In this post, we will run through what type of spare parts and tools we recommend you bring, especially if you're travelling independently in pretty remote areas. This list does not intend to be fully comprehensive, however, you can use it as a reference.

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Nuts and Bolts

A sturdy box that's good for nuts and bolts is your first port of call for spare parts.

If you have a metric vehicle, bring metric nuts and bolts.

Bring ones that are relative to your vehicle by figuring out which ones are important.

You can buy them pretty cheaply, and also, let's say you've recently upgraded the exhaust or something, just bring the spare bolts so if you lose one, then you have it and you are covered.

Now a piece of extra advice is if you lose a bolt or nut on your vehicle. If you don't have the spare size, you might find something else on your vehicle that has one that's not important that you can take it off and put it on to where it is required.

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Filters

A fuel filter is one of the most critical spares that you should even carry in the city if possible.

Getting bad quality fuel is an unfortunate possibility, and it's a big problem, especially with very sensitive diesel engines from the new vehicles. Carrying a spare fuel filter is a safe bet if you ever have to change the fuel filter somewhere out in a bush.

It can also be handy to carry a spare air filter in case yours gets wet or dusty.

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Wheel Bearing Kits

Do you really need wheel bearings? We suggest you do if you go remote travel.

But even if you are not going that remote, you should have full bearings because if a wheel bearing fails in your vehicle, your wheel won't turn, and needless to say, you'll be stuck!

If you bring wheel bearings, make sure you also bring grease so you can actually grease them up and put them in. And of course, you'll also need tools for the job.

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Wheel Nuts & Studs

You should really have spare wheel studs and nuts. It's a good idea to carry a set of six for each (and be covered if you lose a whole wheel).

If not, then you have to take every single wheel off and then pull one stud out of each wheel to put that spare wheel up.

Another plus in bringing a fresh set of wheel nuts and studs is when you try to replace a wheel and the stud snaps because they have been tightened with a 400 Newton force rattle gun by some tire shops. Needless to say, making your life hard.

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Belts

What we do recommend you carry are your belts. If you are fortunate that your vehicle is a single belt, bring a serpentine belt. If your vehicle has three belts, bring all the spare belts you can to be safe.

Suppose you lose a belt on those multi belt systems. In that case, you may find that a different vehicle, even from a different make and model, may have a belt from their air conditioning that they don't need. That may fit your water pump or whatever is wrecked, so you may have a get-out-of-jail-free there.

But for the sake of ease, just bring some spare belts. Ensure you have tools to change or adjust your belt, sometimes special tools are required.

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Hoses & Pipes

We recommend if you have a vehicle that's older than 200,000Kms to just get plenty of spare top and bottom hoses. But even if you drive more modern vehicles, just carry some radiator hoses (just in case).

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Fluids

Speaking of radiators again, if you bust a radiator hose, you are going to obviously lose some liquid that will need to be put back in.

So, don't leave without some radiator coolant and if it is concentrate, the better.

You can also bring oil, diff oil, power steering fluids, automatic transmission fluids, and essential fluids.

Depending on if you travel solo or with other people, you may share all the fluids with each other. If not and you travel solo, bring them all.

If you bring motor oil, making sure it's the right one for your vehicle. If you are unsure of the exact type, speak to your mechanic.

And don't forget brake fluid! Make sure to carry a sealed brake fluid bottle as a spare. If the seal is off, it would have absorbed moisture from the atmosphere, and performance would be reduced.

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Differential oil

There is a difference between oil for an LSD (limited-slip differential) and a regular differential.

LSD gear oil fluid has a friction modifier additive as part of the formulation. This is required for correct differential operation. In general, you can use a "Limited Slip" differential lubricant in a standard differential, making it the best option for a group.

What you can't use in an LSD differential is non LSD oil. You will need LSD oil in your differential.

Most vehicles with diff lockers will need LSD oil, and some vehicles need it front and rear. So if you're going to bring any oil, bring LSD oil because it will work on most vehicles. Just make sure that the viscosity and oil compatibility details match what your vehicle should be using.

However, if you're in the middle of nowhere and you need some gear oil, and someone has LSD oil, you're pretty much 99% sure that you'll be ok to use it to get out of there and then reassess what you need afterwards.

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Aerosols

WD water displacement spray can be handy for when you're working on things like taking your spare parts off. You need this kind of stuff to help you.

Brake cleaners: although they can be a bit expensive, you'll need them.

Contact cleaners are suitable for your electrical stuff. Rather than using water displacement to clean your electrical contacts, use a contact cleaner.

And don't forget a simple window washer! Driving with a clean window is more enjoyable against blinding sunsets or tons of bugs.

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Genuine or OEM parts

Please don't carry cheap CVs or cheap fuel filters, thinking they are just for spare use.

We would highly suggest you get the correct genuine or OEM parts because they are made for your particular vehicle.

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Electrics

Bring your spare fuses, your blade fuses, making sure to get your vehicle-specific ones.

You may need to get underneath your footwell or inside your engine bay and work out the important ones and what size they are and just buy them; they are pretty cheap.

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Tools

Here is a comprehensive bullet list of tools to bring:

Tyre & Jacking Tools

• A good 8 Ton Bottle Jack or Hi-Lift Jack are a good starting point for most recovery situations.
• Tyre repair kits

General Mechanical Tools

• Pliers
• Cutters
• Nippers
• Stanley Knives
• Screwdrivers Sets
• Allen Keys
• Spanners
• Vice Grips
• Socket Sets
• Bearing Socket (54mm)
• Pin Punches
• Chisels
• Grey Silicone
• Hammers or Axes

Other important tools

• Superglue
• Rescue Tape
• Steel Tie Wire
• Gas Soldering Iron
• Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive like Dynagrip and Metal Repair like Dynasteel
• Duct Tape
• Electrical Tape
• Gloves and Hand Cleaner
• Hose Clamps
• Zip Ties
• Rags
• Inox and WD40 Lubricants
• Rachet Straps

Electrical tools

• Wire Cutter - Stripper
• Multimeter
• Fuses and Lugs

More tools

• Emery Cloth
• D Shaped Half Round File
• Wire Brush

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Conclusion

We believe proper vehicle service maintenance is the best thing you can do before overlanding to remote areas and will reduce the chances that things go bad on your trip. However, this list of spares and tools is a good starting point to cover most situations.

All Four x 4 Spares stocks a massive range of genuine/quality aftermarket OEM spare parts and tool-related products from the best brands.

If you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our experienced sales team. They will guide you towards choosing the right product for your needs.

Do you have any questions about spares or tools? Contact our team today on (02) 4041 4000!