Mechanics! Best value preps to have for your vehicles?
Posted by WG--TX@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 35 comments
What are some things we can all have/do? For Tuesdays & doomsday, and everything in-between. Looking for things that are a good idea for any and every car, but I personally am looking for things about Nissan xterras, frontiers, and the titans if anyone knows some stuff.
WhereDidAllTheSnowGo@reddit
Stainless steel zip ties, normal size and jumbo
BallsinSocks@reddit
why? what for?
BallsinSocks@reddit
floor.jack and way to.remove old and put on new tire. saved me. and jump starters saved 2 other.people. coolant in case you overheat in the boonies cuz a coolant crack. rope with 2x4's to get out of stuck mud (will save you hundreds) butt end connectors with the tool the clamp/strip wire, in case lights go out or heat or something electrical. maybe some..temporary privacy tape for windows in case.
fire exringuisher.
flying_wrenches@reddit
Fire extinguisher, tire plug kit. Way to inflate your tire. Battery jumper. Flashlight/headlamp. Yellow safety vest. Duck tape, electrical tape, zip ties. Is a good starter
Tools are at your discretion, I have a bag full of stuff but I’m a mechanic so I use that bag everywhere all the time. Everything from a fluke meter, to my duckbill pliers.
HirosakeY740@reddit
I would add a good solid 1" or so wood board. Good for putting under the jack. Changing a tyre on your nice concrete driveway is once thing, on the side of a muddy road is something else.
JRHLowdown3@reddit
I have about a foot and a half length of 2x12 for this reason or useful for helping to get unstuck.
An impact driver (cordless) with battery will save some time. May have to start to loosen with lug nut wrench but the driver will get them off past that quickly and start them quickly.
photofool484@reddit
3000 watt inverter. You can hook it to your battery to keep essential items like a fridge, lights or sump pump running.
Paranormal_Lemon@reddit
That would wipe out a car battery fast, they aren't meant to be drained, you can damage them by draining just 20 percent. You would need to keep the engine running, and 3000w is way too much for idle. Money would be better spent on a small generator.
photofool484@reddit
That’s why you start the car every two hours or leave it running. Pedo after hurricanes all the time.
Paranormal_Lemon@reddit
400-500w is typical output for a small engine at idle though, you can get a 2000w gen for a few hundred. Would really depend on what type of vehicles you have. 3000w would be way too big for any vehicle.
photofool484@reddit
1800 would suffice for most cars. Admittedly, I have a Chevy Volt. I should clarify that I wouldn’t use this as a primary method for power, only in a pinch. I will point out with a gas generator, you need to use premium fuel. Not so with a car. Also, car engines are more fuel efficient than generators. The car can stretch out your fuel.
IlliniWarrior1@reddit
the OEM tire changing tools are inadequate - almost a certainty - keep what you must - but upgrade the jack and lug nut wrenches >>> for safety - make sure you have the roadside markers and especially night illumination ......
ryan112ryan@reddit
What specifically? I still need to fit it in my spare wheel well which is tight already
ryan112ryan@reddit
I really underestimated a his vis vest when i needed to walk to the next exit for some gas.
Then a noco jumper pack
churnopol@reddit
Fuel transfer pump. Seriously. You can do the syphon method we learned growing up, but how many times do you want to?
Spare belts, oil filters, and bulbs.
Multiple oil/trans drip containers.
A collection of different style tire plug kits.
Parts cleaner. Lots of parts cleaner.
Cheap tire changer and tire irons. If you have low profile tires on your car, you'll have the absolute worst time changing tires. Just give up and boost a different vehicle with better tires.
Battery charger.
Blow torches.
Sildaor@reddit
Good tires, good spare. Basic tools, extra belt/belts, maybe an extra sensor of whatever type is know to go out the most. But knowledge is probably most important. Knowing the weak points, knowing how to crutch things if you have to. Then it’s on to upgrades. My Cherokee is sorta built for trails, so a dip into the brush isn’t a big deal. I also know what breaks the most, and have spares if feasible. A good code reader is valuable so if something does go wrong you don’t waste time throwing parts at it
Paranormal_Lemon@reddit
IMO good maintenance is more important. You shouldn't need things like spare belts if you change them when they are due and use quality parts. Bad sensors will usually put the vehicle in limp mode and not disable it, there's not much you can change easily anyway. I have had some vehicles with things like bad starter relays that I would keep a spare for.
ImportantTeaching919@reddit
Make sure your jack in the vehicle is actually useful for your vehicle, buy a heavy duty jump box they are the size of a old Gameboy make sure it's a USB c rechargeable I buy everything for my vehicle that I can charge while driving. My jump start sits by my driver seat so I never forgot to charge it and I'll rotate what I'm charging for the drive that day like head lamp, jump pack, drill batteries which is really for my work but useful. And road flares are really useful if you know someone is coming for you and are so close saves so much hassle and flashlight works but you notice them easily with all the other headlights. Metal tie wire in the concrete section, leather gloves. To tie up broken exhaust or whatever. Also electric tape and vise grips IV had to pinch brake lines and tape the vise on before just to get places before just drive really slow and avoid braking. IV driven very overloaded box truck for over a HR before doing this but with extreme caution this is for very very odd circumstances
Rayvdub@reddit
Tire plugs kit, a pack of 12 is like $4 and will save you in a pinch. Easy to use and install. I would add a small air compressor you can plug to your cigarette lighter. A small case with motor oil, coolant and other fluids. A gasoline container. Walking gear for any climate think of a break down in winter and you’re forced to walk long distances. There’s lots more but just my .2
roberttheiii@reddit
Yeah being able to plug a tire is incredible. Doesn’t fix every flat but when it works it’s a day saver. I remember walking out to my car to find a flat in a parking garage, imagining my day being screwed up on a spare etc realized I had plugs and a pump and I was on my way with the same tire in less than 30 minutes. Fantastic.
No_Character_5315@reddit
Tire ject sealant also alot of off road vehicles will pre install it will even seal a bad bead.
livestrong2109@reddit
Toss in an election screwdriver with a drill bit. That tire ream is usually trash.
CTSwampyankee@reddit
Viair pump, tire kit preassembled (plugs, glue, shraders, shrader wrench)
work gloves, trash bags, jumper cables, jump pack.
xterra? Crank sensor.
Duct tape, container for fuel/coolant.
Pick your tool package of combination wrenches, 3/8 drive sockets.
The first prep is building knowledge and mechanical ability.
roberttheiii@reddit
Yeah I went for a noco pump and regret not going viair. You get more pump for your money (I.e., higher duty cycle and larger volume of air moved in said time)
Mala_Suerte1@reddit
Air pump, jump pack, tire plugs, hi-lift jack, winch, vehicle recovery tools, scotch blocks, kinetic rope.
Oil, filter, air filter, all fluids, heavy duty jumper cables, OBD2 reader.
Hot-Profession4091@reddit
Not a professional mechanic, but check the air in your spare.
Roostfactor@reddit
THIS!!!
Drawsblanket@reddit
I have a scooter I don’t plan to ride for a few years. If I buy a battery now and don’t install it, will it likely work in 3-4 years?
HotIntroduction8049@reddit
tire repair as mentioned, proper set of tools but modern vehicles full of sensors will be a PITA. my plan is to bug in, but if I had to bug out it would be in a squarebody based rv.
Maxasaurus@reddit
Flares/LED pucks, hi-vis vest, at least 2 flashlights.
If you have to be outside your car on the side of the road, BE VISIBLE
PrisonerV@reddit
I tell ya something we use all the time. We keep some extra napkins in the glove box. Use those all the time. Double as kleenex and toilet paper if you're in a pinch.
greatsamson3000@reddit
Carry a spare serpentine belt and learn how to replace it. It's one thing that if fails will completely disable a vehicle, but it is replaceable on the side of the road.
Leopold_Porkstacker@reddit
A battery booster/air pump combo, get a good one, not cheap crap.
Tire plug kit, or a can of fix a flat.
Towing coverage on your insurance.
HalcyonKnights@reddit
A flex-fuel kit always seems like a good idea to me, if they offer one for your vehicle model.
l1thiumion@reddit
r/vedc