Items
A desrt Tools Reference
Tools translate loot into working vehicles. This reference covers the gear you need for welding panels, swapping engines, and keeping Cars through Buses on the road—with notes on game pass upgrades that streamline repetitive tasks.
In A desrt, tools are the silent half of every road trip. DarkCodes expects you to physically interact with parts: F to pick up, LMB to drag, RMB to push/stabilize, Z to weld. Dedicated tool items—screwdrivers, wrenches, and related maintenance gear—appear in garages, towns, and ruin side rooms. They do not replace the Z weld keybind documented in [Weld Repair Controls](/controls/weld-repair/), but they gate certain interactions or speed repetitive swap workflows during engine upgrades. Without the right tool on hand, a perfect Injection pull dies in the ruin because you cannot finish mounting brackets before nightfall.
Core tool roles
- Screwdrivers — fastening interior panels, fine adjustments on engine bays, synergy with Screwdriver Pro pass.
- Wrenches — wheel swaps, heavy bolt interactions on suspension and axle parts.
- Welding context — Z key with aligned parts; tools do not replace welds but prep surfaces.
- Utility carry — stash tools in Van cargo next to 5 L oilcans for field service.
Engine swap toolkit
Swapping VAZ for Injection or EngineD is a multi-step project: drain compatible fluids, un-weld or detach mounts, drag the new block with LMB, align, weld, reconnect radiator lines, refill gasoline or diesel, oil, and water, then R-start idle test. Tools shorten each step—especially when removing hoods and stubborn wheels before the swap. Read [Engine Upgrades](/build/engine-upgrades/) alongside this page. Electric and Turbine swaps demand the same discipline with different fluid rules on the [Engine Tier List](/tier-list/engines/). Never start a swap in a ruin without a clear path to drag tools back to the Car.
| Task | Tool / input | Reference page |
|---|---|---|
| Panel weld | Z + alignment | Welding & Repairs build |
| Wheel change | Wrench + weld | Vehicle Maintenance |
| Hood / door work | Screwdriver | Fix Car guide |
| Field stabilization | RMB push | Driving controls |
Screwdriver Pro and stamina-heavy hauls
Screwdriver Pro (35 R$) is an optional game pass listed on [Game Passes](/items/game-passes/) that improves screwdriver-related quality of life—worth considering if you live in sandbox test rigs or swap engines daily. Stamina Plus+ (50 R$) helps long drag sessions moving bigcans and EngineD blocks across map tiles, complementing tools rather than replacing them. Neither pass auto-welds for you; skill and Z timing still matter on public survival servers. Boombox+ (15 R$) is unrelated to repairs but keeps morale during all-night Bus restoration sessions.
Recommended field kit
Before any cross-map leg, load one screwdriver, one wrench, spare weld patience, an 8 L gascan, a 5 L oilcan, and radiator water on Car-class vehicles. Add a second wrench in multiplayer so one player removes wheels while another aligns engines. Store duplicates at base near [Starter Checklist](/tools/starter-checklist/) supplies. When tools are missing mid-run, improvise with hammer combat only as a last resort—return to town spawns rather than risking a bare-handed EngineD install on a [Bus](/vehicles/bus/) slope.