What tools and spare parts do you guys carry?

[stratman977]

I was just thinking that with the lack of locally available parts for our old subarus and the their age what do you guys carry for spares with you?

 

I broke down last year on a 3hr trip to the hunting cabin due to a coolant leak and it wasn't fun. I'm making that same trip this year and I'm just wondering if my car is really going to be up to it. Especially since I had an issue last night, I think its trying to tell me that it doesn't want to make this trip. I just want to be prepared this time.

 

Heres what I normally carry:

 

1) Small tool kit, I probably have enough to repair almost anything on the car in there. Only thing I don't have is a 36mm for the axle nut.

2) Quart of oil, quart of transmission fluid for the power steering

3) Jumper cables

4) Tow strap

5) Wire and electircal tape

6) Zip ties

7) Fuses

8) Road triangles

9) Gal of coolant

 

 

I was thinking of throwing in:

1) Spare alternator

2) Spare coil

3) factory service manuals

 

What else am I forgetting?

 

[colemanapp]

tire repair kit.

gorilla tape.

[Rust]

duct tape, chewing gum, tin-foil.

[Gloyale]

Timing belts w/ extra cogged roller at least....best to have extra tensioners too for EA82.

 

Don't forget the 22mm (7/8ths) socket and a breaker if you've still got covers.

[Tremmor]

Wood blocks if you need to lift car up in soft terrain for extra support for that little lift thingy, gas, matches, flashlight, roll of tp, something to eat & drink, knife, axe, long rope, high visibility vest, cell phone & battery charger, smart phone/laptop, your favorite mixed tape of AC/DC & Haddaway to play while fixing car & posting into "What Have You Done to your Soobie Lately?"-thread. =)

[stratman977]

What are you fixing with the tin foil?

[colemanapp]

What are you fixing with the tin foil?

dinner.

[stratman977]

Some good ideas, timing belts don't take up much room, even a spare set of v belts isn't a bad idea.

 

I guess for me its not so much of a life and death situation if I did break down. You could find some kind of civilization in less than a miles walk so I'm not so worried about being stranded.

 

It's more of I don't want to call someone to come pick me up 3 hours later so I can go home and get my truck, borrow a trailer,and drive back out to rescue it.

[jono]

a small packet of foresight would not hurt sounds like you have a few ideas as to what can go wrong but, do you service the beast regularly or wait until something goes wrong then fix it ? A spare new radiator cap, some magic sealant for coolant systems and a digital multimeter.

 

Little things like a tune up before hand can be helpful - check and adjust brakes, annual fluid bleed ensures you have best fluid in brake lines. Redo the battery terminals as in clean them up, remove any corrosion occuring on the main aluminium cable with a bit of emery paper, and tighten up both earth and power sides of all wires, check battery is full of its 'water' and has a nice charge rate.

 

Travelling in dark time ? A handy torch might be on the list. Check your wheel nuts are easy enough to undo - incase you been to one of those tire shops that over tighten or give you complimentary cross threaded bonus - real nice on the side of the road half an hour from your cabin.

 

Spare fuel filters and don't run to the last drop that you normally don't do - could be some nasty crud down there ....

[djellum]

in general I keep my 36mm axle socket and a breaker in the car at all times, jumpers, some fluids, basic tools.

 

some other good ideas, some fuses, (and fusible links for these cars), a roll of electrical wire, timing components as mentioned earlier.  a clutch cable is a great one to have around, they do break and your dead in the water when they do.  maybe a few feet of fuel line and vacuum line.  a cigarette lighter air pump is great.

 

I have fixed tires with screws actually.  if you get a nail or small puncture you can throw some gasket sealant on it, and put a larger diameter screw in the tire to get out of where your at.  I've actually gotten lucky and was able to drive on the tire for a while before replacing it.  not great but if it slows the leak down enough to get to a schwab its worth it.

[Gloyale]

in general I keep my 36mm axle socket and a breaker in the car at all times, jumpers, some fluids, basic tools.

 

some other good ideas, some fuses, (and fusible links for these cars), a roll of electrical wire, timing components as mentioned earlier.  a clutch cable is a great one to have around, they do break and your dead in the water when they do.  maybe a few feet of fuel line and vacuum line.  a cigarette lighter air pump is great.

 

I have fixed tires with screws actually.  if you get a nail or small puncture you can throw some gasket sealant on it, and put a larger diameter screw in the tire to get out of where your at.  I've actually gotten lucky and was able to drive on the tire for a while before replacing it.  not great but if it slows the leak down enough to get to a schwab its worth it.

 

+1 to clutch cable and I would add a Throttle cable to that list.

 

I've had to use the broken throttle cable and lock it down under a bolt to hold the throttle open...........5500 rpm in nuetral.........then drop the clutch and go.....shifting up through the gears got me to about 35~40 mph...........slow several hour drive home at that speed when a spare cable would have taken 5 mins to install.

[Subruise]

i snapped a clutch cable once....didnt slow me down at all. i just couldnt back up safely. i keep the original tool kit that came in my soob, and stuffed it with some extra tools and gear (a relay, fuses/links, 12mm deep socket etc) makes a neat little package

[stratman977]

Just an update. My Subaru didn't make it to the cabin. The fuel pump died 15 miles into the trip. Was pulling out of a toll booth and it shut off 500 feet later. I had just enough momentum to drift across 4 lanes and onto the shoulder. $140 for a tow truck ride.

[scoobiedubie]

All tools and parts to change out distributor, water pump, fuel pump and timing belts.

[Carl B.]

Best thing to carry, AAA card.

 

For daily driving I also carry a small tool kit, first aid kit, jumper cables, and a tow strap.

 

If I'm going camping or on a trip I bring a lot more depending on weather, geography, etc.

 

As far as alternators and timing belts; those aren't things that just fail out of the blue (meaning if you have 100k+ miles on a

 

timing belt you should expect to be replacing it soon).  Nor are they the kind of things I'd want to

 

fix in a parking lot or side of the road.  I see no need to carry that kind of stuff when you can get towed home, order it from

 

NAPA, and fix it in the relative comfort of you garage or drive way the next day.

Edited December 1, 2014 by Carl B.

[MR_Loyale]

I guess it is a moot point now. But I generally do pre-trip runs where I try to go out on the road to shake things down. I don't rely on daily driving to meet this requirement. If anything is weak, I will generally replace it. For me it is a cost benefit analysis. Is saving that $30 worth ruining my trip?  If I can't afford $30 to fix a potential fail point before the trip, I am not going to be able to afford the costs associated with it failing during the trip (e.g. tow costs, cancelled reservations etc)  I also have AAA. Never used it yet but I have it.

[djellum]

carrying a spare fuel pump might not be a bad idea....

[idosubaru]

carrying a spare fuel pump might not be a bad idea....

HA HA!!! 

 

that car sounds like it's in pretty bad shape if something is always failing/going wrong.

 

it is possible to run an EA82 reliably. 

 

my list is:

alternator, timing gear, fusible links, crank pulley

those are leave you stranded items so good to carry.

fuel pump is right up there too and i've taken them on ocassion problem is they stink or the used ones are often bad anyway.  i had a pile of used ones i had kept and most were bad when i tested them a couple years ago. 

 

i had a couple distributor failures so i carry those - but those were also all vehicles that sat for a long period of time, never seen one die while using it.

Edited December 1, 2014 by grossgary

[AKghandi]

all of the tools and various spare parts floating around in the back... my cars a mess.. but i always make it home

[stratman977]

For me there is a limit on the difficulty of the repair to make it worth carrying a spare part. I think my personal limit is if its going to take more than ~30 minutes to repair I'm just going to call the tow truck. I have other newer cars but I drive the subaru because I like it. I try to keep my subaru fairly well maintained but theres a limit at how much money you can throw at it. I don't look at something like an alternator though and say that it looks old so I'll replace it.

 

I guess I should have known better on the fuel pump since I had it blow a fuse a few days earlier. I just wanted to take the subaru for the forestry service roads and let my better judgment slip past me.

 

I have been towed twice and both times it was on thanksgiving going to the hunting cabin.

Edited December 1, 2014 by stratman977

[espey_16]

A tool box with random sockets, wrenches, pliars, ect. A high lift jack, jack stands, oil and coolant, a chain, a couple straps, a military shovel, and a couple 5k ratchet straps.

[espey_16]

Oh yeah, and wd40 just in case I get water in the disty again.

[Gloyale]

HA HA!!! 

 

that car sounds like it's in pretty bad shape if something is always failing/going wrong.

 

it is possible to run an EA82 reliably. 

 

my list is:

alternator, timing gear, fusible links, crank pulley

those are leave you stranded items so good to carry.

fuel pump is right up there too and i've taken them on ocassion problem is they stink or the used ones are often bad anyway.  i had a pile of used ones i had kept and most were bad when i tested them a couple years ago. 

 

i had a couple distributor failures so i carry those - but those were also all vehicles that sat for a long period of time, never seen one die while using it.

Yeah......old pumps dry out and corrode in storage......

 

Pump some diesel through your old pumps BEFORE putting them in storage......this will keep the seals from drying out and the vains from getting rusted stuck.

 

Any time I go on a long trip in the woods, or through vast empty spaces like eastern Oregon........I carry a spare fuel pump.

 

This is my kit for EA road trip car

 

Timing kit

Alternator

Coil

Disty

Fuel Pump

Fuses, Links, relays and some repair connectors.

Clutch disc

Clutch cable

Throttle cable

Cap/rotor/wires

Front Axle

Ball Joint

 

EJ kit for my Offroader

 

ECU

Alt

Coil

Transitor

MAF

Fuel Pump

Timing kit w/pre-compressed tensioner

Crank Dampner

Clutch cable

Throttle cable

Cluch disc w/shortened alignment tool

Front axle

Rear axle

Rear axle CV cups w/clamp tool and Snapring pliers.

Ball Joint

Tierods

Radius Rod

Rear Diff stub and tools (E10 socket and a 7/16ths bolt)

Oil + Filter

Lower radiator hose

Cone washer

[Rust]

I am in no way endorsing Harbor Freight tools, they are complete junk.  However they do sell a 130 piece tool kit (part # 69331) that fits perfectly in the trap door storage area of any EA82 wagon.  If you wait for a sale you can get it for less than $30.  Plus if it gets stolen, or you forget it on the side of the road after a repair.....who cares.