The Essential Tool Kit for Taking Your Toyota Off-Road

You’re all packed and ready to explore the BC coast, just you and your truck. Getting into the trails, you're stoked on life out in the wilderness. 

And then you hear it — the snap of a CV, the pop of a tire, the indescribable rattling of your engine as the truck just stops. Now, without the appropriate tools to repair your truck, you would be left completely stranded.

I have had my fair share of break-downs and broken parts. Thankfully I've always been prepared with the right tools to get home on my own, and with experience, I've been able to put together a tool kit that hasn't let me down yet.

What tools should you always take with you when off-roading with your Toyota? Let’s take a look!

Tool Kit

First, you need somewhere to store everything. I personally use the Blue Ridge Overland tool bag, which has room for all my tools and then some. It also fits nicely behind the rear seat of the Tacoma. It is expensive, but I've definitely enjoyed having it. 

Breaker Bar

A lot of people will go out on the trail, and only realize that they don’t have the right equipment to get their wheels on and off after they get a flat tire.

After swapping to new wheels or tires, a breaker bar with the right size socket for the lug nut key is essential to get your wheels off. Typically the stock lug nuts and tools won't work on your new wheels, so you want to make sure you always have the right sizes for your lug nuts and sockets before you head out — you don’t want to get caught on the side of the road with the wrong ones.

Sockets

If you ever snap a CV axle, you’ll want to carry a 35mm socket for your axle nut. It's a bit hard, if not impossible to get at with just a big crescent wrench, so definitely pick one of them up.

Generally, you’ll also want to keep both deep and shallow sockets in your tool kit. Toyota trucks use metric sizes, not standard, so you don't have to double up with a standard set as well if you want to keep it light.

I also keep an extra spark plug socket just in case. Not common, but if you ever get a bit too zesty and hydrolock your truck, a sparkplug socket might come in handy.

Metric Wrenches

When it comes to Toyota trucks, you only need to carry metric wrenches with you. I like to carry a variety of sizes with me just in case, but the majority of bolts on a Toyota will be 10,12,14,17,19,21mm. 

One of the most important wrenches to keep with you is a 10mm flare nut wrench. If you ever blow a brake line, you’ll need one of these or else you'll likely round that nut off.

These are just a few of the most important tools I keep in my kit when off-roading, but you can find a comprehensive list below.

Full List of Tools

• Tool kit
• Work gloves
• Breaker bar
• 35 mil socket
• Pry bar, small and big
• Paper towels
• Brake clean
• Ratchets — normal 3/8ths, stubby 3/8ths and 1/4 inch with extensions
• Sockets in metric sizing
• Extra spark plug socket
• Sledgehammer
• Punches
• Vice grips/pliers
• Channel locks
• Screwdrivers — flat head, Phillips head, torx + a multi-bit
• Round file for your chainsaw
• Crescent wrench
• Metric wrenches — from a tiny 8 mil to a 24 mil
• Flare nut wrench in 10 mil
• Wire brush
• Pipe wrench
• Allen keys
• Lock tight
• Knife blades
• Exacto knife
• A bag of various bolts (in case a bolt breaks)
• Bailing wire
• Penetrating lube
• Electrical components, like butt connectors and wire

Think I missed something? Are there any tools more important than the ones I mentioned? Hit me up in the comments!