Tool chest selection

I have some pliars. I had a screwdriver, but I lost it somewhere. Never needed it anyway.

back in my 4x4 off road days we would carry everything including a welding/cutting torch. We could fix anything, anywhere, with what we had with us. Those days are gone. One small tool box and a cell phone is all I need.

There's no right answer on this without knowing a few more things:
- Full timer or weekend warrior?
- Handy or all thumbs?
- Are you likely to work on mechanical, frame, electrical, plumbing, LP, carpentry, upholstery or want it done professionally because of either risk, time, materials, tools, or skill level?
- Likely to do it all yourself or patch it up and take it to a repair facility
- Is a hack OK to see you through or will you require done right right away?
- Excess capacity for carrying stuff (weight and space)
- Remote camping or close to semi-urban areas where you can buy what you need when you need it
- Do you have all the stuff already and looking for a way to store or will you buy new in advance? (or see previous, as you need it)
- Enough experience to know essentials versus carry but never need


I do professional (furniture) repair work on site and you would probably be surprised that I carry a fairly small kit of tools that has been honed to just what I need to efficiently do a variety of jobs.

When we traveled in our DP I carried a lot of tools and there were a couple of times that I needed them. Now with the TT I carry 2 small tool boxes 1 with a few hand tools wrenches and sockets and the other with tape, adhesives, velcro strips, spare bulbs etc...

Bought quite a few tool bags at Harbor Freight.....all my tools are separated....
like...metric sockets....metric wrenches....American sockets...American wrenches and so on. All bags are soft side and can stack or put anywhere.

Since we spend about 6 months in Texas I take as many tools as I can. I carry a socket set and combination wrench set, along with jacks, electrical repair kit and tie down straps in a cross-bed low profile tool box. I have a three drawer tool box in the side basement in which I have screw drivers, pliers, small wrenches, hammer, hatchet, and an assortment of other small hand tools and testers. Over the last 5 years of traveling south for the winter I've added and removed tools that I take along, and I suspect I'm not finished. Space is the limiting factor; wish I had more. Hope this helps.

Tri fold Tool set

We carry the above and

Both of these bags


Both of these bags with hammers tapes, etc anything we think we might use.


We had a trucker stop to help us with a bushing bracket that had come loose and he pulled out the above tri-fold tool set. He said he had found that it was almost everything he needed. We thought then and there that we needed that.

Medium-size tool bag with basics. Slot-pockets on the outside for ready access to #1 & #2 screwdrivers, flashlight, a stretch of paracord, a Cresent wrench and pliers/channel locks. The inside houses wrenches, ratchet, sockets (basic 3/8" drive SAE & Metric), teflon/electricians tape, dikes, side-cutters, zip-ties, utility knife, multi-bit (1/4" hex drive) screwdriver set, Vise Grips, large channel locks, torx & hex bit sockets (motorcycles), etc. My 1/2" drive torque wrench, used mostly for wheel lug nuts, has a separate, dedicated case.
The bag is always in the truck. It doesn't rust, won't dent, it's easy to grab/carry, the zipper is secure and it (somewhat) compacts to the size of the contents.

I'm with wintersun on this subject. I used to have a huge tool chest that I took with me. Even had a full set of metric sockets. There's nothing metric on my rig. I've replaced it with a small tackle box that only has things that I know how to use. It has a Phillips and standard screwdriver, an easement tool (Hammer), a Good Sam Roadside Assistance card and a credit card. Gimme a break. I'm left handed and the whole world is backwards to me. :)

I only take what I need for emergency repairs and leave the rest at home. This consists of a few screwdrivers, a couple of adjustable wrenches, pliers, diagonal cutter, vise-grips, hacksaw, mechanic's hammer, two sizes of Crescent pliers, and a few kinds of tape, wire, hose clamps, bungee cords, hand operated drill and bits, multimeter.

My tools fit inside a small tool box that is 15" x 7" x 8" in size.

I only want to do minor repairs to last until I get home or to a garage. The adjustable wrenches take the place of many open end wrenches and are all that I need for repairs on the road. I don't take socket wrenches as the type of repair that would require them is not something I am going to do by the side of the road.

In my teens when I drove Willys it was a different matter and I took all kinds of tools and jack stands, pretty much everything but a welding torch.