Tool box May 16, 2018, 10:21:26 pm I'm sure this question has been addressed before. But I'm trying to reduce the requirements to the bare essentials for me. What do I really need in my RV tool box? I'm a senior lady with arthritis. Even before I got this lovely RV, I carried a pair of pliers when I traveled, to open the screw caps on soda bottles. Now, in the RV, I carry oil filter pliers to open the caps to empty my waste tanks, tire pressure gauge, screw drivers, a set of leveling blocks. If I have a minor problem, I can limp home where my husband has a good variety of tools. What do I really need to carry with me? Things that I could operate with my arthritic hands.I appreciate your suggestions.Dottie & Ms Liz
Re: Tool box Reply #1 – May 17, 2018, 12:04:30 am Minimum tool kit.4-way screwdriverplierssmall crescent wrench needle-nose pliers12-volt test light.polarity tester duct taperoll of bare wire.electrical tapedigital tire pressure testerseveral flashlightscomplete fuse kitoptional- 1/4" drove socket setCoach Net membershipLarry 3 Likes
Re: Tool box Reply #2 – May 17, 2018, 06:17:28 pm Dottie, per Larry's response, perhaps YOU won't use those tools, but if you are stuck someplace and someone offers assistance, they may need them. His list is not that bulky or heavy. View it as the minimum, and add as you see fit.For your particular needs, check out a tool called a strap wrench. With a pair of them, you can open a stubborn jar lid, open and close the dump valve covers, open soda bottles, and get a good grip on just about anything round.Ken F in OR 3 Likes
Re: Tool box Reply #3 – May 17, 2018, 06:24:49 pm Quote from: Kenneth Fears - May 17, 2018, 06:17:28 pmFor your particular needs, check out a tool called a strap wrench. With a pair of them, you can open a stubborn jar lid, open and close the dump valve covers, open soda bottles, and get a good grip on just about anything round.I'm not there yet, but I can tell that I will be there much sooner rather than much later. I suppose I should look at a strap wrench now rather than when I need it. I could tell DW it's something I bought for her, but that strategy hasn't ever worked in our 47 years together. And a special thanks to Ken Fears for this timely suggestion.
Re: Tool box Reply #4 – May 17, 2018, 07:05:06 pm Quote from: Kenneth Fears - May 17, 2018, 06:17:28 pmFor your particular needs, check out a tool called a strap wrench. With a pair of them, you can open a stubborn jar lid, open and close the dump valve covers, open soda bottles, and get a good grip on just about anything round.Available on Amazon, of course!Heavy-Duty Rubber Strap Wrench (6-inch) with Locking Non-Slip Grip (Multi-Pur... 1 Likes As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: Tool box Reply #5 – May 17, 2018, 07:07:19 pm Dottie, following is a list of "tools and whatnots" that I carry in my rig; it's always subject to purging/eliminating and/or adding/upgrading as needs change, e.g., my small pry bar and little saw have vanished and since my batteries are AGMs, no hydrometer. (I'm more likely to add a tool than subtract one. )One thing that I do suggest for you or anyone with hand strength or gripping issues is to look for ergonomically-designed tools; the Tekton tools line is well-made, comfortable to hold and use, and inexpensive. (In a pinch, one can always wrap a strip of web mesh shelf liner, secured with a rubber band, around the handle of a tool for better "gripability".) TEKTON Hand ToolsBasic Tools and Maintenance/Repair Items: (Adjustable per need and skill level!)In tool bag and/or "parts drawer": Screwdrivers, Torx drivers, pliers/vise grips, hammer(s), crescent wrench(es), driver and socket sets, levels, utility knife, tapes (blue, electrical, 'Gorilla', Scotch), bungees, zip ties, gear ties, rope, paracord, fuses (chassis and "box"), lubricants (silicone spray, white grease spray, dielectric grease), multimeter, 12V test light, tape measure, shop towels (paper, cloth), scissors, flashlights, head lamp, batteries, water heater plugs, grade 8 nuts/bolts, Allen wrench set, nitrile gloves, pry bar, fine sandpaper, old toothbrushes, battery powered tools, jumper cables, hydrometer (if batteries are serviceable watered cell), small shovel, folding hand saw, small axe, popsicle/craft sticks, 5200 Fast Cure tube, Eternabond, LPG leak test fluid, white vinegar (cleans everything), door catches/stops, assorted Velcro, rubber bands, "museum putty", light bulbs, stove grate washers, hose washers, tire gauge, valve cores and tool, (additional tire tools per need, e.g., lug wrench, breaker bar), 303, rags, collapsible bucket(s), scrub sponges, "crawl under the rig" mat (or large piece of cardboard), small tarps.For the Engine and Generator:Engine oil (2-6 quarts), oil filter, air filter (per manual), coolant/distilled water and "turkey baster" (or pre-mix), fluids per manual, generator oil (Onan or 30W).Equipment, Safety, and Spares:Fire extinguishers, EMS (Progressive Industries, Inc. | Rv Surge Protection), air compressor (Air Compressors Direct | Your Online Air Compressor Store for a selection; I carry a Viair 12V), water pump, sewer hoses and fittings, gate valves, gate valve handles, 30A extension cord, 12-14 ga. extension cord, electrical adapters (not "pucks"), fresh water hose, inline water filter (or whole house filter) (Pressure Regulators and Gauges: RV Water Filter Store), pressure regulator, clearance light bulbs and covers, leveling blocks and chocks, LPG detector, CO and smoke detectors (5-6 year life), first aid supplies, road safety equipment, e.g., warning triangle, lights/flares.I think a strap wrench is a good tool to have; thanks for that suggestion! Also, as Ken pointed out, even if you don't use the onboard tools, someone else might if/when you need help with a repair. Depending on your travel style, I strongly second Larry's listing of Coach Net (or another reliable road service provider) as a basic "tool"; certainly not everyone feels that emergency road service coverage is essential, but I wouldn't leave the driveway without it. Have fun building your tool collection! 4 Likes
Re: Tool box Reply #6 – May 17, 2018, 07:21:05 pm Ed, Fathers Day is around the corner. Perhaps a strap wrench will appear on that day 🤞🔧🎁
Re: Tool box Reply #7 – May 17, 2018, 09:41:32 pm Joan,That is quite a tool box full of goodies. I have quite a bit of it already. Now I just need to pick up the other essentials.Do you think Camping World would have the rest? 🧐Kent 1 Likes
Re: Tool box Reply #8 – May 18, 2018, 12:28:45 am Great question & answers.Ed said, "I could tell DW it's something I bought for her, but that strategy hasn't ever worked in our 47 years together."Ed are you saying that Margee "hasn't ever...in [your] 47 years together" found her way into your stash of stuff? Mother had a small hammer/slot & phillips screwdrivers/pliers in the kitchen junk drawer, but I know she also used some of Dad's basic tools in the garage from Larry's list, & I was certainly glad to know how to ID an oil filter wrench in his stash out at the farm as my neighbor helped me with the tractor a couple of weeks ago. Maybe (with apologies to Field of Dreams) If you buy it we/somebody will use it (I don't think my dad ever came home empty-handed from an auction, & I should never have to buy another bolt/washer/nut/screw/nail/etc. in my life, if I could just get it sorted out ). When Mother moved me to Mizzou, besides the bedding & bath towels & popcorn popper, she took me on a detour through K-Mart's hardware department to buy my own basic junk drawer stash, & I sent my daughter off to college with her own expanded beginner version (with crescent wrench/tape measure/small saw/etc.)--she said she was the only one on her dorm floor with a stash; for years I've given a beginner stash to young women as graduation/wedding shower gifts--because every woman should have her own. As a kid I thought hardware stores were boring when Dad would drag me along--now they're way more fun than Homegoods. Lynne 2 Likes
Re: Tool box Reply #9 – May 18, 2018, 01:38:48 am Quote from: Lynne Broyles-Greenwood - May 18, 2018, 12:28:45 am for years I've given a beginner stash to young women as graduation/wedding shower gifts--because every woman should have her own. What a wonderful gift idea for any young person leaving home and joining the world.My mom had a small tools box with her essential tools, including what she needed to keep her sewing machine running smoothly.Larry 1 Likes
Re: Tool box Reply #10 – May 18, 2018, 12:14:48 pm I had to laugh, Joan, as your list unfolded, and I'm going "check", "check".....it's taken a few but yes, it's how Cherryotte and I roll..fully 'checked'...but it's also a bit of weight for this old 30fter! And I can attest that at one time or another, I've needed almost every one of these items! At 04:07 PM 5/17/2018, you wrote:QuoteDottie, following is a list of "tools and whatnots" that I carry in my rig; it's always subject topurging/eliminating and/or adding/upgrading as needs change, e.g., my small pry bar and littlesaw have vanished and since my batteries are AGMs, no hydrometer. >(I'm more likely to add a tool than subtract one. )................snip............... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gini Free and Junah, canine xtrodinaire "CHERRYOTTE" our litte red home on wheels "Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional." 1 Likes
Re: Tool box Reply #11 – May 18, 2018, 12:53:50 pm Quote from: JCT - May 17, 2018, 07:07:19 pmFor the Engine and Generator:Engine oil (2-6 quarts), oil filter, air filter (per manual), coolant/distilled water and "turkey baster" (or pre-mix), fluids per manual, generator oil (Onan or 30W).[quote ]Nice list but you may want to carry a few more items.In addition, I carry a 1-gallon jug of mixed anti-freeze, 1-qt each of brake fluid, power steering fluid, transmission fluid and generator oil. Only one or two quarts of engine oil are carried. If you need more than that, you have bigger issues.Also carried are the tools needed to change a tire. It came in handy last summer when we had a blowout. In 45 minutes, we were back on the road, instead of waiting hours for a service truck.Even if you can't change a tire yourself, many times help presents itself, it's good to have the right tools and jacks to safely do the jobLarry.
Re: Tool box Reply #12 – May 18, 2018, 05:00:27 pm Larry, by "anti-freeze", you mean "coolant", right? I carry a quart jar of pre-mixed "gold" and the baster. I personally carry only 2 spare quarts of Motorcraft 5W-20, but others may want to have more on hand, hence the "2-6" notation on the list. (Onan 30W generator oil was noted.)Checked the compartment again; Mercon V transmission/power steering fluid is there; brake fluid is not. Will get that. I also carry a 12-ton bottle jack (and have sockets for the lug nuts), but there is no way that I could change a tire on the LD, even if I had a mega-breaker bar to try to loosen the lugs. "Heavy lifting" things that I thought nothing of doing 20 (30, 40, 50... ) years ago are only memories! However, I can still lift the CoachNet card; just hope there's a cell signal! 3 Likes
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