Toolkit and every day spares for a 1999 Classic

[timolloyd]

I'm hoping to pick up my first Caterham in the next couple of weeks.

I'm not expecting too many problems, but I like to be prepared, so can anyone advise the best spares and tools to keep with the car? I'm thinking fuses, lamps etc.

Thanks!

[Steve Campbell]

My car tool kit for “away” days / track days etc consists of :

“Roll” of spanner’s
Small socket set
Small screwdriver set
Pliers
Tweezers
Craft knife
Roll of duct tape
Small roll of Velcro tape
Small can of wd40
Selection of cable ties
Fuses
Foot pump
Wheel nut socket
All the above in a plastic box with lid

Then add
Torque wrench

Clutch and accelerator cables are often carried as spares.

[BigRabs]

Maybe a little overkill for maintenance but I have one of these for sale: https://caterhamparts.co.uk/tools/5242-caterham-to...

Brand new and unopened.

[PiersR]

Definitely add a spare clutch and thottle cable with any relevant fittings taped to the cable. Guess how I know this.

Piers

[coppice]

Adding lightness ? Crossed fingers and a phone should be enough (said I , with spare wheel and far too much crap in the boot , little of which I could have used without damaging car or self....)

[timolloyd]

Thanks for the tips!

[V7SLR]

My emergency kit hasn't changed much over the years ...

Mobile phone
RAC card
Credit card
Tyre weld
Chamois leather
Spare bulbs
Dayglo vests
Spare oil
Gaffa tape ... in case you bump it and need to fasten it back together!

If I'm heading abroad I take a motorcycle puncture repair outfit. A well maintained car shouldn't need anything else, items such as clutch and throttle cable don't just suddenly fail, they'd been failing for a while!

[anonymous-user]

You need to factor in your own level of skill and understanding of the car before weighing it down with the contents of Halfords.
All the tools in the world are pointless if you can't diagnose a fault, nor have the skills to rectify it.
It also depends on the trip you're doing eg if it's an Alps tour that you've invested heavily in in terms of bookings, driving time etc then it's worth labouring at the roadside to save the overall trip.
Sunday morning blat <20 miles from home?
Get it recovered and sort it out then.

Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 17th December 10:03

[Stridey]

V7SLR said:

...items such as clutch and throttle cable don't just suddenly fail, they'd been failing for a while!

As it’s hard to constantly check throttle cable. And I’ve had two go in 3 years, I carry a spare set from a motorbike set, with the fasteners.

Takes me almost as long to check as to replace. I only check when it convenient.

[anonymous-user]

V7SLR said:

items such as clutch and throttle cable don't just suddenly fail, they'd been failing for a while!

Errmmm.....strictly speaking they do suddenly fail.
They deteriorate for a while.....and then fail in an instant.
;-)

[V7SLR]

Crossflow Kid said:

They deteriorate for a while.....
;-)

Exactly my point. And you'll find they fail in the same place each time ... usually at the peddle box.

[Skyedriver]

No one has mentioned a jack.
I'm trying to find the lightest smallest one available purely for a road side tyre change nothing more. Needs to be small and light.

[Stridey]

I’ve seen mention of the jacks from an early ford Ka? I carry the one that came with the car above the heater.

I recently added one of these
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2... to my toolkit (and removed a heavier one).. it’s a lightweight adjustable spanner that is big enough to do the nuts under the headlamps and other bits.

One other thing I’m adding is a cheap old fashioned mobile with breakdown and other numbers in it. I know that if I breakdown my mobile will likely be low.

[Richp69]

Nokia 6310, stays charged for over a week :-)

[Stridey]

Went for a Nokia 105. Month standby, charges off usb, torch, fm radio under £20

[timolloyd]

These are all really helpful suggestions, thanks!

[V7SLR]

You can eliminate the need for a Nokia by fitting a charging point for your iPhone and carrying a charging cable. Quite simple really.

[Stridey]

I have a plug thanks and cable, Even a spare charger in the form of a lithium ion stater battery. Fact is I often don’t have an enormous amount of charge on it all the time and would get anxious if it drained too far down on the roadside. Or even on a schlep back from a possible breakdown.
Having a massive talk time and standby time is one less worry.
One other thought... I replaced my fuses with the ones with LEDs on them that shows if they’ve blow. It really helped me yesterday spotting a blown fuse that I would not have noticed otherwise. I do carry spare fuse too, luckily.