I was asked by a BR member in a PM regarding what I carry on the road to manage challenges that might come up.

I figured it might spark some discussion as well as offer an opportunity to provide supplemental information from this most experienced group.

So this is what I got.

I have a Truck Box in the bed of my rig that has a variety of gear.

As it pertains to my towing and trailer, I'll list them below.

These are links to the specific items I carry.

Surge Brake Lockout Key W/Magnetic Lock Out Key FITS for UFP Type Surge Brakes ON Boat Trailer I carry 2 for redundancy

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08W9PHZM4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A14RAVZ5EMKC0M&psc=1

 

Bottle Jack Recovery Kit with 6 Ton Bottle Jack

https://safejacks.com/products/basic-bottle-jack-kit

 

Bottle Jack Stabilizer

https://safejacks.com/products/universal-bottle-jack-stabilizer

 

Ergodyne ProFlex 380 Kneeling Pad

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K34WCVS?ref_=pe_123509780_1038749300_t_fed_asin_title&th=1

 

VIAIR 300P - 30033 Tire Inflator Portable Offroad Air Compressor for Truck & SUV, 12V On/Off Road Tire Pump Air Compressor Portable Heavy Duty 150 PSI

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000X90YUO/ref=pe_386300_440135490_TE_simp_item_image?th=1

 

two Stainless Steel 75 PSI Pencil Tire Pressure Gauges 

 

NOCO GB702000A 12V Boost HD UltraSafe Jump Starter

https://no.co/gb70

 

A breaker bar for stuck lug nuts and half dozen extra lug nuts.

https://www.gorilla-auto.com/gorilla-automotive-000000000000001721?srsltid=AfmBOorP7qwlh5-2QlvH3R9YMQfRXRA4shtk2Ftwx4iWDncFkkmNFbOc

Make sure you have a socket that fits both your trailer wheel and spare trailer tire lugs

because it's probably not the same size as your tow rig's lugs - usually by design.

Truck lugs are 3/4"and my trailer wheel and spare are a thin-walled deep 13/16"; it's not very common

Oh, and get two !

 

I think that's most of it. 

A-Jay

 

 

 

To add to that list...

 

The bottle jack does little good on side of the road if it sinks into the dirt under load. So I carry several pieces of wood. About 6 of them. A couple of small boards to put under jacks in dirt, and blocks for extensions.

 

I also carry a grease gun, spare wheel bearings and seal kit, and extra hub just in case. And a spare tire.

 

I like the kneeling pad idea. Have not thought of that one.

 

I also carry extra wire nuts and extra trailer connector.

 

My SUV comes with a bottle jack inside the rear tire well, but I also carry a standard floor jack as well. Easier to use on side of road. And I also carry a breaker bar and 4 way lug removal tool.

 

Fortunately I have never had to use any of it! In more than 40 years of towing a boat all over Florida I have never broken down. I think the reason is regular maintenance.

 

It always amazes me how many boats wind up on the side of the road because the owner never thinks about his wheel bearings and let's their maintenance go until he winds up on the side of the road. This will never happen to me. I religiously keep that up to date.

 

And when I am driving over long distances, I regularly pull off the highway and test the temperature of the hubs by hand sometimes an hour apart or about every 50 miles. One day I will get smart and install a digital wheel hub temperature monitoring system I can monitor while driving and not have to pull over to check them.

 

Another good idea is to switch over to full synthetic grease in the wheel bearings. I wish I had done this sooner.

 

Great idea for a thread! A lot of Florida guys could sure benefit from a thread like this one, especially the saltwater guys who almost never maintain their wheel bearings! I'd say most of the boats I see on side of the road are more often bearing failures than flat tires.

 

And the saltwater guys should also check and test their leaf springs and mounts as well.

My kit includes:  Duct tape, a can of WD-40 and a pair of vice-grips.  😆

I never knew there was such a thing as a "Bottle jack stabilizer", that's pretty slick.

 

I carry an actual floor jack with me, almost always, don't like to be stuck anywhere! I even carry spare hubs LOL 

 

A bottle jack and that stabilizer will free up some room for me as the floor jack takes up a bit of space, thank you for the suggestion!

I have most of the same stuff as A-Jay along with jumper cables and tow straps.  I also have AAA and insurance road side assistance.

 

I don’t carry anything for the wheels because I had mine gone through and bearings, hubs, and seals replaced when I had new springs and fenders put on the trailer last fall.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/535539534?sid=652b2a99-e812-42e3-8215-064f5f9812bc
 

I carry most of the same stuff but I carry this breaker bar lug nut wrench. 
it fits four size lug nut and bar is extendable. 
I want to get a spare hub and bearings 

1 hour ago, FloridaFishinFool said:

To add to that list...

The bottle jack does little good on side of the road if it sinks into the dirt under load. So I carry several pieces of wood. 

Another good idea is to switch over to full synthetic grease in the wheel bearings. I wish I had done this sooner.

Great idea for a thread! 

 

I do have this on the list above, so I at least addressed it.

 

Bottle Jack Stabilizer

https://safejacks.com/products/universal-bottle-jack-stabilizer

I've already mounted this to the jack (and tested it),

so it's ready for service when needed. 

 

Wheel bearing grease of choice for me is Corrosion X

https://www.corrosionx.com/collections/lubricants/products/corrosionx-grease?variant=31163666563168

A-Jay

3 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Make sure you have a socket that fits both your trailer wheel and spare trailer tire lugs

because it's probably not the same size as your tow rig's lugs

 

I went years without realizing this!  After four years, the air nozzle went bad on one my trailer tires when it was at home in the garage.  I went out there and saw one tire completely flat.  Tried using the lug nut wrench for the truck tires and they didn't fit.

 

Luckily no harm in the garage so I simply went to an auto parts store and bought a 4-way tire iron that I now keep in my truck.  The situation coulda been a lot worse though.

I don't carry a breaker bar. I DO carry a heavy duty 24v impact wrench (you can prob. get by with a 12v wrench, but I own a 24v so that is what I use), and impact sockets that fit both the tow vehicle and the trailer--as noted, they are almost NEVER the same size. I like the impact wrench for a couple of reasons....it is easier to use than the breaker bar, and it takes up much less space. It is also handier than a 4 way wrench...which, btw, I have had twist and break. I keep the impact driver at home and charged at all times. When I am going to tow,, I toss it in the back of the truck and keep it there for the trip. The sockets are always keep in the "kit" in the trailer. As soon as I am home, it is put on the charger so it is ready for use at home, or for the next trip.

Side note...a couple of times a year I use the impact to loosen up the bolts on the trailer And on the truck to make sure they are not rusted solid in place. I then tighten them back up to the correct torque spec. 

My trailer spare is tossed  in the back of the tow vehicle at the start of each trip. I had a trailer spare taken right off the trailer at a boat ramp and since then I keep it locked in the truck. It comes back out when I get home.

Also, I have a swing away trailer tongue on my trailer. To prevent trailer theft while fishing, I just remove the bolt that holds the tongue in place, and put the whole tongue in the tow vehicle. That way they cannot steal the trailer by just hooking it up tho their truck and driving away. Sure, they could break into the truck, get the unit out of the truck, bolt it back onto the trailer, and then tow the trailer away....but that takes time and forethought. They will most likely go after easier prey. This also forces me to actually look at the set up so I am always aware of the condition it is in. 

And I will add one more thing to the kit....a check list of everything I need/need to do before each trip. That way I don't forget anything.

I don't carry a breaker bar. I DO carry a heavy duty 24v impact wrench (you can prob. get by with a 12v wrench, but I own a 24v so that is what I use), and impact sockets that fit both the tow vehicle and the trailer--as noted, they are almost NEVER the same size. I like the impact wrench for a couple of reasons....it is easier to use than the breaker bar, and it takes up much less space. It is also handier than a 4 way wrench...which, btw, I have had twist and break. I keep the impact driver at home and charged at all times. When I am going to tow,, I toss it in the back of the truck and keep it there for the trip. The sockets are always keep in the "kit" in the trailer. As soon as I am home, it is put on the charger so it is ready for use at home, or for the next trip.

Side note...a couple of times a year I use the impact to loosen up the bolts on the trailer And on the truck to make sure they are not rusted solid in place. I then tighten them back up to the correct torque spec. 

My trailer spare is tossed  in the back of the tow vehicle at the start of each trip. I had a trailer spare taken right off the trailer at a boat ramp and since then I keep it locked in the truck. It comes back out when I get home.

Also, I have a swing away trailer tongue on my trailer. To prevent trailer theft while fishing, I just remove the bolt that holds the tongue in place, and put the whole tongue in the tow vehicle. That way they cannot steal the trailer by just hooking it up tho their truck and driving away. Sure, they could break into the truck, get the unit out of the truck, bolt it back onto the trailer, and then tow the trailer away....but that takes time and forethought. They will most likely go after easier prey. This also forces me to actually look at the set up so I am always aware of the condition it is in. 

And I will add one more thing to the kit....a check list of everything I need/need to do before each trip. That way I don't forget anything. I should note that at the moment I do not have a road/water ready boat or trailer. Mine, at this point, is a work in progress. My comments on this topic are based on what I do when I do have a "ready to go" boat and trailer.

Besides a grease gun, I carry an X type lug wrench that has 4 different sockets and will work on both the truck and trailer tires. The design also lets you get more torque than a normal lug wrench. 
I was skeptical at first, but this device lets you jack up the trailer very easily. With the trailer attached to the tow vehicle, you hook one side under the axle, then pull the trailer forward and it rolls up. Hard to explain but I’ve used it a few times in the last twenty years and it’s worked perfectly. If you’ve got a flat, you can’t usually get a bottle jack under the trailer. Now that I own a battery impact wrench, it may replace the lug wrench. Thanks for that tip @Kirtley Howe

 

I carry a floor jack, 4 way lug wrench (fits truck and trailer), jumper cables, jump box, bearings, seal, hammer, piece of wood, gloves, towels. Hope I never use any of it!!!

Full spare hub and hub oil along with everything else that’s been mentioned.  Oh, and the huge wrench and small sledge to get the hub off. 

I lost my trailer lock recently (left on the bumper).

I decided to upgraded the locks to the trailer with locks from Pacific Lock (made in USA).

One thing I liked about these are the keying options: key different, key alike, master keyed, grandmaster keyey.

This shrouded couple lock: (whick has a wire to attach so you dont lose it)

 

And this hitch pin lock:

 

On 1/4/2026 at 10:48 PM, Scott F said:

Besides a grease gun, I carry an X type lug wrench that has 4 different sockets and will work on both the truck and trailer tires. The design also lets you get more torque than a normal lug wrench. 
I was skeptical at first, but this device lets you jack up the trailer very easily. With the trailer attached to the tow vehicle, you hook one side under the axle, then pull the trailer forward and it rolls up. Hard to explain but I’ve used it a few times in the last twenty years and it’s worked perfectly. If you’ve got a flat, you can’t usually get a bottle jack under the trailer. Now that I own a battery impact wrench, it may replace the lug wrench. Thanks for that tip @Kirtley Howe

 

 

 

Ha, I've got one of those.  Luckily I've never had to use it. 

 

 

A few boats ago I built a spare tire rack with a hub on a spindle. I built it on a round bar that swiveled to the ground when using a really shallow ramp. I'd hook a chain to the tongue of the trailer and push the trailer down the ramp to launch and retrieve the boat. Some of the beaches and ramps in Baja need it. I always had a greased spare hub if needed.

@A-JayFirst of all thanks for your service, I always like to thank those you have served our country. Second, thanks for the advice on the trailer. I do grease the bearings and store some tools but that’s about it. I check the air pressure before each trip but that it too. I’ll have to get better on getting a list together in what I should have. Thanks again