Tools for Trip Home

Topic: Tools for Trip Home (Read 1266 times) previous topic - next topic

Tools for Trip Home

September 04, 2017, 11:14:32 am

As most of you know we'll be bringing our FT home to Florida in mid-October. Trying to put together a minimalist tool/equipment list for the ride home that we can ship to MOT in advance of our flight out there.

So far its been recommended to take the following basic tools:

standard, phillips and #2 square head screwdriver

Crescent wrench and a few individual wrenches. QUESTION: Metric and/or SAE? And what sizes.

Spare primary and secondary fuel filters and filter/bowl tool

[/list] .

I'm bringing a couple of different flashlights. And the most important tool...our new Mobley/Hot Spot and laptop with Forum.

Any other suggestions?

Randy

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #1 – September 04, 2017, 11:20:47 am

A roll of duct tape, electricians tape and tape to seal a leak. Should fit in box you are mailing.
Have fun on the trip home.

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #2 – September 04, 2017, 11:28:02 am

Test light, multi-meter, some kind of screw multi-driver that includes a #2 square drive (Robertson) bit, rescue tape (self fusing silicone or rubber tape), tire gage and air chuck... It might be worth just buying some of this in town when you get there to keep with the coach.
Don

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #3 – September 04, 2017, 11:34:52 am

Add to the above HF or equivalent IR temp gun. Check wheels at each stop until you feel there are no caliper problems.

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #4 – September 04, 2017, 11:44:40 am

Check your belt tensioner(s) make sure you have the correct size pull bar 1/2or 3/8 to change belts, and spare belts. Don't necessarily rely on published part # check your actual belt for correct number. You might pu this stuff local rather than pay shipping. Harbor freight or Northern Tool is a good place to pu some of this stuff.

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #5 – September 04, 2017, 12:01:41 pm

Coach net or equivalent .

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #6 – September 04, 2017, 12:09:49 pm

Quote from: DavidS – September 04, 2017, 12:01:41 pm

Coach net or equivalent .

This.

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #7 – September 04, 2017, 12:24:15 pm

If it's only a few pounds of tools,take them with you,some tools are ok from harbor frieght but some are just junk,check Ebay and
craigslist and for the small hand tools get a name brand like snap on or matco,they will not break.As for the parts get them in NAC.

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #8 – September 04, 2017, 12:25:23 pm

Install Here WeGo (or other app) for your Apple or Android smart phone. It will get you on the right road to where ever you want to go. Totally free with free maps of anywhere in the world. HERE WeGo - City navigation & Offline maps on the App Store

Go to Home Depot and buy a palm sized cordless drill/impact. We use nothing but this size in aircraft work as they are small but powerful. You don't even realize you have one in your hand. I use a two piece Ridgid set but HD has lots to compare. The larger types are just not as useful in day to day work and take up more space. Here is what I use but mail order will save $40. RIDGID 12-Volt Hyper Lithium-Ion Drill/Driver and Impact Driver Combo...

Don't drive at night until you have some miles under your belt. Make sure all mirrors are adjusted before you roll out of the shop. Your higher driving position will make your speed seem slower than you are going. In traffic, keep the left rear dual about a foot from the centerline. That will locate you properly in your lane and is good for going over old narrow bridges when traffic is coming the other way. Fuel early in the day before you get tired. Too easy to make a judgement mistake in the afternoon. Use brakes for one stop in the morning to warm them a bit. They stop better then.

Have a safe trip.

Pierce

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #9 – September 04, 2017, 12:27:10 pm

1. Make sure that insurance (liability) is in place.
2. Make sure that CoachNet or similar is in place.
3. Make sure that you have a working cell phone.
4. Make sure that you have a couple of credit cards to use.

Those four items are the bare minimum. After that whatever you have is your choice. I understand the question of shipping things you already own to yourself vs buying duplicates there and then bringing them home. Your choice.

When we brought our coach home we didn't have to fly anywhere, since it was located about 300 miles from us. We had the four essentials plus the toolbox that normally is in the car anyway. Didn't need any of it except the cell phones. The speedometer on the coach didn't work, so Jo Ann led the way in the car and let me know what was coming up.

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #10 – September 04, 2017, 02:28:29 pm

Correct driver's license for that size of coach and your home state.
Cable ties, hand cleaner, shop towels, spare fluids an whatever funnels or hoses that are necessary to add fluids. A roll of FOIL duct tape

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #11 – September 04, 2017, 10:31:25 pm

Randy, Please call me. You can buy everything you need at Nac when you pick it up BUT, there are / is one specific part, for that coach, that you should never hit the road with out.

Gary O 615-849-2377

Virus-free. www.avast.com

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Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #12 – September 04, 2017, 11:04:12 pm

Thanks,now everyone on the forum wants to know,like the guy on dirty Harry,"I gots to know".

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #13 – September 04, 2017, 11:20:43 pm

Randy, if you need to reposition mirror heads or arms you will need an inch allen wrench set and a 3/4" socket. If you get a compact impact driver as was suggested be sure to get a 1/4" and 3/8" hex to square driver for sockets. Maybe hex to 1/2" as well, depends on what sockets you have. There are some very nice driver and drill sets out there. Makita makes a nice one (as well as very nice impact drivers and drills). Be sure you get impact rated bits. Cheap ones will break off in the head of the driver. I am especially fond of my 3" and 6" phillips and square drive impact rated bits.

Cheap tools are usually poor quality. Good tools last forever.

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #14 – September 05, 2017, 09:35:09 am

Harbor Freight in Nacogdoches, very nice store, .......just south of Walmart.

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #15 – September 05, 2017, 09:58:08 am

Just look the coach over and ask questions. Take out close by for overnight tryout.
Find things that may happen before u leave Nacogdoches. U should talk to the service staff not the salesman. Buy ur extra items as u need them. I use Good Sam's roadside assistance. As long as u have a road side assist u are good to go.
Enjoy the ride home. Stop to smell the roses in Vicksburg etc. Congratulations Add a Noaa radio for ur travel

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #16 – September 05, 2017, 10:38:59 am

Don't get Phillips bits at HF. They are over hardened and will break immediately. You may need some PB Blaster and spray lubes (WD40) etc., spray ether starting fluid (cleaner) JB weld, butyl tape. I always carry some aluminum flashing to go with the duct tape .Electrical tape, crimper and terminals. Clamp on VOM. Flash light. Distilled water (depend. on battery type), oil, antifreeze, windshield cleaner. Air gauge that will access dual wheels. Tie wire and wire cutters/needle nosed pliers, wire coat hangers, string or light rope. Wire brush/sand paper. Socket set, channel locks,vice grips, adjust. 10" wrench, Assorted screws/nuts/washers. Putty knife, scraper, pocket knife or cutter, small hack saw. Hose clamp assortment (all SS). Coolant hoses, belts, filters (several fuel). Be sure your windshield wipers are new and that you have spares and that the fire extinguishers and alarms are working, adequate, serviced, and in the right places and the CO alarms. Get plenty of sleep

wantabe

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #17 – September 05, 2017, 10:45:42 am

Cheap tools are usually poor quality. Good tools last foreverr. Quote by Roger

Cheap tools last forever. (nobody walks off with them)

Good tools have legs (they seem to walk off )

my experience anyway

when in AF used tools that were issued

Civilian; bought only Snap-on's (or Walks Off )

Now use Harbor Freight (does not seem to have legs)

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #18 – September 05, 2017, 10:49:28 am

Tools of a different type that can be purchased while in Nacogdoches:
1. hand towels for the sink
2. toilet paper for the bathroom
3. an empty milk jug, filled with water - store this under the sink in the bathroom for toilet flushing, just in case the water pump malfunctions on the trip home

4. pillows, maybe a blanket

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #19 – September 05, 2017, 11:24:50 am

Randy,

The most important thing that you can take with you on your homeward bound trip or any future trips for that matter is your common sense. All of the above mentioned items are great and the list is never ending because honestly you will not know what is going to break or cause problems. Our coaches are living machines and each and every one of them is going to have different issues that will need attention and repair from time to time. Which will it be for yours? You will find out the more you drive it and the more you get involved with it. When we brought ours home the first time (600 miles) the wife drove the rig and I drove the chase car behind watching for anything that might be an indication of potential problems. Tires, coach sway, engine emissions (smoke), fluid leaks. We also spent considerable amount of time checking all the systems and fluids before we even hit the road. Again the common sense tool comes into play. I would like to think that was why we had no issues on the homeward bound trip. So have your basic set of tools that will cover basic issues and start making your own list of items to carry with you. As far as tools themselves I have always found that the most important tool is the one that I don't have!!

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #20 – September 05, 2017, 11:28:46 am

Randy, I think Siren told me that their toad is a storage building? If you get enough things, you can too have a rolling storage building. LOL

What are the essentials for the trip home? Not for longer term, just to get home safely? You can get that out of the thread, no need for me to add to it. for me the essential I began with......belts and hoses, if break on road hard to get. Spare fuel filter and wrench for. Undiluted antifreeze, can always get distilled water to mix. Whatever wrench you see you might need to change a belt. Others noted, but repeat....tire gauge. And a way to air the tire, maybe hose to engine compressor work for you,

MOT is going to give you lot of initial help, just signal you want to know more. They should give you water hose, sewer connections, has been their practice

I used to like Dave Metzger's comment.....a cell phone and a credit card! (really miss Dave, gone way too soon)

Oh, another essential.....CD music you two can sing along with! And a smile on your faces, what an adventure is ahead. Just great you got to the one you wanted.

By the way.....to readers, I have ridden with Randy and he may be new to the RV but quickly handled the one he tried. Really well.

[Another Dave.....do whatever makes you happy!]

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #21 – September 05, 2017, 11:54:42 am

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #22 – September 05, 2017, 04:18:41 pm

A BIG thank you to all those responding. I've got a great list and should be able to pick up what I need in NAC. We're renting a car in Houston and will have it around for a couple of days prior to heading home with the FT.

I'll check suggestions again when we get home. We stored all the gear from our 5th wheel when we sold it so a lot of the "stuff" we'll need will be easy to transfer back into the coach.

And, Mike, we're bringing our portable Sirius radio and gobs of music on our Ipod to sing along with as we motor home....that is after I get tired of hearing the hum of the Cummins.

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #23 – September 05, 2017, 07:46:45 pm

"...that is after I get tired of hearing the hum of the Cummins." I can hear our Detroit when we're sitting still, but not while driving unless I turn up the mic on the backup camera.

Re: Tools for Trip Home

Reply #24 – September 12, 2017, 09:32:23 pm

For the first few times that you check the tires, make sure that you have 140# air pressure available/ in range . With 6 wheels one seems to stick the valve every time. Check them at lift off, and use the hammer to get a feel for known good value. If you dont have air available, use the hammer .
Loss of air will stop the bus. Pick up a spare D2 and the mentioned dryer bypass. Spray the fittings when you first do a walk around.

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