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What to carry?


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Apologies if I'm going over old ground with this question, but I was wondering what other TR drivers carry in their car in case of breakdown or emergency. At the moment, I'm carrying an imperial socket set; various screw drivers; spare wheel, jack and wheel change tools; foot pump; 5ltrs of water; jump leads; assorted spare fuses; assorted jubilee clips; warning triangle and flashing lamp; and torch. I've got a rather useful battery booster, but it's a bit too much to carry as well.

 

So, what else do you recommend as a must?

 

Darren

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Everyone will have their own view, but mainly I would advocate taking all useful tools and spares that will fix a problem in a reasonable amount of time (relative to the size of trip you are doing).

 

Here's my list from my long-distance rally last month:

 

SPARES:

  • Assorted electrical wire, fuses and connectors
  • Spare bulbs (headlamp, rally lamps, side & indicator) [i'd never carried these before, and I didn't use them]
  • Tape (duct x 2, electrical x 2, double-sided mounting)
  • Cable ties (plastic, metal), fence wire
  • Spare exhaust clamps; various nuts and bolts, etc.)
  • Brake pads, brake hose and fluid [only needed on along trip, IMO]
  • Radiator hoses (top, maybe a universal one)
  • Fuel pump and fuel hose [again, long trip only]
  • Ignition Coil, distributor cap & leads, points, condenser, rotor arm, LT lead
  • Body filler, JB Weld x 2 (oil-resistant; high-temp)
  • Instant gasket, exhaust assembly paste
  • Rain-X (inside and out)
  • Octane booster [depending on fuel availability, obviously]
  • 2 x Inner tube & 12v mini air compressor [long distance only]
  • Tow rope, tie-down straps
  • Fan belt
  • Front wheel bearing [long distance only]
  • 5 litres engine oil, coolant, screen wash
  • Head gasket set (ok, I didn't have this, but I should have done!! - again, long distance only)
  • Spark plug (or 4)
My tool kit is basically always the same (all in a cloth roll except where noted):
  • imperial spanners (ring/open): 3/8 - 5/8
  • 3/8 drive sockets: 1/4 - 3/4 + spark plug, short and long (wobbly) extensions; universal joint
  • torque wrench (separate from other tools)
  • assorted screwdrivers (small, cross & slot, large)
  • brake adjuster spanner
  • adjustable spanner
  • mole grips
  • electrical wire stripping/crimping tool
  • large pliers + wire cutters + long-nose pliers
  • magnetic picky-uppy-thing
  • feeler gauges
  • tin snips
  • Stanley knife
  • scissors
  • mirror on a stick
  • Aluminum trolley jack (not in tool roll!)
I have used every one of these tools at the roadside or in a hotel car park at some time. Except maybe the tin snips!

 

Remember that this was for a long-distance rally in fairly remote, or at least non-TR-friendly, country. It all fit into two smallish boxes and one tool roll (plus torque wrench in spare wheel well, jack behind driver's seat).

 

My basic rule of thumb would be: if it stops you going any further on a driving vacation (not just down to the shops or whatever) AND you can fix it in a couple of hours at the roadside or in a car park, then take it. If not, leave it behind and carry the number of a recovery service!

 

IMG_20140718_184246_zpsa93df20b.jpg

 

Ignore grease gun and snow brush/ice scraper, unless you think your trip warrants them ;-)

Edited by TorontoTim
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Hi Darren,

First on the list is

 

AA/RAC etc membership

Mobile phone

Torch & map

 

Then odds and sods that you are happy/capable to fit -

Tyre changing tools - jack, wrench etc

Tyre inflation aerosol - for the persistent leak.

Rotor arm, dizzy cap with leads, contact breakers on a base plate and or ignition module.

Plugs

1 or 2 litres of oil

Water

Fuses

 

If you are driving a good distance over a long period

gallon of petrol (Scotland can be a barren place on a Sunday night)

Socket set, spanners, screwdrivers kitchen sink

 

Roger

Edited by RogerH
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Wow, Tim, that is an amazing list, thanks. Great picture of how you pack it all, too. My problem is that my mechanical knowledge is limited, so I wouldn't have a clue as to how to fit a lot of what you list, but I aim to learn, in time.

I'm working more along the lines of Roger, Peejay, Harry and Stuart, in that I've got the mobile phone and breakdown cover card as my first standby. Hadn't thought about carrying tyre inflation aerosol (as you suggest Roger), but think I'll add that, thanks. I could probably get by fitting rotor arm, distributor cap, HT leads, and plugs, too. Likewise, I can see it's worth taking oil, and spare fuel for long, out of the way journeys.

 

OK, Peejay, I'm stumped, what's the mason nail for?

 

I also carry a small fire extinguisher, and plastic ties, too.

 

Thanks, Darren

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OK, Peejay, I'm stumped, what's the mason nail for?

 

Thanks, Darren

Not applicable to PI equipped cars.

Stuart.

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Hi Darren,

 

a MOSS parts catalogue (other people (AA man) ;) can find out what is wrong with your TR)(every part supplier just used this)

a list with TR specialists in UK or the Continent (TR Clubs as well)

 

Marcel

 

 

If your TR in in good shape and well maintained you do not want / need to carry to much parts with you.

Edited by Quicksilver
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Hi Darren,

most breakdowns occur at night (or is it just me).

Familiarise yourself with fitting contact breakers etc in the dark using a torch.

 

Always listen to your car when and where ever you are.

If the sound changes or there are extra noises that is the time to think about what is going on.

 

Roger

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Moving on from my list (which may, or may not, be useful to others...!!) I think the key to deciding what tools and spares to take are the following types of questions:

 

- what kind of trip am I doing? (general driving around town; day trip into the country; weekend away; long holiday across several days, countries; etc.). On short trips, general driving, or a weekend away I only carry ignition "service" parts - anything bigger than that, I can get the recovery service to take me home and I'll fix it there.

 

- what can I fit on my own with total confidence? Unless you think an AA man can diagnose and fit something that you can't, there's not much point in taking it - or the related tools! A workshop manual can be useful too - especially for the wiring diagram!

 

Despite my previous post, I've never been a big believer in carrying a spare car around with you in component form. If you drive it often, less will go wrong (in my experience). Ignition parts are tiny, easy to fit (fit new ones this weekend for practice and keep the originals as spares) and one of the few things that can actually leave you stranded. Most other problems don't stop you getting home. Spare wire and a few connectors and, as others have said, fan belt, tape and "bailing" wire for holding things on (exhausts, for example) are useful. Jack, spare tyre and relevant tools goes without saying...

 

BTW - Austin, come over to Canada and we can travel in convoy!!

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Points condenser, coil, plugs, (Electronic ignition fitted) basic tools weighing about 10-15kgs!!, some tape, some cable ties, coolant ready mixed, brake fluid, oil, overdrive oil,a tow rope,mini torch, bulbs, fuses, small piece of cable, some terminals, tiny multimeter, WD40, wheel hammer small jack that will go under, sockets and knuckle bar for removing wire wheel adaptors, to change to steel spare!! and some cloth for cleaning with some glass cleaner. Red triangle, 2 hi viz jackets.

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As the wife does peek at the forum every now and then, for Xmas I was going to ask (am asking) for one of those halfords socket spanner sets that come in metric and imperial - the really expensive version obviously.... that way I don't keep having to select spanners and sockets off the garage wall / tool chest each time I head out

 

Tim, the aforementioned wife does want to come over to watch whales

 

Damn - I think I'm not going to get a good deal there (tools £300 - Whale trip £3000!)

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Some large black plastic bags. To kneel or lie on (whilst waiting for RAC man?) or convert into a waterproof poncho because in my experience, breakdowns tend to coincide with it p***ing down.

 

Maintenance manual on USB stick for RAC man to pop into his laptop.

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Make do and mend anyone? A friend and I and his wife went to pick up a 1600E he had just bought. It dropped a bolt that the genrator hinged on. We had no tools or spares, and the bolt was a quarter mile behind us somewhere on the M62. But it got us 80 miles home with a twig replacing the bolt and a pair of tights anchoring it all in place.

So always have a pair of tights on board.

Edited by Peter Cobbold
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