TOOLS & ACCESSORIES

Tools & Accessories For Peterbilt Trucks

The right tools make truck maintenance faster, safer, and more accurate -- whether you're an owner-operator handling roadside repairs or a shop technician working through a PM schedule. Our tools and accessories selection covers the specialty and general-purpose tools that support commercial truck maintenance, from torque wrenches and filter wrenches to diagnostic tools and truck-specific accessories.

Frequently asked questions about tools & accessories

What tools should an owner-operator always carry in their Peterbilt?

A practical roadside toolkit for an OTR driver includes a quality adjustable wrench and a set of combination wrenches in both metric and SAE sizes, a set of screwdrivers, slip-joint and channel-lock pliers, a rubber mallet, a flashlight and inspection light, a tire pressure gauge, a battery terminal cleaner, electrical tape and heat shrink connectors, a multimeter for electrical diagnosis, and a breaker bar for lug nuts. A hydraulic floor jack and jack stands are useful for drivers who handle their own tire changes. Beyond hand tools, spare belts, fuses, and common bulbs round out a practical roadside kit.

Do I need special tools to perform a brake inspection on my Peterbilt?

A basic brake inspection requires a brake stroke gauge (a simple sliding gauge used to measure pushrod travel at 90 PSI) and a source of 90 PSI air pressure to pressurize the system during the inspection. A tape measure works as a substitute for a commercial stroke gauge in a pinch. A flashlight for inspecting lining thickness and a mirror for reaching difficult angles are also useful. More involved brake work -- such as spring brake chamber replacement -- requires a spring brake caging tool for safe disassembly of the spring chamber.

What diagnostic tools are useful for a Peterbilt owner-operator?

A quality commercial truck fault code reader that supports PACCAR's proprietary diagnostic protocols is the most valuable diagnostic tool for a Peterbilt owner-operator. Basic OBD-II readers don't access the full range of ECM fault codes on a Class 8 truck. A digital multimeter is essential for electrical diagnosis. A non-contact infrared thermometer is useful for identifying hot brake drums, cooling system temperature differentials, and bearing heat during a post-run inspection. A brake pressure gauge and an air system test gauge are also practical diagnostic tools for air brake system troubleshooting.

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