Why Do We Keep Overpacking Tools and Gear for RV Trips?

[jymbee]

Each year as our months long snowbird journey is ending and I start to unpack back home, I have to laugh at myself unloading my rather large toolbox, filled with tools & items I have yet to use in all the time we've been RVing. One would think that I would learn from this experience and cull out a large portion of these items over time, right? Maybe just get a smaller toolbox to force a reduction of contents?

But noooo... an even more significant factor trumps the overpacking disease and that's the fear or not having the exact tool I need at any given time. Might not have needed it for the past 8 years but someday I'm sure I'll be looking at some mechanical situation that could easily be dealt with if only... if only I had left that particular tool in the box! Worse, I can envision it. Exactly where it sits. Home on the workbench hundreds of miles away. Laughing at me.

 

[Gr8bawana]

I do the same thing. My toolbox has gotten so heavy I bought a canvas toolbox to hold all my metric tools and keep the SAE tools in the other toolbox. Yet they still both go with us when we travel.
I've only used a couple of screwdrivers to replace a vent crank.
My wife says why don't I just bring the tools I'll need? My reply is how do I know which tools I might need?

 

[Heli_av8tor]

I developed quite a set of tools when I had the Workhorse W22 and they were put to use more times than I care to remember.
Now with my current coach there just isn't much I can access to make any repairs. And I'm new to diesel so there's even less that is in my skill set. Couple that with aging out of the time when my body would willingly cooperate I've accepted that I will have to call for service if I something breaks down.
With that in mind I've started to cull my toolbox.

 

[RayIN]

What about that coat you've hauled around most of the USA and never worn? DW packs clothing for any weather, most of which she's never even opened the packing container, as she buys new clothes at our destination.
What can I say??? I love her and her nuances.
As to our DP, I carry one tool, a Discover card, a annual subscription to Good Sam emergency road service does the rest.

 

[jymbee]

What about that coat you've hauled around most of the USA and never worn?

Heyyyy... you spyin' on me?!?

In my case it's a full length+ zippered raincoat with weather sealed hood. Yeah, a bit big & bulky and takes up room in the closet with limited space, and I haven't had occasion to use it, yet... But there will come a day. Pouring rain and some crisis that needs to be dealt with outside. You wouldn't want to be within earshot of me if I did NOT have that raincoat!

 

[RayIN]

Heyyyy... you spyin' on me?!?

In my case it's a full length+ zippered raincoat with weather sealed hood. Yeah, a bit big & bulky and takes up room in the closet with limited space, and I haven't had occasion to use it, yet... But there will come a day. Pouring rain and some crisis that needs to be dealt with outside. You wouldn't want to be within earshot of me if I did NOT have that raincoat!

 

[Firstime RVer]

Each year as our months long snowbird journey is ending and I start to unpack back home, I have to laugh at myself unloading my rather large toolbox, filled with tools & items I have yet to use in all the time we've been RVing. One would think that I would learn from this experience and cull out a large portion of these items over time, right? Maybe just get a smaller toolbox to force a reduction of contents?

But noooo... an even more significant factor trumps the overpacking disease and that's the fear or not having the exact tool I need at any given time. Might not have needed it for the past 8 years but someday I'm sure I'll be looking at some mechanical situation that could easily be dealt with if only... if only I had left that particular tool in the box! Worse, I can envision it. Exactly where it sits. Home on the workbench hundreds of miles away. Laughing at me.

Been there, done that and still doing it.
Safe travels and all the best.

 

[Derby6]

Yea it’s a disease. I have just a tool “set” Then as I need specialty tools I buy and leave in camper.
Too many extra parts on board with me.

 

[8Muddypaws]

I carry two toolboxes. One for just electric and electronic things and another with automotive and RV repair tools.

Should we talk about spare parts? Guilty there as well.

 

[jymbee]

I carry two toolboxes. One for just electric and electronic things and another with automotive and RV repair tools.

Oh yeah, I've got boxes of those kinds of tools too although in quite compact and lightweight plastic Sterlite type boxes.

But, thinking about it there be a bit of hope for me after all since before this trip I was looking through the contents of these "must have" boxes of gizmos and thought, "do I really need all this stuff?" Ethernet testers, Cat5 cable splicers, tools for making custom coax cables, extra parts of all kinds.

Well, **** no. I haven't dealt much with Ethernet of coax cables for a couple of years! Yards of coax, Ethernet and box full of various 3.5mm cables and about every kind of adapter you can imagine.

But guess what? Last month, even though I have probably 12 miles of all these different types of cables at home, I needed to buy a 6' Ethernet cable to reconfigure a router. Also had to buy a 3mm audio cable to connect a mic to computer for some video work.

AAAUUUgggghhhhhh!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Yeah, those with handyman skills and knowledge of tools have that syndrome. You know you could fix most anything if you had your tools, so you feel the need to be prepared. I carried mechanics hand tools, basic electrical & plumbing repair tools & common parts,and some woodworking stuff to repair broken cabinetry. I did manage to convince myself (after awhile) to leave heavy duty mechanical stuff home, and most of the power tools. I decided I would not be building things or doing chassis repairs on the road, even though we were longtimers. I also decided I would go to a local Walmart or Harbor Freight and buy it if I needed some rarely used tool, even though I had one in my shop at home. Ditto for sealants, tapes, etc. A credit card is a lot easier to carry than extra toolboxes!

 

[Tom]

I know that 'continually growing heavier toolbox' thing all too well, in addition to the other stuff we hauled in the motorhome and the toad. Since buying a 5W several years ago and leaving it at our summer lot in WY, we still seem to haul more stuff than we'll need or use (fishing gear and musical instruments aside). Had to buy (and usually fill) a cargo trailer to tow behind the Explorer.

 

[SargeW]

I have pared down the tool selection quite a bit after I sold the 40' DP. With tons of storage and slide out trays, I carries a lot of stuff that I never used. But in my defense I did full time a lot of that time, and my one rule was "if you don't have it with you, you don't have it". Many times while FT we were a LONG WAY from any services or retail places so I had to plan for many "what if's" just for our own peace of mind.

Just as an example how far it can go, when our 36' Tiffin Phaeton was still brand new we were back and Red Bay, Alabama at the Tiffin service center for an extended time while a long list of items were repaired or replaced do to the selling dealer abuse.

To make the most of my time waiting in line for my turn in a service bay, I decided to remedy the lack of outside TV on our patio side. Using tools that I had with me I cut a 2 X 3' hole in the side wall and installed a 32" smart TV with telescoping mount and factory access door. It is now a part of Tiffin internet lore as no one was crazy enough to do that in the past. It was quite a show for other RV'ers in the campground as I drilled and cut through the shiny new painted sidewall!

 

[Chef Duane]

I have fallen into the 'IMNT Syndrome' at times. While walking around a sporting goods store or Walmart of any other store with camping goods I'll spy something and think "I Might Need That" and grab it. I then have to take the "Yeah, WHEN might you need that?" antidote and evaluate how long I want to haul it around before I might actually use it. Sometime the antidote wins, sometimes not.

 

[Tom]

I have fallen into the 'IMNT Syndrome' at times. While walking around a sporting goods store or Walmart of any other store with camping goods I'll spy something and think "I Might Need That" and grab it. I then have to take the "Yeah, WHEN might you need that?" antidote and evaluate how long I want to haul it around before I might actually use it. Sometime the antidote wins, sometimes not.

You could be talking about me if you substitute fishing gear for camping goods.

 

[Edd505]

If it fits it ships, small compressor, tools, electric meters, repair connectors, cordless drill and impact . Inside RV common stuff like toilet ball gasket, three short 4'ft PEX red/white/blue, pex clamps and pliers, odds and ends screws etc. I can fix most stuff on the road installed a Washer in the last 5W while on the road I did need to buy a 4" holes saw. There is emergency stuff in there too.

 

[whiteva]

Leaving even a single pair of needle nose pliers at home, will guarantee you will be required to rebuild the engine on the side of the road.

Now DW will bring more items than the Lewis and Clark Expedition!

 

[Wmlunt-WO]

DW always tells me to only bring the winch when I will need it. I say ya have a Jeep GC, you will eventually need it and no sense in having it at home…

 

[Vanbrat]

Each year as our months long snowbird journey is ending and I start to unpack back home, I have to laugh at myself unloading my rather large toolbox, filled with tools & items I have yet to use in all the time we've been RVing. One would think that I would learn from this experience and cull out a large portion of these items over time, right? Maybe just get a smaller toolbox to force a reduction of contents?

But noooo... an even more significant factor trumps the overpacking disease and that's the fear or not having the exact tool I need at any given time. Might not have needed it for the past 8 years but someday I'm sure I'll be looking at some mechanical situation that could easily be dealt with if only... if only I had left that particular tool in the box! Worse, I can envision it. Exactly where it sits. Home on the workbench hundreds of miles away. Laughing at me.

Murphy's law. If you don't pack it, you will NEED it, if you do pack it, you won't need it! There have been Sooooo many times I swear this is true. So keep packing a full tool kit and first aide kit and an umbrella.

 

[jymbee]

... I did need to buy a 4" holes saw.

Whoa! You're telling us you actually left home without a 4" hole saw?! What on earth were you thinking man?!?