.

 

[SnowedIn]

The same thing it's used for servicing the vehicle at home in the garage, or on the side of the highway, etc. There are a number of things you really do not want to strip out, or have coming loose.

With a lot of experience it's possible to get close by feel, but is it really worth saving that little bit of weight?


I find my choice of tools heavily influenced by which spares and repair materials I can reasonably carry, and what sort of trail repairs are possible using them. And, of course, I make note of which tools I actually need to work on the vehicle. When I work on it in the garage I use the vehicle tool kit. If you're missing something important you will know very quickly.

 

[samer0214]

I have a small Pelican case kit, the top is an assortment of tools for the vehicle, the bottom 2/3 is an assortment of spares. It's an IM2200 a decent size, not to bulky, no rattling around. A few pictures here if you want to check it out.

Would you mind sharing what spares you typically carry? You got me thinking about putting together something very similar to your set up.

Thanks - Samer


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[unseenone]

Hi Samer --

There is actually a detailed breakdown on the article linked. The parts are Land Rover LR3/D3 specific. Drop me a pm if you like, i'll e-mail you a detailed list of recommended spares, part numbers, etc. The tools I have a metric, and like some others mentioned, I try to work out of that box when tinkering in the garage, so things get added and removed as it develops. I can post a detailed list on the tools if you want as well, I had not done that previously.

 

[stioc]

Certainly not the best but gives me enough tools for most trail side fixes. Not shown are the 1/2" breaker bar and the electric impact wrench stored separately. The toolbox is a garage sale rescue and I like it for its lower profile and less wasted space compared to the plastic toolboxes I have. I also have a scan gauge ii in the truck which I monitor pretty much constantly in gauge mode and have used to reset the MIL on a couple of occasions.

 

[samer0214]

Hi Samer --

There is actually a detailed breakdown on the article linked. The parts are Land Rover LR3/D3 specific. Drop me a pm if you like, i'll e-mail you a detailed list of recommended spares, part numbers, etc. The tools I have a metric, and like some others mentioned, I try to work out of that box when tinkering in the garage, so things get added and removed as it develops. I can post a detailed list on the tools if you want as well, I had not done that previously.

unseenone: Thank you for the reply. PM sent regarding the list of recommended spares. As for the tools, I am actually quite set there I think.


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[WSS]

Certainly not the best but gives me enough tools for most trail side fixes. Not shown are the 1/2" breaker bar and the electric impact wrench stored separately. The toolbox is a garage sale rescue and I like it for its lower profile and less wasted space compared to the plastic toolboxes I have. I also have a scan gauge ii in the truck which I monitor pretty much constantly in gauge mode and have used to reset the MIL on a couple of occasions.

Hey, I'll give you 20 bucks for the worn out looking 3/8" rachet you have there. LOL

I love those old school snap-ons!

 

[stioc]

^haha good eye! Most of my tools are 12-14 yo Craftsman with some Snap-On, SK, Klein, OTC and the inevitable HF stuff thrown into the mix. However, the tools above are a dedicated kit that stays in the truck.

 

[SiliconTi]

Hey, I'll give you 20 bucks for the worn out looking 3/8" rachet you have there. LOL

I love those old school snap-ons!

I have one of those with the swivel head - best money spent on a ratchet, I love that tool.

 

[Brewtus]

I use a small generic tool box for keeping a hammer, funnel, tape, zip ties, vehicle specific tools (Axle Nut Socket), crescent wrench, and pliers in. But my main tool kit is the Crescent 148 piece tool kit. The box is low profile; I keep it behind the seat in my regular cab. It also means that you never have to go hunting through the deep dark corners of your tool bag for the right socket. Agreed that there is some redundancy in socket sizes. However, there are times that you need a 1/4" drive ratchet where a 1/2" or 3/8" drive won't fit. Unless you've completely disassembled your entire vehicle multiple times and know exactly which tools fit where, having some variety is very helpful when you're a couple hundred miles from the nearest parts house/home depot.

I've put a 6' cheater on the 1/2" drive socket in this set and stood on the end of it to get my rusted axle nuts off and didn't break anything. The ratchets also have a pretty fine ratchet mechanism so you can get small clicks in hard to reach places. I like them so much, I bought three sets, one for the garage, one for the truck, and one for the car.