4x4Review Off Road Magazine
You’ve been riding hard—exploring new territory for the better part of the day. The first fingers of beautiful sunset are just beginning to streak across the sky…but you promised your better half that you would be home by the time the street lights come on, and you are still 10 miles from your trailer. No problem, you are thinking, when, “Bam!” The sound of a shock mount giving up the ghost rings in your ears. You know you do not have the parts to repair it, and the meager tool kit that came with your quad is not going to be able to do the job. If only you had a real set of quality tools…
Let’s face it, one of the best aspects of owning a quad is the ability to explore, and at times like this you can’t depend on that pathetic tool kit that came with your machine. Trying to do anything more difficult than changing a fouled spark plug with the original equipment kit is like trying to drain a swimming pool with an eyedropper.
Rather than go through the inevitable agony again, we called our friends at CruzTOOLS to see if they could help. They were kind enough to send us their M1 metric tool sets.
It was obvious after opening the M1 tool kit that the engineers had broken their rigs on the trail before. In addition to the standard compliment of metric, combination wrenches, and multi-function screwdrivers, this kit also contains items that you wouldn’t think of until you needed them. CruzTOOLS threw in a small tube of WD 40 for breaking loose those stubborn bolts and a length of bailing wire for, well… bailing wire can fix just about anything. The EconoKit also includes a roll of electrical tape, several zip ties, and a shop rag. As an especially nice touch, they also threw in a small, but incredibly bright, all-aluminum flashlight.
The quality of the tools is above average. They are not quite up to SnapOn or Craftsman standards, but they are a giant leap beyond the playschool toys… er… tools, that come standard with most ATV’s. They are well-made, large enough to be manhandled with gloved hands, and versatile enough to do just about any field repairs you’ll encounter.
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The case is almost worth the price by itself. The soft-sided, zippering tool case was custom fit for the tools that it securely houses. Each elastic loop holster provides a snug, secure fit for the tools, even if you hold the kit upside down. Best yet, once closed and zippered up, you can roll the tool case to fit it into even tighter spots.
A couple of items could be improved, but they are very minor. First, the tire gauge has a range of 10 to 50 psi. – fine for your trailer, car or motorcycle, but the 3-8 p.s.i. range used by quads just doesn’t match up. CruzTOOLS will gladly swap out the standard tire pressure gauge for a 1-20 psi gauge as long as you havn’t used the standard gauge. All you need to do is contact them. The kit would do well to include a pair of standard or needle-nose pliers, even though it does have a set of locking pliers. Minor objections about an otherwise very well-designed kit.
At $49.95 (MSRP – at time of publication), you might be able to buy some tools, but you wouldn’t get the compact and convenient carrying case. All CruzTOOLS handtools in the kit are covered by a lifetime warranty. If you manage to break one just contact CruzTOOLS for a replacement.
Luck favors the prepared so before your next ride spend a little money on a quality tool kit like the CruzTOOLS EconoKIT. You won’t be sorry.
| CruzTOOLS, Inc. |
| P. O. Box 250 Standard, CA 95373 U.S.A. phone: 209-536-0491 toll free: 888-909-8665 fax: 209-536-0463 email: admin@cruztools.com website: www.cruztools.com |
