The design objective of this tool kit is to have the right tool to repair and maintain the BOV with the BOV at all times

Here it is installed.  Yea I know the BOV needs to be vaced out, fire extinguisher lives on the other side of the truck


The 349 piece mechanix pro tool set with custom blow molded case on sale at Sears, Home Depot, Lowe’s, etc does not meet the needs that this kit does for applicability, size, and weight reasons.  

Applicability:  This kit has many tools that are not included in the blow molded case.  These tools were selected because they fit some specific fastener on the selected BOV. The tools in this set were bought from a bunch of sources, Salvation Army shop to Snap On truck, the correct tool is where you find it.

Size:  This kit also must be compact to enable it to ride inside the BOV and yet be out of the way until needed. The blow molded case is just too big.

Weight:  I have another tool box that is as heavy as me, that’s not many tools to a mechanic but it is enough that a box that heavy tends to be left at home.  This kit is light enough that my 5 year old can carry it.

To build the kit there are some simple steps:
First; define the level of repair that the kit must support.
Second; measure the BOV to be kitted.
Third; put the correct tools in the box.

First; define repair level.  For me with this BOV the answer is best stated as any repair that I would be willing to do in a Wal-Mart parking 250 miles away from home.
So swapping an engine or transmission is off the list, but most lesser jobs are fair game.

Second; measure the BOV to be kitted.  It is important to find the tools that fit the job on that BOV.  Pulling the rear spark plugs was an easy 2 minute job on one of my past BOVs if you had a crowfoot on a 12 inch extension, otherwise you would work for hours.  Auto companies make changes at times so there can be variations even within a single model year.

Are you fitting this


or this


Third; put the correct tools in the box.  This sounds simple but your brother in law will be over to drink your beer and tell you how to do this and that his BOV don’t use the %$# wrench.  If you did steps one and two correctly you will probably have a written list of what tools fit where, I did.

Here are the tools that work for the target BOV


The bag that was conscripted into service first held the tools ok, sorta, but not really right.


Here is the $2 box that was got for the job, Survival Guide gives a size reference.


I,m adding some glow sticks as I find then on sale, they are to be safety markers if needed.


Everything inside


Lights, electrical, and spanners

Looks good.  Having worked on your vehicle to do routine maintenance you
obviously know what to include.

If that was mine I might add the line wrenches for your brake system/hydraulics.

Tag for later,



ya just know I was gonna tag this.

What you see there plus the factory jack is capable and comfortable to replace: pads, calipers, emergency brake shoes, and front brake lines.  BTBT with this kit for this BOV

Thank You

great post, I always carry vice grips, needle nose pliers  and a hammer. Had to change out a rear u joint in Wendys parking lot one time...after it was done I celebrated with a frosty...

Looks good. The biggest thing for me (like you posted) put things (tools and gear) where they can be accessable and where you could tell someone where to get things. You may not be the one working on it, etc etc.

Something ive learned and it seems you have too, is when you work on something for the first time, you end up with specialty tools or odd size wrenches, etc. I make a point to put these tools or buy multiples in my tool kit. It has grown some with the tools that ive added. It does really come to do what particular BOV you have. Where my tools would probably useless on a modern day diesel, etc.

The type of BOV you have determines alot of the tools youll carry. I purposely picked my K5 for ease of maintance. No computer, simple carb motor with mechanical fuel pump.

Not to hi-jack or anything. I may do a big ass post on my BOV. Its changed some and during xmas break ive got nuttin better to do.

*so you bought the suburban?

I removed the drive shaft with the bad u-joint and drove the then front wheel drive truck (4X4 with rear drive shaft removed) to the parts store.

I never had any luck doing that-  Everytime I wanted to the connection to transfer case was a slip in spline, and removing the drive shaft would let the fluid leak out.

The thing about this kit is that there is nothing really special there; just those tools are not part of the kits that the box stores advertise with socks and ties for soccer moms to give their male relatives as gifts.

The combo wrenches were bought at garage sales, pwn shops, and the clearance table of Home Depot.  The sockets were bought at Harbor Freight, clearance table of Home Depot, and I may have a pwn shop score in there.  The pink screw driver was on sale on the Snap On truck, and the ratchet is a pwn shop score.

I could virtually duplicate this kit with a trip to a Sears and Harbor Freight, but I would not be buying the big mechanics set in the blow molded case.

I have to pass on that suburban(thread on that in a bit), I just used the pic again because it was already uploaded in my photobucket.  I posted a link to the ad on page 2 of that thread for anyone who would like to check it out.

I may have lost a little fluid but I did not go far with the truck like that and it was no big deal to top off or change the fluid.

I have used the blue silicone to glue the bottom of a soda/beer can over an opening to keep oil in also.

bumpin' for the new photo

I have 2 kits for my Jeep.

One is the 'mechanics tool set' with a few other things added.  Mainly bits, etc, that you need to be able to work on the Jeep.  There are a few 'big' tools that aren't in there still, but you can fix 'most' things with it.

The second is my off-road kit.  That's a crate, about 18"x18"x40".  But I can fix damn near anything with it, and it has spare parts.

You forgot something... something that everyone who works on cars should have and know how to use it...

A Torque wrench.

Acutally, you should also have a Chilton/Haynes/etc manual that has torque specs and tightening patterns.

Hardwarz

in a road side emergency i have never ever needed a torque wrench ever and i have changed a clutch on the side of i55 heading to st louis before...lets face it if you work on cars enough you can pretty well guess were it should be...its not a honda or something like that were you would be using inch pounds on certain parts...nice choice of wrench no matter the sockets i always try to get my friends to buy the good ratchets they are worth the money...

I own at least 3 torque wrenches.  Torque wrenches are not needed for the level one repair.  Level 2 and beyond repair would need torque wrench.

The box I use for my road tool box:

40mm ammo box
It's long enough to hold an 1/2" drive 18" breaker bar, and short & wide enough to fit 2 behind the seat of my '83 K20 Chevy, without pushing the seat forward.

Among my preferred tools:

-a 4wd spindle nut wrench socket, in my case, the GM pattern specifically for my bowtie adorned herd. The Durango has its own 22mm socket for the CV joints in the front hubs.

-Gearwrench ratcheting combo wrenches, and the 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 drive adapters they make, so I can use them with deepwell sockets anywhere that the ratcheting wrench can't get to. That combination just about makes regular depth sockets an unnecessary item. Throw in a 1/2" to 3/8" drive adapter, so you can use the 1/2" breaker bar on stubborn nuts & bolts

-a pair of sawzall blades, at least one being for cutting metal. You can make a blade handle out of wood, or buy a folding saw.

-a roll of aircraft safety wire: i.e., for holding up exhaust pipes, when the holders breaks ......or finally rust away...I've done this....twice.