What is in your OTR toolkit?

[Mex-Busnut]

Dear Friends:

We are not yet on the road, but soon!

What would you experienced busnuts consider to be the minimum in TOOLS you take on the road with you for bus maintenance and repair? I am starting a separate thread for minimum PARTS you carry on the road.

In our case here in Mexico, we can very easily find ourselves literally 150 miles from the nearest mechanic.

I hope to gain immense knowledge from this thread! :-)

Thanks in advance!

[Paso One]

Hi Dr Steve
I will tell you what I did a long time ago ( starting the conversion )  I have a zillion tools in my shop and lots of specialized .
I took an empty tool box and set it in the bus storage area, when I was doing work on the bus I threw the tool I was using  in the empty box.
The thinking was if I used it once on the bus I would need it again sometime.
Interesting thing was how few different  tools accumulated.
Then I had a few tools that just screamed your going to need me sometime so I put them in the box.

[Sam 4106]

Cell phone, computer, road service card, credit card and cash top the list. I also have a spare tire and the tools to change it, if needed. A set of combination wrenches, socket set, screw drivers, hammer, pry bar, pliers, WD40, VOM meter, IR temperature gun, and grease gun. The best thing I carry is the confidence that I have done all the maintenance to ensure I don't need any tools along. In 24 years of owing a bus, there has been only one occasion that I couldn't fix a problem myself. That was last summer when the ECM for the engine failed.

Good luck, Sam

[muldoonman]

What Sam said Dr. Steve.  If up in the United States you would not be far away from a tow or mechanics. Belts and fluids is what I carry but don't travel out of Texas and bordering states. Can you get road insurance down your way, like the Triple AAA, CoachNet, and such? Also I read the Borderland Beat every morning and i would be leary of traveling roads down your way with my family, especially with the Cartel problems. Do you take any special precautions when you do move around in your bus?

[bevans6]

About what Sam said.  I kind of make a sub-set of my race tool box.  I make sure I have a 24" pipe wrench and a really big crescent wrench, and a big 24 oz ball pein hammer.  Wheel on and off tools, run up blocks.

Brian

[chessie4905]

  For you guys that like oiled wheel bearings; spare front and rear wheel seals and about 100 rolls of paper towels and extra gear oil.

[chessie4905]

Oh yeah, and an extra set of front and rear brake shoes.

[bevans6]

Nope.  Oiled wheel bearings never fail.   And if they do, I can sit and wait on parts.  If you have Lucas hub oil on hand, you can run forever with no seals just by filling the hub up every two or three hours, anyway...   If you're going to plan on that, may as well carry a spare engine with you.  I don't carry a spare clutch, either...   

Brian

[robertglines1]

Steve; Any thing to make simple temp repair you feel good about making your self. If you can do overhaul on road. That requires allot of tools and parts. Would mostly worry about fuel and elect circuit testing and repair. Tires of course. No substitute for good pretrip! Air hose can air a low tire up several times until  you get to a repair shop.  Duct tape can tape up a water hose ,loose panel,broken window,torn pants ,cut finger,and many other uses. Sort of a Ha! but a temporary fix until you can get it done rite.  Bob

[Jon]

Each year I carry less. Other than a tool box of basic tools including 3/8 and 1/2 socket sets and box and open end wrenches 1/4 to 1", a good selection of screw drivers, a drill and some drill bits, an IR temperature gun, a multitester, and a battery tester and I am good to go. I also have a reader for my DDEC V, the ABS and the transmission. What is most important is my spare light bulbs for the house mostly, miscellaneous fasteners, and a selection of the various relays.

Most of my tools belong at home where I use them to do preventive maintenance so I don't have to deal with surprises on the road. I used to carry a spare tire, brake chambers, and just about every spare known to man until I realized all the space I was taking up with stuff I never had to use.

[chessie4905]

leave that seal leak and add oil as needed. Just have a fire extinguisher handy for putting out the fire after descending Grapevine or wherever without Jakes.

[luvrbus]

The Prevost and MCI guys have it made service centers across the USA and a tech on the other end of the telephone doesn't get any better for parts and service IMO

[Dave5Cs]

I will be going through mine and parring down. I carry full set of 1/4", 1/2", 3/4" and partial 1" drives. screw drivers and nut drivers. Puller set, drifts and punches, big 1-1/2" to 4" sockets, Electric impact and air impact, 2 gallon 3 hp compressor. 12 volt lights and plug in light 120 vac, 50 feet of air hose. mirror on a stick, dropped nut grabber, 2 20 ton air over manual bottle jacks, 2 12 ton air over manual and 2 manual 18 ton.

A set of run up blocks 31" long on bottom, 8" high and 12" wide. JB Weld big tubes. Gasket sealant. Large and small open ends as well as tubing wrenches. Pipe cutters, power drill cord and cordless. 4 " grinder with all the blades and brushes, Multi tool. Hammers and a skilsaw, jig saw. 10 10" 4x6 blocks and 10 2x4 blocks 10".

Thermal heat reader gun, 2 multimeters, assorted electrical connector , ends, spade blades, 100 feet of wire. Extra fuel hose.

60:1 multiplier wrench as well as 3/8", 1/2" and 3/4" Torque wrenches. 4 " diamond tile blade. 100 feet of 1/4 " air hose. Lots of screws, nuts, washers, and bolts.
I think that's it.

Dave5Cs

[luvrbus]

Dave,you are not traveling you are moving 

[Dave5Cs]

Clifford,
I know Right?
Thats why I need to go through it and sort. It has been so darn hot here ( probably not as hot as there) but 105 and 108 Saturday, I just haven't want to go out and clean it out. so I ordered the roller blinds and awning cloth plus all new Radius Rod bushing. So I have lots to do.

I was thinking we would be prepared.

Dave5Cs