Don’t be caught short. The list below is compiled by veteran Canning Stock Route Travellers Ronele & Eric Gard. Their book The Canning Stock Route is a must have for anyone traveling down the Canning.
1 Plain Screwdriver
1 Phillips Screwdriver
1 Pair Pliers
1 Pair Long Nosed Pliers
1 200mm Adjustable Spanner
1 Tire Pressure Gauge
 1 Set Metric Spanners (combination open end and ring)
2 Screwdrivers, 1 Narrow, 1 Broad
1 Set Metric Sockets
1 Socket Ratchet Arm
1 450mm Socket Extension Arm
1 100mm Socket Extension Arm
1 Small Engineers Hammer
1 Hacksaw and small blades
1 Puncture Repair Kit
1 Spark Plug Socket*
1 Each Top and Bottom Radiator Hoses
1 Hand Tire Pump
1 Condenser*
1 Coil*
1 Large Fuel Funnel
1 Large Water Funnel
2 70cm Tire Levers
1 Pair Scissors
1 Wheel Brace
1 Set Feeler Gauges*
1 Fan Belt, 1 Power Steering Belt
1 Set Contact Points*
6 Spark Plugs*
1 Small Funnel
1 Set Jumper Leads (200amp)
1 Can CRC® (or similar product)
1 500ml Brake Fluid
1 500ml Gear Oil
1 500ml Auto Transmission Fluid
1 500gm High Temperature Bearing Grease
1 5 litre Engine Oil
1 Trouble Light
1 Tube Araldite®
1 Silastic® Gasket Cement
1 Oil Filter
1 Roll Insulating Tape
1 Hearth Brush
1 50mm Paint Brush
1 Epoxy Resin
1 Loctite®
1 Fuel Filter
1 Roll Masking Tape
1 Roll Rubber Vulcanising Tape
1 Roll 8mm Roll Flywire (Fibreglass about 6mtrs.)
1  Roll 3mm Electrical Cable (about 6 mtrs.)
1 Roll 6mm Electrical Cable (about 6 mtrs.)
2 Large Cross Patches
1 Block Hardwood, Baseplate (300mm X 300mm X 50mm)
1 Hydraulic Jack (3 tonne Capacity)
*Diesel vehicles have no need to carry these items.
Plastic Tubing (about 3 metres)
6 Spare Fuses
1 Heavy Duty Magnet
Alan Conquer of Nhill has been driving with Diamantina for some years, and was a director of Escorted Outback Tours for some time before that. He has provided vehicle back up for the Rafferty-Grant Simpson Desert Summer running challenges, as well as more recently for Pat Rafter. Alan has great expertise in vehicular operations in the arid zone.
 Alan recommends...
"Take a good quality 12 volt pump with you. Also make sure you bring a soldering iron and solder, there are plenty of 12 volt varieties. I put drawers in the back of my vehicle and my toolbox is easy to access at all times. I carry my snatch strap under my driver's seat for quick access. I also carry a welder and rods, which I can link to 3 car batteries in succession. It has got me out of plenty of fixes in the past."
Chet Cline, 4X4 expert, who drives from time to time with Diamantina, recommends the following changes to the Gard’s list above: “Don’t put your tool kit on your roof. Carry a Leatherman®  in your pocket. You’ll be surprised how many repairs you can effect with this tool saving the need to open your toolkit. Remember, weight must be minimised – eliminate as much as possible that you are carrying – be ruthless. If you are taking a small shovel, make sure it is strong enough to actually work. Solid Nylon Rope can be used instead of snatch straps, chains, wire cables can tie things too. I recommend you carry more screwdrivers than the list above, small, medium, medium large and large.½” drive sockets – metric. Add Allen key type sockets as well. Hand tire pumps are large and heavy. You can use a 2-litre pep bottle to carry water, and it can be cut down and used as a funnel. I would add a good pair of tin snips. One or two spark plugs are enough; you’ll never kill all of them. Add a roll of Gaffer Tape. The magnet is unnecessary. If you really need a magnet, pull out one of your audio speakers. Epoxy resin is too similar to Araldite®. You can easily mix Araldite®  with cloth or wire mesh to make a patch. There are some great bead breakers on the market these days. Make sure your spare fuses fit your vehicle and are of various amperage. One roll of electric wire is sufficient. If you need extra wire capacity – run two wires. For a base plate for use with your jack, plywood is lighter and stronger. Carry a large rubber hammer to use with your tire levers. If you were traveling with a Toyota or a Nissan, I would suggest a jack helper that slips over the axle hub, which allows jacking from next to the wheel. Its handy to have small oil containers with inbuilt funnel like dispensers, and you need a short piece of tubing which fits over this extension to help get oil into awkward holes. Unless you are a mechanical genius, bring along a workshop manual. Take plenty of spare nuts and bolts to suit your vehicle.. Double check that the wheel brace you have does fit your vehicle’s wheel nuts, and that you know which way they tighten – some are left hand thread. Before you leave home, check that you can undo all tires, often professional tire places use air guns and the like to tighten wheel nuts and they are over tightened. Loosen them and tighten them yourself. I also find a tube of roofing silicone a handy thing to have along.” 
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