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I would always do a majority of the auto repairs for all of my vehicles over the years. When we moved to Ohio, I didn’t have but a few hand tools for small things around the house. I did however have a small set of deep sockets and two ratchets.
I decided due to the free time I had that it would be better to just take the vehicles to a shop. I guess you could say I had gotten a bit lazy also. I was however changing the oil in the truck. It was easy to get to.
I have had an issue with the brakes on the truck for some time now. The truck has set around the house since.
I’m no longer driving now so we don’t have the spare money we had before. Until the baby comes my wife will not be going back to work.
I know tools can be expensive but they are also just that, tools. They make things easier.
Doing your own vehicle repairs can save you money in the long run and also build your knowledge base for future issues that might arise.
What tools should I have for tire repairs?
One of the most common issues we face today are flat tires. You should always have a spare tire. One thing that I have noticed is that when buying used vehicle’s they won’t always have a spare tire. But if they do odds are they are flat or have no tread left.
I have always used a heavy duty 3 ton jack. That however doesn’t work out well for cars even the low profile ones. I found it a bit difficult to get it under some cars. You could however get one that best suites your needs.
You will need to get a lug nut wrench or a 4-way. I would suggest spending the extra money and getting a decent set. I have ran into the issue of some of the cheaper ones bowing out and bending when trying to undo some of the more stuck on lugs.
Tire plug set would come in handy as well. They are very inexpensive and can come in handy in a pinch. In some cases you could even just plug it without taking the tire off if you can’t afford a jack to keep in the vehicle.
The last thing I can think of at the moment would be a compact 12v air pump, I have used these a few time’s. There are however some downsides to these. Some folks have had them work just once or twice then it wouldn’t power back on. This isn’t just one specific brand either.
The one I had worked quite well, but I left it in Ohio as well, along with the rest of my tools…
My Battery died!!!
Jumper cables have a huge benefit and don’t take up much space. I have had to jump the semi from my truck battery a time or two. it can be done but it take a bit longer than usual.
In most cases today you can call a friend and get a jump or ask someone parked next to you for a jump. What can you do after SHTF?
This would be a bit different and it all depends on what started it all, but most generally you’ll have access to multiple vehicles. Once you need to jump a battery though that means there is an issue somewhere either with the battery or with the charging system.
Batteries come in all shapes and sizes. Some vehicles have a certain battery that will fit and nothing else. I have ran into that issue a time or two with newer vehicles.
After SHTF things will be tough. There will be other cars all over the place I’m sure that have broke down, ran out of gas/fuel. You could swap the batteries out with some simple hand tools, ratchets and sockets or wrenches.
You could also salvage some parts from broke down vehicles. Some things you could jury rig in a pinch but with the way these newer vehicles are made that would be very difficult. Everything is much more compact and you don’t have much room at all to work with.
Motor or Tranny go out?
If either of these parts fail, you might as well try to find another vehicle. Even today trannys can be very daunting to tackle unless you know what you’re doing. Vehicle books can be helpful for most of the general repairs but something like the engine or transmission have their own books.
I myself have not ever had the opportunity or the desire to work on a transmission. I’ve heard some stories of how bad they can be especially when you don’t know what your doing, springs can fly out and be lost or you don’t know which spot they came out of.
In some cases you could just check the fluid levels. which should be the first step, if its low, try to top it off with some more. I do know that the car I have doesn’t have a tranny fluid dipstick, just the motor.