Tool kit / socket suggestions

[Bandit’s Lair]

Agreed find a leather wrap on Etsy and then make your own tool wrap based off their tools. Its my plan this winter I may share that journey here on forums.

If you pull the trigger on a nice leather roll at a decent price share it please. That’s my style as well but they’re few and far between for a good heavy leather one that can take some abuse. I’ve been looking at leather and canvas to replace some bulk in my tool situation for trail rides.

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[BudduLee13]

I've been using one of these for the past few years, and it has held up pretty well.

https://a.co/d/03s9qXNF

The only issue I have with it is the depth of the wrench pockets on the back. Some of the larger sizes get to be too long, so I ended up moving those to a front pouch. I keep a complete set of standard and metric wrenches in the back.
On the front, from the bottom small pocket up is:
1. 1/4 drive sockets, socket wrench, 3" extension, 6" extension, allen wrench set, and torx set
2. swivel head 3/8 socket wrench, 3" extension, 6" extension, 10" extension, 12" extension, and the 3 wrenches that don't fit in back. (I carry a 3/8 Quinn socket set separately as its significantly easier to keep organized)
3. complete set of phillips drivers
4. complete set of flat drivers
5. 2 adjustable wrenches, channel locks, vice grips, needle nose, snap ring plies, 6" pry bar, and a handle that holds saws-all blades that folds up like a pocket knife.

It's pretty heavy, but it covers 80% of my needs

 

[Lost1wing]

I have Quinn and Pittsburg for sockets, pliers, and wrenches. Icon is a 1/2” driver that I really don’t want to break. It’s big and beefy and if I lose that doing trail repairs then I’m blind. Hammer is a mallet I picked up somewhere at some time and I don’t even know the brand. It won’t do for framing all day but it’ll whack a Jeep back into compliance.

I bought a Quinn set. I do not like their arrangement in the plastic case. It is also not a complete set for ¼ ⅜ and ½ drives. They are okay however, just a bit better than HF sets.

To the OP, Quinn and HF sockets are perfect tools for the trail. You will not think twice about that missing 10mm. HF wrenches are awful. Go to yard sales and get some used Craftsman wrenches.

 

[ChrisNLA]

There are some duplicate / redundant tools in there - i'll sort that out before the Moab trip next month.

Or maybe not. It hasnt hurt me to have them yet.

 

[Setec641A]

I found this on Amazon this morning:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GYJ9XQR1/?coliid=I3LQF16XKKX8LM&colid=1SYHD7HTHJ3X9&th=1

 

[Gvsukids]

Well, needed a new battery today, and the existing battery died hard at the auto parts store, so I had to wait for them to help install it...

So if you were putting together a toolkit to keep in your Jeep, a "oh crap I need to tighten / loosen this" sort of kit, something to get you back to civilization and your 72" long tool chest of tools, what would you put in it?

I've got some tools (but, of course because I needed tools, they weren't in the Jeep) which is partly our "camper tools" box. But no sockets.
So, what I've got right now is: Hammer (16oz claw hamer,) 3lb sledge hammer (short handle,) 2x adjustable wrenches, an electricians' screwdriver (includes multiple bits,) a set of "robogrip" pliers, and regular pliers.

Now, I've got a decent selection of sockets at home, if the Jeep had started again, I could've gotten home and done the work easy enough. So if I were to be tossing sockets in the toolbox to have in the Jeep, what are the common sizes?
An extension (say 9-12" long) for the sockets is a given, and I'm presuming a nice size collection of 10mm sockets to give as offerings to the auto-repair gods are givens.
Or, should I just go to the auto parts shop, buy a "set" of sockets and an extension there and call it good?

Further reading,

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/gladiator-top-tool-kit.19903/

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/gladiator-tool-kit.19607/

 

[Gvsukids]

just a bit better than HF sets.

Pun intended?

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

Pun intended?

I see what ya did there. Took me a minute though. Too many wrenches to the brain housing group.

 

[AmishMike]

Spent my life in a shop and have enough tool truck tools. I will say, so far Icon can keep up with them.
Buy the best you can afford, nothing is worse than a tool failure when you are stranded.
If you want to build your own, get tool rolls, small boxes etc. make it as compact and organized as possible.
It is often cheaper to buy a Craftsman/Kobalt etc set that comes fairly complete and in a nice organized box.

 

[Freems]

lets talk sockets; everything I own is old (like me) some good, some trash, and some in between, Proto, craftsman, harbor freight. One thing is for sure, I’ll never buy any sockets again that don’t have in large bold font the size etched into the sockets. In the bushes at night under the jeep trying to see adds to my pain of the shitty almost invisible socket size is unreadable. Setec641A, your post is perfect. Last socket rant…I only like 6 point sockets, I have the scars on my hands to explain why.

Vise grips: needle nose, and standard nose are a must. A good pry bar, a 14” is a perfect carry. A good cheater bar, I use a 3’ piece of 11/4”EMT tubing.
Always carry duct tape, baling wire and a good assortment of quality zip ties, Swear, these last three items have got me home more than a few times.

 

[Alpine Warthog]

Offroadcred did a video on this very thing a couple years back

 

[biodiesel]

And if it's a 10mm? Doesn't even need to move, you take your eyes off it for a second and it's vanished...

That's why Harbor Freight sells the Icon 10mm socket set, which they just gave out for free this past weekend. I think I have three free sets.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

I keep one of the large Husky mechanic tool sets in the Gladiator along with some pliers, torque wrench, breaker bar, and some other small stuff. It isn’t my main tool set, but since it is well organized and available, I actually end up using it and a Milwaukee impact for most of the work on the truck.

HOWEVER, is is HEAVY, takes up a lot of space and many of the sockets/wrenches are not needed on the Jeep. I am likely going to purchase the $400 jeep tool roll and then just supplement it with the breaker bar/torque wrench, etc. It’s overly expensive, but the reviews say that it is a quality set of tools. I can then set the Husky set aside as a “work” set and use the tool roll as the “emergency/roadside” set.

Husky Set: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-2...-with-Tool-Box-H244MTSCHEST/314267050#overlay

Jeep Tool Roll: https://amzn.to/4ch3vgE

 

[Lost1wing]

Pun intended?

Well, it's all HF! Icon, Quinn and the original, Pittsburgh. It's all junk, so there are no worries losing or breaking them.

Pittsburg tools are great for making specialty tools with the help from the welder or bandsaw. Can't go wrong with throw away tools.

 

[Mad Mac]

A weak, fat old man,
I have a cheater pipe
an "extension" handle for leverage
made from scrap tubing.

Cut down a 1-1/2 inch diameter tube or so
to about 12 inches in length or more.
Pick a size to fit your 4-way lug wrench.
Provides comfort and leverage
to break loose stubborn fasteners.

Slide it over the tool handle and
adjust the length to fit the space available.
Beat down one end with a hammer
to an oval shape to fit over wrenches.

The one for the tractor
is a 2.5-inch diameter tube four feet long.
hammered oval shape on one end
to fit over the big wrenches.

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