Toolkit....

Author
Discussion

BongoCaterham

Original Poster:

30 posts

165 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
I'm getting very excited about picking up my Caterham on Friday, so I'm expecting the lovely weather to continue until then!!

Now I'm thinking I should put a bit of a toolkit together to go in the car. Necessary? If so, what should it contain??

Cheers

mickrick

3,705 posts

180 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
WD40 and Duct tape.
If it moves and it shouldn't, duct tape.
If it doesn't move and it should, WD40. biggrin

Not much help am I?

On a more serious note, what ever you decide to carry in the boot, make sure it doeasn't move around, as it will dent the skin if it bumps against the inside.
A bit of insulating polysyrene against the inside of the boot will protect it.

Halfords do a nice little toolkit in a leather case for about 30 quid. Contains just about everything you'd need to get you out of a pickle.
I see it's on offer now for 24.99
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

I've got a couple, as I take one in my check in luggage, if I have to fly over to U.K. to bring a vehicle back with me.

ETA. Jeezus Christ! What an annoying web site! Forget the link. Just pop along to your local, it's in a little zippered case.

Edited by mickrick on Tuesday 22 March 12:40

Nicodema

259 posts

225 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
An AA card is much lighter and won't roll around the boot damaging stuff.biggrin

Yellow 7

177 posts

179 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
Short blats,
Tyre weld, zip ties, usual bulbs, small selection of screw drivers, spanners and allen keys. Things might want adjusting or bulbs replacing.

For longer blats:
Spares - throttle cable, clutch cable, alt belt, dry sump belt.
Set of sockets as well as the above tools. Multimeter

Trackday / long touring (depending on age of car and condition)
Enough coolant / engine/diff oil, plugs, spare hoses, torque wrench, spare wheel (couple of spare wheel nuts) if poss to carry. Selection of nuts and bolts.
You;d be amazed how much help you can offer others.

It's much nicer to be able to fix stuff and get going again if you can, than wait for someone with a low loader.

I once had a camcover gasket leak and drip oil on the manifold during 2 qualifying - lots of smoke. Ran around the pitlane and eventually found a race crew with a spare one. Bought 2 after that, one to replace theirs and one for me as a spare.

Markp13

422 posts

167 months

Wednesday 23rd March 2011
quotequote all
Holey smoke!!

I think I'd stick with a AA card.




Yellow 7 said:
Short blats,
Tyre weld, zip ties, usual bulbs, small selection of screw drivers, spanners and allen keys. Things might want adjusting or bulbs replacing.

For longer blats:
Spares - throttle cable, clutch cable, alt belt, dry sump belt.
Set of sockets as well as the above tools. Multimeter

Trackday / long touring (depending on age of car and condition)
Enough coolant / engine/diff oil, plugs, spare hoses, torque wrench, spare wheel (couple of spare wheel nuts) if poss to carry. Selection of nuts and bolts.
You;d be amazed how much help you can offer others.

It's much nicer to be able to fix stuff and get going again if you can, than wait for someone with a low loader.

I once had a camcover gasket leak and drip oil on the manifold during 2 qualifying - lots of smoke. Ran around the pitlane and eventually found a race crew with a spare one. Bought 2 after that, one to replace theirs and one for me as a spare.

mickrick

3,705 posts

180 months

Wednesday 23rd March 2011
quotequote all
And don't forget the trailer with a spare car! tongue outbiggrin

JaseB

871 posts

268 months

Thursday 24th March 2011
quotequote all
Lockwire's the other good one, plus duck tape and the AA card as mentioned wink

S47

1,325 posts

187 months

Friday 25th March 2011
quotequote all
Don't forget to take SWMBO - she'll give you all the vocal support you need to get it fixedbiggrinwavey

Steve Campbell

2,191 posts

175 months

Friday 25th March 2011
quotequote all
nah....leave SWMBO at home and take a mobile...in case you need to call for the tow car + towrope ;-)

Golf Juliet Tang

87 posts

194 months

Monday 28th March 2011
quotequote all
If you are going to return that day... Check the car first, then all you really need is the spare or some tyre foam. You might want to take a clutch cable and the tools you need to replace it. (think about the strain on a clutch cable compared to the strain on the throttle - then consider why I have never snapped a throttle cable - 93,000+ miles on the clock)

Going touring? That's different and you need to look through the lists shown but think about what jobs you can/will tackle and those you won't/can't.

I carry the AA Card as others suggest. I also usually have some oil and I need to get a new spare clutch cable.

Most often, I have needed help for electrical problems: battery several times (year round driver), starter motor failure - none of these would have been sorted with any tools I could/would carry. I have lost the clutch cable at least twice. Needed to ease the throttle pedal after a whole day's driving. Lots of other minor problems, some of them needed assistance, others I could sort out.

Yellow 7

177 posts

179 months

Tuesday 29th March 2011
quotequote all
It depends entirely on the challenge ahead - even a prepped car can fail...

For the 2CV 24hr at Snetterton we took 3 spare engines, 2 gearboxes and all sorts of other spare etc etc. Unfortunately normal brake fluid oil was put in the brakes so all the wheel and master cyls needed a refurb after practise and LM fluid.
We broke the newish throttle cable (6pm) and clutch cable (8pm) - wished we had tie wrapped the new ones along side the old all ready as time was lost.
We lost the exhaust can at 3am and had to 'borrow' one.
At 5am the steering arms worked loose (crappy two bolt affair to the kingpin on a 2CV), gave wobbly wheel until you sped up and the wheels toed-out;-)
I welded them on as should have been had the car been prepped properly - the taking the MIG was a good idea.
After that it was a clean run and we finished where we qualified, which was not so good... but it was an experience:-)

BongoCaterham

Original Poster:

30 posts

165 months

Wednesday 30th March 2011
quotequote all
AA card sounds like a plan!

I haven't got much mechanical knowledge, but would like to start doing more. What would you recommend in terms of tools, simple tasks, and any good guides/manuals? I had a quick look to see if there is a Haynes manual but seemingly not?


Roadru77er

473 posts

202 months

Wednesday 30th March 2011
quotequote all
BongoCaterham said:
AA card sounds like a plan!

I haven't got much mechanical knowledge, but would like to start doing more. What would you recommend in terms of tools, simple tasks, and any good guides/manuals? I had a quick look to see if there is a Haynes manual but seemingly not?
Get the Haynes manual for the car your engine came from K-Series Duratec etc + Caterham assembly guide.

BongoCaterham

Original Poster:

30 posts

165 months

Wednesday 30th March 2011
quotequote all
Great, so the 1.6 Ford Sigma....(150bhp)

This one? http://www.haynes.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

Edited by BongoCaterham on Wednesday 30th March 10:54

Roadru77er

473 posts

202 months

Wednesday 30th March 2011
quotequote all
Yes that's the sort of thing,should give you most of the data/procedures you need.

Some Gump

12,863 posts

193 months

Wednesday 30th March 2011
quotequote all
IMO,

Straight head, crosshead.
One of those slightly naff multitools with allenkeys / screwdriver / small nut kit on it.
Pliers (needlenose / normal)
Adjustable spanner
13mm spanner (a must as you use it to do the adjustable anti roll bars)
10,11,12, spanners if you like
electricians tape
TYRE WELD (a must)
Fire extinguisher (if you;ve got one, you'll never use it; if you don't, you'll watch the thing burn, it's sods law)

IMO you can fix an awful lot with that lot. In several years of 7 ownership, over several cars, we've only ever used the AA once. Snapped throttle cable. However, to join the AA on the spot was 45 quid; the cable from caterham was 60 odd plus vat and del. Bargain!

However, don't fret. Although when it's new you might have a few niggles (the odd loose bolt or whatnot), they're simple and reliable beasts.