The Roach

[Fran Blacker]

Look into small floor jacks they come in a case. Probably chinese but they'd work a few times or dig for a quality one.

 

[Black_Sheep]

Maybe an aluminum floor jack? I would figure out a secure mounting system to safely stow the jack and its handle. It would suck to have it roll around and damage a 1/4 panel.

 

[Fran Blacker]

Compact floor jack. This just an example, I'm sure there are better ones. Note carrying case.

https://www.amazon.com/DNA-MOTORING-TOOLS-00234-Hydraulic-Capacity/dp/B0BCD9JVK4/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?adgrpid=1233652391569192&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.eLt71Rkf_3B1zP3UCcL6q96Iw0CzxLkC901eL3bMHSJx2wn7PchL57PSxXjEkBbPS6Sr2zmVKx8j3WTn90OLKtPogwTYNfpGtm0tcoirpOXqtbugUMuQAwHdefyUQlMnJv6hiXPTDaogtqUKvl8ye8KeYutxwC7nSu3Mp6tqJVOHI43aUiCvHHfRrsDzz0uyxR0Z7kBD6242RhqJfOF4ur7nvM677AW86IDrTe5s85pxqkDEuCBndoPX1i7xmvRlqRGSHIomehIO02mKlWfNxTe_AubmESa-7oZYK9jzd9A.ryBpoCdL5tDMwBhzT-ebjX4IhO35Waaq0PZtzs8bURo&dib_tag=se&hvadid=77103442621982&hvbmt=bp&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=100765&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-77103541699567%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=20636_13426786&keywords=compact%2Bfloor%2Bjack&mcid=686e97a9aa1432e3891a5896b47764d1&qid=1738982111&sr=8-1-spons&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.9fe8cbfa-bf43-43d1-a707-3f4e65a4b666&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

 

[Charles Cook]

Forget about a jack.
Call a rollback and get that baby back to the house if there’s going to be any jacking going on. Just saying.

 

[71RRHI]

If I were taking a trip across country like Hawkrod did. I would have a jack, spare, and tools. Just cruising around and going to local cruise nights. No jack, spare, or tools.
Hagerty includes roll back road side service. But might be limited to # miles.

 

[chargervert]

I use those aluminum Harbor Freight jacks. They go on sale for 79 bucks. I have three of them,and will probably buy three more so I don't have to keep moving them from car to car.

 

[HawkRod]

If I were taking a trip across country like Hawkrod did. I would have a jack, spare, and tools. Just cruising around and going to local cruise nights. No jack, spare, or tools.
Hagerty includes roll back road side service. But might be limited to # miles.

Best I am aware of is AAA Premier. Any car I am in can be towed for up to 200 miles free. For both of my trips across country, I figured that would be enough to get me somewhere where I could fix the car. If any of you guys go on a long trip, take me along for the towing!

In 2022, I DID use the towing, although it was "only" like 60 miles. The coil went on the car and I had used my spare already. We had to get towed to the nearest small town where I could buy a coil. (I screwed up because I had a Flamethrower coil in it that used full voltage, so I had a wire shunt bypassing the ballast resistor. When that went, my spare was a standard coil, but I forgot to remove the wire shunt. Full voltage killed my spare coil in a few days, and of course it happened in the middle of nowhere...)

Anyway, enough hijacking RC's thread - although I recommend having things like a jack, tools and reasonable spare parts if you will be going any real distance...

 

[Hey-O]

Forget about a jack.
Call a rollback and get that baby back to the house if there’s going to be any jacking going on. Just saying.

X2. A phone and a wallet. There are a lot of things that can go wrong with a car and a trunk full of tools, jacks and tires aren't going to fix them all.

 

[68BabyBlue]

X2. A phone and a wallet. There are a lot of things that can go wrong with a car and a trunk full of tools, jacks and tires aren't going to fix them all.
View attachment 1802554

I have a friend who works for a towing company. My car still has the original spare and jack, and they've never been used. That won't change.

 

[Hey-O]

X2. A phone and a wallet. There are a lot of things that can go wrong with a car and a trunk full of tools, jacks and tires aren't going to fix them all.
View attachment 1802554

In my picture, my ignition switch went out.

 

[68BabyBlue]

In my picture, my ignition switch went out.

When I retired, I spent almost a week sorting out the spare parts and tools I carried in my truck. I'd used all of them at one time or another, over the course of 1.3 million miles. I still ended up getting towed three times. Not a bad track record, but there's always something waiting that won't get fixed on the side of the road.

 

[Hey-O]

My car is computer driven. I have a port under my dash to plug into just like any new car. While I check it, periodically, that stuff is electronic and works great and a few minutes later, it doesn't.

 

[Hey-O]

My first attempt relocating to the trunk. The kit came with the cable, and box. I used the battery tray from the car, bolted through the box and the aluminum plate. The battery was a sealed type and I used the stock, hook through a hole on one side of the tray over and to the other side bracket. I ran the cable through the frame front to back. I made the aluminum bracket at work on a brake. My last box was like yours mounted on the passenger side.

 

[Kern Dog]

Forget about a jack.
Call a rollback and get that baby back to the house if there’s going to be any jacking going on. Just saying.

Sorry, man. That is a weak response.
Real car guys fix what they can and get the car mobile again. If you're disabled and can't fix stuff yourself, that is sad. What if you're on a road trip and the only thing preventing you from being mobile is a flat tire?

 

[Charles Cook]

Sorry, man. That is a weak response.
Real car guys fix what they can and get the car mobile again. If you're disabled and can't fix stuff yourself, that is sad. What if you're on a road trip and the only thing preventing you from being mobile is a flat tire?

Use your cell phone.
While you wait. Lol

 

[Kern Dog]

That is my point.
The dudes with Ferraris and the like can feel free to call a tow truck. Our cars are not that complicated.
Imagine you're in a spot where the fuel line comes loose, a tire goes flat, a muffler clamp is rattling, etc.
What if the cell phone is dead or there is no service? I don't like relying on others for help.
I only call for help if I am really in a spot and don't have the parts to fix the car and that has rarely happened.
Again, if you're old and infirmed, I feel for you but most of us are quite capable to replace a tire. The wait for a tow truck to get the car home means the end of that outing. For the hands on guys, the problem gets corrected and you're still in the game.
If you are close to home and the problem seems more complicated than what you can fix quickly, sure.....call for the hook. I had my 75 Power Wagon towed home when the engine lost spark. It was summer time and the sun was fading...I got it home and fixed it in 15 minutes the next morning.
I had the Charger out last Summer...It barfed both the ballast resistor AND ECM at the same time as well as drained the battery to 11.98 volts trying to get it started.

It wasn't a proud moment but I still tried to fix it myself.

 

[Charles Cook]

That is my point.
The dudes with Ferraris and the like can feel free to call a tow truck. Our cars are not that complicated.
Imagine you're in a spot where the fuel line comes loose, a tire goes flat, a muffler clamp is rattling, etc.
What if the cell phone is dead or there is no service?
I only call for help if I am really in a spot and don't have the parts to fix the car and that has rarely happened.
Again, if you're old and infirmed, I feel for you but most of us are quite capable to replace a tire. The wait for a tow truck to get the car home means the end of that outing. For the hands on guys, the problem gets corrected and you're still in the game.

You got me. Makes sense. Long trip I’m taking tools too.

 

[68BabyBlue]

That is my point.
The dudes with Ferraris and the like can feel free to call a tow truck. Our cars are not that complicated.
Imagine you're in a spot where the fuel line comes loose, a tire goes flat, a muffler clamp is rattling, etc.
What if the cell phone is dead or there is no service? I don't like relying on others for help.
I only call for help if I am really in a spot and don't have the parts to fix the car and that has rarely happened.
Again, if you're old and infirmed, I feel for you but most of us are quite capable to replace a tire. The wait for a tow truck to get the car home means the end of that outing. For the hands on guys, the problem gets corrected and you're still in the game.
If you are close to home and the problem seems more complicated than what you can fix quickly, sure.....call for the hook. I had my 75 Power Wagon towed home when the engine lost spark. It was summer time and the sun was fading...I got it home and fixed it in 15 minutes the next morning.
I had the Charger out last Summer...It barfed both the ballast resistor AND ECM at the same time as well as drained the battery to 11.98 volts trying to get it started.

View attachment 1802898

It wasn't a proud moment but I still tried to fix it myself.

Well, I’ve played this from all angles. Tools , parts, cell phone for the towing company, wheelchair in trunk. You play the hand you’re dealt. So far, I haven’t had a tow. But I keep my options open.

 

[Hey-O]

My car is an old test mule that's been across the country more than a few times and has about 30,000 miles on it. It's not old school and never goes over a hundred miles away from home anymore. I have a tool bag with everything I needed, needed being the key word. I don't carry tools in my Durango either. I'm old and not to infirmed that it stops me from still being able to use my phone..... sorry Mark, back to the show.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Some dashboard progress today. With the Dakota dash, some of these wires will be eliminated.