Cars Started a "If the crap hits box" for the car

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Old Gray Mare

TB Fanatic
"If the crap hits box" for the car. Suggestions requested. I don't want to rebuild an engine, just do regular maintenance if things get interesting. Found out belts and hoses are special order from a dealer.

So far is has the following:
filters,
stuff for an oil change,
hose clamps,
a box of assorted fuses,
tire plug kit.
 
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9idrr

Veteran Member
phloydius said:
That's the name I could not think of! Thanks.
Also, spare head lights bulbs.
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Jeeze, I've got a plastic ammo can that contains fuses, wire crimpers, some spare wire and butt connectors, 1157's and a spare square headlight 'cause my truck don't have just the bulbs. Good idea to have a 5X7 blue tarp, too.
 
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Old Gray Mare

TB Fanatic
Thanks all. Thunderbird if there's no gas we'll all be back to Shank's ponies in short order. Hiking boots are also on the list just not this one.

Plan to get some Stay-Bil. Saw some of the shrink wrap wire thingys at the hardware store. Wasn't impressed. Will try again at an auto part store along with the new list I'll be making up with a lot of the items listed in the posts.

The belts will be on the list. Think it may have been Dad who told me in a pinch panty hoes might work. That was years ago and I don't want to put that particular memory to the test.
 
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Luddite

Veteran Member
A piece of steel or piece of treated lumber bigger than the footprint of your jack. Nothing worse than looking for a flat rock or changing a tire in mud.

If space and money permit, a small cheap cable "come-along"

Eta: while not recommended for repeated use, I carry a can of starting fluid. Makes cold weather or a weak battery less of an issue. Also quickly tells me whether I have a fuel or fire problem when it won't start.
 
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Millwright

Millwright

Knuckle Dragger
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Keep in mind, changing a serpentine belt is NOT the same process as old school v-belts.

I doubt that most people could do it in a roadside setting.

First thing is to have the magic tool or combination of tools needed for retracting the tensioner.

Once you have figured out how to do that, it's a trial and error process to figure out which pulley is the one to actually put the belt on last, once everything else is in place and the tensioner is pulled back.


The whole deal elicits much foul language and frustration, especially the first time you do any given vehicle.
 
phloydius

phloydius

Veteran Member
Thunderbird said:
You'll need gasoline to make this stuff useable.
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This brings up a good point.

Add a siphon* with a hose to the kit, such as a squeeze pump siphon or a safety siphon. And also add a couple of bags (such as 2-gallon zip locks) to seal the siphon in after it has been used to help prevent the fumes from filling up the inside of the vehicle until you have time to air it out.

* Note: I have been told, but have not confirmed, that carrying a siphon in a vehicle in some areas is illegal. Do due dilligence research before doing this.
 
SquonkHunter

SquonkHunter

Geezer (ret.)
Plan to get some Stay-Bil.
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If you are planning on storing gasoline long-term use Pri-G instead. I have used it and Sta-Bil both and Pri-G wins hands down. Easily good for 2-3 years if stored properly. Probably good for even longer but I never tried it for that long. Also use Pri-D for diesel fuel. Good anti-microbial and preservative.
 
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raven

TB Fanatic
tech said:
Wiper blades, tire valve stems and the tool to install them (more common a failure than many realize.) BTW, they will replace tpms sensors in a pinch.
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I would not worry about TPMS sensors. Those warning bulbs never burn out.
 
20Gauge

20Gauge

TB Fanatic
Old Gray Mare said:
"If the crap hits box" for the car. Suggestions requested. I don't want to rebuild an engine, just do regular maintenance if things get interesting. Found out belts and hoses are special order from a dealer.

So far is has the following:
filters,
stuff for an oil change,
hose clamps,
a box of assorted fuses,
tire plug kit.
Click to expand...
We have had the same for years. Not a bad idea in this era of shortages.
 
20Gauge

20Gauge

TB Fanatic
Luddite said:
A piece of steel or piece of treated lumber bigger than the footprint of your jack. Nothing worse than looking for a flat rock or changing a tire in mud.

If space and money permit, a small cheap cable "come-along"

Eta: while not recommended for repeated use, I carry a can of starting fluid. Makes cold weather or a weak battery less of an issue. Also quickly tells me whether I have a fuel or fire problem when it won't start.
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I carry a 6 by 6 in the truck.

I hate the fact that the #$%@#$%@#% jack is good enough to raise the truck 1/4" above the pavement if everything is level.

I am in GA with dirt / sand everywhere. The darn jack always sinks about 2" even with wood.
 
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tech

tech

Veteran Member
Yeah, I wholeheartedly agree on the factory jacks. First things I got after buying the truck were a hydraulic post jack and a long breaker bar & socket for the wheel lugs.
 
RememberGoliad

RememberGoliad

Veteran Member
Always-carry list, specific to roadside 'aw crap' situations:
TIRES
--At least one hydraulic jack plus the factory jack and its handle
--Breaker bar with the proper socket
--Bigass screwdriver for pulling the center cap off
--Can of Free-All for the lug nuts. (That stuff is INSANE for dissolving crap in the threads! I've only ever found it at O'Reilly, but it's worth having a can in the tool box.)
--TWO spares. Because if you have a problem, you then do not have a spare.

UNDER-HOOD
--Belt. Usually the most-recent takeoff. I replace the thing every couple of years whether it looks bad or not. Take a pic of and PRINT IT OUT, or draw a diagram of, the belt routing and stick it either in with the belt or in the glove box....or make two and put 'em in both places!
--Whatever it takes to twist the tensioner. In my case, the breaker bar for the lug nuts will fit in the molded hole on the tensioner.
--A package or two of that hose wrap tape. May be worthless and I've never had to use it, but it doesn't take up much space.
--The most-recent takeoffs of the big hoses, and a foot or two of heater hose to loop if a heater hose busts.
--Spare clamps for whatever sizes needed.
--Coil pack and boot, and the 8mm socket to replace it. One goes bad and it gets noticeable, but like social crying in a baby nursery, if one goes bad it'll give another one the idea and if you lose two you ain't getting up some of these hills around here and on flat ground it'll shake like a dog shitting a sponge. V8's dont like running on six.

MISC (besides the fluids, not much bigger than a shoebox worth of stuff)
--Fuse assortment
--Roll of electrical tape
--Duct tape
--Paracord
--Bailing wire
--Taillight bulb and headlight bulb (rest of the bulbs are nice but those keep ya from hitting or getting hit ;)
--Enough water to fill an empty cooling system, my case that's a little over 2 gallons.
--Make-up engine oil and trans fluid (trans fluid can usually go into power steering pump as well, but motor oil cannot.)
--Pint of brake fluid
--Jug of bug juice. Yeah, 99% of the time that's just a space waster. BUT.... one time I hit a buzzard and splattered his innards all over the windshield. Blew out the entire reservoir trying to clean it, and the window was still greasy and smeared. Would've been a MESS driving into the setting sun if I'd have had to use plain water or tried to go on as-is.
--Roll of paper towels and hand cleaner
 
Siskiyoumom

Siskiyoumom

Veteran Member
I keep a garden knee pad in my car kit for my old lady knees when changing tires. We dumped the tiny donut spare tire and have a full sized spare tire now. Also battery emergency hazard lights that have a magnetic back.
 
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