The Tools You Need To Start A Roadside Assistance Business
If you are wondering what tools you'll need to start a roadside assistance business, look no further, here is everything we recommend you to have to be ready for 99% of all roadside assistance service calls - Roadside Genius Approved..
Items with an *are considered must haves. If you are starting with the basics, just get those, and you'll be ok.
1. * Battery Pack - You'll need a good jump box capable of starting 4-6 vehicles on a single charge. There are quite a few brands out here and while I can't vouch for them all, JNC & NOCO are my go to. If you are wanting to jump start semi's you will either need 3 NOCO GB 150 or 2 JNC 12/24.
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2. * Gas Can - Delivering gasoline is easy money. I use a easy funnel that I hand-made but this one here is a pretty good rated one. I'm not to picky on brands here just get one that works and holds 2-5 gallons, with a fast funnel. Tons of places you can get them locally. https://amzn.to/3Js5pMb
3. Led/Flashlight Light - Being lit up at night and being able to see when its dark is imperative. Get a powerful light that you can recharge so you don't have to buy batteries.
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4. * 3 & 1.5 Ton Floor Jack - Jacks are essential to changing tires and a wide variety of other services. You'll want to get two jacks in case you need to jack up a car that has been dropped. There's a 3 ton and a 1.5 ton I use, get them both.
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5. * Funnel - If you've delivered gas before then you probably know that some vehicles have special funnel attachments, and that without them you won't be able to put gas in a vehicle. It's a pesky security measure that made me buy this tool. Required for some but not all models. I also added a red funnel that is good. https://amzn.to/40HzQFr
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6. Jumper Cables – Sometimes you'll forget to charge your jump pack or your battery pack just won't have enough juice to get a car going. I suggest to always carry a spare set of jumper cables to get the job done in a emergency situation or just keep your jump packs charged. At least 20 ft long is what i reccomend.
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7. Pull Up Lockout Tool - Some cars have a manual locks that pull up or down to lock or unlock a vehicle. This lockout rod will make those jobs 100% easier and faster to do. I use this beast all the time and it's been a great investment.
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8. * Lockout Kit - Every locksmith and their mom knows the standard way to unlock a vehicle. When it come to tools, there are several different types you can get, but these here are good for the price and work well. (bag, wedge, & long rod)
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9. * Rubber Mallet - Stuck lug nuts, seized tires, and hammering on sockets is why i carry a rubber mallet. Don't get caught without one.
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10. Actual mallet (metal) - Some tires are so seized that your regular rubber mallet just won't do the trick. These are needed for the really seized up tires, to bend back bent rims, and handful of other uses.
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11. * Breaker Bar - Even with a 400-1000 lb impact gun, some lug nuts just need a manual crank to get them off. To remove lug nuts when they are on too tight, a breaker bar is your best friend. Don't go cheap as if it snaps you could hurt yourself of damage a vehicle. I use mine almost everyday.
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12. Reflective Shirt - Adding to safety, a reflective shirt is a good idea to not only make you look like you are a pro, but to also help you stand out while on highways on dark nights. Optional, branded clothing to look professional.
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13. * Faster Air Pump – You don't want to be plugging into a cigarette lighter to air up a tire when needed. There are air pumps that wire directly to your battery, so all you have to do is turn them on. I use one from harbor freight but this pump here seems to do the job well.
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14. LED Lights for Vehicle – When you are out on the highway on a dark night you want to be as visible as possible. Aside from your vest, LED lights on your vehicle also play an important role in keeping you safe and visible while you work on a customers vehicle.
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15. * Stripped Lug Nut Remover - Sockets can swell and when a customer takes a tire wrench to it it will most likely round it out or make it stripped. In that case, if you do not have stripped lug nut remover tools; your going to waste your time. This tool is essential and if you don't have it you will lose 20% of roadside tire calls. Don’t get caught without one. https://amzn.to/3zEeSv4 https://amzn.to/3FyBd0D
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16. * Socket Set - A nice set of sockets for removing lug nuts is essential. This set only has 5 but if you go to harbor freight they have a 7-piece set that I really recommend. You want them to be deep well, thin wall sockets.
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17. Power Inverter - Most of the jump boxes I mention along with the rechargeable led lights will need a power to keep them charged while you are on the move. A power inverter will do just that. Try not to use your car, you could blow some fuses. https://amzn.to/3XSMnH0
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18. Hacksaw – Sometimes a customers spare tire will not come down properly. This is a specialty tool for faulty tire release equipment, cut it down with customer consent and charge extra when you do. You can also get a long flat head and it will also help. I don't think you need this tools if you learn how those mechanisms work.
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19. Spare Tires – go to your local junkyard and get all the spare tire sizes you can, R16 & R17 are most common. They will be useful or you can have the universal EZ spare to help your customer out when there are no other options.
20. Gloves - A nice set of gloves will keep your hands protected in the cold and clean from debris. I always have at least two sets on me when it's time to use them. These are economical and great for the purpose.
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21. * Full Driver Set - Screw drivers aren't always needed but can come in handy when working with batteries or patching tires. This set includes a flathead, Phillips, 4-way, needle nose pliers among others.
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22. * Full Socket Set - For battery installations' you will need a socket set. I prefer a sockets set with extensions and this one here will give you everything you need. 20-60 piece. You will definitely need this.
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23. Bluetooth Headset – When I first started, I was taking calls while doing tire changes and that can be a daunting task, if you don't have a hands free device. If you are a one man show this is essential, you'll be able to answer calls while underneath a vehicle, unlocking a car ETC.
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24. Impact Gun/wrench – Taking tires off using a for way is just not the way you want to change tires. This impact gun will not only make it easier but you will be about 25% faster. Ingersoll rand 1100 Ft LBS. I also added a link to a good competitor of the Ingersoll rand - Milwaukee. Choose whichever one you want. https://amzn.to/3zFAQ0T
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25. Wire Brushes - Carry at least 2 wire brushes or wire brush types to clean off badly rusted tires, battery terminals and even rusted on lug nuts.
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26. PB Blaster - For those lug nuts that are very tight, sometimes you just need a little bit of rust remover to get them loose.
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27. * Tire Plug Equipment - If you are not plugging tires, you are missing on a whole lot of revenue. Plugging a tire is pretty easy. Any tire plug equipment works, but get the manual plugs that you must insert into the tire work best.
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28. * Jack Stands – Safety first, when working on a tire change it's always nice to have extra reassurance that the car won't fall, use jack stands minimize your risk of getting hurt and damaging vehicles. These also come handy when performing mobile tire services.
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29. Terminal Cleaners - When performing a battery installation, its nice to be able to clean a terminal right before you install the new battery. It makes the work look good and the battery won't have any issues in the future.
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30. Box Cutters - Sometimes you may be asked to remove a torn piece of undercarriage. Box cutters or razor blades are also useful in cutting the excess of a tire plug. I carry at least 5 of these.
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31. * Spare Tire Release Tools - Sometimes when you do a tire change on a truck, SUV, or van, a customer may not have the tools to release the tire from underneath the vehicle. In these situations, you are going to wish you had your own. Luckily, there's is a universal set of these you can buy for just $85. Don't get caught without it.
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32. Battery Analyzer - If you want to upsell batteries and give customers reassurance on the batteries you install a battery tester is a requirement. I can't count the number of times I whipped mine out and sold a battery immediately after. Battery analyzers are a money maker if you know how to upsell on those jump starts.
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33. Spline Sockets - Not all vehicles come equipped with regular lug nuts. some have spline lug nuts, you'll want to carry a set of these for when the time arrives For VW & other foreign vehicles. There's 2 sizes, get both.
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34. Lug Nut Cap Puller - VW is notorious for having lug nut caps on their lug nuts. if you don't have the correct tool this task can take longer than actually changing the tire itself , they are cheap and very useful.
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35. Cell Phone Stand - Most of everyone I know already has one of these and you should also get one, it helps for navigation, hands-free calling and keep your phone away from the cracks in your seat. https://amzn.to/3ZWdEXz
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36. Allen Key Set - You'll run into a situation or two where if you don't have these allen keys, you'll be kicking yourself in the butt later. Make sure you carry a set like this or you'll look silly when customers have custom rims or need a battery tightened that requires these.
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37. Grip Pliers - Grip pliers are an underrated and super useful tool. You can use them to remove nails, install batteries, hold onto things and the list goes on. Get you a set, you won't regret it.
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38. Lug Nuts - every now and then you'll run into a situation where you come across a stripped, swollen, rusted, or otherwise not safe lug nut. Get you some replacements so you can upsee on the spot. Here are three common sizes. https://amzn.to/4exEiNu https://amzn.to/3zjCUzi https://amzn.to/3XVwRdD
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39. QBD2 Scanner - A scanner is a good thing to have when you operate a roadside assistance business. Access real time data on cars and diagnose problems. https://amzn.to/4eakuQu
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Heavy Duty Tool List - "work in process"
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This list includes tools you need to have to work on heavier vehicles like dually trucks, box trucks, tow trucks & semi trucks.
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1. Heavy/Heavy Duty Jack - Vehicles heavier than 10,000 lbs may be hard to lift with your light duty equipment, be sure to get a couple of these heavy duty jacks. get a couple standard jacks and a stubby one for those hard to reach places. https://amzn.to/3zMA4CI https://amzn.to/46f7Axt
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2. Heavy Duty Impact Gun - When it comes to removing heavy duty vehicle lug nuts, you'll want to make sure you are using a 1 inch gun. You'll choose between battery powered or air powered systems. Cost and effectiveness should be considered. I've added one of each. https://amzn.to/4d2lS6W https://amzn.to/3zIPMyx
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3. Heavy Duty Jack Stands - Trucks are heavy, if a jack fails you'll definitely want something to catch it. Not only that but jack stands are a good safety measure to have in case anything fails in the field. https://amzn.to/3W6YyOn
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4. Tire Irons - Semi truck tire changes are a whole new ball game, you technically don't need a tire machine to do this, just some muscle and set of tire irons. https://amzn.to/3BezUEO
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5. 30 Gallon Air Compressor - When your working on heavy duty equipment,your gonna need more air pressure than you think. I highly reccomend you get this bad boy. Yeah, its expensive, but it's worth it. https://amzn.to/47H3q2k
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6. Bead Breakers - When it comes to busting the bead on heavy duty semi trucks, you want to have either a bead breaker mallet or a slide hammer, to each his own. https://amzn.to/3XBoxhQ https://amzn.to/4exMRba
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7. Bead Blaster - Like regular tires, truck tires seal by pushing up against the rim and creating an airtight seal, For semi trucks it's almost a requirement to have a bead blaster, there are many types. Check them out! here. https://amzn.to/4ey6Je5 & https://amzn.to/4dlGrL4
8. Tire Lube - Semi truck tires and even regular tires need a little bit of lube to go on the rim easier. Get some lube for tire replacements for passenger vehicles and truck tires, you'll be glad you did. https://amzn.to/4efkFKe
9. Semi Truck Jump Box - Jump starting truck with regular equipment is for newbies. Get yourself a jump box designed to jump start semi trucks. I prefer the NOCO brand.
10. Step Ladder - Semi truck sit about6-8 feet off the ground, working or unlocking on them can be a little tough for those of us who are on the short end. A step ladder can be a very useful tool and you should have one on deck at all times! https://amzn.to/3MXTfMZ
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11. Diesel Cans - Delivering diesel is easy money. I use two 5 gallon yellow cans for when the situation arises. https://amzn.to/3MV6vlA
12. Semi Truck Lockout Tools - Semi truck lockouts can be a little challenging, you can use different tools to unlock trucks. Try these, i've had great luck with them.
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13. Truck Tire Air Gauges - Checking air pressure is no joke when you are talking about heavy duty vehicles, here's a set that goes up to 150PSI, BE CAREFULL. https://amzn.to/4gvumpL
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14. Semi truck Balancing Beads For Tires - Like auto tires, truck tires need to be balanced. You can buy a set of balance beads for trucks and make sure your customers tires are nice and balanced. https://amzn.to/3MYidfl
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15. Out-Door Heater - From experience i can tell you that when a truck is frozen, you'll need to heat it up to get it to start. This tool will help you do that. If you know you know.
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​16. Heavy Duty Calibrated Torque Wrench - Like car tires, truck tires usually have to be torqued down to 450-550 Foot pounds, This is essential. Don't get caught without one.
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17. Bud Socket - An essential tool to remove "bud" type lug nuts from your semi truck customers. https://amzn.to/3TGcw9M
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18. Wire Brushes - Wire brushes will help you clean up hubs and make sure that you don't have any rust on wheels before you install them. https://amzn.to/4djgrQJ
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19. Air Hoses & Reels - Unless you are using battery powered tools, you're gonna need some air hoses and reels to install tires. I recommend the 1/2 inch hose and nice reel to go with it. https://amzn.to/3ZBuAWj
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Hey thanks for reading , This is a popular topic that I've made a few videos on so check them out here. We're still building this list. Help us out and let us know if something is missing.