What do you keep in your "get home kit"? (1 Viewer)

[StephaniesFJ]

I'm big on having a tool kit with a little bit of everything I need to get home (I live in the middle of nowhere). I keep the basics like Starting Fluid, RTV, jumper wire, Leatherman multi-tool, WD-40, steel stick, small bottle of brake fluid, little piece of fuel line and some zip ties..... what do you guys carry that will absolutely help get you home in your rig if something fails? Or what is your best "quick fix" on the side of the road?

 

[NCFarmboy]

Great question. It’s a critical kit to have in the cruiser,‘and ANY of my vehicles.

A full set of ratchet wrenches and 3/8 sockets; misc pliers and screwdrivers; vice grips (saved me more than once!), zip ties; fuel filter.

 

[bhsdriller]

AAA card

 

[StephaniesFJ]

AAA card

Or a good friend with a flatbed trailer with a winch on it....... I am one of those friends.... Throwing some chains on the trailer and heading your way!

 

[CondeCruiser]

Or a good friend with a flatbed trailer with a winch on it....... I am one of those friends.... Throwing some chains on the trailer and heading your way!

I'm one of those friends as well.

 

[StephaniesFJ]

I'm one of those friends as well.

View attachment 2937412

Let's be friends!

 

[fjwagon]

As mentioned above I carry the minimum tools needed. But want to add electrical tape, duct tape,a rechargeable LED light wire strippers, and terminals. But I pretty rebuilt the starter, and alternator always have good belts, radiator and fuel hoses. If they are old just replace them. Better to do them now than wait until you are stranded in cold weather or in the middle of nowhere. Make sure you exhaust system is secure. You want to carry bailing wire in case on of the welds break. Nothing last forever as they say. I always carry a container of 50/50 antifreeze. On one of cruisers has points so I carry an extra set and a way to gap them. These vehicles are pretty bullet proof once you replace the basic stuff and rarely break down if keep up the preventive maintenance but stuff just happens.

 

[Brian/99uzj100]

I agree with fjwagon. These rigs are very reliable. Make sure your 40 is mechanically sound, and that your rig stops well.
I try to stick with OEM parts and stay away from aftermarket parts.
I know many Mud members love their V8's, aftermarket diesels, fuel injection, aftermarket ignition systems, and distributors. My thinking is: More non OEM=Less reliability.
I'm happy with my properly adjusted OEM carb, OEM FJ60 gear reduction starter, and a '77 OEM vacuum advance distributor on my '76.
You can add a quality tire puncture repair kit and portable air (12v air compressor, C02 tank, good bike tire pump) to your kit.
I think it's easier to repair a puncture than to change a tire in the middle of nowhere, in the off-camber, dirt-mud-snow.

 

[Pighead]

AAA card

Sure, got one of those, carry a soft bag of tools behind the passenger seat anyway.

 

[TEakins]

A fuel filter would have totally saved my ass one day, when on an out-of-county trip I learned the roof of my gas tank was shedding rust flakes when topped off. l had to stop and remove the filter three times on the trip to tap out the debris! Now I have a new tank, but I still feel compelled to have a spare filter in the glovebox. lol

 

[70fj40]

Anti freeze, belts/hoses, hose clamps, duct/ electrical tape and fuel filter. Well equipped tool box and a jump start / air compressor.
So far the worst breakdown I’ve had on road was a nut worked loose on my column shift linkage and had to drive a ways in 1st gear until I could find a place to crawl under and tighten it up. An FJ40 with only 1 gear takes SLOW to a whole new level.

 

[NCFJ]

American express

 

[Dread Scott]

Sure, got one of those, carry a soft bag of tools behind the passenger seat anyway.

View attachment 2937661

And if the problem cannot be remedied with the tools, well, there’s this…

 

[SteveH]

I use soft and hard toolboxes behind the front seats. I have a plastic road-side toolbox (also what I take to junkyards for part scavenging), which has basic hand tools. I have a soft bag with FJ40-specific parts and fluids (quart of oil, and ATF for power steering) in that bag, and it always stays in the truck.

After a true four-wheeling breakdown (tie rod end popped off of my FJ62), I made SURE to add baling wire (soft steel wire) to all my kits - I had to borrow some wire from a passerby on an ATV. I jacked the tie rod back together with a 2nd bottle jack, and then applied a great deal of wire. Got my daughter and I through the entire trip and all the way home.

 

[1911]

Like @Pighead and others, I carry a tool bag and a few spare parts - belts, a u-joint, anti-freeze, a couple of quarts of oil - but (knock on wood) I've yet to have to ever use them on my truck (other than the oil). They've been handy many times for helping other less fortunate folks though.

 

[cruiserboy14]

I apologize ahead of time, but I’m a list type of guy. Does anyone have a good definitive list of should have items?

 

[brian]

A complete oe toolkit plus a few, a roll of e-tape, some zip ties a few fuses and a set of points should the pertronix act up.

 

[fjwagon]

It's obvious you cannot carry the whole shop with you but if 4 wheeling with buddies, figure out who has what and make it a team effort. Being you own mechanic will help in making your own list. Figure out which tools you like to use will help. But the best tool you can bring is knowledge and patience and a little grace when doing you own maintenance and eventually you you figure it. I say grace it's not easy to get something with minimum resources. Anyhow, I always like to read or hear about how people make repairs to limp home. Like using bubble gum stop a gas leak from a rusty gas tank, or the time a friend used a panty hose as a belt for an alternator, black pepper and eggs in the radiator. There's no apologies needed for asking for a list. A "tool list" has been discussed many times, use the search function.

I apologize ahead of time, but I’m a list type of guy. Does anyone have a good definitive list of should have items?

 

[A10Driver]

A good bottle of bourbon

 

[1911]

I apologize ahead of time, but I’m a list type of guy. Does anyone have a good definitive list of should have items?

10, 14, 17, and 19 mm sockets and wrenches, a hub nut socket, and some JIS screwdrivers would take you a long way down most repairs, as a starting place.