Extended trip - Europe. What do I need?

1/4 inch drive ratchet set with a few phillips bits, is only the size of a DVD case and is handy for fiddly jobs and will fit anywhere ! I second the cable tie motion, they are KEY !! A big extension power bar with a good impact socket, makes light work of wheel nuts and will keep any opportunistic thieves away if they see you walking round with one whilst doing a wheel change !

Good luck and enjoy the trip ! Be sure to post some pictures !

Good hunting !

It all depends on how reliable your vehicle is generally - how well serviced it has been.

I would happily jump in my 110 and drive to Gibraltar with no more than my credit card - but in the Jimny I would take more precautions.

It's helpful if you can go in a group of similar vehicles and share the larger spares between you. I would take, as a minimum, Universal joints wheel bearings and a couple of post of grease and oil for everything that takes it. Spare belts for the engine, a tyre repair kit and tyre levers in addition to spare tyres - as punctures often come in pairs!

Tools wise, I usually take a battery drill with bits, a set of spanners up to 19mm and sockets up to 32mm. Probably more than you absolutely need but if you carry less, you'll need the missing size.
I also take a ball joint splitter, an oil filter remover (chain type) handy for gripping all sorts of things, hack saw and spare blades, sand paper and a file and a selection of M6, M8 and M10 bolts in various lengths plus nuts & washers. You can usually improvise when something bad happens.

I also take a few welding rods and jump leads. Connect two car batteries in series and you can make a passable weld with these. The rods must be kept dry, although if you soak them in water, you can use them for cutting too!

Stilsons, mole grips, a G clamp and a couple of adjustable spanners including a big one which doubles as a hammer are useful too.

Si

As its France and Spain and not the back end of beyond I would take a credit card plus the legal minimum requirements for the country and thats about it (plus a trailor to carry back the Diesel engine and Auto box from a Spanish Jimny). As Spain is Jimny heaven all spare parts will be available locally (but at Tourist prices!)

e.g. For France you must carry Lumivests in the car for its occupants and the drivers one must be within reach of the Driver (not hidden in the boot). Check the AA website for the details.

mlines wrote: As its France and Spain and not the back end of beyond I would take a credit card plus the legal minimum requirements for the country and thats about it (plus a trailor to carry back the Diesel engine and Auto box from a Spanish Jimny). As Spain is Jimny heaven all spare parts will be available locally .

And a load of jerry cans to bring back a load of cheap fuel :lol:

Not driven abroad for over 10 years now so things might of changed, dont forget your triangle also If the driver uses glasses to drive he'll / you'll need to carry spare in the glove compartment.

The trouble is you can get carried away with what to take, also someone said spread the tools about, good idea till you get seperatted from your mates.

You could save a bit of weight by leaving the sizes you dont need on the jimny ( spanner / sockets )

Andy

Well I did a tour or europe last year (story is in this months total off road), i would say a set of wheel bearings (one front, one rear) a set of them fancy ratchet ring spanners. some adjustables, various screw drivers and a mig-welder, thats what i ended up needing last year anyway, mostly

its hard to know which tools to take, if there is a group of you I would prepair as a group rather than individually, keep your vehicle light as well, i made the mistake of carrying too much crap. only take one jerry can, its unlikley you will need any more than one if any.

When i drove out i didnt take anything more that what I would have if i were going green laning, spare the jerry cans and wheel bearings.

if you find you forgot something chances are someone else didn't. and unless they are mean you can borrow tools. half the fun is sorting out the problems when you encounter them.

Greg

P.S. for the love of god do NOT use the French tolls, you'll run out of cash quicker than a first year student playing on fruit machines.