An air-cooled VW is mechanically simple. That's the good news. The other news is that "simple" doesn't mean "never breaks." These vans are 50+ years old. Things wear out, rattle loose, and occasionally decide to stop working at the most inconvenient moment possible.
The trade-off is that most issues are fixable at the roadside if you've got the right tools and a few key spares. Here's what we carry in Jenny at all times.
The Toolkit
You don't need a full workshop. You need the tools that actually fit a VW T2 — and that's a surprisingly short list, because the Germans were sensible about standardising bolt sizes.
The Essentials
Spanners (metric):
- 8mm, 10mm, 13mm, 14mm, 17mm, 19mm — these cover about 90% of the van
- Ring spanners are better than open-ended for most jobs. If you can only have one set, get combination spanners
- We keep a set from Halfords that's been perfectly adequate
Socket set:
- 3/8" drive with metric sockets covering the same range
- A spark plug socket (21mm deep) is essential
- Halfords Professional or Draper from eBay — don't buy the cheapest set, you'll round bolts
Screwdrivers:
- Phillips #2 (the most common)
- Flat head — medium and small
- A stubby one for tight spaces around the engine bay
Pliers:
- Standard combination pliers
- Long-nose pliers
- A decent pair of mole grips — these solve problems that no other tool can
Other:
- Adjustable spanner (for the one bolt that's a weird size)
- Feeler gauges — for setting valve clearances and points gap
- A basic multimeter — invaluable for electrical gremlins
- WD-40 and a can of proper penetrating oil (not the same thing)
- Cable ties — the duct tape of the modern age
- Insulation tape
- JB Weld or similar — emergency metal repair
- A torch that works. Head torch ideally, so both hands are free
The luxury item: A small trolley jack and axle stands. Technically not roadside tools, but if you're doing any maintenance at a campsite, they're invaluable. Halfords do a compact jack that fits behind the seat.
Where to Buy
Honestly, a combination of eBay and Halfords covers everything. Demon Tweeks is excellent for more specialist automotive tools and they often have deals on tool sets. For VW-specific tools (valve adjustment tools, special sockets), Heritage Parts Centre and the various VW specialists on eBay → are the way to go.
The Spares Kit
This is the stuff that sits in a box in the van permanently. It weighs almost nothing, costs relatively little, and has saved multiple trips.
Ignition & Electrical
Spare points and condenser set — if you're running a points ignition (which many T2s still do), these are the most likely failure point. A set costs a few quid from eBay → and takes 15 minutes to fit at the roadside. Carry a spare rotor arm too.
If you've upgraded to electronic ignition (like our 123 Ignition distributor), you're far less likely to have ignition issues — but carry a spare set of points as an emergency backup anyway.
Spare spark plugs — pre-gapped and ready to go. NGK B5HS for a standard 1600. About £2 each from eBay or Euro Car Parts.
Fuses — a selection of the correct amp ratings for your van. The original fuse box uses old-style ceramic fuses. Carry at least 8A and 16A spares.
Bulbs — headlight, tail light, indicators. A complete set weighs nothing and means you're not hunting for a motor factor in the middle of Wales on a Sunday.
Jump leads — obvious but worth saying. Or a portable jump starter — these have got brilliant and compact. We got ours from Halfords and it's about the size of a phone. Also charges USB devices.
💡 Safety Essential
We also carry this emergency safety tool → which has a window breaker and seatbelt cutter. Hope we never need it, but it's the kind of thing that's worth having just in case.
Engine
Fan belt — the single most important spare. If this breaks, the engine overheats in minutes. Carry a spare (and know how to fit it — practice at home first). A few quid from eBay or any VW parts supplier.
Spare oil — a litre of the correct grade. These engines can use a bit of oil, especially on long trips. Better to top up than run low.
Fuel hose + hose clips — fuel lines on old VWs can perish and crack. A metre of correct-diameter fuel hose and a few jubilee clips could save you from a very bad day. Euro Car Parts or Halfords stock these.
Throttle cable — these snap. Carry a spare. About £10 from eBay → and takes 20 minutes to fit.
Gasket sealant — for emergency oil leaks. Not a permanent fix but gets you home.
Other
- Tyre repair kit — the foam/sealant type for a temporary fix, or a proper plug kit if you're comfortable using one
- Duct tape — fixes everything temporarily
- Wire — a small roll of galvanised wire. You'd be surprised how often this comes in handy
- Spare wheel — obvious, but check it's inflated. When was the last time you actually looked at your spare?
What We've Actually Used
In the past two years, here's what's come out of the spares box:
- Fan belt — started squealing on the M5. Fitted the spare in a lay-by in 10 minutes. Trip saved.
- Spark plugs — fouled plug caused a misfire near Bristol. Swapped in the spare set, drove home fine.
- Fuel hose — spotted a weeping connection during a routine check. Replaced on the spot.
- Fuses — lost the interior lights on a Friday evening. 30-second fix.
- Points — morning start issue in Cornwall. Swapped the points, fired straight up.
Total cost of all those spares: probably £40. Total cost of roadside recovery we didn't need: several hundred pounds each time.
Organisation
It all lives in a small plastic toolbox behind the rear seat. The spares are in a separate zip bag inside. Everything has its place — you don't want to be rummaging through loose spanners in the rain at the side of the A303.
Label things. Sounds over the top, but when it's 10pm and raining and you need the 13mm ring spanner, you'll thank yourself.
The Bottom Line
You don't need to be a mechanic. You need to be able to do the basics: change a fan belt, swap spark plugs, replace a fuse. These are 15-minute jobs that anyone can learn — YouTube is full of VW T2 tutorials.
The tools and spares cost less than a single recovery call-out. Carry them, learn how to use them, and you'll have the confidence to take Jenny anywhere.
— Mike & Jenny
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