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What things / tools / travel tool bag to carry when traveling?

Bryan Wood

Bryan Wood

Well Known Member
Greetings,

Yesterday we went on a lunch flyout with a local club, followed by a long taxi of approx. 1 1/2 miles to to a museum on the other side of the airport from the restuarant. Of all times to forget to lean out while running at low power this extremely long taxi got me. Later when we went to leave we were last in line at the runup with sundown approaching quickly. For the first time since learning to fly my mag check failed. It didn't have a little drop, it barely ran when I switched to the mag. The other side is a lightspeed electronic which ran just fine. So there I sat watching the last plane take off in front of us and my airplane running poorly. After leaning agressively and running the engine up for a minute or so, until I just couldn't take holding the brakes any more while the plane tried to hop out of the runup area I tried another mag check. There was about a 500-600rpm drop and a backfire which scared my wife. It was now that the vision came of my tools nicely sitting in a case on the work bench in the hanger instead of in the baggage area where they belong. Sheepishly I called out on the radio that my mags failed and asked if somebody with tools could come back. This is an embarrassing call anouncing to everybody within 150 miles or so on unicom that I'm to stupid to carry tools, please help. Help came, and the bottom plug on number 4 was the problem. Cleaned it up and the plane ran great. Off we went and I got to log a little night time flight on the way home.

This did get me thinking... What do you all carry for tools and parts? I'd like to have a setup that can get me through the typical problems. Here's a list of things that I typically carry, but would like to learn from others experiences.

Spark Plug sockets and a 2 ratchets (auto and aviation sizes)
4 new auto plugs, one aviation plug
2 9/16" deep sockets to pull the nosewheel
Allen wrench for nosewheel fairing
3/8,7/16,/1/2,9/16 wrenches
6" inch cresent
needle nose pliers
small diagonal cutters
duct tape
tie wraps
measured lenghts of safety wire (curled up and labeled for length)
extra fuel cap
thread anti seize
cotter keys
assortment of bolts, screws, locknuts, washers,etc.
Valve cover bolts
pop rivet assortment/cheap small rivet puller
screwdriver with assorted bits
air pressure guage


What am I missing? What have you found that you needed and didn't have?

Regards,
 
Tubes for both Main and Nose Wheels. This winter we have had two flats in our little fly-out group. Mine was the nose tire and my buddies a main. Both times tubes were available for a quick fix and off we went.

Gary
 
additions

1. WD-40

2. Leatherman/Gerber multitool- - maybe could replace some of the other items and save weight.
 
Heck Bryan, any more than that and you'll be needing to install a full-on Snap-On roll cab in the back!

Just kidding... it would play havoc with the rear C of G.

Looking at that list (as long as it seems) I realised that we carry pretty much exactly that in the back of ZK-SRV and it seems to cover most eventualities. I could have done with an Exhaust Rocker Arm last weekend, and a new pushrod... but sometimes you've just got to admit defeat.

Which reminds me... Ken, if you read this, there is no screwdriver in your tool kit to remove the screws in the front of the cowling. Nor is there a spanner to remove the Ignition Harness from the Spark Plug. I had to use Sam's!

That's a good practical list you have there Bryan.


Regards,

Mike EVANS
RV-6 wannabe
Arrowtown, NZ.
 
Tools to carry

The absolute best tool kit is in your wallet, a large limit credit card, with room to grow. Actually, in the RV-10 a tool kit should be big enough to weigh about 40 lbs. That solves the weight and balance problems with a nose heavy aircraft.
 
In my 15lb tool bag (don't laugh!), I have a couple of o-rings that go on the 'puck' for the disc brakes and have had people I'm traveling with use them. I started carrying them when I saw, I believe, Jay Pratt, stuck at LOE with no o-ring to be found :D Rosie


Updated 2/20/2014, copied from my Caribbean 2013 trip report:

Inside my toolbag
Lots of hand tools, including a complete socket set (SAE & Metric): Probably more than I need but I like having the right tool when far, far from home :)
Master and Starter Solenoid
Sparkplugs (2)…one for me and one for a friend
Brake O-rings
Couple of small, red rags
Small Tupperware canister of nuts, screws, bolts, cotter pins…all things hardware
One pint of brake fluid with a small oil can to pump it
Spare main & nose tube
Small wood block (for setting the axle on when changing a tire)
Small tube of GOJO hand cleaner with a handful of blue (paper) shop towels
Valve stem remover
Safety Wire pliers & Safety wire stored in an old 35mm film canister
Clear (white) navigation bulb should my red or white nav light burn out.
Exhaust gaskets and hangers
6” of 3/8” fuel line
EGT and CHT probes
Gas Cap
Tie-wraps
Included for foreign travel
Spare Alternator
Spare GARMIN 496!!!!
 
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Tools W&B

I'm using my tool kit to adjust my CG loading. When solo the tools will go in the baggage area. When flying with a passenger the tools will go in the foward bay between my feet. An RV-8 pilot explained his loading using his 2 baggage areas and that led me to my configuration.
 
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I always include a piece of emery cloth, some 5 minute epoxy, some gasket material and a razor knife.
 
These are a MUST HAVE!

TTBK.jpg


This isn't the cheapest, but at least the picture was good :)
Where to get me

I never fly without one of these. They are excellent on startup before you have all the power switches on, getting gas in the dark, shutting down in the dark, flying instrument approaches, etc. And the little flippable red lense is truely worth it's weight in gold.

One of those don't leave home without it instruments.
 
I agree. I love mine - in fact, I prefer it to the cockpit lighting I have in my plane. Always right where I need it, great for night preflights, working behind the panel and during flight.

aadamson said:
TTBK.jpg


One of those don't leave home without it instruments.
Click to expand...
 
For the "everyday" tools/spares bag:

- 6" Vise-Grip pliers.

- A cheap (Pep Boys/AutoZone/etc.) crimper and an assortment of butt splices, and some spade, fast-on, and ring terminals (as needed on your aircraft - i.e. if you didn't use ring terminals, there's probably no need to carry any). You might even score and find a crimper set with the required terminals and a nice carry case for cheap.

- A few feet of shielded Tefzel wire in a couple gauges. You can ignore the shield if you don't need it, but it's there if you do.

- A roll of self-vulcanizing silicone tape. Almost as good as duct tape...

- One spare of each size of Adel clamp under your cowl. This one is more oriented toward a X/C spares packup, since zip-ties will work for a one-shot get-home flight.


Bryan, if you're carrying rocker box cover hardware, you might want to consider carrying a gasket, too - unless you're running those hi-speed neoprene reusable gaskets.
 
handy lights

Yep, the Petzl headlamp is great and it goes on every camping trip. But, for a nighttime inspection/fueling/emergency flashlight, the wind-up LED flashlights are nice because there is no battery to worry about. A piece of self-adhesive Velcro stuck to the flashlight and it mounts wherever is convenient... and, if you haven' shaved in a couple of days, you can even attach it to your face for hands-free operation.
 
Wow, I can't believe you guys carry all that around...

WD-40 and duct tape.

If it moves and it isn't supposed to, duct tape,
If it doesn't move and it is supposed to, WD-40.

Seriously, I carry an "extensive" style Leatherman, a limited wrench set, an extra spark plug, an extra master relay for my EXP bus (only cause it doesn't look like it should be able to do what it does), a 6" extension for checking/inflating tires through the wheelpants, a small digital air gauge, an oil spout extension, and probably a few other items I can't remember.

Now thanks to this thread, I'm thinking about a spare tube for the mains, (no training wheel tube required on the -4). I wouldn't leave home without that nose tube if I had an -A model, that is one part they won't have at the local aerodrome! Some wire and connectors...I'll skip the crimping tool for now, wire nuts (gasp) and tape will get me by if I'm that far from a place with aviation grade tools and connectors. (This is for emergencies, after all). A quickie fix kit for f'glas would be handy too.

Frankly, probably the best thing you could have is the RV white pages, I know if someone ran into a problem here in northern Colorado, there would be plenty of RV'ers on their way to help out any way they could.

Jeff
 
jhallrv4 said:
Some wire and connectors...I'll skip the crimping tool for now, wire nuts (gasp) and tape will get me by if I'm that far from a place with aviation grade tools and connectors. (This is for emergencies, after all).
Click to expand...
Good point. Might be a bit tough finding wire nuts for 22ga wire, but I haven't ever looked for them... so I could be off-the-mark there.
 
a couple more thoughts

put the talc in for the tubes
fuses 1,2,3,4 amp, etc
plexus for the canopy
polish or bug remover
3 rags - oil, polish,plexus
flashlight
batteries
chocks
tiedowns (sometimes)
tiedown rings on the airplane
 
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A couple of minor ideas...

While waiting for my oil to drain today, I was rummaging around the hangar putting toether a traveling kit. Have two things to add to this thread...

1) I decided that I needed a rachet handle becaue I didn't want to break up my normal sets, so ran by Home Depot and found the coolest rachet! It has a very compact rachet head with a locking adjustable angle handle. But the neat part is that the handle is telescoping! You can shorten it up for storage, or lengthen it for pulling on those spark plugs. Sure, it's a gimmicky thing - but so are most of the tools I get at Oshkosh!

2) I grabbed a handful of zip-ties, whch are almost as handy as duct tape! Since they come in all sorts of colors, I decded to put bright orange ones in my travel kit. That way, I can quickly locate the "temporary" work that needs permanent fixing when I get home...

Paul
 
What is in your onboard tool kit?

What tools (and parts) are in your onboard tool kit that stay in your airplane? Also, how do you carry them?

(update: Bummer that the search engine isn't better as this is apparently a duplicate that I couldn't find originally. Thanks to the moderator for keeping stuff together.)
 
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Good question, Scott

I am working on my kit. What I know so far is a spare spark plug and enough tools to change it. I have got stuck a couple of time with fouled plugs and have always lucked out finding someone else with tools to get me going again, but I want be self sufficient.

I have access holes in the baggage floor that I will carry my tools and spare parts in.

Kent
 
Ahh yes

Screw drivers to get the cowl off.

All three torx bits for every screw on the airplane (I used the torx drive screws almost everywhere).

Tight access 1/4 driver.

safety wire pliers...i ought to put a a few feet of wire in too.

3/8ths, 7/16ths and 1/2 combination wrenches.

Fouled plugs are not an issue with electronic ignition.

I ought to have some spare cotter pins for wheel nuts...I could prbably get the nuts off with a rag.....a short length of steel water pipe for jacking up the wheel.

The rest I hope I can borrow.

Frank
 
Acquired Set

If you need them you can buy normal tools where you have a problem then keep them in a small canvas bag. Number 2 stubby Phillips screwdriver, 3/8" wrench, 7/16" wrench, homemade wire tool for pulling hinge pins are essential. That gets basic access taken care of and you can buy what you need for special problems once you get to the site of the problem. We have three large cheap beach towels bought from various Wal-Mart stores that served well as a surface to lay on or to lay parts in St. Augustine, FL and Prescott, AZ for example.

Bob Axsom
 
Travel Tools

Check Brian Woods post (2/12/06) and related discussion...search "travel tools" and you should pull it up.

Sporty's sells a basic "trip saver tool kit" (5531A, $99.95) that contains many of the items you'll need.

Regards,
Mike
 
My goal for the toolkit is to be able to disassemble the airplane down to the point where I can get to a problem. At that point, I'll find a way to get whatever additional tools I might need.

Here's what I carry:

Open end wrenches - 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, and 5/8.

1/4" drive socket wrench with sockets as above.

3/8" drive socket wrench with plug socket and 5/8" socket for prop bolts.

Phillips and Slot screwdrivers. 1 ea - stubby and 1 ea normal size.

Spare components for exhaust hangar system.

Small set of safety wire pliars.

2 small sets of pliars.

One valve stem extension.

One set of 3/4" aluminum chocks.

One set of tiedown rings.

One baggie with AN3 and AN4 nuts, a few washers, plus #6 and #8 screws in countersunk and button head varieties. Also, tinnerman washers.

One spare spark plug of both types in my airplane.

One pointy item to dig out lead from spark plugs.

Spare fuses.

One spare fuel cap.

All of this stuff fits into a zippered canvas bag that goes behind the seats.
 
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I've been working a lot in the department of emergency repair preparation for the RV lately. My tool bag weighs about 15lbs. right now! Working on getting that down. I just made a list of the things that I would want to be able to fix away from home, then listed the tools and required to do those things... I did some testing and found that I can fill a repaired flat with two CO2 cylinders used in the bicycle world. Super light, small, cheap, effective.
 
Travel tool bag

I am interested in finding out what tools guys have actually needed or wished that they had with them on X-C's. For example, do you really need or ever used a spark plug socket on the road? I have had friends have there Alternators fail and make a run to AutoZone for a replacement. The local shop was not very helpful so they had to use there own tools to get the job done. A couple of hours later they continued on there trip.

I would like to put together a complete tool kit that would be useful but not weigh more than the plane.

Any thoughts?
 
Yes, I have used a spark plug socket on the road.

I also carry, at virtually no weight, a few of of the very small size wire ties. If you have electric trim they come in very handy restraining the brush springs when you dissasemble the flap motor. Used mutiple times.

I also carry a very small digital VOM, used once on the road to locate a short.

Of course, now that I've read the suggestions from other posters, I'm thinking I should focus more on replacement parts than tools. Tools you can find anywhere, but you're likely to be hundreds of miles away from those parts.

Best thing to have, of course, is good friends! I'm surprised Rosie even carries a tool bag when all he has to do is make a phone call.

John Allen
 
never leave home without some duct tape...I also carry a small safety wire plier,, a long T-handled hex wrench coated with heatshrink for a battery terminal tool, some spare fuses and wire connectors/terminals in a baggy with some 18ga wire. Also, a couple of camlocs, a tire press gauge, some baggies to save stuff in if i have to dissasemble something when i'm traveling.
 
DeltaTango said:
SNIP

I would like to put together a complete tool kit that would be useful but not weigh more than the plane.

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

You might notice that the more hours someone has flown their plane, the heavier the tool box. Experience....

I haven't weighed mine, but I would guess it is around 12 to 14 lbs. I can work on pretty much anything. I keep it in a small zipped bag strapped down in the baggage, and I like the aftward movement of the cg it creates.
 
The black canvas tool bags that Harbor Freight sells (two sizes) works great for packing tools. They compress to the amount of tools that are in them.

I have back to back velcro ribbon 1'' wide that sticks to itself. I velcro the tool bag to the flap tube behind the passenger seat of my 6A. Good w&b location and out of the way.
 
Good info here. Couple of other items I have used or ought to be considered.

JB Weld - a little easier to form and mold than regular epoxy resin. Can reinforce it with safety wire or maybe even cloth strips from a rag.

beer can(s) - used these with safety wire to make a temp repair of a fractured exhaust pipe. Guess a Coke can would work, but it doesn't sounds as good as using a beer can ;) but that's all we could find where we had to make the fix.

electrical contactor

friends flying with you (in their planes) - priceless!
 
what spare parts / tools do you carry?

Now that my first season of x-country flying in my RV is approaching, I'm putting together a fly-away kit of spare parts and tools that will always be with my on x-country trips. I want it to be complete enough without being overly heavy. Here's what I have come up with so far

1) at least one quart of oil
2) standard sets of wrenches and screwdrivers
3) needle-nose pliers, wire cutters (for cutting safety wire) and vice grips (great all-purpose tool)
4) spare fuel cap.
5) Duct tape

What else do you guys like to keep onboard for trips away from home? Let's leave this to tools and spare parts, and not get into safety equipment (not that safety gear is unimportant, but let's leave it off the scope of this thread).
 
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spares

long & short #2 phillips
1/4" socket set
3/8" ratchet, spark plug socket
spark plug
A gas cap
safety wire
assortment of screws
O ring for break calaper
 
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Aluminum "speed" tape along with a small assortment of wrenches, screw drivers, sockets, mini VOM, fuses.

The speed tape can be used for lots of things, like taping over the fuel filler opening when you forget to latch the cap or fixing a damaged fairing :eek:
 
If you have a RV-10, carry a set of brake linings - they are not typical ones that an FBO would have in stock.
 
I bought a cheap/light/small set of screw/socket set
A letterman tool set (needle nose pliers, knife,...)
An inner tube for the front tire
A few #6 & #8 screws
Fuel cap repair kit (has pins and o-rings)
A few tie wraps
A role of Electric tape
A couple of energy bar
A small LED flash light
Some assortment of pills (Aspirin, etc)
 
prkaye said:
Now that my first season of x-country flying in my RV is approaching, I'm putting together a fly-away kit of spare parts and tools that will always be with my on x-country trips. I want it to be complete enough without being overly heavy. Here's what I have come up with so far

1) at least one quart of oil
2) standard sets of wrenches and screwdrivers
3) needle-nose pliers, wire cutters (for cutting safety wire) and vice grips (great all-purpose tool)
4) spare fuel cap.
5) Duct tape

What else do you guys like to keep onboard for trips away from home? Let's leave this to tools and spare parts, and not get into safety equipment (not that safety gear is unimportant, but let's leave it off the scope of this thread).
Click to expand...

Add a 1/8" NPT plug or spare fuel tank drain valve, the little o-ring will let go one of these days.

Since you fly an -A model, you must carry a spare nosewheel tube because you can't buy them locally...it is just a matter of time until you will need it.
 
One spare spark plug, if you're carrying the wrench for it.

A small container of that spark-plug thread lube, too.

And in my Cessna 180, I carry a spare inner tube, a jack fitting and, yes, a small jack. I started carrying these after a friend had a tire go flat while waiting to take off at a backwoods airstrip. We were standing around talking and there was a hissing noise and the airplane tilted. We had to scramble a bit to get enough tools together to get it fixed.

Dave
 
Second on the fuel quickdrain. Easy to change out if needed, but hard to stop a leaky one.
Depending on your tire access, a tire valve extension. I also carry a cheap HF nut driver (I think 5/16) that I can use to access the valve stem through a hole in the wheel pants. It will need the plastic handle ground down to fit into the hole unless you have a large hole in your wheel pants.
I also carry an assortment of screws and nuts and some safety wire.

greg
 
Stubby ratcheting wrenches from GearWrench
1/4" sock drive set with short extension
Multi bit screwdriver (Phillips, flat, and two Allen bits)
Jeweler’s screwdriver
Safety wire and safety wire pliers
Needle nose pliers
Fuel cap
Quick drain plug
Miscellaneous bolts, nuts, washers, & screws (Just a few)
Some wire, electrical tape, etc.
Emergency first aid kit / survival kit
Pocket knife
Small magnet on a stick (I’m a tool klutz, what can I say?)
Small dental mirror
And a few other things.

I should probably weigh my tool bag and see how far over gross it is putting me.
 
what's the objective?

N941WR said:
Stubby ratcheting wrenches from GearWrench
1/4" sock drive set with short extension
Multi bit screwdriver (Phillips, flat, and two Allen bits)
Jeweler?s screwdriver
Safety wire and safety wire pliers
Needle nose pliers
Fuel cap
Quick drain plug
Miscellaneous bolts, nuts, washers, & screws (Just a few)
Some wire, electrical tape, etc.
Emergency first aid kit / survival kit
Pocket knife
Small magnet on a stick (I?m a tool klutz, what can I say?)
Small dental mirror
And a few other things.

I should probably weigh my tool bag and see how far over gross it is putting me.
Click to expand...
I see there are a couple thing i MUST add to my bag. I bought a flat softside tool pouch that could sit right 'under' my seatback for CG reasons of course.

I'm with you Bill.......this thing could get nasty heavy!
I admire the guys who take a spare XXXXX but I don't think I could change a tube without a whole shop full of tools and equipment....really!
I have just a couple wrenches that actually fit something on the engine;( if it were a small-block Chev, that would be 3!)
a couple things to add to others lists....and this is just 'get me home safely' not overhaul anything of course.
hose clamp
zip ties
small contact lens solution bottle with brake fluid
funnel - to add #$@%& oil
spark plug
 
flyboy1963 said:
I don't think I could change a tube without a whole shop full of tools and equipment....really!
Click to expand...

But the guys hangin' around the airport where you are grounded with a flat nosewheel have the tools to get you home if you have the tube with you.........
 
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could you patch a tube in a pinch?

Since we?re just talking ?get home? would a tube patch kit weigh less than a spare tube? I patched a lot of bicycle tubes as a kid. Don?t know if it would work or not, if it would work, one size fits all?..
 
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