Auto Roadside Kit

Traveling on the road is one of the oldest ways to get out of town for a weekend gateway. As delightful as an experience that it may be, you must be ready for the challenges that could arise and erode your joy. Hence, preparing for challenges with an Auto Roadside Kit will increase your possibility of reaching your destination well. You may not know how to use all the tools in your kit, but if you strive to learn how to use them, your circumstances will be easier to cope and overcome. In essence, being prepared will help you "do what you need to do" so that "you may do what you want to do".

Having a good Auto Roadside Kit requires a number of different tools. However, organizing them into different task sets, helps you know and find the right set of tools for the challenge at hand. Although there are many ready-made sets on the market, not all of them are the same nor contain the same tools.  However, if you are starting your kit from scratch, it does help to begin your Auto Roadside Kit with one of them and progressively build it up to the degree that meets your needs. In this Auto Roadside Kit, I have chosen to divide the kit into subsets: Essentials Tool Set, Battery and Tire Set, Long Distance Set, and Personal Survival Set.  

Essentials Tool Set
It consists of a box or tool bag that contains the necessary tools for you to make a patch-up repair on the roadside. The patch-up repair will help you reach the nearest service station or town where more resources are available for a complete repair.  
 
Essentials Tool Set list:
- box or bag; utility zipper bags may be used to make specific subsets
- roadside auto repair manual (general or specific for your vehicle)
- safety glasses and vinyl coated gloves
- led compact flashlight or led penlight
- pliers (6-inches long; channel groove, needle nose w/cutter, and linesman)
- screwdrivers (at least two sizes for flat-head and Phillips-head)
- bit screwdriver (1/4-inch driver with a bit set for non-common screws)
- tack puller (good for disconnecting electrical harnesses)
- combination wrenches (SAE and metric; at least five or six of the most common sizes)
- ratchet drivers (a 1/4 and a 3/8 inch drive head)
- socket set (SAE and metric, with a 1/4 and 3/8 inch drive)
- ratchet extensions and size adapters
- adjustable wrench (6-inches long)
- telescopic magnetic pick-up tool and magnetic dish tray (for picking up stray screws and bolts as well as temporary holding place)
- small container of fuses and fuse puller with tester
- small test light
- utility knife, multi-tool, and/or pocket knife (Swiss army knife type)
- telescopic inspection mirror (for seeing in hard to reach places)
- compact handle hacksaw with a blade
- plastic bristle brush and metal bristle brush
- bag of 2 or 3 different size zip ties
- both duct and electrical tape
- mechanic's wire (for temporary tying of loose parts)

The Battery and Tire Set
It consists of two categories, yet they are listed together because they are the most common challenges that drivers face on the road. 

The Battery category can be best contained in a bag or simple backpack; it can be shifted from its storage location as needed. The largest content item is typically the jumper cables and the remaining tools are smaller items that can be packed into utility zipper bags.

The Tire category, in a sense, is more divided.  There are large items involved (the largest being the inflated spare tire) and they require more storage units. However, some of the smaller items may be packed into utility zipper bags (clearly labeled) and then packed into your Battery bag or backpack.
 
Battery category list:
- bag or backpack (as well as utility zipper bags)
- safety glasses, vinyl coated gloves, and safety reflective vest
- utility light or flashlight (led is preferable)
- hand cleaner, shop paper towels and/or shop rags
- battery terminal cleaner and wire bristle brush
- battery terminal wrench (for side-posts; SAE or Metric)
- compact battery tester or meter
- jumper cables (the thicker the better)
- windshield squeegee and ice scraper

Tire category list:
- inflated spare tire
- tire thread gauge
- tire pressure gauge
- tire air compressor
- tarp or moving blanket (to put on the ground while changing the tire)
- car or truck jack (scissor, bottle, or floor type; pick what best works for your type of vehicle)
- car or truck jack stand (just in case the jack comes loose)
- tire iron or lug nut wrench
- (Optional but more compact to store) a 1/2-inch drive deep-impact socket for specific size of your vehicle's lug nut; a 1/2-inch drive extension that goes out with enough clearance from the vehicle wheel fender; a 1/2- inch drive long breaker bar

Long Distance Set
It  consists of a small or medium size box of different auto chemicals that keep it working properly. It is not a set that is applicable to all autos, but most common for older vehicles.  However, there are some items that may be of value to some long-distance commuters. This is a starting point list, so be sure to tailor it to your vehicle's needs and the displacement between available service areas. 

Long Distance Set list:
- a quart or two of oil
- a quart or two of transmission fluid
- a container of antifreeze coolant or filtered water
- a quart of power steering fluid
- a small bottle of brake fluid
- a 1 or 2-gallon gas can
- a half-gallon of windshield wiper fluid
- sandbags (when applicable)
-  a can of "fix a flat"
- a tow strap or recovery strap
- glow sticks
- road flares (be sure to wear eye protection; they can impair your vision)

Personal Survival Set
For the most part, its about taking care of the primary passenger, the driver. It consists of a bag or backpack with the basic necessities that you need for surviving a roadside breakdown or waiting while a full repair to be completed at a service station. Furthermore, I should note that each traveler that is with you should have their own Personal Survival Set. However, it should be tailored to their needs and adjusted as needed; especially for children and elderly people.
 
-Personal Survival Set list:
- a bag or backpack
- a bottle of water
- container with dry food
- adequate climate clothing (including a set of change of clothing)
- reflective accessory (for night time; when applicable)
- compact sewing kit (to mend clothing or repair bag or backpack)
- small tarp or contractor's waste bag (can be used to build a shelter or rain poncho)
- light rope or chord
- lint brush roll
- cash
- maps, compass, notepad and pen or pencil
- light weight binoculars (to search for help)
- mobile phone and accessories (charged external battery, wires, auto and home charger, list of emergency numbers)
- compact radio and/or weather radio (with extra batteries)
- led utility light or led flashlight (with extra batteries)
- camping matches and kindling (for starting a fire)
- pocket blade sharpener, camping pocket knife, small needle nose pliers or multi-tool
- pocket-size roll of duct tape
- a personal first aid kit and personal medications
- emergency rain poncho
- emergency folding blanket  
- emergency signal whistle
- toiletry bag (soap, shampoo, toothbrush and paste, skin cream and sun block, travel toilet paper roll, cleaning sanitation wipes, deodorant, shaving razor, lint brush, etc. )
- something to read ... perhaps something the inspires hope to the spirit of one's soul

*Please note that the Personal Survival Set used with the Auto Roadside Kit should not be your "Bug Out Bag" or the liking. It should be light weight, items being compact in size, and tailored to your needs. Essentially, if you are stranded on a deserted road, and and traffic is next to dead, you have what you need to last many hours before a traveler may stop by to offer assistance.  If the vehicle is disabled and non-repairable, then you have what you need in your Personal Survival Set to hitch a ride to the nearest service station and/or a place to spend the night.

In closing, the Auto Roadside Kit is a tremendous resource to have when you travel out of town or long commutes. It is a resource that can help you cope and make the best of the challenges that lay before you. It is a resource that could save your life and that of others.