Extended trip - Europe. What do I need?

Hiya ladies and gents.

A few mates are looking to drive from South Wales to Gibraltar in a mixture of Jap 4x4's

I'll be using my Jimny and would welcome advice as to what essential tools and spare parts I should carry. Don't mean to be picky but a "set of spanners" etc won't do. I only want to carry the tools that actually fit (saves weight and space lol), ie don't want to carry a 26mm spanner if there aren't any 26mm nuts or bolts on the Zook...

Look forward to your replies, thank you

Bare minimum toolkit: Gaffer tape and WD40.

Gaffer tape is for anything that moves and shouldn't, the WD40 is for anything that doesn't move and should

Hi, I'm looking to do a longer trip next year and space will be at a premium. For tool storage I'm about to purchase an ex-army ammunition box and fit it in the engine bay on the exhaust side. There is just enough room. I will be using 'rivenuts' to attach to inner wing wall. Using Rivenuts means if major work needs to be done, it will be only 4 easy bolts to remove the box entirely to improve access and then put back in place.
The benefits are:
1. Uses free space under bonnet and not inside car.
2. Tools to hand without clearing out the boot to get to them. Not sure if they will get hot, suspect not. But at least your hands will be warm!
3. Ammunition boxes are water proof, so tools will stay dry.
4. If car broken into, less likely to get stolen.
Downside.
1. Tools just piled in a box, not neat and tidy.
2. May need to move windscreen bottle forwards a little. Though not too big a job.
3. Rivenut Tool ~ £28 from Laser Tools. Will also enable water bottle to be moved and then easily returned back to standard on your return.

- Suggest you buy one of Martins Front Hub Bearing spanners.
- Tiewraps are good.
- If there are several of you going in convoy why not 'assemble a universal tool kit list' between you and share the load and cost and also avoid duplication.

Cheers guys, I have already removed the rear seats and fitted a large wooden box in their place. 3 ft x 2 ft x 2ft.

Keeps the ideas flowing

Top notch breakdown cover (working on the theory that the more cover you have, the less likelihood of needing it)

Instead of a set of spanners, take a couple of adjustables. Get a good quality screwdriver and a set of bits.
Cheapo multimeter.
A few metres of 3A mains cable (single, not twin and earth).
Roll of duck tape
roll of insulation tape
a strip of "chokky block" connector

Rather than a tool box, stick it all in a bag

Cable ties in a few different lengths. Ratchet straps - good strong ones not the glorified luggage straps. Ratchet straps can provide a get you home/place to repair roadside fix. In addition to gaffa tape and wd40. A strong piece of wood for your jack to stand on. Blanket to lay on under the car. Gloves - strong protective ones and a few disposables, nothing worse than having to drive covered in crap.

Essential fluids - clean water(always handy for the car or to wash you or the car) i've got a 10l container that i use, engine oil, radweld, antifreeze or a premix.

A can of tyre weld is always useful.

I would always take a roll of spanners and full socket set with a couple of different length extension bars. You can guarantee that the one size you find you need will be the one you overlooked. Its not like a roll of combination spanners will take up that much space.

You're only going to europe so help isn't going to be too far away, is not like you're crossing wild africa. I would get some breakdown cover though, you never know what will happen and may end up needing recovering home.

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.