Remote travel gear list

Tired of walking 5 miles out of the woods due to a minor breakdown?
With this list of kit and a little skill, you can fix most anything. It is a lot of gear but I do have a lot of room!
Most all this stuff only takes up a 12"x16"x24" plastic tub, the 20"x10"x10" toolbox and some room in a long drawer in the shelving unit in the very back of the van. Oh, yes there is some stuff under the drivers seat. I might not carry all of the stuff listed especially the camping gear.
I get sick and tired of being stuck with no recourse, rarely happens now.

Right near or under the seat:
fire extinguisher, $40
First Aid kit, $150
warning triangle and nails, $10
electric flares, $10
bright long cabled spotlight, $20
large flashlight, $18 small flashlight, $12
Pocket knife or Leatherman Tool, $30
dial type tire pressure gauge $5
hand cleaner, $5 toilet paper, $1
paper towel, $1 rags
large coveralls for over any clothes, $30
heavy work gloves, $8
green rubber rain coat, $30
wool cap $5
2 short bungee straps to hold it all in, heavy elastic to hold stuff together $5
ice scraper/brush/squeegee $8
spool of string $2

In the back of the van but accessable from inside:
high lift jack 48" model $75
leverage pipe,
jackstand, $25 (look at putting reciever tubes at corners of van. A 4' drilled support bar in place of a jackstand)
2 of 4 x 24"blocks,
2 of 3/4x12x12 plywood
small hydraulic or crank up axle jack
spare tire, even 2, mount on rear doors or front bumper
12v compressor, $20
air thief $5
jumper cables, $15
siphon hose, $5
towstrap (30 foot snatch strap) $40 a tow strap that stretches, very good for getting vehicles out of the mud
small towcable, $20
cable or chain (does not stretch like rope)
tackle block with quick release pins
hooks, "D" rings,
HD come-along (hand winch), $80 (Wheel winch and its cable $100 welded up from an old rim might be an idea)
treesaver strap $20
short handled shovel, $10
pick, $10
axe, $10
bowsaw, $20
tire chains and rubber bungee straps, $100
50-foot light nylon rope, $5
tie-downs, $20

Notes on winches:
I had an electric winch that I used so rarely that when I needed it once, it was siezed! All the weight, the worry about theft, the worry about collision and immersion and the considerable expense don't seem worth it to me.
I have used BIG electric and PTO winches and you can pull a 1 ton truck ANYWHERE with a big 2½ ton truck winch but you had better have a 2½ ton truck to anchor it!

I have settled on the hi-lift jack and come-along (hand winch) and so far so good. I will get stuck in a good mess sometime and will wish for a big winch I know. I plan to build an axle winch. All the power the van has, and you need a spool to hold your cable anyway.

I would opt for the big electric winch as opposed to a PTO or engine driven hydraulic if I was to have one.
The diesel already has two batteries and it would still be handy for righting an upset or what have you.
I mounted mine at the rear on the premis that if I got stuck, I wanted out, not through! In our woods, there is usually NOT a second way around. I had also used it for hauling logs out of the woods and towing cars, but not often enough to justify it or keep it freed up..

To do it again I would mount the winch, no matter how big, on a hitch bar. I would have recievers and cable connections both front and rear.

Handtools
1/2" 3/8" 1/4"socket set in their own kit box $80

toolbox: top drawer
tierod end pryfork, I don't use it for this, liking the "side hammer" method better, but the pryfork is mighty handy.
#5 and #7 curved jaw visegrips,
Boltcutters $25
Needlenose pliers $8
wire cutters $4
tin snips $5
13/16, 7/8 (or 22mm) wrenches, $8
centerpunch, $2
drift set, $5
cold chisel, $3. Scott suggests one made by Stahlwille made in Germany, the best he's ever used.
5lb hammer, $10
red flat/philips/robertson multi-driver, $8
stubbie philips/flat/robinson $10
fine/med/heavy flat screwdrivers, $15
spindle nut socket, $25
torque wrench $150
scissors
Stilson pipewrench
Taped to cover: small magnet and one sided razor blade, spraytube

toolbox: center drawer
Black marker,
pencil, small pipecutter, $5
lighter, $1
12v test probe $5
allan key set
Tape measure
flarenut wrenches, $40
50 torx(seat belts), $5
circlip plier set $30
locking wheel nut socket,
13/16 deep socket, $5
1+1/16 socket, $8
1/2" 6" extension $3
Med size file set

toolbox: bottom drawer
metric and SAE wrench sets, $20
hacksaw and various blades, $5
propane torch nozzle, $3
epoxy, $3
epoxy putty, $5-$12 for the good aluminum filled stuff
super glue, $2
sensor safe high-temp copper RTV silicon, $4 Diesel doesn't need the sensor safe stuff but if you have EFI and O2 sensors you do.
black electrical tape $3
roll of duct tape
strip of sand paper

fluid supplies in leakproof washtub 300mmH x 600mmL x 400mmW (12"x24"x16") tub in rear:
4 synthetic oil, brake fluid,
diff oil in squirt bottle w/ 12' clear 3/8 hose (thinking about leaving this out, it stinks up the van!!)
Dextron ATF, Powersteering fluid
EP grease in minigun, $10 (for tie rod ends after water crossings or over heating trailer wheel bearings)
rags in one gallon flexible pail (old windshield wiper bottle)
engine oil pour funnel (made from old oil bottle and kept dust free in shopping bag)
one gallon jug of water, 2 puncture seal cans, propane bottle, Duralube, windshield washer fluid, antifreeze penetrating oil, antisieze, carb cleaner (miracle starting fluid!),
parts/brake cleaner (often alcohol, can be used as de-icer) or WD40 or deicer ,

mech supplies in a box: I carry some of this, others are up for discussion...
(spares need not be new) or can be stored in door panels
sheetmetal screws, bolt/nut/washer combos, iron wire,
hose clamps, ABS hose connectors to fit rad and heater hoses or spares
tin sheet, metal strapping,
Spool nylon cordage, sandpaper,
spare fanbelts, spare wiper blade, tire patches and plugs, fuel line and clamps, fuel filters,
2 compression fittings to fit brake lines and length of line with fittings
altenator brushes, regulator, starter brushes? Preventative maintenance best idea.
springs and/or heavy elastics, spare keys in magnetic holder under vehicle
coil of rosin core solder, tie wraps, electrical tape, spare toggle switch, #12 electrical wire, foil,
all spare bulbs and fuses, headlamp, flasher
spade connectors, butt splices, Marrett nuts all in a selection box
Marrett nuts or elecrical connection twist nuts are a poor way to do automotive electrical repairs but quick and easy to get you going or lights working in the rain/dark/snow.
brake slider+spring+retaining bolt, brake pads, shoes, springs
6'x 8' tarp (mud or rain), duct tape, sheet of red plastic for load flag or tail-lamp repair, Vehicle manuals,