Tools for a beginning technician

Sorry if this has been posted before, but the search function isn't working for some reason. Something about a server overload. I'd assume that someone else is sucking up all my bandwidth.

I'm in school for automotive repair and I'm looking for a job. I know that most jobs require you to own your own tools, but I'm not really sure what to buy at this point in time. I'd assume that my first job will be a lube tech/parts changer. Could you guys give me a general list of what I should own before looking for a job? Also, what brands do you recommend? Most of my tools are Craftsman, but I've heard that they just don't hold up under daily use.

Thanks in advance.

there is nothing wrong with craftsman. Yes they break more often, but its not nearly often enough to get real snobby about it unless you got a lot of money to blow, and assuming you don't have a couple million inheretence sitting in the bank, don't worry about it.

As you gain experience and your pay increases because of it, you will start being able to afford the nicer stuff. Dont' rush it. Tools are damn expensive. Just take your time and don't break the bank trying to upgrade your stuff.

The biggest dollar items I would concentrate on first is air tools. That is where the biggest difference between high quality and low quality is most apperent. But as a lube tech, you really don't need much. Very first purchase will be a 1/2" air gun for doing tires. Eventually, you'll get all the other important air tools, 3/8" and 1/4" ratchets, 3/8" gun. Air hammer bun, wizzy wheel, cut off wheel, etc. But again, start out cheap and work your way up to the nice stuff.

It can be very handy to have back up cheesy crap, either for home use, or for back up when your nice stuff breaks.

. But again, start out cheap and work your way up to the nice stuff.

It can be very handy to have back up cheesy crap, either for home use, or for back up when your nice stuff breaks.
:1: I also recommend the cheaper tools starting out. When you get the money and buy the better tools, you can make those "special" wrench's you need out of the cheap set. Also, on things like socket sets, you can get the cheap set and replace the individual sockets that you use the most. Then use the cheap socket as a back up.
The best advise I got starting out was....when you get the money to buy a bigger tool box, buy the biggest one you can afford. Don't worry about having an "empty" box. The tools will come. Your going to need the room later anyway, and could waste money buying 3 different boxes when you could have one and be done..
And on the air tools.. The air tools you don't use as much, yeah, you can get the cheap one. On the everyday air tools, dont waste the money, buy the good one right off.
There is nothing wrong with Craftsman. Here however, when you go to warranty anything now-a-days they always ask "Are you a professional" and give you a hard time about it. (My friend actually had to go to a different store to get a socket replaced when he said "yes" :screwy: )
The tool guys just give you a new one...
Theres my :2cents:

when you get the money to buy a bigger tool box, buy the biggest one you can afford. Don't worry about having an "empty" box. The tools will come.

this really depends on your tool guy. I got a killer deal on trade-in value on my crappy crapsman tool box combo when I took the big leap upto a snapon box. The trade-in is usually pretty decent for boxes, from what I've seen. You can take it in small steps without a huge hit to the wallet.

Considering that tool boxes can be over $10K, I wouldn't put it high on my list of important purchases.....you can buy a looooooot of crappy tools that will actually make you money, for that amount of money.

it really depends what you're doing of course. One thing I'll say about an impressive tool box, its the best resume you'll ever have. Even if you only have one drawer with tools in it, employers are impressed with a big expensive tool box :D

What do you guys think of Ingersoll-Rand air tools? I've beaten the hell out of them at work (waste water treatment/ light maintenance) and they seem to hold up pretty well.

What do you guys think of Ingersoll-Rand air tools? I've beaten the hell out of them at work (waste water treatment/ light maintenance) and they seem to hold up pretty well.
ain't nothing wrong with IR's. Most of what I own is IR except for my ratchets. Those are Mac. IMO, nobody makes a better air ratchet than mac

unclebob, thats why I wrote when he gets the money..
And IR makes a lot of air tools for everyone, they are just relabeled for mac, matco and snap-on (and others)
They have great composite impacts. IMO

Well, I have a decent Craftsman impact that came with my compressor, so I think I'm going to spend the money I got from the car I just sold on impact sockets. I'm looking into a set from northerntool.com since they've gotten good reviews as a starter set. The one I'm looking at has deep well 1/2" drive up to 1 1/4" to 30 something mm. Anyone have a set from them?

IR Guns are the best i've come accross, i own two of their 1/2" composite guns (a 2135QTi and a 2135QTiMAX) and they've never let me down, they've been money well spent even if they were expensive. 1,100lb/ft ultimate torque from a 1/2" gun is more than you're likely to need, but it's handy to have it for those rare occasions like working on commercial trucks or stubborn harmonic damper nuts.

Carftsman tools will hold up just fine for daily use, so long as you look after them. they may not be as strong as Snap-on, but so long as you don't abuse them they'll last. my impact sockets and lots of my chrome sockets are similar quality to Craftsman (they're Draper) and they've never let me down.

for Impact sockets, i'd go with Ingersoll-Rand, they do a big shallow/deep imperial/metric set that's a good price, it covers just about everything and IR cover them with a lifetime warranty, and from what i've heard IR and good with their warranty. i'll be getting that set soon, and the other good thing with IR is that they do everysize, so even if the set doesn't cover it, you can order the missing ones.

if you want to get Snap-on, look on eBay. i've bought most of my Snap-on stuff from eBay and saved a lot of money.

Take a very close look at the tools your buy. Many are manufactured by a cheaper company and then have an expensive name slapped on them. Someone mentioned MAC air ratchets. Mac manufactures none of its air tools they are all IR's or AirCat which is what they are switching to. Craftsman Impacts similarly are IR's or AirCat's. Many diagnostic tools are all made by the same company as well. ATD fuel injection pressure tester is 220$ while the same EXACT set with a MAC sicker on it costs over 450$. Craftsman cooling system tester is 89.99$ while once again the EXACT same set from OTC ( a renowned automotive specialty tool company ) is over 300$. My advice is do your research, only buy lifetime or forever warranteed tools from reputable distributors, save your receipts, and make a list of tools you have to borrow from the more experienced techs and when payday comes try to put a dent in the list. It takes years to get the tools you need to comfortably get by and you'll never have everything you need. Bottom line is I've worked with techs that have 100k$ plus tool set ups that make less than 30k a year and techs with JCpenney wrenchs in there 400$ tool boxes that make 50k plus.

Sorry if this has been posted before, but the search function isn't working for some reason. Something about a server overload. I'd assume that someone else is sucking up all my bandwidth.

I'm in school for automotive repair and I'm looking for a job. I know that most jobs require you to own your own tools, but I'm not really sure what to buy at this point in time. I'd assume that my first job will be a lube tech/parts changer. Could you guys give me a general list of what I should own before looking for a job? Also, what brands do you recommend? Most of my tools are Craftsman, but I've heard that they just don't hold up under daily use.

Thanks in advance.

the first item to buy is a dremel tool and then as you add to your tool collection you scribe your name on all tools, in addition it would be wise to spray paint an area of tool that will quickly identify your tools....I use gm red..very easy to find if dropped also... i don't like craftsman because the tools are with sharp edges which make it uncomfortable to use.... SK has nicer tools, craftsman sockets are not very strong so buying impact duty sockets is recommended on tough nuts... also a torch is /will be required..goggles,ear, and dust protection will be required .....all this will be tax deductible so save all receipts for taxes and warrantee....snap on makes high quality tools so if you start to require high usage tool items get this type.... avoid 1/4 craftsman ratchets as they are worthless life expectancy is 5 uses so on some tools you will need back up tools...on air tools remember to lubricate before each use ... if you do this the air tool will last a long time...so buy a large container of air tool lube...good luck .....

One thing I would recomend is don't buy any chrome sockets. Impact sockets work fine with a ratchet, but chrome sockets don't always work so well with an impact. Impact sockets are a bit more, but if you buy them first, you won't need to buy a second set.

I started out with Snapon tools. Why? The college I went to pushed them on everyone, and everyone bought them. I now buy Matco, for two reasons. First, snapon dealers are widely known as... well, you'll figure that out soon enough. Second, our Matco tool guy will waranty anything. I broke the end off some needle nose pliers removing an internal snap-ring by squeezing and hitting the pliers with a hammer (to break it loose from the rust). When one side broke off, I put the other side in a vise and snaped it off. I told the guy exactly what I did and he warantied it anyway. Snappy on the other hand will do anything to get out of warantying something.

When you start working in a shop, you may find that other technicians don't mind sharing their tools. On the other hand, some won't let you touch their tools. At the shop I work at, everyone shares all their tools. It really makes a lot more sense than having four valve spring compressors in the shop when you use one maybe once a week (same goes for any specilty tool). That way we have four times as many tools! You'll still need the basics, but wait until you know your co-workers before you buy specialty tools.

One thing I would recomend is don't buy any chrome sockets.

I started out with Snapon tools. Why? The college I went to pushed them on everyone, and everyone bought them.

Snappy on the other hand will do anything to get out of warantying something.


You car guys don't need a chrome now and again? The thickness of an impact socket can be a PITA every now and again......

NADC?!?!?!?

Some dealers, not just Snap-on will do that just 'cuz they didn't sell you that item.....I had a dealer at one shop that actually looked everything up to see if you bought it from him before replacing anything.....and it rhymes with Matco...a few threats of taking your business elsewhere sometimes works...

well, 1/4" and 3/8" sockets, about all I use is chrome.

You can often find used tools...if you get top quality stuff it doesn't matter if they have been broken in. That will save you some money, and you won't have to get cheap stuff right away.

You car guys don't need a chrome now and again? The thickness of an impact socket can be a PITA every now and again......

NADC?!?!?!?

Yes, we do need chrome every now and then... I could have sworn I typed more after that... apparently I did not. Like was said... 1/4" and 3/8" stuff sometimes you need thinner walls. I was going to say to wait to buy them until you know if the guys you will be working with will let you use their stuff because most of the time impact sockets will work. I was going to continue that thought in the third paragraph... I'm amazed at how my mind works (or doesn't)... I can throw every bolt and nut from an 8 hour job in a pile and know where every one goes, yet I forget something this simple after a minute. :screwy:

What's NADC?

What's NADC?

Nickel and Dime Crap? :dunno:

Bottom line, all the kid needs to get started, a decent set of combination wrenches, hand ratchets (as mentioned in 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 drives) a fair set of screwdrivers, decent 1/2" impact and strip of impact sockets in the 4 common lug sizes. And yes, you will come to find there are some sizes you will use quite frequently, so buying a extra one here and there will save you alot of down time when you lose the only one in your box :eek: Oh, and all of the above in both standard and metric obviously.

When you move up to stuff like brakes you'll come to find to add a set of double offset wrenches, Torx drivers and hex drivers, yoou'll see what I mean. most places will give you a "heads-up" that if they like how you're doing, pretty soon you'll be moving on to something else. This will allow you the time to get what you need then.

That trend will contiune so long as your career, you always find the need for the right tool to do the right job at the right time. :2cents:

well, 1/4" and 3/8" sockets, about all I use is chrome.

i mostly use 3/8" chrome. 1/2" used for bigger stuff, but most of the work i do doesn't warrant it. of course, i have it because there are still plenty of times i need it. but 3/8" is used more, and in terms of the size of 3/8" tools, much more comfortable to work with.

Nickel and Dime Crap? :dunno:


:disappoin Nashville Auto-Diesel College.

They had a starter set they gave you when you graduated....and had a dealer on site to push more Snap-on stuff...:rolleyes:

:disappoin Nashville Auto-Diesel College.

They had a starter set they gave you when you graduated....and had a dealer on site to push more Snap-on stuff...:rolleyes:

Yeah, same as where I went... except you HAVE to BUY it BEFORE you can take any classes. Snap-on must spend a lot of money to get into auto tech programs. $12,000 worth of tools you can buy for $6,000. What they don't tell you is that MAC and Matco also will give you 50% off while you are a student.

i agree with everyone except im starting to get a big negative from matco. their stuff is just junk. especially the pinless 3/8 drive impact swivel sockets. i got a matco standard 3/8 impact(which ive had to warranty twice in the first year i owned it) and it snapped 7 of these sockets already. and it always takes forever to get new ones because their all on backorder from other matco trucks having to replace em.

its too bad. matco used to have the best tool boxes. i dont care who you want to compare, matco just were beefier, more durable, higher quality than even snapon. now i can tell they are cheaper by just looking at the picture in the brochure. i fortunately got an 8353 series right before they switched up and i cant be happier with it. i can stand in every drawer without sag. while they are full besides. i recommend trying to find an older matco box before the crappy "s" series came out. or snapon. but whatever you end up with buying used is generally a good thing, especially when your just starting out. alot of the higher end boxes are taken care of better than their owners car, and when they trade em in, you can get a huge box with usually no more than a couple dings in it for way cheap.

im starting to get a big negative from matco. their stuff is just junk. especially the pinless 3/8 drive impact swivel sockets. i got a matco standard 3/8 impact(which ive had to warranty twice in the first year i owned it) and it snapped 7 of these sockets already. .
What broke? I have the metric set (a little over a year?) and I only "broke" 1 socket. The socket end popped out of the drive end.
What 3/8" gun do you have? I had the Mac AW3800, (IR) it was okay till it wore out, I got that new Mac quiet junk impact (similar to the 3800) I would like to forget that one. :banghead: I traded that POS for a Snap-on MG31(?) the 300 ft lb one. Its okay so far.... Still haven't broke a pinless Matco with it.

(not arguing, just wondering)

one socket broke at the joint, all the rest split apart at the socket end. the walls are just too thin.

my impact is the mt2112. you'd think matco would design its sockets to work with its own impacts but...i guess not.
http://www.matcotools.com/ProductImages/MT2112.jpg

my impact is the mt2112. you'd think matco would design its sockets to work with its own impacts but...i guess not.
thats cause thats an IR gun.

no matter what gun you have, sockets do break.

i realize that. but i use chrome crapsman sockets with that gun all the time and ive broken 2. ever. i use those pinless pieces of junk and they break every 3rd use or so.