What spare part wouldn't you leave home without?

Submitted: Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 11:29
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Frequently there are questions in the forum about what one should take on a trip; what type of safety equipment and recovery equipment, camping gear and accessories, food and beverage, tools, and VEHICLE SPARE PARTS.

I want to focus your attention on VEHICLE SPARES for this exercise.

In reality I know you would never leave home without numerous vehicle spare parts in your kit.

But I want you to FORCE RANK all the spare parts you might take and nominate the ONE that you would never leave home without and perhaps give a comment as to why if you are inclined.

The concept of FORCE RANKING is we may have differing views on the importance of various spares, perhaps based on vehicle type (see footnote!), places travelled to, and access to spares along the way. But by coming up with the one item you would never leave home without, collectively it provides guidance to others, especially those less familiar or new to travelling, on some of the more important items.

This follows on from a recent thread where I posed the question "What tool wouldn't you leave home without?"

Footnote: Yes, I owned three Landrovers, and one might argue that I could have just taken two on any trip, one to travel in, one as a spare. But for the exercise, let’s keep it to a specific part!

Cheers, Baz – The Landy
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Reply By: Robin Miller - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 11:42

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 11:42
I look for the part that might create a bottle neck and stop you, hence I carry fuel pump Landy.

Spark pugs, injectors, tyres etc are lower on the list because you need a double failure there to stop you where as fuel pump is central and also cheap at least on petrol cars.
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Reply By: Alloy c/t - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 11:44

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 11:44
I have a Toyota FJ Cruiser ,Ergo I don't need to carry 'spare parts' lol ,,,,
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Follow Up By: The Landy - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 13:55

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 13:55
Crikey, is that Murphy's Law I see grinning in the distance?

Cheers, Baz - The Landy
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Follow Up By: Alloy c/t - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 14:06

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 14:06
Arh , the dreaded Murphy's Law , problem is that no matter what spares one carries it will be the one you don't carry or are next to impossible to get or are totally insignificant to general thinking that will stop the vehicle because Mr. Murphy is waiting…..
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Reply By: pop2jocem - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 12:12

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 12:12
With the new vehicles, I would,and do, take that tool box and spare parts department all rolled into one. The ubiquitous mobile phone or sat phone for remote travel.

That way I can confidently take just one Landrover, or any other brand.

Yep, even a Jeeeeeeep.......LOL.......(;=))

Cheers
Pop
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Reply By: Member - bungarra (WA) - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 12:20

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 12:20
Fuel filter
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Follow Up By: Member - Sn00py2 (NSW) - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 13:10

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 13:10
Second the Fuel Filter.
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Follow Up By: Mick O - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 13:51

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 13:51
Third the fuel filters
''We knew from the experience of well-known travelers that the
trip would doubtless be attended with much hardship.''
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Follow Up By: Idler Chris - Vic - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 22:42

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 22:42
Fourth for fuel filters. I replace belts, hoses, shocks etc on a regular basis so the chances of failure are low. Fuel on the other hand is something that you are at the mercy of the supply source. If at a busy fill up point, you produce the MR Funnel you will be very unpopular.
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Follow Up By: Idler Chris - Vic - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 22:44

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 22:44
Had a rethink changed my mind. Now Tyre plugs. Never had to use a fuel filter because I had too, but use tyre plugs most trips.
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Reply By: axle - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 12:20

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 12:20
Baz, How dare you insult landrovers like that!!...)))))).


Murphys Law comes into it here, the part you think is the most important is probably the one you won't need.....With the modern vehicle and all the gizmos I can't see how you could come down to one specific item,..at a guess fuel filter would have to be at the top of the list, other than that your back in the same situation as you are with a landrover,


Cheers Axle.
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Follow Up By: The Landy - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 13:57

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 13:57
Axle, reformed Landrover owner - the worst type. But having said that I earned to right to make jokes about them for eternity - heaven forbid I endured them for years.

Cheers, Baz
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Follow Up By: axle - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 14:09

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 14:09
Its the stress of all the different noises that come out of them mate!


"Cant be that I fixed it".!!!..you think, "Guess what sunshine I need fixin again" is their reply,....See I'm going mad,but still plod around in one..LOL.
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Reply By: Member - Megan and Kevin D (AC - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 14:52

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 14:52
In our travels, by far the most common problems we've observed have been (after flat tyres) cooling system ones.

So forced to choose, we nominate a fan belt.

Megan and Kevin
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Reply By: ExplorOz Team - Michelle - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 15:06

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 15:06
Both alternator belts (Landcruiser). Driving with one is possible but has potential for doing damage to radiator that will completely stop you which is what happened to us 2 years ago :( Trip Disaster
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Reply By: pop2jocem - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 15:50

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 15:50
So far it looks like fuel filter by a short half head closely followed by fan belt and hoses moving up on the inside.

So we take a fuel filter, great if we get a load of dirty fuel, not much help if the fan belt(s) go twang.
Maybe a fan belt, hmmm not going to help if one of the myriad of cooling system hoses decides it's time to split it's sides. Or gets it's sides split by an errant stick.
OK, gotta be hoses. Could we sort of wrap one of them around the pulleys to drive the water pump and whatever else? Difficult. Not likely to solve the problem. Probably not much use as a replacement for a plugged fuel filter either.

Bugger. If only these bloody cars would come with some sort of early warning system that notified us about an impending failure.

What I had in mind was a pre-failure deal . Like Landrovers come with...(;=))))))

Anyway, I still reckon my mobile phone is the favourite in this contest.

Other than that, I guess I would go with fuel filter.

After all, if you leave home with dodgy belts or hoses then be it on your own head.

Cheers
Pop

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Reply By: Member - Duncan W (WA) - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 15:51

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 15:51
If you classify Oil as a spare then I carry engine oil, brake fluid, & clutch oils.

Cheers

Dunc
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Reply By: Member - Ross N (NSW) - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 18:30

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 18:30
Presumably a spare tyre doesn't count as one is part of the vehicle as delivered in most cases
In the eleven years I have had my present vehicle my only failure other than tyres has been fuel filters so they get my vote
Ross N

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Reply By: gbc - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 18:36

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 18:36
Fuses. Don't miss them until I don't have one. Belts, fluids and filters round out the must haves, followed very closely by my box of assorted widgets, bolts, clampits, stickits, and stopits. Nothing worse than not being able to repair a damaged clunkit.
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Reply By: Allan B (Member, SunCoast) - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 18:47

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 18:47
Wheel bearing.

Without that you cannot even be towed out!

Yes, I carry one. And grease.
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Follow Up By: Idler Chris - Vic - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 23:01

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 23:01
Doing a wheel bearing on a Troopy is doable on the side of the track. With the wheel bearings on a 100 series it is impossible for me to replace them you need specialist tools. Every year before I go away the truck is at my mechanics where the wheel bearings are all pulled out, inspected, regreased or replaced with new seals so the chance of bearing failure is very low. Having done this after a 1000 k's I recheck the bearing tightness.
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Member, SunCoast) - Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 00:37

Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 00:37
Yes Chris, routine maintenance is important and mine is done thoroughly. Even so..... a couple of trips back I had replaced all shockers as a preventative measure, 500k's and one failed. Luckily I carried a spare.

I also change all hoses and belts regularly. A couple of months after the last hose replacement there was coolant on the garage floor. Yep, a leaking top hose! Sometimes I wonder if it would be better to not disturb what's going well?

Maybe the best preventative measure is to travel with a mechanic mate. lol
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Follow Up By: Member - John M (NSW) - Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 14:37

Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 14:37
Allan
A mechanic is no good without the spare parts mate.
Cheers
Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!

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Reply By: Fab72 - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 20:12

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 20:12
Cash. No matter what goes wrong, and providing you have enough water, food and shelter to sit tight for a few days, sooner or later someone will come along.

Cash will buy you a tow, a recovery or at least a ride into town. I carry hoses, belts, tyre repair kits, fuses, filter, sealants, tools etc. But I can guarantee you that it will be something else that lets go.....it always seems to be that way.

On the flip side, I've used my box of tricks to help others out and the first thing that is offered is cash (or beer).

Fab.
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Reply By: equinox - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 20:28

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 20:28
Hey Baz,

For the last 5 years I have always carried a spare front spring and shockie. Apart from spare belts I don't think I take any other spare parts.

Cheers
Alan

Looking for adventure.
In whatever comes our way.



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Follow Up By: Idler Chris - Vic - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 23:14

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 23:14
Spare parts are not much problem to you Alan, get on the Sat phone, make a few arrangements, get on the Arctic Cat and go and get them.
What other people think of me is none of my business.
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Follow Up By: equinox - Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 00:03

Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 00:03
Very true Chris, just have to make sure I have spare parts for the Cat :-)

Looking for adventure.
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Reply By: pop2jocem - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 22:16

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 22:16
Let's face it guys, if we had an inkling that something was going to fail or give us some grief we would change it before we left home. Well, if we had half a brain.

Unfortunately most crystal balls seem to get a bit fogged up when asked to predict the future with any accuracy.

If we knew what was going to fail and what tools we might need we wouldn't need them.

Cheers
Pop
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Reply By: swampfox - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 23:41

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 23:41
HI
First is your vehicle serviced,,, at least as often,,,, as the maker requires .
basically oil every 5,000 oil and filter every 10,000
All fluids 40,000
W
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Follow Up By: swampfox - Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 23:50

Thursday, Feb 26, 2015 at 23:50
hi computer had a spasm
belts at least every 80,ooo
fuel filter every 20,000
wheel bearings repack every 40,000
Everyone gets the idea
hoses, coolant, oil ,all belts, air filter ,oil , fuel filter carried in the boot
2 spares on a long trip

swampfox
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Reply By: Bob Y. - Qld - Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 06:20

Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 06:20
Baz,

I'd probably cart too many parts and spares, but the one that I would take is...............a diff pinion oil seal.

Seen plenty of them fail, or become damaged by wire, sticks and rocks.

Bob

Seen it all, Done it all.
Can't remember most of it.

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Reply By: Tim F3 - Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 10:38

Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 10:38
First Aid kit to repair someone i may find along the way or myself,i know its not a vehicle spare part but if i need repair the truck may not be going anywhere.
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Reply By: River Swaggie - Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 12:39

Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 12:39
I don't know much about Landrovers but:

When in a mates Jeep an extra fire extinguisher...
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Follow Up By: The Landy - Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 12:53

Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 12:53
In the Landrover days I did actually have one in the cab and one in the canopy...

Cheer,s Baz
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Reply By: wozzie (WA) - Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 19:24

Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 19:24
3 or 4 different gauges of fencing wire, about 1 1/2 metres of each can get you out of a lot of problems.

Couple of years back we were in Karijini and noted a guy with his bonnet up, main problem was his battery clamp had vibrated loose, off and disappeared. A bit of a heavy gauge wire fashioned a new clamp and he was able to move on.


Dreamin' agin

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Reply By: Rob J8 - Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 20:49

Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 20:49
Always carry fencing wire and some chain amongst all the other stuff and that reminds me, I need to get a spare fan belt looked at what is my spare and it's for a Nissan I had a couple of vehicles ago. Won't fit the Ranger I don't think.
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Reply By: Member - Barry P (VIC) - Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 21:13

Friday, Feb 27, 2015 at 21:13
my stubby spanner,to fit my cold vb stubbies,my hand is a little weak these days.arthritis bye barry
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Reply By: Ron N - Saturday, Feb 28, 2015 at 09:58

Saturday, Feb 28, 2015 at 09:58
A box of various-size cable ties. You can do a lot of bodgey repairs that will get you home, or to a repair place, if you have a selection of cable ties at hand. [;-)

Cheers, Ron.
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