I have done so much traveling that I have become an authority on what you should have in your car when you travel. This is my basic list of things you should never leave your driveway without.
Socket Set ~
You may be surprised to know that most of the parts of your engine that are user-serviceable require a socket wrench. Not a screwdriver, not a hammer; but a socket wrench. Sockets come in different sizes, and a set of them will typically have at least two dozen different sizes. Each part of your engine seems like it needs a different size. Sometimes one part that you need to take off will actually have two or three different size sockets needed to remove it. Sockets sets typically come in a case with both the wrench and all the sockets all in one place. Pick one up, toss it in your trunk, you’ll be glad you have it later.
Screwdrivers ~
Get a set of basic size screwdrivers, (both flat and Phillips head), and keep them in your trunk. The vibration of your vehicle causes a lot of the interior parts to loosen up, including things like your door locks or the faceplate on your dashboard. You don’t want that stuff falling off while you are moving and possibly hitting the driver in the face while they are trying to concentrate on the road. Be prepared to tighten things down things that have gotten loose with a simple set of basic screwdrivers.
Jack ~
Older cars did not come with jacks. Some newer cars have a small jack hidden somewhere in the trunk area or under the hood. These included jacks are meant to be used on an absolutely flat smooth surface, under perfect conditions; no rain, no wind, nothing to make anything go wrong. They’re an ’emergency only’ jack. For your safety, you need a quality jack and you can get a really good one for $20 or $30 at your local discount store (like a Walmart or a Target). Protect yourself by getting a jack that will support you on an uneven roadside, even in the rain and wind.
Lug Wrench ~
Every vehicle manufacturer uses a different size and style of lug nuts. Sometimes one manufacturer will even use different lug nuts on different vehicles made by that same company. There is a good chance that the lug wrench that someone who stops to help you is carrying, is not going to be the right one for your car. Make sure you have the right one for your car so that something as simple as a flat tire won’t cause your car to have to be towed because you can’t get the wheel off.
Pliers ~
Pliers are the automotive equivalent of tweezers. They are good for all kinds of stuff and you won’t realize you need them until you don’t have them. Get a basic set for less than 10 bucks, toss them in the trunk of your car Someday, you’ll be really glad you have them.
Oil Wrench ~
An oil wrench is used to remove your oil filter. It looks like a loop of metal. and the inside of it is coated with the same sort of stuff that those jar-opener ‘grip’ pads are covered with. The grip texture will allow you to twist your filter off even when it is all slimy with oil. You probably think you won’t be changing your oil in an emergency at the side of the road, but you might! I actually had a rock kick up on the highway at such an angle that the speed of the rock punched it right through the side of my oil filter. Of course that caused all of my oil to immediately drain out, so I had to change it and I had to do it right then. Luckily I had an oil wrench with me. So I was able to get my oil filter off and replace it with a spare that I kept in my trunk. (By the way, you might want to put a spare oil filter in your trunk too!)
Fuses ~
Keep a selection of common fuse sizes in your glove box. You never know when a fuse will blow out, and some of your fuses control really important things, like your lights. Your outside headlights, rear marker lights and brake lights are controlled by fuses. If one of them happens to go out while you are driving at night you’ll need a replacement with you right away.
These are the basics that I wouldn’t leave home without and you shouldn’t either. Drive Safely!
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