Emergency tools, should I go with good stuff or........

[Nickathome]

Now that my truck is licensed and I plan to get it on the room soon, the need for a tool kit has been weighing heavily on my mind. I could raid my tool box and make up a kit, however I don't want to use tools that I also use around the house for other jobs, plus I am reluctant to leave any of my good tools in the truck. I know I could lock them up in the cargo box, but I prefer to keep an emergency kit under the driver's seat for easy access. I guess my question is, what kind of kit do you have? Not so much of a "what kind of tools", but more " do I go with good stuff or the cheapos? I figure hopefully I won't be using the tools often(wishful thinking), so maybe the cheap sets may work. Tractor supply has some inexpensive ratchet sets that are pretty decent for the money. Surely not everyday use tools but for the roadside emergency they should suffice....What do you think?

[TOM R]

thrift stores and yard sales for original looking wrenches and such, otherwise do like you said, also get a points screwdriver and keep at least 1 spare condensor with you, i do on the jeep and have had to change it on the road

[Nickathome]

Forgive me but what is a points screwdriver?

BTW - I like the idea about the spare condensor. Hadn't even given that a thought.

[peter e mark]

My previous vehicle being a M35A2, I carried a rather complete tool set. Wrenches form 1/4" to 1 1/2", all FOUR size socket sets , that's right, a 3/4" drive set too! Many screwdrivers, punches, pliers of all descriptions...But the real question , fellow do it yourselfers: is this: What do I want to be able to do "out there" ? For me, I wanted to do everything, limited only by what spare parts I didn't have with me. Of course calling for a tow for a deuce is a bit different than for a 3/4 tonner. And what will I carry once I get my M37 on the road? A complete set suitable for that vehicle, with as many parts as I can afford to carry. As for security. I had the room on the deuce for a 3' wide job box, but for the M37. I will put them on and take them aff each time I go for a ride. I also think it's a mistake to use chaeper tools in this case. I want to have my Snap-On set when I have anemergency. I need all the help I mcan get in an emergency. That, and John Bizals cell number. Thank God for air frieght..

[CGarbee]

I keep a cheap set under the seat of all my trucks that has a selection of metric/english combination wrenches, sockets, nut driver bits, allen wrenches, plyers, adjustable wrench, etc... I once thought that I would cary my "good" sets but it was getting expensive to outfit each truck and loading/unloading tools every time you go for a ride is a pain...

It was pointed out to me once at a Dodge gathering (while I was borrowing some tools from another Dodger to suplement what I had) that if you do a repair on the side of the road and forget your 9/16" combination wrench when you drive off you feel pretty bad if it is out of your SnapON or Craftsman set, but not nearly as bad when it comes out of your $17 Companion set...

For long trips, or for ones where I know that I will be needing tools (retrieving a truck for instance), I load a much more complete set of tools based upon my "good" sets.

[Lifer]

All the nationwide chains (Wal*Mart, Kmart, Target, etc) carry inexpensive sets of tools for the homeowner and/or "occasional tuneup" kind of guy. They are usually in a plastic box with a snap-shut lid and may or may not have specific slots for each tool. These will fit nicely under the driver's seat and are ideal for quick-fix breakdowns on the road. They are totally worthless, though, for doing total overhauls and heavy-duty stuff.

One other thing nobody has mentioned...don't buy anything that says "Made in China" or "Made in India" on it. More often than not, those tools are worse than having no tools at all. They give you a false sense of security and, the first time you need to change a starter beside the road, they will either bend or break before the bolts pop loose. Been there. Had it happen!

[Nickathome]

I keep a cheap set under the seat of all my trucks that has a selection of metric/english combination wrenches, sockets, nut driver bits, allen wrenches, plyers, adjustable wrench, etc... I once thought that I would cary my "good" sets but it was getting expensive to outfit each truck and loading/unloading tools every time you go for a ride is a pain...

It was pointed out to me once at a Dodge gathering (while I was borrowing some tools from another Dodger to suplement what I had) that if you do a repair on the side of the road and forget your 9/16" combination wrench when you drive off you feel pretty bad if it is out of your SnapON or Craftsman set, but not nearly as bad when it comes out of your $17 Companion set...

For long trips, or for ones where I know that I will be needing tools (retrieving a truck for instance), I load a much more complete set of tools based upon my "good" sets.

This was exactly my line ofthinking regarding tools, thats why I posted the question. I feel better knowing that I am not alone in this thought process. I bought one of those inexpensive "complete" tool sets from tractor supply. I think for most emergencies it will come in handy enough. I would never use these tools for everyday work, and still don't feel comfortable taking my good stuff(Ok to me craftsman tools are the good stuff, but hey) on the road, but I do have doubles and triples of a few items such as pliers and screw drivers, so I'm sure a few of them will find their way into my tool bag. I will probably rob from my tool kit already in my F150. One thing I will definitely toss into the bag though is a couple rolls of electrical tape. That stuff is second only to duct tape in versatility.

[Nickathome]

All the nationwide chains (Wal*Mart, Kmart, Target, etc) carry inexpensive sets of tools for the homeowner and/or "occasional tuneup" kind of guy. They are usually in a plastic box with a snap-shut lid and may or may not have specific slots for each tool. These will fit nicely under the driver's seat and are ideal for quick-fix breakdowns on the road. They are totally worthless, though, for doing total overhauls and heavy-duty stuff.

One other thing nobody has mentioned...don't buy anything that says "Made in China" or "Made in India" on it. More often than not, those tools are worse than having no tools at all. They give you a false sense of security and, the first time you need to change a starter beside the road, they will either bend or break before the bolts pop loose. Been there. Had it happen!

Lifer;

I did exactly that, buying a cheap set of tools, although I bought mine at tractor supply. The kit was $29.99 marked down to $17.99, and it rang up $13.88. The kit is junk but the tools are actually better made than I thought they would be. Certainly they are crap but I think will work in a pinch. Besides this kit is "made in Taiwan", so you know its quality!

I must disagree with you on the chinese aspect however. Yes, all those foreign tools are crap when compared with American made, and for most everyday use, forget it, however I have noticed the Chinese stuff is of far better quality now than say ten or fifteen years ago. I do have a 1/2 in drive ratchet that is made in China and i have been using it for everyday use for years and it actually works better than a Craftsman ratchet of similar size. The ratchet on the craftsman is worn and is hard to turn the knob at times, the chinese one is still smooth. I'd still take craftsman over anything Chinese any day of the week.

[peter e mark]

Chinese tool quality? HUMBUG !

[SOTVEN]

Hello all. I have bought various tools of all kinds. It is true, Chinese tools have improved in the past ten years, yet they leave a lot to be desired. Adjustable wrenches that have lots of play, screw drivers that loose their edge under force, ball peen hamers that their handles get loose in their head and pliers that fall apert when pressed hard. Also my 10 year old Craftsman screwdrivers, are NOT as good as my father's 30 year old Craftsman screwdrivers, since they also tend to loose their edge under heavy turning. However, they are still better than what one can find around here. (Craftsman are not sold in Greece, I had shipped mine by boat when I left the US). In general lines, I believe that the tools are to be used in desperate times that call for desperate actions, hence the better they are, the better the result. So I have made a collection of as good tools as I could, placed them in a .50 cal ammo box that keeps them safe and dry, and locked them in the tool box that runs under the bed behind the cabin. Also, if you look at the m37 manual describing the tools that accompanied our trucks, you will see that it is a limited selection, since there are few bolt head sizes involved and limited screws. So I believe one could spend little money and buy only what is needed in good quality, rather than buy a whole colection that also has metrics that will never be used (in US at least). Finally I would rather have my good tools with me out in the sticks, and leave my not so good at home where I can replace them, if needed, by driving at the nearby store. Just my two cents.

[peter e mark]

That's right SOTVEN, You need the good tools when you brake down ! This is when you need all advantages in terms of tools working FOR you, not against you...

[Nickathome]

Sotven;

You do bring up points, and they are well taken.

As to the other person's response regarding the remark I made about "Chinese and qaulity", I said that the Chinese tools have improved as compared to ten years ago. I didn't say they are comparable to US made tools. I still consider Chinese, Taiwanese, etc tools to be far inferior to ours, but for all but the worst case scenarios, I think even they will suffice as opposed to no tools at all.

[Cal_Gary]

We all know what a tough truck the M37 series is, and it takes a tough grade set of tools to handle it, especially for those bolts that haven't seen a wrench in 50+ years, and those seem to be the exact bolts you have to wrestle with on the side of the road.

Just keeping track of mine-it has eaten:
One saws-all
Three center punches
Two chisels
Six drill bits
a dozen cut-off wheels of various sizes
3 (Craftsman and Snap-On) screwdrivers
2 drag link sockets (twisted a Snap-On 45 degrees)
2 each 1/2 inch drive ratchets
One set of safety glasses
Oh, and it has swallowed 3 or 4 cans of WD40, PB Blaster, and other "miracle" lube potions.

And through all of this, it's still a BLAST!

Recommendation-buy the best quality of tool you can afford, and know how to use it properly.

[mdog]

If you want a basic set of tools to keep stored in every vehicle I would lean to the cheap stuff to save bucks. The quality of the chinese stuff is much better than before but you need to inspect it in person to judge. Don't buy by catolog or you may be disappointed. Do buy only name brand visegrip and channellock pliers because the imitations are nowhere near as good. 4x1 or 6x1 screwdrivers can be picked up for a few bucks and are a great value. I get several at a time to keep them handy. The cheap adjustable wrenches vary a lot in quality and are sometimes equal to or better than the name brands if you do a lot of comparison shopping. Check the fit of the moving parts to make sure they are tight and smooth. I used to be married to craftsman tools but we got a divorce. I didn't change but they sure did. A good quality tool set that moves from truck to truck is another good option and you don't need to take the kitchen sink for it to be useful. It depends on what makes you happy. I have planted a lot of tools on my farm but they never come up.

[HingsingM37]

I have recently started buying the Lowe's Kobalt tools. Rumor is they are made by Snap-on. I bought a 13/16" combo wrench for $9.00. Other than that I get the Craftsman. As for imports, the stuff at Autozone or Advanced Auto parts seems to be a higher grade import then say Harbor frieght. Choose carefully friends, its your knuckles...