What's in YOUR tool box? (that's in your trailer)

[ROBERT CROSS]

Most important....

[JBinKC]

Right on the Rabbit! W. C. Fields had to survive on food and water for several days because someone forgot the corkscrew! Besides the Rabbit, though, I carry the best tools to tighten the hitch and the lug nuts. In my case: two 3/4" box wrenches, a 1-1/8" deep socket on a breaker bar, a 1-1/8" box wrench, a torque wrench with a 3/4" deep socket (6 point) for lugs. The 3/4" socket also fits on the breaker bar for loosening lugs. It took me awhile to get the right tools for the essential tasks. And they're expensive. But you use them every time you move, or should.

[CrawfordGene]

A Swiss Army Knife. It opens wione bottles too and it much lighter.

Gene

[ROBERT CROSS]

Tools Explained
DRILL PRESS: A tall upright machine useful for suddenly snatching flat metal bar stock out of your hands so that it smacks you in the chest and flings your beer across the room, denting the freshly-painted project which you had carefully set in the corner where nothing could get to it.

WIRE WHEEL: Cleans paint off bolts and then throws them somewhere under the workbench with the speed of light . Also removes fingerprints and hard-earned calluses from fingers in about the time it takes you to say, 'Oh sh--!'

SKIL SAW: A portable cutting tool used to make studs too short.

PLIERS: Used to round off bolt heads. Sometimes used in the creation of blood-blisters.

BELT SANDER: An electric sanding tool commonly used to convert minor touch-up jobs into major refinishing jobs.

HACKSAW: One of a family of cutting tools built on the Ouija board principle... It transforms human energy into a crooked, unpredictable motion, and the more you attempt to influence its course, the more dismal your future becomes.

VISE-GRIPS: Generally used after pliers to completely round off bolt heads. If nothing else is available, they can also be used to transfer intense welding heat to the palm of your hand.

OXYACETYLENE TORCH: Used almost entirely for lighting various flammable objects in your shop on fire. Also handy for igniting the grease inside the wheel hub out of which you want to remove a bearing race.

TABLE SAW: A large stationary power tool commonly used to launch wood projectiles for testing wall integrity.

HYDRAULIC FLOOR JACK: Used for lowering an automobile to the ground after you have installed your new brake shoes , trapping the jack handle firmly under the bumper.

BAND SAW: A large stationary power saw primarily used by most shops to cut good aluminum sheet into smaller pieces that more easily fit into the trash can after you cut on the inside of the line instead of the outside edge.

TWO-TON ENGINE HOIST: A tool for testing the maximum tensile strength of everything you forgot to disconnect.

PHILLIPS SCREWDRIVER: Normally used to stab the vacuum seals under lids or for opening old-style paper-and-tin oil cans and splashing oil on your shirt; but can also be used, as the name implies, to strip out Phillips screw heads.

STRAIGHT SCREWDRIVER: A tool for opening paint cans.. Sometimes used to convert common slotted screws into non-removable screws and butchering your palms.

PRY BAR: A tool used to crumple the metal surrounding that clip or bracket you needed to remove in order to replace a 50 cent part.

HOSE CUTTER: A tool used to make hoses too short.

HAMMER: Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the object we are trying to hit.

UTILITY KNIFE: Used to open and slice through the contents of cardboard cartons delivered to your front door; works particularly well on contents such as seats, vinyl records, liquids in plastic bottles, collector magazines, refund checks, and rubber or plastic parts. Especially useful for slicing work clothes, but only while in use.

SON-OF-A-BITCH TOOL: (A personal favorite!) Any handy tool that you grab and throw across the garage while yelling 'Son of a BITCH!' at the top of your lungs. It is also, most often, the next tool that you will need.

Hope you found this informative.

[casa3805]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Tools Explained.....

... It is also, most often, the next tool that you will need.

Hope you found this informative.

This was freaking (Halloween word) hilarious!!

well done Bob

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by casa3805

This was freaking (Halloween word) hilarious!!

well done Bob

Thanks'...but it was an email I got today from an old knuckle busting co-worker. Just had to pass it along.

Bob

[noreen]

Makes a cool looking tip-shaped brand on your leg if you roll over it after cutting on an exhaust system. Sal.

[Elf1]

Originally Posted by aircooled4

Dont recall ever seeing this discussed...
I keep zipties, volt/ohm meter, various crimp or solder electrical connectors. Solder iron/solder, set of screwdrivers, wire cutters, socket set-metric and sae. Still gotta get tube of Vulcum to put in there...

Rivet Gun, extra rivets and Awning latches should ber up there on the "Must Haves"
Lets not forget the Air Compressor for the tires while you are boon docking and a repair kit
Cheers
Elf 1

[Mike91208]

Originally Posted by nsbcpa

Cell Phone........

And credit card. That does it for me.

[newroswell]

I think every tool I carry was mentioned at least once, except: I recently took the time to downloaded an electronic (pdf) version of every owners manual for the truck, trailer, appliances, converter, inverter, generator, tv, stereo, and navigation and put them on my iPad. I also sent an email to Airstream and the next day received complete wiring diagrams and parts manual specifically for my year and model. I've now added every owner and supplement manual for every vehicle I own.

Extremely useful to bookmark things and use the search feature to quickly find the few pages referencing something specific and 30 pounds lighter!

I also now carry a fuel filter (set) for the truck after 2 friends recently were hit with dirty fuel.

[sandlapper]

Along with all the regular stuff already mentioned , I also carry a pair of gardener's pruners and loppers to trim back any branches that might wreak havoc on the clear coat. Also a small bow saw for trimming limbs or cutting some fire wood. A battery powered Sawzall will do also but makes some noise that may attract unwanted attention.

[mrflegel]

Hi all:
I realy liked the plumming snake. I had a guy helping me who got freaked out by a garter snake. I picked it up and moved it out of the work area. Almost had to beg him to get back to work. I tried to reason with him saying it was just a garter snake. He was quick with the reply that he didnt care what his first name was his last name was still snake.
mike

[Steelegood]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

A Swiss Army Knife. It opens wione bottles too and it much lighter.

Gene

Gene your cracking me up, obviously you've used "The Rabbit" one too many times today . "wione"... hummmm, is it a new libation?

aircooled4: not being much of a mechanic, I started making a list off another thread titled "Top 10 Essentials for Road Trip". Well, it has helped me put together my own list. You might want to take a look at it as well as it also gives some good advice. This is exactly why I enjoy the Airforums, there is are so many great people here willing to help, and some who want to add some levity to any given topic (obviously I would fall into the latter group). Thanks to everyone for their input.

BTW: I am adding "the Rabbit" to my list! Also putting the Extreme Outback Compressor on my wish list, but not putting to much faith on getting it after this mornings fiasco trying to help my wife "cook" (see TinCrumpet Vacations thread).

Terry.

[Kamiak]

Originally Posted by JBinKC

Right on the Rabbit! W. C. Fields had to survive on food and water for several days because someone forgot the corkscrew! Besides the Rabbit, though, I carry the best tools to tighten the hitch and the lug nuts. In my case: two 3/4" box wrenches, a 1-1/8" deep socket on a breaker bar, a 1-1/8" box wrench, a torque wrench with a 3/4" deep socket (6 point) for lugs. The 3/4" socket also fits on the breaker bar for loosening lugs. It took me awhile to get the right tools for the essential tasks. And they're expensive. But you use them every time you move, or should.

You can tighten your hitch nut with a 1-1/8" wrench? I'm not a hitch expert, or even a recovering hitch expert, but my hitchball shaft is 1-1/8". As it turns out, my 46mm socket fits perfectly, translating into about 1-7/8". Is the 1-1/8" a typo, or are you sure you have the right ball for your load?