When you set out on an overland trip, regardless of whether it’s a weekend away or a cross-continent expedition, one of the most important things you can do is prepare your vehicle properly and carry the essentials. Having the right tools and spare parts on board can stop a minor inconvenience turning into a serious setback. Anyone who’s spent time on the road knows that even the most reliable vehicle can throw a curveball when you least expect it.
Overland travel isn’t just about exploring remote landscapes or living out of your vehicle – it’s also about self-sufficiency. Mechanical issues are inevitable at some point, and how you handle them often depends on how well you’ve prepared. A flat tyre or broken fan belt might be nothing more than a short delay if you have what you need to fix it. But without the right gear, even a simple breakdown can cause your trip to grind to a halt.
The challenge is finding the right balance. You can’t carry a full workshop in your overland vehicle (well, most people can’t), but you can carry the essentials to get you back on the road safely. So, let’s take a look at what tools and spares are worth carrying with you.
Working on Your Vehicle
Before deciding what to pack, it’s worth making sure you can actually use what you’re carrying. Knowing the basics of your vehicle and how to deal with common issues is just as important as having the right tools.
Modern vehicles can be tricky to work on, with a lot of systems relying on sensors and fault codes that need diagnostic equipment. Older vehicles, on the other hand, are generally more hands-on, which is why we prefer them! Either way, there are a few key skills that every overlander should know before setting off.
Basic skills worth learning
You don’t need to be a qualified mechanic, but you should be comfortable with:
- Carrying out a simple service (oil, filters, fluid top-ups).
- Changing a wheel or tyre safely, even in less-than-ideal conditions.
- Replacing a bulb or fuse.
- Checking fluid levels and knowing what to look for (oil, coolant, brake, clutch).
- Inspecting belts and hoses for wear or damage.
- Using a multimeter to identify simple electrical faults.
Pre-drive checks
Getting into the habit of regular checks can save you a lot of trouble later. It’s best to do these before each drive, especially after a long day on rough terrain:
- Liquids: Engine oil, coolant, brake and clutch fluid, and power steering fluid.
- Leaks: A quick look underneath can often reveal problems early.
- Lights: Confirm all are working before setting off.
- Tyres: Check pressure, tread, and for signs of uneven wear or damage.
How to learn more
If you’re not mechanically minded, there are plenty of ways to get hands-on experience:
- Talk to local garages. Some are happy to let you observe or offer short “work experience” sessions.
- Check local colleges or community hubs for basic mechanics courses.
- Join online vehicle groups or owner forums. They’re great for practical advice specific to your make and model.
- Ask for a walkthrough when your vehicle is serviced. Most mechanics are happy to explain what they’re doing.
- Consider a short session with a specialist. At Orkney Overlanders, for example, we’ve provided basic mechanical training for people preparing their vehicles for long trips.
Even a little knowledge goes a long way. Understanding your vehicle makes you more confident on the road, and more capable if something goes wrong.
Overland Vehicle Tools and Spares: the Essentials
Even the shortest trip can go wrong if you don’t have the right gear on board. These are the tools and parts that could stop you from driving, stop you from braking, or leave you stranded at the side of the road. Whether you’re heading off in your vehicle for the weekend or travelling overland long-term, these are the essentials worth carrying.
Must-Have Tools
You don’t need a full workshop, but a solid basic kit will let you deal with most small problems. Make sure you include any odd sized tools that are specific to your vehicle; it’s no good carrying 20 spanners but forgetting the one that removes the battery box cover!
Toolkit essentials:
- Basic tool kit: Spanners, screwdrivers, (pointy nose and water pump) pliers, ratchet and sockets (vehicle-specific sizes such as a 33mm socket for the DAF T244 wheel nuts).
- 10-tonne bottle jack and chocks: Preferably two, in case of a completely flat tyre or blowout.
- Two tyre levers: a third could be handy to have for more awkward tyre changes.
- Torque multiplier or breaker bar: For undoing stubborn wheel nuts.
- Torque wrench: To tighten correctly when refitting.
- Tyre repair kit: Includes plugs for tubeless tyres, patches, inner tube valves, and spare tubes if needed.
- Jump leads or jump starter: A flat battery can stop you fast.
- Hammer: Simple, versatile, and surprisingly useful.
- Clamp or mole grips: for clamping any fluid lines if necessary.
- Tow strap and shackles: For recovery or towing.
- Duct tape and cable ties: Temporary fixes that can save the day.
- O-ring picks: to pull a leaky O-ring out of an air fitting to be replaced.
- Multimeter: Handy for finding electrical faults in the vehicle or habitation area.
- Electrical tape and spare wire: For quick wiring repairs.
- Tyre pressure gauge: Helps prevent blowouts and uneven wear.
- Work gear and head torch: Because most breakdowns seem to happen after dark.
- High-visibility vest and warning triangles or beacon: Legal requirement in many countries and essential for roadside safety.
Keep everything stored together and secured in the vehicle. You don’t want to be searching through boxes in the rain trying to find a spanner.
Critical Spare Parts
Carrying a few small spares can save a huge amount of hassle. These essentials are lightweight, relatively inexpensive, and can be swapped quickly with basic tools from your overland vehicle.
Spare part essentials:
- Fuses and relays: Common failure points and easy to replace.
- Spare bulbs: Headlights, brake lights, indicators, and interior lights.
- Basic fluids: Engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, gear oil, clutch fluid, and power steering fluid.
- Spare fuel filter: Particularly important for diesel engines – dirty fuel can stop you completely.
- Spare fuel lift pump: If it fails, your vehicle won’t run; carrying one is well worth it on longer trips.
- Spare fan belt: Prevents overheating and charging issues.
- O-rings: Essential for maintaining the air system, especially on larger vehicles.
- Spare tyre (and tube if necessary): Ideally already mounted on a rim to make roadside changes faster.
Even if you’re staying fairly local, these spares can make the difference between fixing an issue in half an hour and waiting hours for recovery.
Recommendations for Longer-Term Travel
If you’re travelling for several weeks or months, it’s worth adding a few extra tools and spares to your kit. Parts are easier to find in places like the UK or Western Europe, but they’re not always nearby when you need them. A little extra preparation can save time, stress, and money on the road.
Additional Tools
Once you’ve got your basic toolkit sorted, these additions can make longer trips much easier to manage. They’ll help with maintenance, electrical checks, and quick roadside repairs.
Recommended extras:
- Range of jubilee clips: For quick repairs to coolant or fuel lines.
- Silicone tape and JB Weld: Temporary fixes for hoses, leaks, and small cracks.
- Tyre inflator or compressor: Ideal for adjusting pressure when driving off-road or on rough tracks. Many larger vehicles already have this built in.
- OBD2 scanner: Useful for reading and clearing fault codes on modern vehicles.
- Recovery gear: Sand ladders, winch, snatch block, a shovel, and kinetic rope. These are especially useful if you’re venturing off tarmac or travelling solo.
Make sure your recovery gear suits the size and weight of your vehicle. A strap designed for a 4×4 might not hold a 7.5-tonne truck.
Extra Spare Parts
The following spares aren’t essential for short trips but are highly recommended if you’re travelling for several weeks at a time. They cover common failure points that could stop your vehicle or cause major delays.
Recommended spares:
- Radiator hoses and spare coolant: Vital for preventing cooling system failures.
- Brake pads (for smaller vehicles): They wear faster on long journeys or in hilly areas.
- Spare U-joints or CV joints: Especially important for 4x4s or vehicles with high mileage.
- Wheel bearings (again, for smaller vehicles): A common cause of breakdowns on long-distance trips.
- Clutch master and slave cylinder seals: Small, light, and not always easy to find on the road.
- Spare water pump: A failed pump can quickly lead to overheating and engine damage.
- Known “problem parts”: Every vehicle has its quirks. If your model has a known weak point – such as a particular sensor or relay – it’s wise to carry a spare.
Practical note
Longer journeys often mean heavier loads, rougher roads, and more hours behind the wheel. Small maintenance jobs become more important the further you travel. Keep an eye on tyre wear, listen for changes in sound or feel, and deal with issues early – it’s almost always easier to fix something before it fails completely.
Advanced Spares and Tools for Remote Adventure Travel
When you’re heading well off the beaten track – whether that’s into rural France, across Scandinavia, or further afield – help can be a long way away. In these situations, being prepared to do more serious mechanical work on your overland vehicle becomes essential.
The following tools and spares are designed for those travelling in remote areas or on extended expeditions, where recovery options are limited and replacement parts might be impossible to source.
Heavy-Duty Tools
These tools are heavier and take up more space, but if you’re travelling into remote regions, they’re worth it. They’ll allow you to tackle more serious mechanical problems on your own.
Recommended heavy-duty tools:
- Workshop manual: Keep a paper copy or an offline version saved – no internet in the middle of nowhere.
- Hub puller and bearing press kit: For replacing wheel bearings or major hub components.
- Soldering iron and electrical connectors: Useful for fixing or replacing damaged wiring.
- Portable welding kit: A real trip-saver for structural repairs if you expect rough terrain or heavy use.
- Full-size spanner and socket set: Include larger sizes for suspension and drivetrain components.
- Pry bars and large hammer: Sometimes the only way to persuade stubborn parts loose.
While you may not have the first idea how to use some of these heavy-duty items or understand the manual, if you can find someone mechanically minded to help you with your truck it would be handy if you had the right equipment and information to get the job done.
Critical Spare Parts for Expedition Vehicles
These spares are for serious travel. They’re not light, but they can make a major difference in remote areas where mechanical support simply isn’t available.
Recommended expedition spares:
- Spare alternator and starter motor: If one fails, carrying a spare can get you moving again.
- Spare injectors and glow plugs: Particularly for older diesel engines.
- Propshaft U-joints and centre bearings: Essential for drivetrain reliability on long, rough trips.
- Full spare set of belts, hoses, and extra fuel filters: Fuel quality can vary greatly once you’re beyond Europe.
- Gasket sealant and spare gaskets: For emergency engine or transmission repairs.
- Air filter: Especially important for dusty or desert conditions.
Other Useful Bits to Carry
These smaller items might seem trivial but can make a big difference when something goes wrong. They’re not essentials but take up very little space in your overland vehicle and can save hours of problem-solving.
Worth including:
- Throttle return spring: Easy to lose or break, and not always easy to replace.
- Spare fuel cap: You’d be surprised how many people drive off without it.
Final note
If you’re planning a long expedition, take time to get to know your vehicle before you leave. Try a few practice repairs at home, change a coolant hose, replace a belt, or swap a filter. It’s much easier to learn on your driveway than in the mud at the side of a track.
Preparation doesn’t just give you peace of mind; it gives you options. And when you’re miles from anywhere, that can make all the difference.
Conclusion
Preparation is one of the most important parts of any overland trip. A few well-chosen tools and spare parts can turn a potential disaster into a quick roadside fix. Even if you never need most of what you carry, having it gives you peace of mind and that alone is worth the space it takes up.
There’s no one-size-fits-all list. What you carry will depend on your vehicle, your route, and how confident you are with mechanical work. The key is to plan for the worst, but pack sensibly. Start with the essentials, add the general spares if you’re going further afield, and build up to the full vehicle expedition kit as your overland travels take you further.
Overlanding is about independence, exploration, and adaptability. With the right tools and parts on board, you’ll be ready to keep rolling wherever the road, track, or trail takes you.
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