Let's compile a list of the ideal minimal tools to carry for first gens

[Bulldozer]

Hey guys, I'm redoing my tool kit I carry off roading and on road trips in my explorer and trying to minimize unnecessary items yet have a complete set to fix most anything while out on the trail or the road.

The explorer puts us at a little disadvantage as far as what we need to carry since it has a mixture of metric and SAE hardware.

My list so far:

• 12" and 16" channellock style pliers
• Utility knife
• Regular 6" needle nose pliers
• Long reach needle nose with angled tip
• 7" and 10" vise-grips
• 6" and 10" adjustable (crescent) wrenches
• Small assortment of screwdrivers and a complete bit set with phillips/flat/torx/hex etc.
• 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2" ratchets
• 1/2" breaker bar
• Large set of sockets in all 3 drive sizes (6 point for 1/4 and 3/8, 12 point for 1/2")
• Various extensions as well as U-joint sockets and adapters in all 3 sizes
• L-shape hex key sets metric and SAE
• Small wire brush
• Digital multimeter and extra battery
• Electrical test light
• 12+ feet of 14 awg wire (for testing circuits as well as making repairs)
• Wire crimpers/strippers and a few assorted butt-splice connectors
• 7mm-19mm combo wrenches
• 5/16"-1" combo wrenches
• Tire pressure gauge
• Tire plug tools
• Slime,fix a flat, tire plugs and 12v compressor
• Valve stem core tool
• Duct Tape
• JB Weld Kwik
• Rescue tape
• Jumper cables
• WD-40 or similar
• Bailing wire
• Ratchet straps
• Fuel line/ac line disconnect tools (the little plastic ones)
• (etc. etc. I'll have to look through my tool bag
  and see what I'm forgetting here)

Can anyone think of a reason to carry a full set of deep sockets? The only deep sockets I can think of off the top of my head are:

• the axle u-bolts (7/8"???)
• Exhaust manifold studs nuts (13mm i think??)
• the radius arm bushings and coil spring holder things 1-1/8"

How bout 1/4" drive SAE sockets? All the tiny hardware on the ex I can think of is metric...

Also, some good tools to have that wont come in an off the shelf tool kit:

• 6mm 12 POINT deep 3/8 or shallow 1/4" drive for abs sensors. (Only available from snap on, proto, SK, KD etc. none of the cheaper brands seem to make a 6mm 12 point).
  
• The big socket for the hub/spindle nuts (2-9/16" I THINK but will double check, maybe different for manual hubs)
  
• Big 1/2" drive torx bits, like T45-T60, seat belts, body mount bolts and probably more.
  
• 24mm socket for drain/fill plugs on manual trans.

Gearwrench QUADBOX wrenches are great but not 100% necessary, ratcheting wrenches are a life saver and each of these wrenches each cover 4 sizes in the space/weight of 1 wrench

How about flare nut wrenches, what sizes are good to have for fuel/brake lines and trans cooler lines for automatics?


That's all I've got for now but I'll add more as I think of it and I'm interested to see the input of others.

Cheers
-Casey

 

[BKennedy]

Don't forget the spindle nut socket, and a 1-1/8" socket for the radius arm/coil spring nuts.
A few long 1/2" drive extensions.
18mm socket (most socket sets don't come with it, and it seems to be needed for about half the larger bolts/nuts).
Torque wrench could be taken in place of the breaker bar if its a throw away HF tool.

I think you could get away with having only 8mm, 10mm, 13mm and 18mm metric sockets, which seem to cover just about everything I have ever needed a wrench for that was metric on the Explorer.

Never liked using Slime personally. Doesn't work well, and leaves a horrible mess to clean up later at the tire shop.
And...........some zip-ties and some bailing wire, or course.

 

[Bulldozer]

Don't forget the spindle nut socket, and a 1-1/8" socket for the radius arm/coil spring nuts.
A few long 1/2" drive extensions.
18mm socket (most socket sets don't come with it, and it seems to be needed for about half the larger bolts/nuts).
Torque wrench could be taken in place of the breaker bar if its a throw away HF tool.

I think you could get away with having only 8mm, 10mm, 13mm and 18mm metric sockets, which seem to cover just about everything I have ever needed a wrench for that was metric on the Explorer.

Never liked using Slime personally. Doesn't work well, and leaves a horrible mess to clean up later at the tire shop.
And...........some zip-ties and some bailing wire, or course.

I agree slime doesnt work that well but if you're in the middle of nowhere and get more than one flat it can save your butt.

There are also a handful of 15mm bolts and nuts I can think of and if I recall correctly 17mm too.

I'd rather carry a breaker bar than a torque wrench for a couple reasons, its stronger than a torque wrench, and sometimes the head of a torque wrench or long 1/2 ratchet is physically just too big to fit where you need it. I have a 24" flex head ratchet but in a "I need this to work or we're stranded" kind of situation I'd rather rely on a good ole breaker bar.

 

[swshawaii]

Good list, but you forgot the BFH. Sometimes nothing else will do.

 

[vq5speed]

Looks like you covered most of the small tools. Probably a high lift jack some gallon bottles of water good bright flash light with back up batteries.Also I like them tire worm kits they've always worked for me.

 

[Bulldozer]

Looks like you covered most of the small tools. Probably a high lift jack some gallon bottles of water good bright flash light with back up batteries.Also I like them tire worm kits they've always worked for me.

Agreed those items are also necessary, as well as a floor or bottle jack because I don't know about you guys, but I'm not getting under a vehicle supported by a hi lift.

Also, BFH is a requirement as well! Forgot to put that on the list.

So guys anybody have some input? Any reason I need to carry deep sockets?

 

[BKennedy]

Good sized tarp. They have all kinds of uses; ground cover, shade, rain cover, etc.

 

[jlk112678]

3/8 in. Drive Universal Joint (connects two extensions together)for getting back spark plugs or any other odd angled spot.
why not carry a 3/8 to 1/4 or 3/8 to 1/2 adapter to cut down on ratchets.
Or you could also just carry a 3/8" and 1/2" Drive Combo Flex Head Ratchet and a Ratchet With 1/4" And 3/8" Drive,would cut down weight and amount of tools.
Also wouldn't be a bad idea to carry extra serpentine belt.

 

[BKennedy]

3/8 in. Drive Universal Joint (connects two extensions together)for getting back spark plugs or any other odd angled spot.
why not carry a 3/8 to 1/4 or 3/8 to 1/2 adapter to cut down on ratchets.
Or you could also just carry a 3/8" and 1/2" Drive Combo Flex Head Ratchet and a Ratchet With 1/4" And 3/8" Drive,would cut down weight and amount of tools.
Also wouldn't be a bad idea to carry extra serpentine belt.

Belt, wheel bearings, grease, u-joints, ratchet straps, spindle nuts, maybe a spare hub or two.

 

[Maniak]

Some things that I can think of off the top of my head..

Moving blanket. Normally I use it to keep from getting dirty but I've lost 2 over the years at truckhaven by donating them to keep people warm while waiting for the ambulance to get them to the hospital.

I also carry a small bottle of red Joes hand Cleaner. it is waterless (can be used with water) and works really well.

A few things I've added recently, more for wheeling are trash bags and a 1 gallon baggie with a baby shovel (folding) with a roll of TP (without the cardboard part).. That has come in handy a few times... The Trash bags are used to pick up oily dirt or just used for trash.

For other spare parts, even before I started doing more extreme wheeling..

• wheel bearings
• wheel bearin seals
• 1 u-joint for each size
• electrical tape
• hose tape
• hose clamps
• heater hose (and a coupler)
• tire plugs (I don't use slime)

 

[BKennedy]

Oh, I forgot;

Two short pieces of 1/2" OD steel or aluminum tubing and a few hose clamps like Mark said. In case the heater bypass thingy falls apart. Its plastic and gets brittle with age. Use the tubing to bypass the bypass. It happened to me, luckily in my garage. After that, I cut some tubing and threw it in the jack storage area with the rest of the parts.

Or, do what I did when I had to reroute the heater hoses for the SAS; when replacing the hoses, leave them a little long so you can pull them to the heater box connectors in the firewall if the bypass thingy fails.

As far as hex wrenches go, figure out what sizes you need and carry only those. I have about 20 useless hex wrenches in my tool box.

 

[jlk112678]

Damn might as well carry one of everything,or autozone whatever fits in the back of your truck,lol

 

[Maniak]

Damn might as well carry one of everything,or autozone whatever fits in the back of your truck,lol

Well, now I do carry quite a bit of parts.. Off the top of my head..

I have..

• Brake pads (I don't carry shoes)
• bearings
• multiple u-joints (different sizes)
• multiple seals (axle, pinion, wheel bearing etc)
• caliper slide pins
• hoses (radiator and heater)
• spark plugs and a couple longer spark plug wires
• TPS
• IAC
• ignition module
• inner/outer tie rods
• Spindles
• Hubs with conversion nuts
• Font axle shafts (all 3 parts)
• nuts/bolts
• Ballistic joints (used to be RA bushings)
• Shock bushings (although I don't use that style of shock anymore)
• front and rear brake lines.
• Grease, diff oil, trans fluid, engine oil, coolant

Those are just parts I can remember now... then I have the tools etc.. There is a reason I have a false floor, with parts/tools and a container holding more, plus the 20 lbs bottle of co2 and air tools.

~Mark

 

[Jason94sport]

Flashlight
muliti tool
duct tape

All I ever needed