The Essential Tools You Need to Carry in Your Car
When driving around, especially if you cover a lot of miles per day in your car, it’s useful to have a few essential tools on you. Should you break down or have some kind of mechanical problem, being able to fix it and get back on the road quickly is a lot better than waiting around for the recovery team to show up.
While you don’t need to drive around an entire shed’s worth of tools and equipment, there are some things you don’t want to be without if you’re ever in any kind of emergency situation. In this article, we’ll go through some of the most important things to have in your car, and the kind of tools that are useful in just about any situation.
Crowbar or Prybar
Crowbars and prybars have a variety of different uses, as they’re extremely versatile. When carrying tools in your car, you want to make sure each item you carry has multiple uses, as this will cut down on the number of items you use. If you have a crowbar or a prybar, you have a tool that can do a lot of different tasks.
The main function of these tools is to apply leverage to something. For cars, you can use them to take the tyre off a wheel. They’re also great for applying blunt force to something and can be used to pry things open if needed. In the event of a serious accident, you might need a crowbar to escape or break someone else out of the wreckage.
Jack Stand and Jack
Most cars should come with a jack and tire iron to help you put on your spare if you ever need it. However, the scissor jack that’s provided by manufacturers is often not the best quality. While they do the job, it’s best to have something more secure should you need to replace your tire safely and without worrying about getting crushed underneath your vehicle.
The jack stand keeps your jack secure while you’re using it, making it much less likely to fail and fall on you. It’s not a particularly large or complex bit of kit either, so it’s pretty easy to carry around in your boot with the rest of the tools you need.
A Ratchet and Socket Set
If you’re going on long journeys, having a wide range of different socket wrenches is advised in case of a mechanical failure. For shorter trips, a socket set is still worth carrying, though you perhaps don’t need the full set. A small set between 3 and 8 inches is typically enough, as it will cover the most common fasteners used in your vehicle.
You never know when you might need to tighten or loosen some nuts or bolts on your car, and the ratchet and socket set will help you do that effectively. Check the average size of fasteners in your car before you pack your tools, and add any additional size adapters if needed.
Flashlight
The humble flashlight is an extremely underrated tool. If you’re trying to fix an issue at night, you’ll need a source of light, and your headlights may not be working or may not be enough. Sure, most phones now come with a flashlight, but you can’t necessarily rely on your battery to last.
Even during the day, having a flashlight will help you see the nooks and crannies of your engine and identify potential problems. A headlamp is even better, as you can put it on your head to ensure your hands are free to work.
