vehicle prepping
1 - 20 of 22 Posts
Joined
·
8,248 Posts
brake fluid, antifreeze, power steering fluid, transmission fluid, bulbs/lights, radiator hoses, serpentine belts, air filters, oil filters, fuses, spare tires, spark plugs and wires and possibly an alternator, cylinoid, distributor cap/fuel injectors, brake pads and master pump.
Joined
·
1,667 Posts
J-B-weld, frix a flat in a can and fuses. but before i go on do you mean what do you prep for the vehicle that your gonna just keep in the vehicle or are we talkin supplies for keepin your vehicle going after a TEOTWAWKI? cause if its the former are you gonna have gas for it in say a month or 6?
Joined
·
3,153 Posts
Back a year of so ago i picked up a nice tool kit at auto zone, i'll try to post pics soon but it was a steel! i recomend always having atleast a few sockets wrenches and pliers in hand.
vise grips are cheep at wallmart right now and are indespensable!
vise grips are cheep at wallmart right now and are indespensable!
Joined
·
8,012 Posts
just worry about gas. honestly, a vehicle can go 50,000 miles without an oil change if you add to keep it topped off. pretty much gas is gonna be the thing. consider your vehicles life to be short lived after gas is scarce. you can go broke trying to have an auto parts store in your garage. if there is a time when there is no gas, youl be able to score other nicer vehicles for say food or ammo. then if you have some gas you'll be ahead. gas is considered to last only a year even if treated, but i think it will last longer. any gas engine should run on kerosene too, as long as it is started and warmed up on gas.
I'm wanting to buy a few extra items just to keep it going so that when/if the dollar drops more, I won't have to spend as much for the same item. I want to get stuff I KNOW we'll be using within the next year, like the oil or wiper fluid. This is assuming gasoline and car parts are still available, just more expensive due to inflation.
Joined
·
2,232 Posts
check out your maintenance schedule for the next couple years and look for the big ones. if you have a low tolerance engine and your timing belt is getting close you might want to have that done early. the actual part costs maybe $10 but getting the old one out and the new one in is laybour intensive and that will cost you.
Joined
·
480 Posts
If you drive a truck, suspension, lift and a push bar for possible off-road excursions.
Joined
·
493 Posts
I think that an extra car battery, a jump start, and a good set of tools. If you already have a jump starter you can use it as a battery in a pinch by removing the battery and connecting the Pos and Neg cables to you vehicles power cables. This would be in additon to trans, brake, and radiator fluids and some other things others have already mentioned.
It's auto, and the only thing I know how to do is add the wiper fluid. . .
Joined
·
78 Posts
Couple of seal kits, not the canned stuff. A full size spare and a manual air pump. Solar trickle charger for if its sitting awhile.
Couple cans of PREMIUM gas, Those extra few miles a tank will help. and will be better the longer it sits. A few jugs of regular oil and a jug of synthetic. Its ok to mix oil, and if your in a dry arid area or you have to bug out real fast you could burn alot of oil. In fact if your car is new enough you should have synthetic oil in it anyways. Less engine wear and what if you never get to do another oil change? For older engines its good just to throw half a quart in for cold starts.
Tools, belts rad fluid and windshield washer fluid. Cap, Rotor plugs and wires. As for the rest it would be car dependant. If you have a truck or an SUV that is hard on brakes bring a few sets of pads and a pair of discs. If your car is known for fuse or electrical problems than bring that stuff ect.
Couple cans of PREMIUM gas, Those extra few miles a tank will help. and will be better the longer it sits. A few jugs of regular oil and a jug of synthetic. Its ok to mix oil, and if your in a dry arid area or you have to bug out real fast you could burn alot of oil. In fact if your car is new enough you should have synthetic oil in it anyways. Less engine wear and what if you never get to do another oil change? For older engines its good just to throw half a quart in for cold starts.
Tools, belts rad fluid and windshield washer fluid. Cap, Rotor plugs and wires. As for the rest it would be car dependant. If you have a truck or an SUV that is hard on brakes bring a few sets of pads and a pair of discs. If your car is known for fuse or electrical problems than bring that stuff ect.
Joined
·
1,249 Posts
just carry in your car a gallon of water or coolant (if you have an empty coolant jug, use that), a set of jumper cables, and MAYBE an extra headlight bulb. If you have a serpentine belt system, a $25 belt can be good insurance...it is ONE belt instead of a slew of them under the hood...so if it breaks, you not only lose emission control, but alternator, power steering, water pump, etc...
Look at it like this:
Electric...Jumper cables, Keep your battery filled if it isn't maintenance free. Accessory Belt.
Engine Coolant...water, but coolant best. if you are out of water, you can pee in it. Have an extra thermostat and gasket goop. SOMEONE will be able to change it if you can't...at least you'll have the part. Roll of duct tape for hose leaks.
Engine Lube...just keep ALL your fluid levels up at home. Maybe carry a quart of oil.
Tires...keep them inflated, keep a gauge handy. Fix a flat really sucks, and a tire shop will KILL YOU if you don't tell the tech you have fixaflat in there...when hie inflates it and yanks the stem he'll get a face/hairfull of the sh*t and you can't wash it out of hair.
Fuel...I take it you aren't a mechanic...I would carry a fuel filter, but that may be a bit involved if you don't know what you are doing. Carry a gas can in your car.
Now, you implied you want to be prepared not to have to buy parts replacements if they will be more expensive later...well, something to consider...don't buy NOW if prices are higher. Why buy oil (lube) if the price is higher now? Not that I recommend it, but if you check your oil level, and it is level, you can run your engine WAY WAY beyond the recommended 3,000 mile oil change. All I mean to say is DON'T sacrifice food, medicine, etc. to change your oil. Do it WHEN YOU CAN (in a SHTF scenario). Also, make damn sure you have water or water/coolant if you will be idling for long periods of time OR live somewhere like Texas, where rush hour traffic can leave you on the side of the road. You generally have to rupture an oil pan to run dry of engine lube, but a faulty $3 thermostat can stick and cause you to lose all your coolant, which can cause an engine to seize, warp your heads, etc...
Most of the dead cars I've seen are *out of gas, dead battery, busted belt, over heated (coolant, thermostat), flat tires.
Also know that if you are in TX and stranded on the highway, there is an emergency # on the back of your license for roadside assistance. Prolly a WTSHTF scenario lost cause, but good to know...and I bet other states are do the same. Hey, your tax dollars, why not use it!
Hole that helps, I know it was convoluted, but so are vehicles. PM me if there is anything in particular you need to know.
Look at it like this:
Electric...Jumper cables, Keep your battery filled if it isn't maintenance free. Accessory Belt.
Engine Coolant...water, but coolant best. if you are out of water, you can pee in it. Have an extra thermostat and gasket goop. SOMEONE will be able to change it if you can't...at least you'll have the part. Roll of duct tape for hose leaks.
Engine Lube...just keep ALL your fluid levels up at home. Maybe carry a quart of oil.
Tires...keep them inflated, keep a gauge handy. Fix a flat really sucks, and a tire shop will KILL YOU if you don't tell the tech you have fixaflat in there...when hie inflates it and yanks the stem he'll get a face/hairfull of the sh*t and you can't wash it out of hair.
Fuel...I take it you aren't a mechanic...I would carry a fuel filter, but that may be a bit involved if you don't know what you are doing. Carry a gas can in your car.
Now, you implied you want to be prepared not to have to buy parts replacements if they will be more expensive later...well, something to consider...don't buy NOW if prices are higher. Why buy oil (lube) if the price is higher now? Not that I recommend it, but if you check your oil level, and it is level, you can run your engine WAY WAY beyond the recommended 3,000 mile oil change. All I mean to say is DON'T sacrifice food, medicine, etc. to change your oil. Do it WHEN YOU CAN (in a SHTF scenario). Also, make damn sure you have water or water/coolant if you will be idling for long periods of time OR live somewhere like Texas, where rush hour traffic can leave you on the side of the road. You generally have to rupture an oil pan to run dry of engine lube, but a faulty $3 thermostat can stick and cause you to lose all your coolant, which can cause an engine to seize, warp your heads, etc...
Most of the dead cars I've seen are *out of gas, dead battery, busted belt, over heated (coolant, thermostat), flat tires.
Also know that if you are in TX and stranded on the highway, there is an emergency # on the back of your license for roadside assistance. Prolly a WTSHTF scenario lost cause, but good to know...and I bet other states are do the same. Hey, your tax dollars, why not use it!
Hole that helps, I know it was convoluted, but so are vehicles. PM me if there is anything in particular you need to know.
Joined
·
2,026 Posts
Becka, there´re a list of parameters to fill before answering: what do you need the vehicle does? off roading? a set of parameters, towing a RV another set, and so on. The question you should ask to yourself is this: what do I expect from the vehicle?
1 - 20 of 22 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!