Tools: Required, Nice to have, and overkill but I have it anyway

[Alex AVI]

Originally Posted by sheakev

I had no idea that there were such things as torx headed bolts! I can see why having a torx socket set makes sense.

Originally Posted by WhereStream

Yesterday I had to buy a set of "external star sockets" just to adjust the headlights on my Chevrolet Suburban.

I'd never heard of such.

SHEAKEV, WHERESTREAM - Blame Torx on computer technology, they were one of the first implementers of this. Lots of automotive applications now use TORX bolts/screws. But to improve it, also be aware they are now going to SECURITY TORX bolts/screws.

Regular TORX head & toolbits below.





SECURITY TORX head & toolbits below.





External TORX socket below:


Gotta carry them in any European made vehicle, but getting to be that way even for most domestic makes too. The good thing about TORX is it is getting universally accepted eliminating the fight with English vs. Metric standards.

[majorairhead]

I carry a cast iron fireplace poker similar to this one....

[majorairhead]

I'm also an avid detectorist, and carry my detector and associated goodies everywhere I go (yeah, it's a tool) Along with that, the shovel, the pinpointer, the gloves, and the goodie bag, I always have my eneloops. I'm a rechargeable battery kind of guy.

[majorairhead]

....pliers, screwdrivers, socket sets, electrical tape, duct tape, masking tape, twist ties, hammers, hatchets, jumper cables, 12v air compressor, hand air pump, bottle jack, water pressure gauge, water filter, ems, wheel chocks, various 2x's, small propane bottles, citronella candles, rope, wire, assorted nuts/bolts/screws, pink flamingo, checking to see if you're reading this, extra water and sewer hose, assorted sewer hookup stuff, water heater plugs, grease, hitch sleeve, fuses, assorted knives, lighters, marshmallow sticks, empty gallon water jugs, level, furniture moving blanket, grill, 20#propane tank, grill stand, e z up tent, winterizing equipment if needed, hand siphon pump, telescoping ladder, bicycles and associated gear, chairs, bug spray, spray lube of some sort, hitch grip, tongue lock, tweezers, and toothpicks

[nryn]

Just so we’re all clear, Major, is that a metric or imperial pink flamingo? [emoji12]

Originally Posted by majorairhead

....pliers, screwdrivers, socket sets, electrical tape, duct tape, masking tape, twist ties, hammers, hatchets, jumper cables, 12v air compressor, hand air pump, bottle jack, water pressure gauge, water filter, ems, wheel chocks, various 2x's, small propane bottles, citronella candles, rope, wire, assorted nuts/bolts/screws, pink flamingo, checking to see if you're reading this, extra water and sewer hose, assorted sewer hookup stuff, water heater plugs, grease, hitch sleeve, fuses, assorted knives, lighters, marshmallow sticks, empty gallon water jugs, level, furniture moving blanket, grill, 20#propane tank, grill stand, e z up tent, winterizing equipment if needed, hand siphon pump, telescoping ladder, bicycles and associated gear, chairs, bug spray, spray lube of some sort, hitch grip, tongue lock, tweezers, and toothpicks

[majorairhead]

Originally Posted by nryn

Just so we’re all clear, Major, is that a metric or imperial pink flamingo? [emoji12]

Probably made in China/Metric

[InterBlog]

Majorairhead's tile reads "2019 30' International".

This thread deals with Sprinter vans (mine is 22 feet, others are 24, and that's the length of the entire motor vehicle itself). There's no magic to defining a tool set when one has a 30 foot trailer plus a TV in which to carry stuff. If that were my scenario, I'd just say BRING EVERYTHING!!

The challenge we vanners face is bringing not too much, not too little. Because we don't want to find ourselves 3,000 miles from home and hoofing it to Canadian Tire when it turns out that we did not bring the correct socket, do we?



When I get to the point where I'm satisfied with my updated kit, I will create a list of what's in it. I'm still working on the containerization facet of this endeavor (here). Especially when we vanners get into "nice to have" territory, it really matters how we've set up our organization. Good organization = more room for "nice to have", which could morph into "desperately need to have" depending on the break-down scenario.

[majorairhead]

Oh man, my apologies, I didn't see we were in the Sprinter forum. Guaranteed to change the equation for sure. Sorry folks!

If a moderator wants to delete my posts to clean up this thread it'd be fine with me

[Alex AVI]

Originally Posted by majorairhead

Oh man, my apologies, I didn't see we were in the Sprinter forum. Guaranteed to change the equation for sure. Sorry folks!

If a moderator wants to delete my posts to clean up this thread it'd be fine with me

Mr. MAJORAIRHEAD, Sir! Yes, you in the Sprinter world -and- yes I read the "pink flamingo" and certainly am considering bringing a small version with me. Small space be damned This from our last trip before winter.

[CharlieOscar]

Originally Posted by Alex AVI

SHEAKEV, WHERESTREAM - Blame Torx on computer technology, they were one of the first implementers of this. Lots of automotive applications now use TORX bolts/screws. But to improve it, also be aware they are now going to SECURITY TORX bolts/screws.

Regular TORX head & toolbits below.
Attachment 331708
Attachment 331712



SECURITY TORX head & toolbits below.
Attachment 331710
Attachment 331713



External TORX socket below:
Attachment 331714

Gotta carry them in any European made vehicle, but getting to be that way even for most domestic makes too. The good thing about TORX is it is getting universally accepted eliminating the fight with English vs. Metric standards.

If you own a Jeep and do any work to it you will know about Torx as well. I know they are on Jeep's dating back to YJ but haven't worked on a CJ so dont know that. I'm actually glad AI has them so I have another use for my assortment of Torx tools. I have duplicates from times I didn't have them and had to buy a complete set to do some road repairs. You can pick up complete sets of these at Harbor Freight for cheap during sales and the quality is good enough.

[InterBlog]

OK, this blows my everlovin' mind, but I just searched this old thread for the terms "voltmeter" and "multimeter" and found none. How is that possible??

You need to carry a multimeter (aka in the vernacular "voltmeter") at all times. This should go without saying. (Maybe it DID go without saying).

But did you know that you also need to carry FUSES for your voltmeter?

And that said fuses are of a specific format, and may not be easy to come by?

And even if you DO manage to purchase fuses, you might need a special tool to get them in and out of your voltmeter?



If there's one thing that really chaps my patootie, it's equipment that is not reliable. Here's the story behind this one.

I went to pick up our Interstate from storage, only to find the chassis battery deader than ten-day-old roadkill. Walmart measured said brand-new battery at about 5 volts and promptly gave us a new one, with no cost proration, which was nice of them.

Our charging unit returned an error message of "internal short" within the battery (suggesting a defect) but that's not necessarily reliable, especially given that we noticed qualitative evidence of current flow when and where there should not be any.

Fine. Break out the multimeter, the DEDICATED INTERSTATE MULTIMETER that was bought exclusively for use in the Interstate, and let's run this sucker down.

Come to find out that the amperage circuit(s) had fried fuses. Neither of us know why. I use that multimeter routinely, but only as a double check on chassis voltage, given our previous alternator-related pain and suffering. I've never switched it to the A setting because there was no need.

OK, pull the fuses, which is almost impossible given the way they are seated. Then find a source for replacement fuses.

OMG. Long story short, we could not troubleshoot the Interstate that day. For want of a nail, a shoe was lost. For want of a fuse, a multimeter was lost. For want of a multimeter, an Interstate was lost.

Or to mix metaphors, I feel like we are living the Interstate version of "Fifty ways to leave your lover". Except its "Fifty ways to get stranded in a disabled Interstate despite devoting hundreds and hundreds of hours to #operationbulletproof".

So I reminded my husband how much I *ABSOLUTELY HATE* unreliable equipment, and asked him to find a gosh darn brand of multimeter that has a fail-safe circuit in it or whatever is required, so that it isn't so fragile, so vulnerable to accidental damage. Upon which he replied that there's no such thing.



Anyway, we still don't know what's wrong with the Interstate. This dead battery comes on the heels of our APPARENT third alternator failure, which we experienced in the final 3 miles of our 6,000-mile round trip to Nova Scotia. We shall see.

Meanwhile, maybe someone could chime in here with a decent multimeter recommendation.

[jaybauman]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

maybe someone could chime in here with a decent multimeter recommendation.

Fluke 87 True RMS multimeter. The best there is. When you absolutely positively got to measure every [redacted] circuit in the room. Accept no substitutes.

The "True RMS" functionality probably isn't all the important for the RV crowd, but the unit is indestructible (ask me how I know) and uses standard 9V battery and "regular" easy-to-change fuses.

Bonus points to the first person to catch my allusion....

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by jaybauman

Fluke 87 True RMS multimeter. The best there is. When you absolutely positively got to measure every [redacted] circuit in the room. Accept no substitutes.

The "True RMS" functionality probably isn't all the important for the RV crowd, but the unit is indestructible (ask me how I know) and uses standard 9V battery and "regular" easy-to-change fuses.

Bonus points to the first person to catch my allusion....

Maybe the line in Risky Business which was actually "Porche, there is no substitute."


I've just recently learned the virtues of a multimeter and am using the "free" Harbor Freight model.

[rmkrum]

I keep a few cheap Harbor fright ones around. If I smoke one it’s only a couple bucks. For precision stuff I have a bench-too Fluke that stays home.

[rowiebowie]

Walmart was closing out their Michelin Emergency Tire Puncture Repair in a can. For $3 bucks, I had to try it. It's their "Large Tire" size, so theoretically will do the job on my class b. I've never used a temporary product like this before, but if it works well enough to limp to a repair shop and doesn't screw up anything, it could be a great tool to carry in my van.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMsjJijGBYA

[WhereStream]

Fluke 87 True RMS multimeter. The best there is.

At $400, beyond the reach of my another-something-for-the-trailer budget.

[WhereStream]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

But without a doubt the very best tool for making sure you have enough clearance is a 10-foot pole, so you can get out and check the height of the overhanging branches before you drive under them! If the pole touches the branch when the end is on the ground, the branch is too low.

Now, that's a great idea.

[jaybauman]

Originally Posted by WhereStream

Fluke 87 True RMS multimeter. The best there is.

At $400, beyond the reach of my another-something-for-the-trailer budget.

Originally Posted by rowiebowie

Maybe the line in Risky Business which was actually "Porche, there is no substitute."


I've just recently learned the virtues of a multimeter and am using the "free" Harbor Freight model.

Spendy, it is. If I didn't already own one (and I've had the same indestructible one for 25 years) I wouldn't be buying one for the Airstream tool bag. For on-the-road troubleshooting, any cheap multimeter can be used to measure voltages and check continuity.

The "best there is" reference was Jackie Brown, not Risky Business.

[GMFL]

I have the Fluke 87V but I prefer my Fluke 375 because it also measures DC amps

[Mollysdad]

Back in my sailing days, the same topic was discussed. It always became "If you seriously carried all that stuff, the boat would sink".