Newbies! Don't Forget a Toolbox!

The best tools is your what between your shoulders and common sense. most timews per the dot coop , you can not touch that truck too fix it , i was once out in the mo coop, went thru the insp, would not let me touch the brake chamber to adjust it, had too call service truck at my expense, and i knew what i was doing too , o well paid the man got the heck outa thereso i say just trot on down to sears,and buy that suite case one, it full of tools , both metric and reg plus all kinds of screw drivers and as you go down the road, you figure out what you need for special tools , the best tools i found and cost me the most money is a tire gauge, get the best you can buy, mine set me back and this was awhile ago was like 76 bucks by snap on and get's redone every year, this tool will go long way too making your boss happy as saving him fuel and money.

 

For those out there who dont know what a dipstick is from the oil fill fill hole , and yes i seen a lady trucker too put a gallon of oil thru the dip stick, i'd also buy a digtal camera cheepe, and then photos of both side of the engine fron , every were on the truck take lots pics trl too, then when get home blow up on the pc , then go back too the shop with your sharpee and have them tell you what that part is, and as you break down along the road, you can whip out your speacial folder and dig out the right pic and you know what there talking about , but also you did say if your gonna pulling a refeer trl, now wqe got engine number 2 , up there needs the same care as your truck engine too ,take lots pics, dont be afraid too ask the shop guys , and whilst sitting on the dock , write down notes thats need look at belive me that log book one is not big enuff for that,now you can buy repair books at truck stops and i never buy tools at trucks stops way overprice, wait till you get home and go too auto swap meets , tons of tools and super cheap too, on some trls i pulled , like that trl that shoulda been on a flatbed trl never knew how i made it from ks to wi the top was cave in and the top rails were gone no rear trl doors on this van the under carraige was gone and rusted out , but they need it for parts, things we do for our boss man,

 

I carry the full Craftsman set that folds up,sockets,open and closed end wrenches,ect.
5 pound hammer,zip ties,alan and torx head sockets and bits.
Filter wrench,channel locks,vice grips,
Screwdrivers,tape,hose clamps of various sizes,bulbs,fuses,wire and crimp connectors...probably about 50 other things in my second tool box too...

I have been a mechanic for friends and family and work on boat engines on the side.
Never enough tools!

 

OMG!!!! "U Turn55" You had me rolling on the floor in stitches!!!!

 

this is great, thx UTurn55.

I'm a newbie, been out of school on new job all of 4 months, and like some others, not mechanically inclined. before I decided to try this career for a living, I considered working on machinery and equipment "what men are for".

this is what I've bought so far, and what I've been given to me by co-workers:
couple pair of gloves.
simple assorted screwdriver set. (few sizes of flat blade & phillips, including fairly small for the lil screws around light covers.)
an extra really large flat blade screwdriver (gift)
simple assorted open and closed end wrenches in a handy roll (gift, handy).
a 3lb hammer (gift, very handy)
pliers that have the nifty wire cutter (very handy)
needle nose pliers that have the nifty wire cutter
vice grips
crescent wrench
flashlight
tire air pressure gauge thingy
basic tape measure (gift)
an extra "wrench roll" that I keep all the screwdrivers and pliers in
and a "bucket 'o bungee" various length bungee cords.
all fits in milk crate (guy at work keeps his in old cooler type lunchbox, small ammo box works nicely too)
a small tackle box I took to our shop mechanics and asked for 2 of each extra fuses, light bulbs, few washers, some black tape, some duct tape, couple hose clamps, anything else they thought I might run into needing...they threw in few nuts in various sizes, some O ring type rubbers (not sure what for yet), small roll of wire, couple those heavy rubber type bungee cords.

I hit ace hardware on my day off to get mine, the "gifts" section.
the screwdriver set I picked up has few of the handy 'socket end'.
got two real vice grips in a set for the price of one decent sized cheep at s***s.
the piers came in a combo set.
found the handiest flashlight I've ever owned in a set: one regular classic flashlight, other; the light part is rotating, and the handle has heavy magnet, so you can stick it on - it really holds - and rotate the light part to what you need to see. other side of the magnet is a heavy spring clamp, so if don't have metal surface, clip it on. it's not very heavy so can clip to arm for mirrors or visor in cab. (I pull tankers, very handy to stick on and watch the sight glass, or clip to my jacket gauging tanks)
I have some other tools I carry, but they are more job specific. (pipe wrenches, 3" 'cheater bar', small come along (tho I was advised at school a come along can be quite handy for a girl)

 

i use my hammer and flashlight every single day.....id say those are the 2 tools you can not go without

not a tool, but i carry like 50 spare glad hand seals...they go quick too, since about 1/4 of the trailers i hook has atleast one glad hand seal thats all torn up