MSN Article: 16 Things You Should Have in Your Car (A durable MT is one)

[Alan K.]

I was stopped at a light on a major street one day when a woman in a car next to me started frantically waving at me, and she was yelling something, so I opened the window thinking maybe she wanted to meet me for coffee, and then maybe have my children or something, and she yelled, "you're on fire."  So, I winked at her and said, "I know baby, I know."  Then she shook her head and pointed toward the front of the truck and she said, "No, your front tire is on fire."

I threw my truck in park and jumped out to take a look.  Flames and black smoke were coming from the driver's side front wheel well.  I reached back in the truck, released the retainer, then just like they tell you, Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle and Sweep side to side until the fire is out. Whoosh.  All that while the light was red, then I jumped back in and drove away as soon as the light turned green.  Nobody was delayed by a burning truck on the road that day.  A brake line connector had come loose and brake fluid ignited when it hit the hot brake disc.  I drove 2 blocks to the nearest repair shop, very slowly, using the transmission to slow down and stop because I had no brakes.  It cost me a few hundred dollars for new brake components, but without a $30 fire extinguisher I'd have been walking home and I'd have lost a $30,000 dollar truck. I considered the extinguisher a worthwhile investment.

[rishardh]

I carry all those items listed minus fire extinguisher and cat litter. I will seriously consider adding a fire extinguisher. Not sold on the cat litter though. In addition, I carry water bottles, breakfast bars and a bic lighter in case I need to smoke something to take the stress away

[rishardh]

I was stopped at a light on a major street one day when a woman in a car next to me started frantically waving at me, and she was yelling something, so I opened the window thinking maybe she wanted to meet me for coffee, and then maybe have my children or something, and she yelled, "you're on fire."  So, I winked at her and said, "I know baby, I know."  Then she shook her head and pointed toward the front of the truck and she said, "No, your front tire is on fire."

  Did not have time to get her phone number?

[SAK Guy]

I was stopped at a light on a major street one day when a woman in a car next to me started frantically waving at me, and she was yelling something, so I opened the window thinking maybe she wanted to meet me for coffee, and then maybe have my children or something, and she yelled, "you're on fire."  So, I winked at her and said, "I know baby, I know."  Then she shook her head and pointed toward the front of the truck and she said, "No, your front tire is on fire."

  Did not have time to get her phone number?

What a great way to meet chicks!   

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have two fire extinguishers in my Jeep right now, but both of them are spent.  I put them in there so I would remember to recharge them.  Hasn't worked yet....

Def

[Aloha]

I've got several fire extinguisher all throughout the house.  I have one in my kitchen for grease fires, one in the hall, bedroom ( tho I've not had to use it just yet  ), truck, main living area, garage,  yeah I am a firm believer in having them at arms length. 

[Grant Lamontagne]

I've got several fire extinguisher all throughout the house.  I have one in my kitchen for grease fires, one in the hall, bedroom ( tho I've not had to use it just yet  ), truck, main living area, garage,  yeah I am a firm believer in having them at arms length.

It's probably the cheapest insurance you can buy.  I am a big supporter of fire extinguishers as well.

Def

[Aloha]

I have a couple bags that are meant to help me get out of a jam.  I'm not mechanic but I think I could manage to do some basic repairs to get me going.  The larger bag has my booster cables, 12v compressor, road flares, gloves, a can of fix a flat, some other basic stuff.  The laptop bag has tools.  I also have a full size spare tho I will be getting a bottle jack soon.  My safety vest is in the back seat as well as some peripheral items like water/foods/spare clothes/1st aid/etc. 

The little fire extinguisher is meant to thwart a small fire getting larger.


On the topic of fire extinguishers.  I have several around the house as I mentioned.  The little one is meant for grease fire that a lid wouldn't put out.  Place a lid on a pot that catches fire, I've heard salt too. 

The larger one is there JIC as are the others within my home.  I don't want to have to run upstairs to get a fire extinguisher to use in the garage.   

[Grant Lamontagne]

The following comments may get me banned from here, but I think it is worth the risk....   

When it comes to an emergency repair kit for the car, I have found that a wrench roll and socket set are far more invaluable than a multitool.

While the multitool is handier for more varied tasks, I have found that they aren't as good when dealing with larger components, like batteries, distributors or spark plugs, especially if you have an older vehicle.

One time, while four wheeling with a group (I don't think Derek was part of that run, although he may have been, and will be along shortly I'm sure to correct me or confirm!), I was having trouble with stalling my old yellow Jeep, which then refused to restart without some effort.  In the end, we diagnosed it with a loose starter wire, from the starter I'd replaced a few weeks earlier.  It was a simple fix, just tightening one wire that was reasonably easily accessible, but the onlhy tool I'd had to do the job was a Leatherman Blast.  Yes, it did the job, but the not quite blunt, not quite needle nose pliers were just a little too long and kept hitting the other contact, sending a jolt of electricity through me on every turn.

And, here is the most blasphemous comment of this entire post- if you keep your eyes open, you can often buy a full wrench and socket set for less than what many multitools go for.   

Def

[Aloha]

SECURITY.................. 

A MT is great to have on you but yes a good set of basic tools are crucial.  I pick up odds and ends at the flea market but I'm sure garage sales would work.  I've heard of deals on high end tools from garage sales of couple getting divorced.  Wife has no clue what soon to be ex paid and sells off rolling tool boxes for a few hundred   

[derekmac]

Nope, wasn't out with you that trip, but I remember reading about it after it happened.  I also may have giggled when you were zapping yourself.

Grant is right (can't believe I'm saying that again), a socket set and some wrenches are great to have.  Hell, you don't even need a full set of either.  Vehicles usually only use a handful of different size fasteners, and you could probably Google what is most common with your car, pick those sizes out of a set (or buy separate, but usually cost more to buy separate), and throw them in a small plastic tool box.  It won't take up any noticeable room in the trunk, but you'll have the tools you need, when you need them.

I carry a full set of sockets (big set), 1/4-1/2 drive in the Jeep at all times.  I really only need a 13, 15, 17, 18mm as 90% of the nuts and bolts are those sizes, but with a full set, I can help others if needed.

I carry over 200lbs of gear in the Jeep.  Don't need most of it for daily driving, but it's too big of a pain to take stuff in and out of it for runs, so it stays in there.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Yeah, it is funny now, but I recall feeling very differently at the time! 

I have a couple of ratcheting wrench sets- one metric and one SAE, although to be honest the sets are close enough that you could use metric wrenches on imperial bolts if you needed to.  I think the two sets were all of about $50 and it gives me 14 of the most common wrench sizes.  I spent about $13 on a roll because they kept falling out of the plastic carriers. 

I got a socket set for $20-30 that has a dozen or so sockets each in metric and SAE, so really, for under $100 I have most mechanical fasteners covered. 

Toss in a set of channel lock pliers for bigger things,  or places where pliers make more sense than a wrench and maybe a set of Torx bits for the socket set and you should be able to manage virtually any vehicular problems that arise.

Def

[ducttapetech]

Grant is 100% right.
 While my Multi is great for those trouble shooting fixes or keeping me from having to go to the shop just for a screw driver or wire cutter, but it will NEVER replace tools and they CAN NOT do some of the jobs that regular tools can do or as efficiently as regular tools. Also, you can buy some nice socket sets for the same price for a Gerber or Vic or whatever. However, at the same time, my multis have paid for themselves by saving me time from having to go get tools for a simple fix or that rare time when the multi was able to save your ass or limp a car back home to fix it properly.

[derekmac]

Grant is 100% right.

Not you too! 

[Sea Monster]

In the end, we diagnosed it with a loose starter wire,

Standing around an open bonnet, scratching my beard thoughtfully, staring at no component in particular and muttering "probably a bad earth mate" gets me through most situations 



There's not much you can't do with a 10, 14, and 17mm wrench on a Japanese car.

Throw in decent set of combination pliers, a phillips #2 & #3, and a spark plug wrench and you can probably bluff your way through a bit of stuff (incidentally, that is basically what you get in the "tool kit" with most cars. If you didn't know you had one, open some of those compartments in your boot, or check under passenger seats)

never axle or suspension or bumper).

Unless your "bumper" is attached to the frame with high tensile bolts, and it's the only part still above mud and water 


Personally I roll out with what I need to rebuild the whole dang thing. I'd be up there with Derek's 200lbs.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Grant is 100% right.
 While my Multi is great for those trouble shooting fixes or keeping me from having to go to the shop just for a screw driver or wire cutter, but it will NEVER replace tools and they CAN NOT do some of the jobs that regular tools can do or as efficiently as regular tools. Also, you can buy some nice socket sets for the same price for a Gerber or Vic or whatever. However, at the same time, my multis have paid for themselves by saving me time from having to go get tools for a simple fix or that rare time when the multi was able to save your ass or limp a car back home to fix it properly.

I am in agreement 100%- a multitool (especially paired with a SAK) can be a serious lifesaver.  for example, the wrenches won't do you a lick of good changing lightbulbs or splicing wires, and those kinds of jobs are where a multitool (and/or SAK) really shine.  I wouldn't dare be without at least one of each- but the wrenches and sockets are pretty dang handy too!

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

Grant is 100% right.

Not you too! 

Luckily my signature is already maxed out....   

Def

[ducttapetech]

LOL!

[WhichDawg]

I think we just love tools here, multi and dedicated

but I always thought Grants hair was natural curly!

[WhichDawg]

I just added these to the kiddy:
SnapLight (10)

about 12 usd not on sale (I got on sale ) very bright, one I tested lasted over 16 hours.

and

really bright and 10 different light modes, very well made (especially after the fix they did!) also got on sale (16 bucks)

[Grant Lamontagne]

I just added these to the kiddy:
SnapLight (10)
(Image removed from quote.)
about 12 usd not on sale (I got on sale ) very bright, one I tested lasted over 16 hours.

and
(Image removed from quote.)
really bright and 10 different light modes, very well made (especially after the fix they did!) also got on sale (16 bucks)

I like the Fred light. I've been meaning to get one of those. 

Let me know what you think of it!

Def

[Poncho65]

That FRED light does look neat I hope it works good for you WD

[WhichDawg]

I can't stop playing with it! lol

[Grant Lamontagne]

I hope you never need it then- the batteries will be dead!

Def

[Alan K.]

I can't stop playing with it! lol

If you play with it too much you'll go blind.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Especially if you look directly at it when you flip it on!

Def

[WhichDawg]

seriously! you can't look into the lights directly they are very bright.

2 of the modes are 3-white-Leds-grouped (constant) or 3-red-Leds-grouped (constant) for "flashlight" usage, it also has all lights constant (except the white which are on top) but that uses up the most power.

the magnet in each is pretty strong and makes it stick to any ferrous metal and the hook is cool for all other needs.

and they lie, it's a little bigger than a hockey-puck! (10-15% ish) which is a good thing

2 of them I have not removed the battery tags and rearranged the center AAA battery to activate it, I'm leaving it until my "battery drainage" test is over (in a month) but playing with the one active one isn't helping the test!

[Poncho65]

Can't wait to hear the results WD