We live in a world where most things eventually break down and need to be repaired. Sometimes those breakdowns happen at the worst times and leave us at a standstill or even stranded. I like to be as prepared as possible for those times, which is why I’ve put together this comprehensive yet compact ‘Fix Anything’ Repair Tool Kit. The kit includes a collection of essential tools and supplies for common repairs around the house, workshop or jobsite, as well as automotive roadside repairs and emergencies.
Everyone’s needs will be different depending on the types of repairs you feel comfortable doing or typically run into, but the tools and supplies that I have assembled in this kit cover a wide range that will be useful to most people. You can find all of the details below about what I’ve included in my kit and why. I also provide links to most of the tools and supplies so you can easily find them to build out your own kit. Any use of my Amazon affiliate links helps support this website at no extra cost to you and is very much appreciated.
The Design
I have broken my kit into two main components. The first component is set up in a Wurth System Case and is intended to be a ‘quick-grab’ general repair tool kit. It has a selection of compact hand tools that cover some of the most common repairs around the house, workshop, jobsite or vehicle. The second component is set up in a repurposed Bosch drill kit bag. This component also has tools in it for general repairs, but the main focus of it is to be an automotive roadside repair kit.
I wanted this overall kit to be as comprehensive as possible, but also remain as compact and mobile as possible. Ideally you would carry every tool you have at all times, but that’s just not practical. I designed this kit to give me the essential repair tools that I need on-the-go, while also being easy to carry. I also designed the kit so that the tools in it complement and add-to the tools that I have in the shop, rather than just duplicating them. This means that the kit gets used both in the shop and away from the shop. What I didn’t want to do was put together a kit of cheap quality tools that just permanently lives in my vehicle and hardly ever gets touched. I have done that in the past and have found that cheap tools are just frustrating to use and are generally a waste of money. I wanted a kit of good quality tools that gets used often and everywhere. My hope is that the kit I’ve put together will give you some inspiration and ideas for your own kit.
Component #1 - General Repair Tool Kit
Photo #1 - General Repair Tool Kit
This general repair tool kit is what I reach for most. With the range of quality, compact hand tools in this kit, I can tackle most typical repairs around the house, workshop, jobsite or vehicle. I have set up this kit in a Wurth System Case with a custom-cut foam insert. The System Case keeps everything organized in a durable, easy to carry package that is also weather resistant. To maximize space efficiency, I layered some tools on top of others so that no space was wasted. The number beside each unpacked item in Photo #2 corresponds to the detailed list below the photo.
Photo #2 - General Repair Tool Kit Unpacked
Click on the orange text of any item to see more info or to purchase.
This kit was set up in a Wurth System Case with a custom-cut layered foam insert.
Wera Metric Tool Check Plus - An excellent quality tool set that packs many tools and functions into a compact form factor. If I could only take one thing with me from this kit, this would be it.
Irwin SAE Hex Bits - Complements the selection of metric hex bits in the Tool Check Plus.
Sliver Gripper Tweezers - Excellent for getting slivers out or doing precision work.
Knipex 7” Cobra Grip Pliers - My favorite pliers for gripping hex or round profiles and general work.
Wurth / Knipex 7” Pliers Wrench - Replaces an adjustable wrench and works so much better.
Tekton 8” Needle Nose Pliers - General purpose needle nose pliers.
Engineer Neji-saurus RX PZ-59 Screw Pliers - Unique jaws allow removal of stripped screw heads.
Channellock 8” Diagonal Cutting Pliers - General purpose cutters.
NWS 45° Needle Nose Pliers - Pliers for precision work and getting into awkward areas.
PT 30° Push Pin Pliers - Easily removes plastic automotive push pins. Also handy for other tasks.
Capri Wire Stripper & Cutter - Stripping wires as well as cutting cabinet hardware screws.
Steel Punches - General purpose punches.
7” Stainless Steel Tweezers - For precision work or tight spaces where pliers won’t fit.
Tekton 90° Pick - General picking tasks or removing O-rings.
4” File - A compact sized file for general shaping or adjustment.
Tekton Magnetic Pickup Tool - Picks up dropped tools or parts from hard-to-reach places.
Mini Sharpies - General marking or writing.
Olfa 18mm Utility Knife - A good all around compact utility knife.
Coast G20 Inspection LED Flashlight - Excellent for lighting up and seeing into tight spaces.
6” Stainless Steel Pocket Ruler - For precise measurements or adjustments.
Tire Pressure Gauge - Checking for proper tire pressure. No battery to go dead.
Jeweler’s Pickup Tool - Picking up small parts, especially non-magnetic ones.
Short Pencil - A great use for an old pencil for non-permanent writing or marking.
6’ Stanley Tape Measure - A compact tape measure for general measurements.
Norton 320 Grit Sandpaper - Smoothing parts or cleaning corroded electrical contacts.
Driver Bit Extensions - Gets driver bits into tight spots or recessed holes.
Picquic Torx Screwdriver - Provides longer Torx bits as well as a larger driver handle for the bits in the Wera Tool Check Plus.
3 1/2” Phillips #2 Driver Bit - Longer #2PH bit for getting into recessed holes.
1” C-Clamp - General small scale clamping or holding.
Scraps of straight metal wire - Handy for general poking, picking or forming into a shape.
4” Brass Caliper - Makes checking inside and outside diameters fast and accurate.
Wiha 7pc Precision Screwdriver Set - A comfortable, excellent quality screwdriver set for electronic or small scale repairs.
Shop-made wooden socket holder - A collection of 1/4” drive SAE and select metric size sockets to add to and complement the sockets that the Wera Tool Check Plus includes.
Component #2 - Roadside Repair Tool Kit
Photo #3 - Roadside Repair Tool Kit
The roadside repair tool kit contains automotive roadside repair essentials, but also general repair tools and supplies. The main focus of this kit is to give me what I need to do an automotive roadside repair and get back on the road, but it’s certainly not limited to that. Some of the larger scale tools in this kit, such as the Tekton socket set, add-to and complement the compact tools in the first component of the kit for general repairs. This kit also contains some items that are just generally handy to have when you’re on-the-go such as sun screen, bug repellent, shop towels, wipes etc.
With this component of the kit, I’m able to boost a dead battery without assistance, change a tire, repair and re-inflate a punctured tire, top up a low tire, as well as a whole range of other automotive roadside repairs. The number beside each unpacked item in Photo #4 corresponds to the detailed list below the photo. (The contents of items #1 and #6 are shown in Photos #5 and #6).
Photo #4 - Roadside Repair Tool Kit Unpacked
Click on the orange text of any item to see more info or to purchase.
Repurposed Mastercraft screwdriver bag (contents shown in photo #5).
Oasser 12V Tire Inflator Pump - Topping up or re-inflating tires at home or the roadside. I like the compact form factor and the built-in LED work light.
3/4” Plywood with bolts and nuts - I have pre-drilled holes for the bolts to go through to attach the factory jacks in either my car or van. It provides a more stable base than just the jack itself.
Rags & Clear Contractor Garbage Bag - General wiping rags. The clear bag can be used for containing messes or protecting surfaces.
NOCO Genius Boost GB40 Jump Starter - Jumps a dead battery without needing assistance from another vehicle. Has a built-in flashlight with a strobe function for emergency visibility, and can recharge your phone or other USB devices on-the-go or when power isn’t available.
Repurposed SnapR camera bag (contents shown in photo #6).
Nitrile Gloves, Shop Towels, Cleaning Wipes, Plastic shopping bags - Protecting your hands and general cleanup. These items come in handy for more than just breakdowns.
32 oz. Ball Pein Hammer - General striking or trying to get a dead starter to turn.
Tekton 3/8” Drive x 18” Breaker Bar - Removing lug nuts when changing a tire, or stubborn nuts and bolts in general. I chose the 3/8” drive so that it works with the Tekton socket set in the kit.
Flathead pry tool from my parts van - Any large flat bladed tool or pry bar will work.
3/8” Drive 10” Socket Extension - For extra reach with the Tekton socket set.
10” VISE-GRIP Locking Pliers - General gripping where a locking function is needed.
Old Advil container filled with soapy water - Used when checking for air leaks or general cleaning.
Sunscreen - Protecting yourself from the sun when at work or at play.
Insect Repellent - It’s no fun trying to do a roadside repair and being eaten alive at the same time.
Disposable Coveralls - Keeps your clothes clean when doing a dirty repair job.
Tekton 47pc. 3/8” Drive Socket Set (SKT15301) - A good quality, general purpose socket set in a compact case. This set is hard to beat for general work with both deep and shallow sockets, both metric and SAE, two extensions, a universal joint and a fine tooth ratchet with a good length handle. A very capable general purpose socket set in a compact, easy to carry case.
Contents of Case #1
Photo #5 - Contents of Black Mastercraft Case (Item #1 in Photo #4)
Click on the orange text of any item to see more info or to purchase.
Plastic Funnel - Makes topping up fluids easier and avoids spills.
Electrical Tape - Wrapping wires, electrical connections or general repairs.
Blue Painter’s Tape - One of my most used types of tape. Useful for more things that I can list.
19 ga. Mechanics Wire - Tying up or binding broken parts such as a hanging exhaust.
Gorilla Tape Handy Roll - Travel sized roll of the famous Gorilla Tape for many different repairs.
Scraps of Copper Automotive Wire - Temporary wiring repairs or bridging a circuit.
Old toothbrush - General cleaning.
Mini Brass Wire Brush - General cleaning, especially of corrosion.
Offcut of painted steel tubing - A mini ‘cheater bar’ for extra leverage on a ratchet or pliers.
Assortment of Cable Ties & Rubber Bands - More uses than I can list here…
Compact Hack Saw Handle - A compact tool for cutting metal or wood.
Tire Repair Kit - Repairing tire punctures. This combined with the 12V pump allow for repair and re-inflation of a punctured tire. Very useful if you don’t have a spare or have more than one flat.
Adapters for Oasser 12V Tire Inflator Pump - Comes with the 12V pump and will inflate other objects.
Automotive Trim Removal Tool - Removing plastic automotive interior trim or general prying.
Wera Flat Head Screwdriver - Flat head screw removal or general light duty prying.
Combination Wrenches (8mm, 10mm, 12mm & 13mm) - Common fastener sizes on my vehicles. These smaller fasteners could be in a tighter area that the Knipex Pliers Wrench wouldn’t fit in.
Bungee Cord - Temporarily holding things together or tied down.
Deep Creep Penetrating Fluid in Aluminum Pill Holder with Plastic Pipette - Deep Creep is my favorite penetrating fluid for getting seized fasteners free. Since it comes in an aerosol can and aerosol cans can explode in a hot vehicle in the summer, I put some in the pill holder container and use the pipette to apply it.
Super Lube Synthetic Grease in a pill container - A small amount of my favorite general purpose grease for lubricating parts in a pinch.
Stanley Ear Plugs - A pair of my favorite ear plugs for when things get noisy.
Straight steel wire offcuts - Handy for general poking, picking or forming into a shape.
Repurposed Mastercraft screwdriver bag (all of the items listed above store in this bag).
Contents of Case #6
Photo #6 - Contents of Black SnapR Case (Item #6 in Photo #4)
Click on the orange text of any item to see more info or to purchase.
Repurposed SnapR camera case (all of the items listed below store in this case).
BlueDriver OBDII Bluetooth Scan Tool - An excellent automotive scan tool that I use for all my automotive work. It easily connects to my phone via Bluetooth and will read codes, give live engine data and more. A handy tool to carry to give more info to work with in a breakdown situation or tell you why your check engine light came on.
Neoteck Pocket Multimeter - A compact digital multimeter with all the essential functions for electrical diagnosis or testing battery voltage.
Charger cable & 12V adapter from NOCO Genius Boost GB40 Jump Starter
Additional Items
There are some additional items that I keep permanently in both of my vehicles rather than in this kit. I’ll list those extra items below with links where applicable. Neither this kit nor the items that I keep in my vehicles are intended to be survival kits by any means. If I was to travel somewhere remote, especially in the winter, I would carry extra survival type items. For most of my driving, my main concern is avoiding a tow truck call if possible in the event of a breakdown.
9’x12’ Tarp - Useful when you need to lay or kneel on the ground to do a repair when it’s wet or muddy. Also useful for a makeshift rain cover.
First Aid Kit - A basic first aid kit is a must to carry in your vehicle.
Fire Extinguisher - One of those items that you hope you’ll never need but glad you have if you do.
Insulated Work Gloves - A pair of heavy duty insulated work gloves comes in handy for cold weather or handling hot engine or exhaust parts during a roadside repair.
2x4 Lumber Scraps - I keep two pieces of 2x4 about 6” long in my vehicles for roadside wheel chocks or general use with a hammer.
Ratchet Tie Down Straps & Bungee Cords - Useful for securing loads and temporary repairs.
Bonus Tip
The tools in a mobile repair kit get subjected to a lot of different environments, so it’s important to protect them from rust and corrosion. I’ve found that the best product to use to do that is Ballistol Multi-Purpose Oil. I put a light coating of Ballistol on all the metal tools in my kit to protect them. Ballistol also makes an excellent cleaner to clean grease and dirt off of your tools after using them. It’s environmentally friendly and also skin safe. A highly recommended product for cleaning and protecting your tools.
Conclusion
So that’s a detailed look at my ‘Fix Anything’ Repair Tool Kit. I carry both of these kit components with me in whatever vehicle I’m driving so that I always have access to them when the need arises. Obviously these tools won’t cover every conceivable repair, but I have used this kit for a wide variety of repairs and it really comes in handy in so many situations. Whether it’s an automotive roadside repair, or a broken item around the house, shop or jobsite, I have found this kit to be indispensable for tackling just about any repair job that typically comes up.
If you have questions, or suggestions for tools that you have found helpful for repairs, make sure you leave a comment below.
Also be sure to watch the DP Shop Talk episode, “How to Fix ANYTHING - Essential DIY Repair Methods & Tools”.
See more recommended tools in the DP Tool Box:
How to Fix ANYTHING - Essential DIY Repair Methods & Tools
