I've owned three caravans since 2013, done a half-lap of this country, and spent two years living in a van full-time. In that time I've fixed roadside problems with tools I had, and I've stood on the side of the North West Highway wishing I'd packed something I didn't. So take it from someone who's actually needed the spanner at 40 degrees with road trains going past: the tool kit you carry matters more than the caravan you're towing.
This isn't a "buy everything Bunnings sells" list. It's what actually earns its keep in the tunnel boot or under the bed, and — just as importantly — what to leave at home.
I had a jockey wheel stop working while at a free camp outside of Karijini national park. Whoever had put it on the caravan had tightened the nuts to the point I could not move them. Luckily I carry a breaker bar, that I use to help me undo wheel nuts, and that did the trick to allow me to undo them after a trip to Tom Price to buy a new jockey wheel.
Start with your own van, not a generic list
Before anything else, know your own rig. Pop the panels, find your water pump, your fuses, your battery isolator, your WDH components. A tool kit that doesn't match your actual caravan is just dead weight.
Worth saying too: tools, spares and recovery gear all eat into your payload the same as water and food does. If you're not sure how it all stacks up, run it through the Payload Calculator before you load up.
After buying a new second hand van I have been off grid and blown a fuse. Easy to replace and fix, but only if you have checked what fuses you need and purchased some before you left on the trip. I didn't. Another trip to the nearest town to get that fixed.
The core hand tools
This is the boring bit that saves the trip:
- A socket set covering the sizes on your van and tow vehicle
- Adjustable spanners — a couple of sizes
- Screwdrivers, flat and Phillips, a few sizes of each
- Pliers — standard, needle-nose, and multigrips
- A torque wrench — not optional, more on this below
- Cable ties and wire — the duct tape of the mechanical world
- A multimeter — for chasing 12V gremlins
- Gloves and a decent torch or headlamp
Wheels, tyres and the torque wrench non-negotiable
This is the section I get most opinionated about, because I've seen it go wrong. After fitting or rotating wheels, torque the nuts to the manufacturer's spec with a proper torque wrench — then recheck after 50–100km. Wheel nuts settle, and a wheel coming loose on the highway is not a story anyone wants to be in.
Carry a decent 12V tyre inflator, a tread depth gauge, and know your tyre pressures loaded vs unloaded — they're not the same number. Don't just copy someone's numbers off a forum either — start with your placards and your actual loaded weight. The Tyre Load & Pressure Planner helps you work it out properly.
One thing worth saying plainly: stabiliser legs are not jacks. They stop the van rocking while you're inside it. They are not rated to hold the van up while you're under it changing a wheel. Use a proper jack, on solid ground, every time.
This is why I have Boss stabiliser legs on the new van — they're load-rated to 1.8 tonne per leg and built with enough travel to lift the van off the ground for a tyre change, unlike standard stabiliser legs, which aren't rated for that. I still chock the wheels.
12V electrical
Caravan electrics fail in small, annoying ways more often than big dramatic ones — a blown fuse, a loose connector, a flat battery you didn't see coming. A multimeter and a spare fuse kit (matched to your van's actual fuses) will solve most of it. Know where your battery isolator is and what it does.
A caution here: 12V work is generally safe to DIY, but don't go poking around gas or 230V systems yourself. Those need a licensed tradesperson — every time, no exceptions.
Water and plumbing
A basic kit: tap washers, hose fittings, pipe tape, a spare set of water connectors. Leaks are usually a five-minute fix on the road if you've got the right O-ring — and a very soggy, very annoying problem if you don't.
Hitch and towing
Check your hitch, safety chains, and WDH (weight distribution hitch) setup before every trip, not just before big ones. If you're towing in WA, be aware their towing requirements have their own quirks worth checking before you cross the border. Know your NHVR mass limits — GVM, ATM, ball weight — and actually weigh your rig once loaded up, because "should be fine" has ended a lot of trips early.
There is nothing more frustrating than a plug falling out while driving and wearing itself down to a nub on the road. It happens more often than you'd think. It happened to me a few years back driving from Perth to Karratha on a 40-degree day — I used half a day sourcing a new plug and fitting it.
Getting level
Levelling blocks or ramps, a spirit level, and wheel chocks. Takes five minutes, saves your fridge from working overtime and your sleep from being on a slope. If you want a rough idea of how much lift you'll need before you even get there, the Levelling Calculator will get you close.
Emergency gear — read this bit
A few things that live in the "hope you never need it" category but need to be there anyway:
- A fire extinguisher, checked and in date
- A first aid kit, actually stocked, not just the sticker on the outside
- Emergency contact numbers and your insurance details, written down somewhere that doesn't need a charged phone
Carbon monoxide is a genuine killer in caravans — from gas appliances, generators, or a vehicle exhaust too close to the van. Fit a CO alarm and take it seriously. This one isn't optional.
If you're heading somewhere remote, check the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services pre-departure checklist before you go — it's a solid, no-nonsense rundown regardless of which state you're in.
You do not want to be out remote and off-grid, only to find they're doing a burn-off just a few kilometres down the road.
Two layers of organisation
Split your kit in two:
- Everyday tools — the stuff you reach for weekly, kept accessible.
- Emergency/rarely-used gear — packed but out of the way, checked before each trip.
A labelled tool bag or a dedicated drawer beats a milk crate of mystery hardware every time.
Pre-trip checklist
- Tyres and pressures checked
- Wheel nuts torqued and rechecked after the first 50–100km
- Hitch, chains and WDH inspected
- Fire extinguisher and first aid kit in date and accessible
- CO alarm tested
- Fuses and spares checked
- Water system leak-checked
Then sort the human side of the trip too — realistic driving days and daylight matter as much as the right spanner. The Travel Time & Rest Stop Planner helps with that, and the Caravan Ready Score is a decent gut-check on what else needs sorting before you go. There's a full set of free tools at the Caravan Calculators & Tools hub, and more real-world reading in the Caravan Learning Hub.
FAQ
Do I need a torque wrench if the tyre place already torqued my wheels?
Yes — recheck after 50–100km regardless. Nuts settle after a fresh fit.
Can I do my own gas or 230V repairs?
No. Both need a licensed tradesperson, every time.
What's the one thing people forget?
A CO alarm. It's cheap, it's small, and it matters.
Sources
- Queensland Government — Preparing for a long trip
- Queensland Fire Department — Caravan safety checklist
- StreetSmarts Queensland — Caravans and towing
- Department of Transport WA — Towing
- National Heavy Vehicle Regulator — Manufacturer's mass limits
- Product Safety Australia — Carbon monoxide safety
Reviewed 15 August 2026. Requirements, manufacturer instructions and travel conditions can change. Recheck the current rules and specifications that apply to your equipment, location and route.