What’s in your spares kit?

[DrRock]

As the title suggests, what do you carry as spares? I’ll be doing a 8k miles road trip starting in late July and have started a spares kit. Would love to hear your feedback:

Engine Belts
Water pump
Ignition switch
Thermostat and gasket
Rear bearings and seals
Air filter
Headlight bulbs
Oil
Coolant
Spark plugs


Truck has a new alternator, fresh oil change, new plugs and distributor cap and valves adjusted. All other fluids have been changed within the last 1000 miles. Front axle was rebuilt 4k miles ago. Brake pads and shoes are brand new as are the brake drums. Rotors are well within service limits.

 

[yotadude520]

Here's what I carry at all times:

-Metric socket set, ratchet & metric wrench set from 10mm - 24mm
-Spare belts
-2 jugs of distilled water
-1 jug of Toyota red coolant
-Transfer case oil
-Couple cans of freon
-Power Steering fluid
-Brake fluid
-Spark plug wires

I like having the distilled water in case god forbid I'm stuck somewhere for a long period of time, or I find someone stranded on the side of the road and I don't have the coolant they might need.

 

[John McVicker]

Here’s a copy of my ‘inventory list’. Everything fits in the pictured bag. Inventory list is accessible in the front pocket. The bag weighs 55 lbs. Heavy yes, but something I just make room for.

Oops, somehow the pictures got inverted. Page 1 is on the bottom of post.

EDIT: Sometime back I replaced all engine belts & hoses. Carry all the old ones as spares. I know all of this sounds like it’s an awful lot…& it is actually, but everything except the belts/hoses all fit in the one bag pictured. I’d feel uncomfortable w/o this bag in some of the places I go.

 

[Hokie LX]

I'll skip tools because I keep enough tools to tear the truck down on the side of the road plus the normal jump pack, air compressor, etc.

Spare parts I keep in the truck for highway trips and wheeling. I did a 4.5k mile trip from NC to CO last year and this is what I had with me. It all fits in a bag I keep in the truck. This is from memory so I'm likely missing some stuff.

On long trips, like to CO, I keep a spare Alt with me since I likely wouldn't be able to find one on the road if needed. I don't usually keep it in the truck though.

- Belts
- Fuel filters
- replacement clutch line (single braided line from JTO)
- Carb rebuild kit
- New Fuel pump
- Ignitor/coil
- Plugs/wires
- Fluids (all of them, usually 1 bottle of each)
- Motor mount
- Lengths of hose in various diameters and clamps
- Vacuum line
- Fuses
- Electrical wire of various gauges
- Full set of wheel/hub/knuckle studs and hardware
- Various bolts and nuts
- Spare u-bolts and hardware
- Spare clutch master/slave and brake master. A clutch slave is what caused my breakdown on my 1500mi trip home from buying the truck so I keep one with me now. Not likely to fail but I've been scarred.
- Spare diff drain plug
- Driveshaft bolts


I think that's mostly it.

 

[DrRock]

Wow, thanks gentlemen, these lists are great. I’ve got some of that in the garage already. I’ve got a little bit of time still to get this all together.

Cheers, James

 

[RevISK]

List for CO and some of what I brought on this previous trip:

AAA card
Belts
Alt (mine acted weird once for :10 seconds)
Drain plug gaskets
Fluids
Jump pack
Plug wires
Fuel filter
Fuel pump (if I don’t end up swapping this one out beforehand)

Really, whatever I can fit in a medium YETI go box or RIGID box that can’t be easily gotten from an auto parts store.

Josh had a Sniper injector go bad last year and it was quite the dance for him to get a new one. It was a good lesson in covering proprietary or unique parts.

 

[CruiserTrash]

I'm a bit of a boy scout and usually bring the kitchen sink...

Milk crate that's always with me even when daily driving:
Engine oil, 1g
Coolant, 1g (usually just distilled water in a coolant jug, or some mix)
80w90 oil, 1qt
ATF, 1qt
Starter fluid
Wheel chock
Wood blocks (for jack)
Rags

Tools always in the truck:
Socket set, 3/8", metric
Factory bottle jack (with wood blocks to increase height or add stability)
(the following in the original Toyota bag under the seat)
10/12 Combo wrench, Toyota
14/17 Combo wrench, Toyota
10, 12, 13, 14 ratcheting/open box wrenches (13 is for a special purpose)
17 open wrench (need two 17s for the carb fuel line)
12mm open wrench, cut in half (for getting to the engine-side carb bolts or in other tight spaces)
Screwdriver, flat & JIS cross point combo, Toyota
Screwdriver, long skinny flathead (adjust idle mixture with air cleaner in place)
2x vice grips, small (sealing off fuel or brake hoses)
Hub cap remover (plastic tool that works for 40 wheels)
Pliers, Toyota
21mm socket with extension (for lug nut & spark plugs)
Paracord (for tying up the sway bar when I remove the end links for better flex)

Big bag of spares, carried on longer trips or on the trail:
Coil & igniter
2x spark plugs, used but good
2x spark plug wire
Cap & rotor, used but good
Starter, rebuilt
Voltage regulator, new OEM (sadly NLA, aftermarket ones suck)
Electrical supplies, 1g ziplock: wire, splices, shrink wrap, crimper
Brake supplies, 1g ziplock: front brake pins, 2x used brake hose (long & short), brake hose clips
Front axle c-clip
Rear diff c-clip
Pinion nuts (t-case, diff)
Regular belts, used but good
Emergency belt, non-standard size
(if smog pump seizes, remove both belts and put this around the crank pulley, water pump, and alternator - alt provides tension and you keep the cooling system going; you lose power steering but you get home)
Nuts & bolts, common sizes from large to small, 1g ziplock
Fan clutch, used but good
Radiator cap, new OEM
Engine mount, left side
Hose, various sizes for fuel, vacuum, coolant, etc
Hose clamps, various sizes
Upper & lower rad hose, used but good, with clamps
FIPG, various for oil, coolant, etc
Gasket material, small sheet
Gloves, two pair - heavy and light
Big channel locks
1/2" ratchet
Adjustable crescent wrench (doubles as hammer)
Socket kit (with larger or more rarely used sockets such as deep ones)
Ratchet straps (for when your engine mount or leaf springs brake; have used them twice to hold my engine to the frame and get off a trail or to camp)
...there's a few other bits and bobs in there, but that's what I remember from memory
EDIT to add:
Fuel pump
Drain/fill plug gaskets
Vacuum stuff: tees, connectors, caps
Fuel filter

Recovery bag, trail days or snowstorms only:
Dynamic strap
Static strap
ARB snatch block
2x ARB screw pin bow shackles
2x off brand screw pin bow shackles
Tree strap
Foldable traction aids
(the following don't fit in the bag)
Hi lift jack
Shovel, a small cheap one from the army surplus store (dug myself out of a mud pit a few weeks ago; it's also dug many cat holes!)
Portable air compressor
Jump pack (though I have dual batteries now, maybe this stays at home)
Jumper cables (still useful with dual batteries)


I really need to start packing bailing wire! I've seen that get folks off the trail before.

 

[RevISK]

Adding to my list:

Made friends with Jim

 

[DrRock]

List for CO and some of what I brought on this previous trip:

AAA card
Belts
Alt (mine acted weird once for :10 seconds)
Drain plug gaskets
Fluids
Jump pack
Plug wires
Fuel filter
Fuel pump (if I don’t end up swapping this one out beforehand)

Really, whatever I can fit in a medium YETI go box or RIGID box that can’t be easily gotten from an auto parts store.

Josh had a Sniper injector go bad last year and it was quite the dance for him to get a new one. It was a good lesson in covering proprietary or unique parts.

I’m using a Sniper too and really glad you brought this up. Was thinking of including a spare o2 sensor but spare injector hadn’t crossed my mind. Did Josh have to source this directly from Holley or is there a part number for this that can be used at an Auto parts store for cross reference and acquisition?

Cheers, James

 

[cruisermatt]

Man, I could write a book on this topic.
I've always had what I needed to repair trail breakage except for the time I needed a bellhousing.

Ultimately what matters is what you are going to be doing with the vehicle, what can possibly leave you stranded, how modified your vehicle is, etc

 

[CruiserTrash]

Adding to my list:

Made friends with Jim

Oh, thanks for reminding me that I also carry a spare fuel pump in the bigger "trail bag". That's actually how I first befriended @RodrigzCrzr - SAS6 his fuel pump gave out and I had one for him. Once he got back home he ordered a new one and had it shipped to my house. Jorge is a quality individual.

I think about it like this: If I can make it to a town that has an auto parts store without it, I don't need it. I try to only bring stuff that I'd be completely screwed without. Like if you break down on a trail far away from anything, what's getting you to the parts store or a buddy's trailer waiting at the trailhead? Or even what gets you back to camp, where you can jump in a buddy's vehicle and make a run to town? And I still feel like I bring way too much stuff. My big spares bag weighs probably 70lbs and takes up a ton of room in the truck. I hate it.

@DrRock To that end, forget the headlight bulbs, air filter (borrow somebody's onboard air or tire pump to blow yours out if the trail is super dusty), ignition switch (hot wire or roll start), thermostat (if it's stuck closed just remove it, if it's stuck open you're fine running cool until you get to the parts store), etc. To me that kind of stuff eats up room for no reason - the bank card is much smaller and solves all those problems!

 

[RevISK]

I’m using a Sniper too and really glad you brought this up. Was thinking of including a spare o2 sensor but spare injector hadn’t crossed my mind. Did Josh have to source this directly from Holley or is there a part number for this that can be used at an Auto parts store for cross reference and acquisition?

Cheers, James

The injectors are proprietary and not available at normal auto parts stores.

Can’t remember exactly from where but Casey @POTATO LAUNCHER sourced it from a mud friend we all know.

To add to what Jim @CruiserTrash said, it’s easy to get bogged down in the “what ifs”. These are inherently reliable vehicles but sh!t happens. To that end, I’ll drag along the things that will strand me if I don’t have them but short of dragging another complete vehicle along, I just let it go and enjoy the trip but also practice respectful (to my vehicle and the environment) off-roading to add an extra layer of protection.

 

[DrRock]

The injectors are proprietary and not available at normal auto parts stores.

Can’t remember exactly from where but Casey @POTATO LAUNCHER sourced it from a mud friend we all know.

To add to what Jim @CruiserTrash said, it’s easy to get bogged down in the “what ifs”. These are inherently reliable vehicles but sh!t happens. To that end, I’ll drag along the things that will strand me if I don’t have them but short of dragging another complete vehicle along, I just let it go and enjoy the trip but also practice respectful (to my vehicle and the environment) off-roading to add an extra layer of protection.

100%. When I was racing cars and motorcycles, I would always be as “mechanically sympathetic “ as possible. You can’t finish first if you don’t finish. All the input here is fantastic, now it’s down to ones own level of vehicle confidence and risk management.

 

[POTATO LAUNCHER]

The injectors are proprietary and not available at normal auto parts stores.

Can’t remember exactly from where but Casey @POTATO LAUNCHER sourced it from a mud friend we all know.

To add to what Jim @CruiserTrash said, it’s easy to get bogged down in the “what ifs”. These are inherently reliable vehicles but sh!t happens. To that end, I’ll drag along the things that will strand me if I don’t have them but short of dragging another complete vehicle along, I just let it go and enjoy the trip but also practice respectful (to my vehicle and the environment) off-roading to add an extra layer of protection.

I haven't found a universal injector yet. These are proprietary to the Holley brand as far as I know. 522-101X is the part number and can be sourced online. Requires two.

 

[DrRock]

I haven't found a universal injector yet. These are proprietary to the Holley brand as far as I know. 522-101X is the part number and can be sourced online. Requires two.

View attachment 3932706

Awesome, thanks for the info Casey!

 

[zeeklafreek]

Dang, Imma need a bigger box.

 

[Rustyj41]

Only thing I needed on my trip from Portland to Phoenix was power steering fluid

 

[RevISK]

I’m adding the perfectly fine AC idler pulley I just removed. Someone might need it and it’s pretty small.

 

[lcwizard]

Bring a right axle, the left will break. Whatever you bring, it will be the thing you didn't bring that breaks. Looking forward to sat phones becoming more affordable.
Until then food and water and blankets for as many days as you think appropriate

 

[vipergrhd]

Did someone mentioned CASH? I always carry cash and lose change some remote places still take cash.