Who sells the best tool assortment for taking on the road?

Don't know where they were made, but I got a tool kit from Restoration Hardware for simply roadside repairs. Fortunately, I haven't had to use it yet.

 

This is what I use. It seems a little excessive/pricey for just a standby kit, but Sears had it for $100 off last winter, and it has storage in the top that I put a plier kit, a breaker bar, a pry bar, zip ties, electrical tape, a flashlight, and some basic electrical tools like fuses, connectors, and crimpers. The thing is, I've never used it because I've been stranded, but I use it all the time for any situation that I need to take tools with me like going to a junkyard, helping a friend, or even when I just need two wrenches of the same size.

Now that I have it, I'd never go any other way. When I need tools I just grab it and go.

http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10155_12602_00987625000P?vName=Tools+%26+Equipment&cName=Hand+Tools&sName=Tools+Sets&prdNo=8&blockNo=8&blockType=L8

 

Craftsman is now a "mixture" of US and foreign(not necessarily Chinese) now on their hand tools. Power tools are all made overseas now according to

http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/tools.html#handtools

Still offering lifetime replacement, some people here in Fresno have the contract to destroy all of the stuff that they take back from all over everywhere. A lot of others are a mixture as well.

One good thing that I saw in the news is that many companies that moved production to CHINA are now moving back because it is starting to cost as much to make it there and ship it here as it does to just make it here and not have the lag time and containers to fill up. Whamo Corp., maker of the 'Hula Hoop,' 'Slip'N'Slide,' 'Frisby' etc. and one of the early companies to leave our shores is now moving some business back. There is still hope.

 

hey groucho,you asked for an answer, i gave my 2 cents,but if if you want to bust your knuckels on cheap sets of junk, go ahead.ive used craftsman before, and broke a lot of stuff. and when i took them back,no free replacement, so when i go traveling,i load up my GOOD tools from my roll away.havent had any probs yet.and it pays to keep that METRIC crap aboard,you dont know when you find somone stuck on the road broke down thats willing to pay !.

 

Groucho I did this for years !! You don't need to rape your shop box you just need to duplicate the important parts of it you will need on the road. You answered your own question by buying the cheap stuff that failed your expectations and let's face it when your on the road your selection of tools is small and it had better be the best it can be. The last thing you need is to botch up a on the road fix cause you got junk tools !! And swapping the tools back and forth don't work either because you'll always be forgetting something. This shit drove me crazy for years until a just put the good stuff like MAC and SNAP-ON in my road box !!! >>>>.

 

Hey Filthy Frank, Don't you mean stop to help a fellow HAMBer who may have inadvertently used a metric bolt and not packed any metic gear. Sounds like thats what you said.

 

THAT sounds like a good possibility, thanks

 

I love my Craftsman stuff. They have many tool "kits" that are in handy plastic cases. Get what you need.. stick it all in one of their small tool boxes and your set. sears.. osh and I believe lowes sell that stuff and will honor the warranty..Truth is.. Most of the time... ya aint gonna have what you need anyway. For the price.. the quality is great. some of the tools feel better to my hand than my Snap-on stuff..

 

Sears sells craftsman and non craftsman tools, and I have never had a problem returning a craftsman tool at Sears. you must not have bought craftsman brand if they did not replace them.
And when a tool does break I can allways find a sears in the area to replace it, try to find a snapon truck when your on the road.

 

That's what I use. I even keep the metrics in the set for hole punches, bushing drivers, wrench leverage, and to beat 'em over badly rusted SAE bolts. I strip them outta their gray plastic carry-box and put them in my GI surplus green canvas tool bag...Look and feel like the beefy old snap-ons..add a few screwdrives, hammer, vicegrips [old ones, made right here in Nebraska] and head out to the road.

 

All my travel tools (all vintage Plomb/SnapOn/Craftsman stuff) came from Burbank yard/garage sales - even the lil' metal box I keep 'em in is a yard sale find. (The previous owner wrote "Unusuall Wrentches"(sp) on the top - perfect!)

Get up early next saturday and hit the neighborhood - Labor Day weekend will probably be a fruitful one for garage sales.

 

Brad54 is too modest, his thread

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=451521&highlight=road+tool

Jeez John, do a search ya freakin novice!

 

This is a Craftsman plastic tool kit that I requested for Christmas several years ago. 1/4",3/8" and 1/2" both standard and metric. I love it because it is small and light. I added some pliers and box ends. I don't know if they still make it but it works for me. I won't be changing rear ends on the side of the road.

 

I was watching Ice Road Truckers, Oh don't ask me why, maybe for the chick with the pony, anyways that Canadien Alex is out there changing his light bulbs and he has this really nice tool kit box out there in the snow supplied by Cobalt / Lowes, it was blue and looked kinda nice. So I thought, I wonder if that Groucho watches this show for the chick with the pony, if he did he might like to get that tool kit.

 

I bought one of those Craftsman sets that comes in a blow moulded plastic case. no metrics, just standard. it was like $149.00 when I got it several years ago. 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch sockets and wratchets, couple of extensions...might have been some allen heads ... I forget. added screwdrivers and a couple different sizes of pliers and vice grips, as well as some wiring stuff.

good junk yard box too. I have a smaller one in my daily driver with metrics. never used to carry tools in my metric driver until a wire fell off the alternator in beautiful "Sheepranch'' California, population 32. talk about the middle of nowhere. I managed to cobble it back together with a rock and a pointy stick.

 

You might want to check out marine supply or boat accessory catalogs like Boat US,West Marine, Overton's etc.

All of them sell nice tool kits, big and small and most of the tools are stainless so you don't get the rust problems.

 

.........

 

I have been 'in the trade' since Christ left Chicago. Been buying wrenches, screwdrivers, etc. since 1957. (SAE and Metric)
In the late '70s, I was well established, had my own shop, and the tool men stopped on a regular basis: Snap On Monday, Mac Wednesday, Matco Friday. I would pay on a revolving basis, so I could have anything my selfish heart desired, for only $50 a week! (that was each of them) Oh, the Belzer man came whenever he felt like it, unless I called him. His were German tools, made in Germany.
I started on a 'home rollaway', so I had tools at the house. Some sets were duplicates of duplicates, so I got serious about sorting them out and putting together a 'Wrecking Yard' box, which is the one I take on the road.
I have some "Benchmark" combination wrenches that resemble Snap On, and a set of them is in that portable box. The rest are Snap On. (the "Benchmark" came from K-Mart, (no jive) and I don't mind using them as long as nobody is looking! Actually, I can recommend them.
They were dirt cheap, harder than the heart of a fallen woman, and the chrome is astounding. (they have them in 'long' and 'short', SAE and Metric.)

 

I'll check out Lowes today. Thanks. I went to Costco to see the Crescent set. Not bad for $99, but OVER half of it's of no use to me. If the Cobalt stuff don't pan out, I'll just build on a smaller Craftsmen set I guess

 

choose your tools that ya want to have in your road kit and send me a PM...i can custom make you a tool roll or bag from some leather and some old army surplus canvass-..
stop by my shop (downtown L.A.) and we can come up with a design that works..
i have a Phaff sewing machine that can sew ANYTHING-

 

Here is a HAMB thread with a post from av8 (Mike Bishop) that discusses Vern Tardel's "Get You There and Back" travel kit. It includes more than tools but parts and fasteners. It has more than you asked for, but it includes some things that will get you back home besides basic tools.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28994&highlight=vern+tardel+travel+tools

 

ANY N A P A Store .................... Yep Napa , American made product . scrubba

 

As far as storage, while it may be a bit pricey, I have a fire-hose tool roll from Duluth that is perfect for hauling basic tools and it has that vintage look and doesn't bang around.

 

Only 6 years out, but post a link t what ya got.

 

Funny how an old post can suck ya in..My camera broke so can't post pic..In my trunk I have two battery boxes; plastic strapped down type..One holds the battery and the other holds tools and misc small parts like v-belt, light bulbs etc...

 

I got a decent set with the pro style wrenches at home depot. It is the husky brand. All of it fits in a 50 cal ammo can painted to match the vehicle.

 

I have a Craftsman plastic tool kit, has most of the sockets, allens, and box wrenches.

 

Might wanna double check wether Matco is made in USA.You can take all their ratchets and interchange the parts with Craftsman they only cost 10x the price. Do the research if you insist on American made.

 

Don,t dismiss any quality British tools Makes such as Britool, Elliott, Record, Williams Superslim are all excellent quality tools, if you can find them, (new or used) also the Scandinavian Bahco and several German tool companies have produced quality products if you want to try European products. I understand your patriotic viewpoint but there are other sources of quality tools.

 

If you are asking this kind of question you surely have no clue about building, driving, working on or owning a hot rod, muscle car, street rod, classic automobile. Sorry but this is silly. I knew this kind of thing in high school auto shop in 1973. Oh crap I'm gonna get banned now.