Wahat spares do you take with you on a trip ???

Hi Warren

My husband likes to have a full set of tools, and every bolt seems to take a different spanner - all different types, metric plus the rest. Recovery gear, winch on bull bar, snatch strap, tree guard and shackles - none of these ever needed but we did use the Max Trax and shovel once. Tyre plugs, tyre changing set, compressors, trolley and bottle jack (we have often needed to use two, even when we had two bottle jacks). Various bolts - although not often you have the right one - but it has happened that we did. We have probably used our gear to help others as often as ourselves.

Our caravan has the Simplicity suspension, and we have learnt to carry a spare set of spring seats, although the only ones changed when on the road, we had to order in when we didn't carry spares.

Previous owner of caravan advised us to carry spare window winders, cupboard latches, cupboard hinges, and when it broke in the wind, we even found we had a spare door hinge. He left quite a comprehensive box of accessory spares like that.

Probably a lot more things than i can think of now.

Short trip; very basic tools, jack and a tyre spanner.

Warren, I'm inclined to take more than I should.

But I always think about the response to a similar thread about 4-5 years ago. Just take a carton of beer and a HF radio (question was mainly related to serious off-road trips), because you will never have the spares you actually need. So HF radio to call for spares you need, hopefully another member of HF radio network good enough to take them to you, and beer to thank them with, or to enjoy while you wait!

Cheers

Hi Warren,

I take all the gear motherhen suggested plus a spare set of belts and hoses for the tug.

Cheers Wilko

I too probably take too much, but dont go without oil, coolant, auto fluid, brake
fluid, grease, WD40, wheel bearings & seals for C/t, spare wheel nuts, a box full
of tools, trolley Jack & baseplate, & most of the stuff mentioned by others....&,
most importantly...a spare date roll...:)))......oldbaz.

Hi Warren,

For the Van:
From experience towing vans on dirt, everthing under the van is going to cop a hiding so take spares of anything exposed or crucial components under the van. Things like water tank fittings are very common to be broken off by a stray rock. Depending on where you are going, extra water to cope with such water tank losses as well. I carry extra water hoses, electrical wiring and one set of bearings on top of the usual 2.5 tonne of tools that everyone else carries hehehe. One extra spare tyre is added for isolated travel.

For the Tug:
Full compliment of belts, hoses and filters, 10lts of oil, brake fluid as well as the tools to fix all of the above. One extra spare tyre is added for the bigger trips.

Yes the spares are different for long and short trips. The short or not isolated trips do not get the full compliment of spares.

Cheers, Trevor.

Murphys Law dictates that no matter how many spares and tools you carry the one you need will be back home in the garage , that said ,the most important tool to carry is the knowledge of how to use the tools and spares you do carry.,

g'day aussichef
most of the above,BUT NEVER WHITHOUT EPIRB,ie: could be lost,injured or rolled over down a gully ,trapped in the vechile and noboydy can see ya'..

i reckon their esential and very cheap insurance.
cheers toohey.

Hi Warren
I agree with the things that have been mentioned above but recon that it doesn't matter weather it's a short trip or long it still pays to carry the same spares as things can brake at any time. Been caught a couple of times just 200 km from home in the bush and was glad that I had spares to fix my brake downs. Another tool that has not been mentioned is a gas powered soldering iron, the old copper head type that you can heat on your stove.

Murray

Aussiechef,
I just posted a blog about my weekend away. My Trailer broke all 4 U bolts on the axle in the middle of no where and no spares.. have a read.. regards Michael

How much room should I take up answering this question?

If I listed everything that I should carry to fix the breakdowns I have had then I would tow a spare car. Quite frankly that is ridiculous.

I have had three major breakdowns while on longish trips. The first was a clutch failure. It was actually caused by a rear main oil seal failure. Should I carry a rear main oil seal and spare clutch kit? Then what about the gear to fix it? I actually could probably fix a clutch in the bush with the gear I carry but it would not be fun.

I had a steering failure. The castle nut on the drag link ball joint stripped out and fell off. I fixed that with a length of 3/4" copper pipe and a 3" nail. They were in the junk in the bottom of my mates toolbox, unfortunately I had cleaned my toolbox out before leaving home.

Finally I had a brake calliper mounting bracket fall off. The bolt hole in the axle housing stripped out. Thankfully a friendly local offered me the use of his taps and dyes and I spent the afternoon finding a suitable bolt, drilling out the hole and tapping a new thread.

My point is, how do you plan for failures like that. When was the last time any of us routinely replaced a drag link or axle housing, and how do you check your clutch without pulling it all apart?

For me the solution is to do regular maintenance and keep the car in good nick. I replace belts and hoses in accordance with manufacturers recommendations and before any major trip. The old ones go on the trip as spares, but I have never used them.

I just had the camper up for a rego check and the mechanic pointed out a wheel bearing loose. So while I am fixing that I will have a good look under the trailer and check all the nuts, bolts, pins etc with a spanner. That a toolbox full of junk, decent comms, a travelling companion and I will take my chances.

Duncs

How many people still carry spare engine and diff oil, as well as transmission and brake fluid?

I've just cleaned out my holiday tool box, and discovered that my spare engine oil was about 15 years old. The rest of the fluids were of a slightly lower age, but not much.

In terms of risk management, we often travel in out of the way places, but usually "on track" and only rarely (if ever) "off track".

How many Members have stopped carrying spare fluids (other than beer) on remote trips?

George_M

One other very important piece of equipement / tools / spares to carry , is a deck of playing cards , no matter where you break down just sit down and start to play a game of Solitare / Patience , someone will soon come along to tell you that the red jack goes on the black queen ,, lol.