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Who keeps tools in their auto? What you use?

shavefan

I’m not a fan
Kinda like shave soap recommendations, we can give advice on what works for us, but it may not work for you...

How many miles on the truck?
How many miles driven a year?
What condition is it in?
Do you service it/ inspect it regularly? Familiar with all its basic systems?
Do you live in a remote or more suburban area?
What's your mechanic skill level?

^That might help narrow it down but my last post covers pretty much anything you'd need for roadside repairs. More than that it's tow truck time. As far as "convenience" tools to keep nearby in the truck, only you can decide that.
 

Toothpick

Needs milk and a bidet!
Staff member
switched out my heavy/bulky jumper cables for a Li-ion jump pack

Which one do you have? I’d rather have one of these.

when I change windshield wipers I throw the old ones in the back just in case.
I did the same thing. When I got the truck it was the first thing I changed. Put better wipers on and stuck the old ones under the seat.
 

Toothpick

Needs milk and a bidet!
Staff member
Thanks! My boss has a similar one. We used it to start the work trucks once. Fired up the F250 and F350 just fine. Tried to use it a 3rd time and no juice left.
 
I don’t know what my needs are. That’s why y’all are here!
Well, lets step back a bit and ask a few questions.

  • The responses have covered a lot of different areas. You started off with tools but there have also been suggestions about roadside assistance (I view these as separate categories) and first aid. Were you looking for something distinct for all three or a single pack & contents for all?
  • Whats your intent of carrying any/all of this? To help yourself in the case of something minor just with the truck or were you looking for something that's more general purpose?
  • What are your capabilities respect to mechanical ability, first aid, etc? No sense in packing something that will just take up space.
 

shavefan

I’m not a fan
Thanks! My boss has a similar one. We used it to start the work trucks once. Fired up the F250 and F350 just fine. Tried to use it a 3rd time and no juice left.

Yes, they need to be recharged between uses. Battery size of the unit will determine how many jumps you get out of it.
 

shavefan

I’m not a fan
Well, lets step back a bit and ask a few questions.

  • The responses have covered a lot of different areas. You started off with tools but there have also been suggestions about roadside assistance (I view these as separate categories) and first aid. Were you looking for something distinct for all three or a single pack & contents for all?
  • Whats your intent of carrying any/all of this? To help yourself in the case of something minor just with the truck or were you looking for something that's more general purpose?
  • What are your capabilities respect to mechanical ability, first aid, etc? No sense in packing something that will just take up space.


That's what has me a bit unsure about the OP, several different categories there

Roadside fixes
convenience tools
emergency gear
First aid

With a lot of unknowns about the vehicle and owner
 
Not really any need for a bed toolbox...I even have a floor jack behind the seat of my regular cab truck and still have space to put some things when I have to travel, but I do have a regular sized truck and not a compact. AAAANNDD...drum roll...I have a very good locking bed cover for the truck bed along with a cargo bar. That's about like putting things in the trunk of a car but everything like you are talking about goes behind the seat.

https://www.amazon.com/Israeli-Dressing-First-Aid-Compression/dp/B003DPVERM

A wise man here.

In the event of an major accident, anything inside the cabin(or in the bed) of the vehicle that is not securely mounted is a potentially deadly missile. A bed mounted toolbox is a far safer option than a loose 20+ pound jack or toolbag. I've read stories of people being killed not because of the accident itself, but because they were hit in the back of the head by something that had been left in the rear seat...or nearly losing a foot because of something sliding under the seat.
 

shavefan

I’m not a fan
In the event of an major accident, anything inside the cabin(or in the bed) of the vehicle that is not securely mounted is a potentially deadly missile. A bed mounted toolbox is a far safer option than a loose 20+ pound jack or toolbag. I've read stories of people being killed not because of the accident itself, but because they were hit in the back of the head by something that had been left in the rear seat...or nearly losing a foot because of something sliding under the seat.

Yes! Very important point! This is exactly why I recommended the factory jack stowed in the factory location.
 
Would like to find a nice Li-ion jump pack but my truck is a diesel with two batteries and it's hard to find something that's big enough power wise without being excessively large. Would love to find something that I could keep in the cab that would stay charged via the cigarette lighter with some kind of indicator that I could easily see where it's at and know when it needs to be recharged.
 

shavefan

I’m not a fan
Would like to find a nice Li-ion jump pack but my truck is a diesel with two batteries and it's hard to find something that's big enough power wise without being excessively large. Would love to find something that I could keep in the cab that would stay charged via the cigarette lighter with some kind of indicator that I could easily see where it's at and know when it needs to be recharged.

I hear ya. I only deal with a single battery but I leave my jump pack plugged in to the 12v outlet in the rear compartment of my Grand Cherokee. It is charging while I drive and I can easily check the condition by lifting the floor board above where it resides. And...It's secure
 
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shavefan

I’m not a fan
And as far as keeping a lot of tools for repairs, again, without the parts to fix they're useless. I saw a Snap-on truck disabled on the side of the road a few months ago...
 
Would like to find a nice Li-ion jump pack but my truck is a diesel with two batteries and it's hard to find something that's big enough power wise without being excessively large. Would love to find something that I could keep in the cab that would stay charged via the cigarette lighter with some kind of indicator that I could easily see where it's at and know when it needs to be recharged.
This is the model I have and its jumped my boss's GMC diesel 2500 without issue a few times.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B016UG6PWE

I keep it in the bed box and its gone 6 months without a charge and still been >90% capacity.
 
Anything lose in the open bed is bad business. I cringe whenever I see SUVs mostly Jeeps with the roof baskets with tire held down by a bungee cord.
 

shavefan

I’m not a fan
I cringe whenever I see SUVs mostly Jeeps with the roof baskets with tire held down by a bungee cord.

That's pretty amateur hour and super dangerous. Where are you abouts? I'm sure tire on roof with bungie cord would be pulled over and ticketed in no time around here. I've never seen that (tire/bungee cord) though.
 
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