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Is Your Car Equipped ? Tools for the Road

If you have ever had a flat tire or other minor breakdown that can be easily repaired and then discovered that you did not have the tools for the job, you very likely immediately swore that you would carry tools with you everywhere you went. Meanwhile, you very likely have not provided yourself with those tools. Quite often, many individuals will simply assume that their vehicle will not break down at an inopportune moment and generally won't carry the tools required to fix it. Many times, individuals have been stranded on the side of the road and had no way to fix their vehicle, despite the fact that the repair requires only basic tools and a minimal knowledge of auto repair. Remember, without the proper tools, you can't repair anything, whether on the side of the road or in the garage. By taking the time to put together a toolkit, you can ensure that you are not left stranded on the side of the road without the tools required to repair your vehicle.

Even new cars can sometimes break down and they can certainly have flat tires. Take the time to inspect your vehicle thoroughly and decide which types of tools you should carry with you. Certainly, a full socket set of both metric and standard sockets would be a good idea and possibly in one half, three eighths and even quarter inch varieties, in case you are required to use different sockets for different purposes. A full set of box end wrenches and the usual set of screwdrivers are also a good idea to keep in whatever type of tool box that you have handy.

In addition to these basic mechanical tools, you should look into your tire changing gear and see if it stands up to the inspection. In many cases, automobile manufacturers will equip a vehicle with a pathetic little scissor jack that is almost impossible to utilize and comes with a long cranking arm that will have you on the side of the road for the better part of the day or more trying to fix a flat tire. If possible, load your car with a hydraulic jack and a four way lug wrench. These two basic items will reduce the amount of time it takes you to change a tire to only a few minutes in the case of those who are somewhat experienced. Improving your tire changing gear will be the best decision you ever made when you break down in a bad neighborhood or in inclement weather.

Finally, on top of these basic tools, you should look toward specialized tools that many people might not consider. Always bring a hammer. Several different types of hammers would be even better, including a large 20 pounds sledge hammer, a claw hammer and perhaps a ball peen hammer and a mallet. Although it is difficult to foretell what type of mechanical troubles you might have, if you have all the tools required, along with a stout breaker bar, you can very likely get up and running again in very short order with some basic knowledge.

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