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Electrical :
Complete spare fuses and puller. This is permanently in the car, short or log distance, it is already in the car.
Since not all fuses slot are used in my Front & Rear SAM, they house spare fuses for me.
01. Having filled all fuses slot , a mistake in the dark/night or unhappy mood of us placing a fuse into the wrong slot is eliminated.
Don't take this potential mistake lightly. Imagine a hot Front SAM, and you are at a deserted location where crime might be high, time/speed is our best friend.
02. The spare fuses are marked with white electrical tape and its rating written on it.
So I know those fuses are spare and the slot is not used by my car.
I carry 2 of all fuses rating my car uses, some in the glove box.
03. Unused relay is also labeled.
04. Difficult to pull fuses. I drilled mini hole and add a string, so fast pull is possible. Fuse insertion is not difficult, pulling out is a bi-etch.
These difficult ones are located under the wiper arm, so its not easy to place a puller on top of them. Space wise and visibility wise.
05. Fuse puller 2 units, I tie them with a string and mini bungie cord. So I can "wear" them on my wrist and not worrying it dropped inside the gap of the Front Sam fuse box.
Rear SAM is a bit more work.
With the interior liner installed, 3 fuses are not accessible.
The 3 non accessible fuses of Rear SAM, for my car variant/options level.
I don't have WIS/EPC on my laptop and have not done full investigation for fuse & relay assignment for my Rear SAM, unlike my Front SAM.
But they are supposed to be : ( source : https://fuse-box.info/mercedes-benz/...uses-and-relay )
- Fuse 64, Front passenger seat control unit
- Fuse 86 DVD player. Left rear display. Right rear display
- Fuse 87 Emergency call system control unit
or Special vehicle multifunction control unit (SVMCU)
or Valid as of 01.06.2011 with engine 157, 274, 276, 278: Coolant circulation pump relay <<< damn I hope not this one !!!
or Valid as of 01.03.2015: Telematics services communications module
Those in blue tape are fuses or relays not used on my car and there are no copper terminals for them, hence installing spare fuse or relay there wont hold, it will fall off.
ELECTRICAL. Long distance only asset. Spare relays & Maxi-Fuse. All of the relays used on my car Front SAM, Rear SAM and 1 in engine bay.
ELECTRICAL. Long distance only asset.
- Owon B35T+ Digital Multi Meter, can do wireless bluetooth.
- Uni-T UT210E DC/AC clamp meter
- Test Light with also a digital read out, as per photo item no 2.
- A unique angled plier to remove relays. Photo item 1.
TIRE PUNCTURE REPAIR STUFF
Photo Item 3A , 3B, 3C are a set from Tip Top.
This is the proper way to repair a nailed punctured tire while able to maintain its high speed rating, as long as puncture area is within allowed zone of tire OEM. Can only be done at a tire shop.
3D is a fast repair to go to a tire shop if air loss too high from a puncture , before doing 3A-3C repair at a tire shop.
Above : Item 4 is my engine oil and item 5 is my 50/50 premixed coolant.
For those who wants to know more of how German Rema Tip Top brand does tire repair, watch below
Why do I have such a repair kit , when a tire shop PROBABLY can provide it ?
Its a funny story and from my frustration. These 3A to 3C is not cheap. The special glue , item 3C is the most expensive one at US$60.
So the story goes, this Rema Tip Top was the high end tire repair kit of choice a long time ago in Jakarta/Indonesia when our currency vs US$ was much LESS WEAK
So it was still affordable, back then. Today it is near impossible to find a tire shop offering this repair kit. It is guaranteed impossible to find such repair kit outside 2 big cities
of Indonesia. Basically I have to stock my own repair kit.... LOL.
I like going fast past 100 MPH and I only trust Rema Tip Top repair kit...PERIOD.
The 20 laps at the circuit I had fun at, one of the rear tire had a nail puncture repaired using this Rema Tip Top.. awesome product.
Item 6 below is a wheel choke. It is very important for safety when changing tires in anything than flat zero gradient.
Item 7, 8 and 9 are my tool set, just basic ones.
Item 7 is a torx set from OTC
Item 8 and 9 are regular wrench set and socket set. But none of big size ones, maximum 21mm I believed.
Item 10 my trusty torque wrench, for when I need to change tires.
Item 11 is a combination electrical screwdriver set from Wiha. I like their blades, very accurate and has the special plus/minus blade for European MCB and surely a VDE rating . https://www.electriciancourses4u.co....rewdriver-set/
Item 13 is mini rachet set. Its china made and re-branded by its importer as TACTIX. Not bad, not a junk. https://shopee.co.id/Kunci-Sok-Porta...233.3362661050
My favourite tool set to work on battery post, F32 prefuse and sound shield uner the car, fender inner acoustic liner and the like.
Item 14 is all kind of tape.
A unique double side tape which is actually re-useable. 3M blue masking tape. 3M Super 33+ electrical tape and the common duct tape.
TORCHLIGHT
Energizer headlight with 3 x AAA battery, I like this headlight a lot. Cheap but dimmable. All my cars has 1 on board.
DIAGNOSTIC.
I carry my laptop with Xentry Pass Thru and the knock-off J box simulator/dongle.
WIPER WASHER FLUID
If during rainy season I use a lot wiper washer. So I brought a 5 liter distilled water and Simple Green cleaner as its addettive
OLD EYE ASSIST
I brought a magnifying glass too .... ha ha ha ha
STAYING CLEAN
2 rolls of kitchen paper towel.
5 pcs micro fiber 30 x 30cm cloth.
I have Simple Green cleaner as hand cleaner and that 5 liter distilled water to wash my hand when needed.
My recent favorite accessories, Beach Towel Size , thick towel as fender protector. I can use this if ever I need it as floor mat on the road
I got 4 of these and for the trip I carry 2.
For extra U$1.00 I can custom order names , so it is W212.065
Thanks for the travel ideas. I think the size and composition of such a kit depends on where driving and the availability of service help (more supplies driving through deserts, etc). Long trips in Indonesia would likely demand more supplies.
I keep a reliable tire inflation pump, spare fuses, tire plug kit, good flashlight, etc, in the car at all times. I add the iCarsoft Scanner for long trips. Anything more just adds weight to the car.
Oddly enough, my wife's Sonata came with a complete set of OEM spare fuses, in dedicated storage slots in the main fuse box... what a novel idea.
Indonesia , even Java island is not very supportive of a typical W212.
I forgot to mention my long journey is Jakarta Bali run. 1,200 KM.
Road assistance ( 3rd party ) is not available like how one can get easier in USA.
MB authorized workshop is not well scattered enough as USA.
18 authorized dealers nation wide https://www.mercedes-benz.co.id/pass...r-locator.html
I am lucky being in Java island where it is the Capital Island of Indonesia, Indonesia population's wealth is and population count is probably 70% concentrated in Java island.
Those relays I showed the photos of, those are 1-2 weeks special order from MB Indonesia.
Typical tow truck is a sad affair, unless you want to ruin your front spoiler or damaged your automatic transmission.
If a 4-matic, probably outside of 3 cities in Java Island, no tow truck is the transport version where it has a nice slow ramp and your car is ON the low bed of the tow truck.
Special wheel dollies to prevent transmission damage, forget it.
Imagine US worst region to have a car breaking down in terms of technical support, I am probably 70% journey on such infrastructure.
This is the official highway operator tow truck
If the car above is our W212................
1st, our W212 front spoiler will be scattered all over the road.
2nd, the exhaust catalytic converter #1 would be crushed and our car get stuck in the middle of the climb
Year 2020 trip
Java to Bali ferry crossing..... 1st catalytic converter/exhaust no scrubbing.
Bali to Java ferry crossing.... 1st catalytic converter/exhaust scrubbing at Bali side.
Year 2021 trip
Java to Bali ferry crossing..... 1st catalytic converter/exhaust scrubbing the ramp at Java side and Bali side
Normal road, but in rural area :
Twice the massive undercarriage steel plate protection showed its worth.
Bad roads, as simple as that.
This is one the road responsible for above impact....
I never expected the protection steel plate can get hit from this kind of road.
The other impact to the protection steel plate is simply a simple difference of height between tarmac and dirt side road.
As time goes by, tarmac repair made the road taller, the dirt side stayed the same.
It does not look tall, right ? But that is enough to scrub the steel protection plate decently LOUD.
In a single lane rural interstate like above, if a car in front of you wants to make a right turn ( he can wait forever ), we need to take left side dirt road
You guys have to experience my bad roads and infrastructure , to understand why I try to be as independent as possible when on long journey Jakarta to Bali.
Time is key, less waiting for assistance = better.
Paid highway :
0 to 400 ish kilometers out of Jakarta, expect to find this kind of road surface quality on PAID highway
At 200ish to 400 ish KM part of the paid highway, joints on bridges will bottom out your suspension ( low car like W212 ) if you do 140KM/H.
It is what it is, poor road quality even for paid highway.
Electrical :
01. Having filled all fuses slot , a mistake in the dark/night or unhappy mood of us placing a fuse into the wrong slot is eliminated.
Don't take this potential mistake lightly. Imagine a hot Front SAM, and you are at a deserted location where crime might be high, time/speed is our best friend.
02. The spare fuses are marked with white electrical tape and its rating written on it.
So I know those fuses are spare and the slot is not used by my car.
I carry 2 of all fuses rating my car uses, some in the glove box.
04. Difficult to pull fuses. I drilled mini hole and add a string, so fast pull is possible. Fuse insertion is not difficult, pulling out is a bi-etch.
These difficult ones are located under the wiper arm, so its not easy to place a puller on top of them. Space wise and visibility wise.
OK, these are two very good ideas.
Trying to pull some of fuses in the underhood box is very difficult. I don't know if I have enough patience to drill holes in the fuses and put a cord through, but this is a brilliant idea
My car does not get fuse puller. I hope you get one from MB.
I bought a few fuse pullers, and they are not the same dimension for shoulder grip.
Some fuse have thicker shoulder than some. MB fuse shoulder on my car is thicker than LittleFuse brand I bought.
My Toyota fuse, the shoulder also a bit thinner.
At first I was wondering why the hell so slippery the MB fuse when I pull it out, when I observed up close then I realized the white fuse puller I bought
has a jaw rather small by 0.5mm or so and did not engaged the MB fuse shoulder properly.
The yellow fuse puller is OK.
My 1922 Ford T has big toolbox welded on its side step, full of what seem to be factory tools.
But for my MB I stop carrying spare parts, only inspect belt during oil change. Used to carry spare serpentine belts and ended with 5 of them in my garage for the cars I already sold.
Latest models run very high miles without problems, so what I carry in my W212 is
-spare wheel that I bought from different MB. Hate to drive on desert without 1 and I have normal tires on the car now.
-small compressor for emergencies
-scanner
-fuel filter for diesel, when I go on long trip.
Even in the US, I really miss having a full-size spare supplied with the car. Nothing will kill a long trip/vacation like a flat where you know that the spare will only get you to a shop. This is not helpful at 10:30 PM on a Saturday. Generally, even on cars where you can't even FIT a full size spare in the well, I'll take the space and money penalty and bring a full size spare with. I've never needed one now that I always have them - which follows the principles of buying certain kinds of insurance. If you buy it, you probably won't need it
True story: I actually SAW a guy have a tire blow out (didn't run over anything that I saw, it just blew out) within 500 feet of a large tire shop. I wondered if he considered himself lucky or unlucky...
11-12-2021 | 04:50 AM
