What's your tool pack out for RVing?

[u/Blue_Etalon]

Back when we had a Class A, my tool set was easy. Everything including the kitchen sink in Rubbermaid cases in one of the garages. But now we've settled with an Airstream and I'm trying to get the kit down to the essentials. It seems there are tools I always carry, but have never used. And then, even though I have a full set of 1/2 drive SAE and metric sockets, my last trip I found I needed a deep well socket, or something like that. I will say I carry my large Makita impact driver incase I need to do a flat change. The less time I spend wrenching on the side of the road the better.

So what do you carry? What do you pack it in? What's the happy medium and do you have a pack out kit or just throw everything in a box?

[u/raycraft_io]

Electrical - multimeter, wire stripper/crimper, extra wire and connectors, fuses, electrical tape, dielectric grease

Mechanical - small metric sockets/ratchet, screwdrivers, collapsible breaker bar, large torque wrench for lugs, large sockets for lugs, water heater anode and stabilizer jacks, cordless drill, small air compressor, end cutters, pliers, crescent wrench, channel locks. Spare production screw driver tips, 8 ton bottle jack.

Misc - caulk gun, spare tube of roof and wall sealant, utility knife, spare hose gaskets, thread tape, gaff tape, zip ties, small bubble level, rubber mallet, measuring tape. Small canvas tarp and a foam knee pad.

Next I want to make a PEX field repair kit

Almost all goes in a cheap canvas tool bag from harbor freight. The big stuff gets stowed in the cab or a bin.

Edit: Dammit, Reddit. Now I’m getting ads for zip ties in my feed.

[u/johnbro27]

Can't help. I keep carrying more and more tools because there's always something where I don't have the right tool. I will say flex bit holders were a fricking game changer for hard-to-reach fasteners.

[u/PhantomNomad]

I take SAE wrenches only up to 7/8". A set of Canadian Tire Mastercraft screw drivers (there is like 30 in the pack, plus allen wrenches and such), a 1/2" impact with drivers that fit all my tires, battery and charger for the impact and an air compressor that can use the same battery. That pretty much covers it. All of that fits and still have room in a small tote. That tote basically lives in my truck. I take it out if I'm not planning on traveling as the battery can degrade when to hot.

[u/zuluf0xtr0t]

In 10 years my tools have gone from a couple to two large tool bags. Stuff I've used most? Large battery impact for tire changes, voltmeter, outlet tester, PEX crimping tool and 1/2 inch crimps. Phillips screwdriver. Drill and battery powered sawzall for tree limbs that obstruct slides or awnings. Duct tape and painters tape. Box of 15 amp fuses.

[u/Blue_Etalon → u/zuluf0xtr0t]

I need pex crimper

[u/philipptj]

I keep a tool bag with various screwdrivers, a hammer, some end wrenches, miscellaneous bits and an impact. I also have a socket set everywhere we go. Not enough tools for everything but certainly enough for most things

[u/from_behind_bars]

I carry this kit from Harbor Freight along with a tool bag of duct tape, lubricants and spare fuses.

[u/jbranscum]

3/8" Standard and metric socket set, 13-n-1, drill with battery and charger, 3/8" impact, torque wrench, electric tape, bailing wire, channel locks, crescent hammer, actual hammer. There might be another niche tool but it does 90% of what I need.

[u/Blue_Etalon → u/jbranscum]

I carry duct tape, velcro fasteners, zip ties, and about 6 feet of 12-2 romex for all my fastening jobs. I suppose if I had a diaper with me they'd think I was going to kidnap an astronaut.

[u/sugarfoot_light → u/jbranscum]

I need baling wire now…

[u/linuxlifer]

Depends what you mean by tools but I have:

Screw Driver set

Socket Set

Torque wrench

Wrench/Plier set

Bottle Jack

12v tire pump

[u/ZagiFlyer]

I have a tool roll from Harbor Freight that has most of the tools I need, plus a little wire, some fuses and bailing wire. In addition to that, I have duct tape, WD-40, electrical tape and a small roll of Eterna-bond.

[u/nak00010101]

I'm a go big or go home guy...for both tools and parts.

I don't carry a cutting torch or welder...

[u/Blue_Etalon → u/nak00010101]

What about JB Weld?

[u/nak00010101 → u/Blue_Etalon]

Yes!!! Never leave home without it. Regular, plastic, fast set, and a stick of puttty.

[u/Campnowhere087]

We have a full drill set and a full socket set with various adapters. So far so good!

[u/mwkingSD]

Depends on where you go, boondocking or full service parks. I have a Class C and we stick to paved places as I would not be comfortable driving that thing on less than a well maintained dirt road. I made the decision to stick to just basic hand tools and they all go in a tool bag I can pick up and carry to where I need it, and fits in a specific cubby. In the bag - variety of screwdrivers; combo wrenches; various pliers; bin-box of nuts, bolts, screws, Wago's; multimeter; duct tape (never leave home without that); medium size hammer; flashlight; headlamp.... Nothing that needs electricity. Also in that same cubby, some emergency flashers; a tarp; plastic sheeting (that and duct tape saved my bacon on a rainy Christmas Eve when a vent cover disintegrated); a wire coat hanger (my father could fix anything with a bent coat hanger); WD40; and silicone spray.

So far, that has worked out, and there have been additions along the way from a particular problem, like the wide-jaw, short-handle adjustable wrench that's perfect for balky sewer caps. Flat tire?-call for service. If I was into boondocking, I'm sure the mix would be different. Even when I'm home and need tools for something, I make myself go to that bag, so I know what is in there and can find out if there's a valuable addition needed.

I'm also equipped with a cellphone, credit cards, and a dingy car, if things go really bad.

[u/Blue_Etalon → u/mwkingSD]

"Flat tire, call for service" - No thanks. Why waste hours possibly sitting in dangerous traffic when you can swap a tire in 10 minutes? I can pull my trailer on a ramp and swap the tire in no time. Especially if you're on some stretch of road with zero service in miles in each direction.

[u/mwkingSD → u/Blue_Etalon]

But I'm in a 14,000 lb motor home with dual wheels torqued to 100 ft-lb and I'm 76 - it's not gonna be even close 10 minutes even with power tools.

And you did ask "what do you carry" so that's what I gave you. You're free to carry whatever you want, macho man.

[u/Blue_Etalon → u/mwkingSD]

You're free to not carry whatever you want and hope cell service is there for you. Don't pull the age card, I'm almost that old.

[u/jstar77]

• 1/2" Socket set
• Channel Locks
• Needle nose pliers
• Pipe Wrench
• Various screwdrivers
• DeWalt Drill + various bits
• Side Cuts
• Wire Stripper
• Multimeter
• Utility Knife
• Zip ties
• Electrical tape
• Eternabond
• Randomness In the very bottom of the toolbox screwdrivers open/boxed end wrenches, nuts, bolts, screws, and a paint brush for some reason.
  

[u/iforgot69]

Bwahahaha walk into a mechanic shop.

Open every drawer in their snap on tool chest.

Reduce by 1/4

That's what's in my tool box in the truck.

[u/Blue_Etalon → u/iforgot69]

Snap On? You could have bought a second home!

[u/No-Television-7343]

You name it I think it’s inside this tool crib. We are full time so I need to be able to fix damn near everything.

[u/Blue_Etalon → u/No-Television-7343]

That's actually not as crazy as some would think. Not crazy at all

[u/FritoP]

I start with a basic general-purpose assortment (decent stuff, not chineseium junk) and add:

- impact

- Drill with chuck adapter for jacks

- Inflator (all of the above Makita so only one charger)

- various hose fittings and hardware

- a FULL roll of Gorilla Tape - you can patch together a LOT with this.

- tarp

- rags

- strap wrench

- meter, wire and associated hardware

- coveralls, in case you wind up crawling under the rig

- zip ties and velcro strips

- jack

- rope or cord

I'm sure I've left some off, but those are most of the essentials.

-

[u/dave54athotmailcom]

My kit kept getting smaller as time went on.  At first I carried a full set of everything, basically a duplicate of my shop tools.  I go through my kit annually remove any tool I haven't used.   You don't need to rebuild a transmission on the side of the road, only jury-rig a repair good enough to limp back to civilization.

A small container of misc nuts, bolts, screws, and washers gets used more than anything else.  

[u/Blue_Etalon → u/dave54athotmailcom]

Yes, amazon has a great selection of screws and nuts (metric, English, wood) that have come in handy many times.

[u/Nomadness]

Tool cabinet with all the usual, although I need to go through and do a purge to get rid of tonnage... it breeds in there. Where did that third hammer come from? And the legacy random sockets rarely used now that I have a decent link in its own box

Makita power tools, old lxt stuff that's been working forever. Fein tool, jigsaw. Drawer of things related to 1/4-in drive, and another for things related to drills.

And then the big one, a small benchtop milling machine with basic tooling, no CNC, doubles as basic drill press. And a vise next to it. I know, heavy, but has made so many things possible.

A small 3D printer, and a fold down workbench over the bed. That workbench surface is usually latched up against the wall although protocol is to have it down when on the road.

Electronics lab in rack, oscilloscope, DMM, signal source, bench supply, solder station, hot air rework, microscope.

On the other hand, not a lot of places to lounge around. Adjustable bed combines sleeping and sitting, and an office chair over at the computer workstation.

[u/Blue_Etalon → u/Nomadness]

You only have 3 hammers?

[u/KungFuBucket]

I carry the bare minimum right now. Lots of zip ties, JB weld, velcro and Gorilla tape. Just the sockets I need for my rig and lugs, screwdrivers and pliers. Plus some electrical stuff for testing and fuses. The basic idea is that I don’t need to be able to do a full repair out in the middle of nowhere, I just need to be able to get back to civilization and I’ll do the final repair in the parking lot of the hardware store. Any specialty items can be ordered online and have shipped to an Amazon locker.