Who doesn’t love a good power tool workshop? Even if you don’t know a biscuit cutter from a drill press (or your soldering iron from a spoke wrench), it’s hard not to admire a well-laid out and organized workroom of the modern DIYer. But whether you have a tidy tool shed at the house or a hot mess of tool chaos, the fact is that neither will fit into your RV lifestyle. So, what are the essential tools to keep in your RV toolbox? (Because if you know anything about the RV life, you’re going to need them.)
Quite simply, ith limited space, you’ll need to pair down your tools. You know, to what can fit in the back of your vehicle or dedicated storage area in your RV. When we first hit the road in 2012, we took just the most important hand tools. In fact, we’ve managed for years with what could fit into a traditional, two-layer toolbox. When weeding through your tools, think about both multi-purpose and specialty tools.
Here are some of go-to tools to keep in your RV.
Standard Tools for Your RV Toolbox
Alright, let’s take a look at the tools that are worth their RV weight.
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4-Way Cross Wrench
Also known as a “spinner wrench” for changing a tire. You need to be able to loosen the lug nuts on your towing vehicle and the trailer. This tool is a one and done! -
Multi-Bit Screwdriver
We keep our goto multi-bit driver in the driver’s door compartment so we can swap out different bits for Phillips, standard, square, or hex fasteners in a jiffy. -
Adjustable Wrench
Alongside the screwdriver in the driver’s door, this is ready for use at a moment’s notice.
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Multi-Tool
Love your Leatherman or Swiss army knife? And there’s a good reason why! We reach for this tool most often when we need some multi-purpose needle nose pliers or a flathead screwdriver.
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5-in-1 Tool
All toolboxes should be sold with this handy tool already included. We use it for everything from scraping and prying to spreading and cleaning paint rollers.
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Channellock Pliers
These are adjustable and useful for tightening (or untightening) jobs that require some extra umph, as well as in the kitchen to remove anything hot on the stove or campfire.
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Hatchet/Hammer Combo
This is a great 2-in-1 tool for camping. It not only helps prepare kindling and larger firewood, but also helps drive a few tent stakes for any outdoor shade or rain shelter. The hammer head on the reverse side of the hatchet blade will work for any other small pounding tasks.
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Cordless Drill/Driver
If you have to choose only one power tool, this is it. Chalk in a bit large enough to handle your stabilizer jacks, and you’ll use this every time you set up the rig. A cordless drill is as helpful on the road as it is in your home, so be sure to bring it along with the charger, an extra battery, and set of drill and driver bits.
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Socket Set
While you probably don’t need the big set, the junior set is very helpful to tighten many things on the truck or RV – making the job 10x easier.
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Blow Torch
Surprised? From quickly starting the evening’s campfire to melting the cheese on a batch of nachos or pizza, these come in handy when needing a quick blast of heat. Oh! And also to heat shrink plastic tubing, reshape a plastic fitting, sweat a pipe fitting, thaw out frozen copper pipes, and more.
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Utility Knife
There’s no end to the usefulness of a good blade and these inexpensive box cutters always earn their place in your small toolkit.
Electrical/Solar Tools
These tools work with both AC and DC wiring. They’ll come in especially hand if you’re doing DIY work on your RV solar system.
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Wire Cutter/Stripper/Crimper Combo
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Wire Nuts and Connectors
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Electrical Tape
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Zip-Ties
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MC-4 Tool
For installation and quick disconnect of standard solar panel connections.
Plumbing Tools
Most RVs have moved away from copper pipes and rely on higher pressure PEX and PVC pipes for drains and waste water. The benefit of PEX is that they are flexible, seal easily with the proper fittings, and are less likely to be damaged by freezing temperatures.
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Small Saw/Coping Saw.
Works great in small spaces and cuts through PVC plastic easily to replace a section of pipe if needed.
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Crescent Wrench Set.
Helps to remove faucet and water tap fittings, though an adjustable wrench works well, too.
Structural Tools
Every now and again, something will come loose on a house that rolls. Many of the tools listed above will help snug something up. Also, keep a variety of cabinet and finish screws on hand, and you’ll always be able to get something back together. Much of the cabinetry in modern RVs is made of particle board covered in vinyl wrapping.
Pro Tip! To get a snug fit, pre-drill the hole, slip a toothpick inside the hole, replace the screw, and don’t overtighten. Use wood glue if the problem persists!
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While you may find that you need a few more things along the way, this list will get you started on your first RV road trip. Naturally, no one likes to think they’ll need to do a lot of repairs. But when you’ve identified the basic tools to keep in your RV, you give yourself a better chance at handling the unexpected when it comes your way.
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