Prepping spare parts

Along the same vein as the "Tires man, Tires" thread, I've been thinking about things to keep in stock for a car.

Now, I'm not talking about a long-term SHTF situation as frankly, once the gas is gone I'll be walking or biking (unless and until I can cobble together a working wood gasifier). I'm talking about a long term downturn where replacement parts may be hard to come by or cost prohibitive.

Things that immediately come to mind are:

• Spark Plugs - relatively inexpensive now, could go up if for no other reason than production is difficult.
• Windshield wipers (blades) - it's a "luxury" but man, it's so nice to have a working/new set when the old set stops doing its job!
• Oil filters - again, fairly inexpensive now but could rise in cost if no imports, etc.
• Engine oil - It's not like it goes bad.
• Fuses - It always seems like if you have them then you don't really need them but as soon as you run out or misplace them a half-dozen of them blow at the same time.
• Bulbs - Yes, Sylvania is based in "Penn"sylvania and hopefully production could continue but what if it doesn't? Headlights, side lights, backup lights, turn signals. Assuming "rule of law" still exists, you don't want to get a ticket for a burned out light.
• Tires - see the other thread but having even used but serviceable backups would be a good idea. NOBODY wants to run on a spare, much less 4 of them.

Thoughts?

 

Good list DL and not that expensive to put back. Consider fuse kits from online sources. The last I bought ATC/ATO ran less than twenty bucks per hundred with free shipping. Also add automotive wire and connectors of all sorts. That also comes in handy for other "redneck" fabrications and repair. A couple roles of electrical tape and cold shrink tape needs to be in the kit. Gasket material of several kinds and thicknesses are relatively and WAY better than cardboard or string.

 

agree with everything listed, and second the gasket/gasket material.

Tires - if you can, get a full sized spare I hate running on donuts. Got a full size for the truck, just that the tire does not match what I've got on the others.

This list would apply to anything that uses an engine: Tractor, Generator, Lawn mower (riding or push), etc.
I keep spare plugs, filters, oil, etc for all my engines. Even have a filter for a truck I no longer own, in a pinch I'm sure I could find a use for it

for autos - get an extra set of break pads, possibly rotors/drums also.
Haynes repair book for your vehicle, if you don't know how to do something, it may (usually) show you.

is your vehicle a common one so that you can scrounge/barter for used parts.

 

Good point on the manuals. Most decent ones will get you through a repair. Or at least help you decide whether to DIY or find someone to barter with for repairs /parts.

 

belts and hoses .... especially that main surpentine belt and your radiator hoses ....

besides engine oil .... all the fluids .... especially anti-freeze

when you change out the old stuff make sure to label it and keep it around for extras .... it probably has years of use under SHTF times

 

When I had second gen Trans Ams I always kept new thermostats in the trunks. For whatever reason they tended to go south on me a lot. Cheap part, easy fix, but cause a lot of headache when it stops working Saturday night on a holiday weekend. And of course spare radiator hoses, belts, a jug of antifreeze, few cans of fix-a-flat, electrical tape, fuses, wiring and connectors, clamps...

Been a while since I had a car I could work on tho.

Red tape for busted taillights. Duct tape and clear plastic for busted windows. Not really spare parts, just stuff I keep in the trunk.

 

ditch witch resident bacon.
Opened a can of Yoder's bacon and have been eating some each day. A little bit thin for my taste but a super good flavor.

 

We lost a starter motor in the mountains of flagstaff Arizona, late one night. No shops were open, we were dead in the water, stuck.
We got in the CB, and hollered for help, and a retired mechanic left his family celebrations (new years or Christmas, I can't remember which) and came out into a snowstorm and towed us back to his place. He pulled the starter, rebuilt it, reinstalled it, and would not accept a dime. We were advised to get a new starter motor, because that one had had it. His repair job was to keep us on the road until the stores opened.
We did buy a new starter the very next morning, and it rode in that car for the next ten years, until the car was traded in. That rebuilt starter never faltered again.
I think that starter knew it's days were numbered, with a replacement waiting in the wings for any excuse to pull it out. The new starter was sold with the car., still sealed in the box.
Radiator caps, cap and rotor, sparkplugs and wires, oif filters and air filters, and a roll of DIY gasket material. To make your own gaskets will help with nearly any vehicle.
And actual SHOP manuals for each specific vehicle, not a generic version.
And I believe they have tubes to fit tubeless tires, in case of need.
I haven't seen these in a while but the best tire plugs I have ever used were made for high speed motorcycle tires. They were coned shaped, and had steel in the tip. They never leaked, always worked the first time. And worked even on larger holes. I used those on any kind of tire, and never had any issues.

 

Have not seen duct tape but it is a must. Can seal radiator hoses--works great if you leave the cap loose. Cross flows don't do so well using this technique. A well stocked wrench set that you use. You will be amazed at how often you need something not included in the kits. Zip ties and the old faithful coat hanger have a myriad of uses. You can use them to make hose clamps too. Speaking of hoses--you can use a section of conduit or muffler pipe type tubing and simply add hose to the ends. Works wonderfully well and costs nothing compared to formed hoses. We go to my bud's muffler shop and have sections bent to fit. They last the lifetime of any vehicle.

 

I keep a supply of most of the items already mentioned except for brake pads, i had never given them any thought. I will remedy that soon enough.

 

About the same here. Batteries and tires are on the top of the list.
All batteries have been thru a cycle of desulfation and then a finishing charge. Worst thing to happen is to need a piece of equipment and have a battery fail. We also park all vehicles in a manner to jump of a battery if needed and also to not block any other vehicle.

Our mild climate tends to let us forget what is needed. All fuel is topped up as are the spare cans and treatment added.

Really stupid but I have seen experienced stockmen need a vehicle to recover stock that got out and then realize fuel tank was empty or they had a flat tire.

LL Bean just shipped two more ice traction sets.

All vehicles are started once a week, even the yard mower.

Spring comes easier with no emergency repairs.

 

Battery Desulfation Tutorial | ChargingChargers.com

 

One often overlooked cheap item that I stock are tire valve stems less than a few bucks each easy to replace and if you get a slow leak often it is the valve stem.

 

Yup, Thanks to a full set of Goop, Tire Stems and other repair items in a SLIME kit I was able to rescue myself on a lonly area far from home some 5 years ago.

What I thought was a slow tire leak at first ended up being a leaking valve stem.

 

Keep on hand a set of lug nuts for the wheels. Never know when you're going to need them. Ditto for the hoses and belts.

 

In my 67 cheve I have spare
tires,
tire repair kits,
water pump,
fuel pumps,
starter,
Points and condenser ,
distributer cap,
& wire kit,
spark plugs,
alternator,
electric fan, auxillery(radiator)
oil filter,
fuel filter,
air filter,
set of water hoses,
fan belts,
fuelline,
oil,
grease,
front wheel bearings and seals,
rear wheel bearings,
fuses,
lights,
wire,
battery,
antifreeze,
various fasteners
tools,
12 volt electric impact wrench,
floor jack,
brakes and
master cylinder,
brake cylinders,
jumper cables,
gas can,
cable, chain, rope,
Snow chains ,
2meter radio
am/fm radio
Shrink wrap tarp to cover cab in the winter.
sleeping bag, blanket
camper shell

 

Besides food I stock barter supplies for my trades
Welding supplies
blacksmithing supples
construction supplies
machine tools and supplies.
sewing machines and looms
music, tapes records CD and VHS and DVD,
and instruments,
medical supplies and books
All kinds of books .
electronics
switching,
wire,
vintage vacuum tube radios .
literally tons of stuff being my dad was a prepper long before the word was invented.