Do you have what it takes to fix it?

As I prepare for my annual foray on the Alaska Highway, I got to thinking about the tools I normally carry. Usually they are unneeded, but there have been a few times in 34 Alaska Highway trips when I was more than glad to have everything listed below.

You may not be very handy with tools or at making repairs; some people simply are not. However, you should still carry along a selection of tools appropriate to your vehicle because if something does go wrong you will be able to provide someone stopping to help with the equipment he needs to lend you a hand.

This is my basic list for an Alaska Highway trip. Feel free to add to it. If you don't know what these things are, take the list to a hardware store and a clerk should be able to help you. Be sure you get metric or SAE wrenches as appropriate to your vehicle.

Hammer;
10-inch crescent wrench;
8-inch crescent wrench;
Three-eighths-inch drive socket set with ratchet;
Set of box/open-end wrenches;
No. 1 and No. 2 common screwdrivers;
No. 1 and No. 2 Phillips screwdrivers;
Standard pliers;
Long-nose pliers;
Channel locks (big, adjustable pliers);
Vice-grips;
Wire-splicing tool;
Assorted wire connectors and terminals (often available in kit form with wire-splicing tool);
Roll of electrical tape;
Flat file for metal;
Three-quarter ax;
Folding shovel;
Plastic bucket;
Duct tape; Tube of Super Glue;
Pair of coveralls;
Flashlight and batteries; battery jumper cables;
Roll of baling wire or stout string;
Pocket knife.

Nothing here counts as rocket science and odds are that even without a mechanical problem you'll still find use for many of these items on a trek to Alaska.

Other nice to have items include a cordless drill with a selection of drill bits; a rivet gun with a selection of different size rivets; a tarp or roll of heavy plastic sheeting; and an assortment of nuts, screws and bolts. Concerning the latter, for decades I've tossed the leftover hardware from various projects into first a can and now a plastic tub to the point where it weighs about 15 pounds. On average, I dip into this tub of hardware at least once every couple of weeks on the road for a piece of hardware to make some sort of repair. It is probably the most valuable thing I carry with me in terms of making repairs on the road.