Survival of the Fittest -
Emergency Road Kit & Basic Maintenance Tools
Whether
on the road or at home, you need to be equipped with some basic survival
items and tools that can make driving and living with your car easier,
safer and more convenient. Here are some suggestions as a starting
place, divided into two categories: Emergency Road Kit and Basic
Maintenance Tools. You can customize the list according to your
needs and your ambitions.
Emergency
Road Kit
-
Jumper
cables
-
Cellular
phone, charger power cord, along with a list of emergency numbers
-
Ice
scraper and snow brush (winter months)
-
Flashlight
or spotlight with extra set of batteries
-
Rain
suit or poncho (brightly-colored)
-
Safety
goggles or glasses
-
Pair
of disposable work "coveralls"
-
Emergency
flares, warning triangle or cones
-
Fire
extinguisher
-
First-aid
kit
-
Hose-patch
kit for emergency mending of coolant hoses. These kits are usually
available at auto parts and discount stores.
-
Pressurized
can of tire inflator and sealer for emergency filling of a flat
tire.
-
Battery-powered
air compressor
-
Bottled
water and snacks, such as crackers or energy bars (in sub-freezing
temperatures, remember that bottles may burst if they freeze).
-
Blankets
-
Roll
of duct tape
-
Wheel
chocks (placed under the wheels to prevent the car from rolling)
-
Basic
tool set including an adjustable wrench, pliers, screwdrivers,
and wrenches. Many auto parts and retail establishments sell compact
"tool kits", perfect for storage in the trunk of your
car.
-
Mini
shovel (winter months)
-
Bag
or container of sand for traction (winter months)
-
An
extra pair of gloves, a scarf and hat
-
Extra
windshield washer fluid that can be used in cold weather driving.
-
Funnel
for pouring liquids
-
Extra
fuses (refer to your owner's manual to determine amperage sizes
needed)
-
Mechanical
or elastic tie-down straps
-
Roll
of heavy-duty paper towels or rags
-
Pair
of work gloves
Basic Maintenance Tools:
-
Oil filter wrench (there are different types, including cap wrenches and strap wrenches). You will have to decide which provides best grip of the filter, based on accessibility.
-
Catch pan (for capturing used oil and coolant)
-
3/8" basic socket wrench set, including sockets (SAE and metric sizes) ratchets, extensions, adapters, and 5/8" and 13/16" spark-plug sockets
-
Torx sockets or bits
-
Combination wrench set (SAE and metric sizes)
-
Hex-key wrench set (commonly referred to as Allen? wrenches)
-
Flare-nut fitting wrenches (most commonly used to help prevent the rounding-off of brake line fittings and bleeder fittings)
-
Fender cover (to protect the finish of your car while working under the hood)
-
Basic screwdriver set
-
Test light (for checking the availability of voltage and ground in circuits)
-
Multimeter (a more advanced electrical checking tool that provides readings of voltage, ohms, amps and sometimes more)
-
Slip-joint, groove-joint, needle-nose, and locking pliers
-
Torque wrench (a wrench that indicates the "tightness" of nuts and bolts)
-
Air pressure gauge
-
Radiator hydrometer
-
Penetrating oil (used to help free and lubricate seized or frozen fasteners)
-
Soldering gun & solder
-
Electrical pliers
-
Jack stands
-
Ramps
-
Hydraulic Jack
-
Battery charger
(Source: The Car Care Council) |
