What spare parts do you carry?

I'm wondering what spare parts people carry in their trucks, either all the time or for longer journeys?

Up to now, I haven't had any. About a year ago, the ignition control module on my HEI failed. I replaced the coil in a Jacks(not to be confused with 'Jack in the box') parking lot after my wife uber'd to get the part, but they didn't have the module in stock... We were close to home and the eventual tow was free. No real harm done, we only missed the drive-in movie.

This past weekend the truck died in a similar(though not really) way, only slightly further from home. We were down in Auburn, about a 100 miles away! I thought it was a distributor part again(apparently it's a common failure), so my wife uber'd again... She got both parts by visiting numerous parts stores. I changed them out, just in the road this time. Still nothing though, but I started to think it was a fuel and not ignition issue since it would occasionally start for a brief moment. I disconnected some lines and it appeared that fuel was getting through, but it was hard to test without getting fuel everywhere. Anyway, there wasn't a fuel pump in stock anywhere close and our options were limited being Sunday. So we got towed home... At great expense this time since I only have basic AAA, which really put me in the doghouse, rightly so.

Anyway, I changed out the pump yesterday(and upgraded AAA) and all is good. It was 3 years old with about 3000 miles on it, but I guess parts just aren't made the same as they were 40 years ago. Bottom line, in order for us to use my truck for mini-roadtrips I'll have to carry spare parts to prevent being stranded or being towed for anything less than an accident or major failure...

That's a good question, and I think it depends a lot on what you are driving.

Personally, I'm carrying fan belts, idler pulley, air filter, ignition module, and ECU.  

I'm carrying every fluid my truck takes, plus some relays, fuses, and an extra belt.

Good Question.

I carry an Ignition Module, a starter solenoid, a small ratchet set, screwdrivers pliers  etc...

Oh yes, I have relays and fuses of every kind.  And nuts, bolts, screws, wire, tape, zip ties, etc.

As for tools, I have everything you can imagine and then some.  Sockets, wrenches, & screwdrivers of all sizes, hammers, chisels, & punches.

Ignition module, fuses, usual light tools+tape+steel wire+WD40.
Plus a «spring/bolt/key» brake kit (yep, once lost on a 200 miles rough gravel road.  Very annoying).

Some good ideas I would never have thought about, like the 'spring' on the caliper... And some I should have, like a starter solenoid. I recently did a PGMR conversion, but still.

And yes, I think the setup and condition of your truck would certainly dictate what and how much you would be inclined to lug along. Also the space available. An underhood toolbox or even better a saddle box in the bed would provide little excuse to not have something for most eventualities.

I have my spare under a tonneau cover in the bed already, so no reason I can't carry a big box full of spares along with it... I've carried a HF 130 piece tool set behind the seat from the start, but you can always have more.

BigBrother-84 wrote

Ignition module, fuses, usual light tools+tape+steel wire+WD40.
Plus a «spring/bolt/key» brake kit (yep, once lost on a 200 miles rough gravel road.  Very annoying)

Did just the spring come out, or did the bolt back out?

Gary Lewis wrote

Oh yes, I have relays and fuses of every kind.  And nuts, bolts, screws, wire, tape, zip ties, etc.

As for tools, I have everything you can imagine and then some.  Sockets, wrenches, & screwdrivers of all sizes, hammers, chisels, & punches.

Are you carrying more or less than you did in Dad's on your roadtrip/furniture haul east? I seem to remember a substantial spare parts list on that particular occasion...

Knocking on wood (since I'm 12 hrs from home on a 2700 mile adventure), but I don't carry much anymore. A quart of oil, some transmission fluid, a partial jug of washer fluid, a box of misc. vacuum port caps, and an assortment of bulbs and fuses. I also have a TFI tool (which is for carb choke use- my remote TFI uses allen cap screws) and a cheap Innova code reader/counter along with a 1/2 / 9/16 wrench, some screwdrivers, and a vice-grip multitool. I also have two timing lights behind the seat, but that has more to do with me not unloading my truck all the way from the last truck show .

To balance this light packing, I do a somewhat thorough inspection on the truck before long trips. Before the current trip, I changed my oil, tensioned the alternator and smog belts (the former is a common nuisance), and found/fixed a coolant leak due to a loose hose clamp. Oh, and topped off all fluids (other than the brakes, which were A-OK!).

I was going to pack a spare TFI module in the past, but ever since I obtained and installed a remote TFI, I haven't bothered. Maybe I should. I dunno.

Finally, I do have AAA and don't offroad, so my needs aren't as much as others. If I were overlanding or the like, things would be every different!

Sac79 wrote

Did just the spring come out, or did the bolt back out?

The bolt slacked enough to let the key drop (so the spring too).
The free caliper was bouncing up and down each time I was braking.

Was 200 miles in the deep woods...

You'll not believe it, but in the unique lost village there, there was a "garage" (a complete mess of dirty and disparate stock), and after a 45 minutes search, the owner found a key and a spring in an old bolts and nuts box.

Kind of miracle.

The guy told me that, back in old days, it wasn't rare that wood workers trucks lost their caliper key, due to bad gravel road and high vibrations.

Since this day, I keep a kit in Big Bro's glove box.

I cant remember what I have behind the seat?
I may have the old IGN box and a qt of oil and maybe coolant?

Most of the time I only drive it to from work, 40 miles each way.
But today, in the rain, took it an hour and a half each way for lunch with the car club.
If I was to break down and did not have the needed parts and be able to get them easily I would call AAA or better yet my classic car insurance covers towing (flat bed service).

Now if I was going farther then I would pack more things like belts, hoses, tools, etc.
But for now I think I am good.
Dave ----

I drive all over the countryside with almost no spare parts...most of time not even a spare tire or wheel wrench lol.

Then again, I don't go all that far with the classic trucks...about a 120 miles from home is as far as I have travelled. I usually have a little baggie in the glove box with an assortment of fuses and bulbs like a couple of the little peanut 194 style bulbs, and maybe a 2 pack of 1157's. I usually* have the part numbers in the glovebox also. If I buy a fuel filter, air filter, belts, etc...I usually write the numbers down on a little list I keep in the glovebox. No tools to speak of other than a Leatherman Wave.

However, I have been thinking about spare parts a lot lately with my current truck. I am wanting to make a master list since it is very much a franken-truck and a few months from now or a few years from now, I won't remember what parts came from what vehicles...lol. Not that this answers any questions, but I would like to have a master parts list in the glovebox, in print and on a USB stick that I could carry into a parts store.

Availability is becoming more of a problem lately, at least around here. I used to be able to walk into the local CarQuest and they always had 80's stuff on the shelf (even if it was covered in dust). Not so these days, so I think carrying spare parts is more important than ever.

If I was going on a trip, I'd bring a lot of spare stuff for sure.

Yep, those of us with Frankentrucks need to think about the parts list, and Big Blue may be the king thereof.  I've spent considerable time creating just such a list for him, not only because I don't remember but my kids sure won't know - and they'll get the truck.  I have that list in a Word document and have a printed copy in a 3-ring binder in the truck.  But hadn't thought of carrying a USB drive.  Would the parts store be able to read one?

As for going on a trip, Big Blue is - to Santa Fe, NM and the mountains around it.  That'll be pushing 2,000 miles by the time we get home, so that's part of why I'm thinking through the spares/tools issue right now.