Several folks have asked what they might carry in their trunk for roadside problems. It’s been about five years since we last looked at this topic, so here goes:
Safety, general
•Cellphone or portable CB radio. (Older, nonsubscribed cellphones still can be used to call 911 or to make very expensive collect calls.)
•First-aid kit
•Flares
#149;Flashlight
•Battery jumper cables. (Don’t buy cheap ones.)
•Gallon of drinking water. (Also can be used as engine coolant)
•Tire-pressure gauge
•Aerosol tire inflator-sealer. (Nonflammable can, two for larger SUV tires)
•12 sheet metal screw. (Can be threaded into difficult-to-seal tire punctures)
•Roll of electrical tape to repair leaking hoses
•Small roll of duct tape. (Amazingly useful for holding broken things together)
•Quart of motor oil
•Quart of ATF (automatic transmission fluid)
•$5 in change, a $10 bill
•Paper and pencil (for directions, emergency messages)
•Glass cleaner and a roll of paper towels. (Useful for washing hands after a tire change or cleaning up upholstery spills)
•Tarp or towel (to lie or kneel on, when changing a tire or making repairs)
•“Need help” sign or sun shade
Seasonal
•Tire chains, tensioners
•Umbrella
•Space blanket
•Tools
•Leatherman or similar tool
•Slip joint and vise-grip pliers
•2 standard and Phillips screwdrivers
Parts
•Previously replaced fan belt(s)
•Assortment of fuses. Check if your car uses SFE (glass), ATO, or mini ATO fuses (large or small colored plastic, or a combination of both)
•Small roll of baling wire. (Useful for wiring up a tail pipe or holding the trunk closed)
For the boater
or trailer-towing traveler
•Spare trailer wheel bearings, small container of grease
•Bottle jack and appropriate lug wrench. (Often different from that of your tow vehicle)
•Spare 1157 and 194 light bulbs
And, finally, be sure you know how your vehicle’s jack operates, and where all its parts are, especially the wheel key, if your car has locking lug nuts.
Also, if you have alloy wheels, make sure your lug nuts are compatible with the spare (steel) rim. A 2-foot length of pipe may be helpful to augment the customarily short-handled lug wrench.
For off-roaders, a 1-foot-square piece of thick plywood will provide secure footing for the jack on sandy or muddy situations.
Reader contest
Which of you has driven the furthest on an original engine? How about the complete vehicle (with engine replacement)? Be sure to share your advice on how it was done. While we’re at it, how about the longest-lasting set of tires or battery?
Brad Bergholdt teaches automotive technology at Evergreen Valley College in San Jose, Calif. E-mail him at under-the-hood@juno.com or write to him in care of Drive, Mercury News, 750 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, Calif. 95190. He cannot make personal replies.
