Tools

[noctorum]

I wasn't sure where to put this, so...

I'm going to do all of my own work on the car. Everything from minor boltons to an engine rebuild. Does anyone have a list of tools I would need to do this? Even better, know of any kits that include all of them?

Ty

[Schister66]

8-22mm sockets and wrences and the standard equivilents. I would get those sizes in shallow and deep in the 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 drive sockets. Go to Sears and they'll have kits for that.

[curtis73]

Yup, I agree, but I'd go further since sometimes the little dashboard screws have 4mm or 1/4" heads.

My dad bought me a complete Craftsman kit when I was 14 that included sockets, ratchets, screwdrivers, the works. Over the years I've accumulated enough to fill three rolling tool cabinets and still have stuff hanging on screws

My father-in-law bought me an excellent set of Crescent brand tools. Its a hard plastic case that folds in half and has darn near everything. All the metric and SAE sockets for 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2" drives, the ratchets, screwdrivers and a nut driver with about 40 inserts for any screw or small nut, needle nose pliers, wire cutters, extensions, adaptors, deep well sockets, allen wrenches, and metric and SAE combo end wrenches. Its a very comprehensive kit. Perfect for the junkyard

Aside from the specific specialty tools, that kit has almost everything you'd need, and names like Kobalt, Craftsman, Crescent, and Husky are good names. If you really get into it, you'll notice that certain tools aren't ideal for certain jobs, but its all about preference.

[Schister66]

Oh i don't think that either of us mentioned HEX head tools or Alan wrenches. I would recommend a set of those too.

[Moppie]

Flat and Phillips head screw driver.
Large Cresant
Small Cresant
Vice Grips.


4 tools that will let you fix anything


Actualy if you don't know what tools you will need then rebuilding an engine may be a little beyond your skill levels.
Buying lots of expensive tools won't help, it will just be a pile of expensive tools that you don't know how to use.

Start small and simple.
A set of quality Screw drivers, with a variety of sizes.
A 1/2 or 3/8 drive socket set, with metric and imperial sockets, breaker bar, large and small spark plug set, and a variety of extensions.
A 1/4 drive socket set, with a variety of small sockets in metric and imperial
Set of wrenchs/spanners in imperial and metric sizes.
Some poly grips, side cutters and neddle nose pliers.
A mallet, with rubber and copper ends.

Thats a pretty basic set of tools, that will let you do most work on your car.
It will certianly let you completly disassemble and engine. Doing basic bolt on work will be easy.

Don't go over bourd on what you get in terms of cost, while its nice to have proffesional grade Snap On tools, unless your a pro, you don't need them.
I have a set of Fuller sockets and 1/2 inch ratchet that cost me US$50, a fraction of the cost of a Snap On or equivilant set.
They have spent two seasons building and serviceing a rally car, have built two engines for me, one gear box, twice, removed and installed several differntials, gearboxs and who know what else. They still function just like new, and are not showing any signs of wear.
But, don't buy the cheapest set you can find, a cheap socket drive will not last an engine rebuild, and cheap sockets with poor tolerances are a good way to round off nuts and bolts.
And don't however go cheap on screw drivers.
Cheap ones have soft heads, that rapidly deform and strip out screw and bolt heads. You also need a good sized grip to get a proper hold of them.

Anything else, like a torque wrench, spring compressors etc etc you can pick up as you need them. Good ones are expensive, and are often best rented if your only going to use them once.
Also things like Multi hex sockets etc you will never need a full set of, its far easier and cheaper to just buy the size you need, if you ever need it.


Of course if your a proffesional mechanic, and your useing your tools all day, 5 days a week, then you need top of the range stuff, and wide selection of tools that the average back yard fiddler will never use.

[MagicRat]

Good advice from everyone. I agree, go for a reasonably brand name decent kit or set.
Any good brand has a lifetime guarentee against braeakage. Personally, I have had excellent luck with Sears Craftsman, but there are lots of other good brands too, (Home Depot (Husky)).

[Andrewh]

May not happen anymore, but my first set of tools came out of a pawn shop. Full set of craftsman, like the 500 pc set for 100 bucks. Happen to be living in a small town, and they had 3 full tool boxes sitting there. The other two were filled with tawian junk. The guy behind the counter told me 100 bucks for any of those 3 tool boxes. Got lucky, maybe you can too.

[CBFryman]

i wish i had snap on tools.... but instead i have come crap i picked up from walmart.... :'(

[public]

Originally Posted by CBFryman

i wish i had snap on tools.... but instead i have come crap i picked up from walmart.... :'(

Walmart? wtf ? Well they used to sell some Stanley sets that were not toooooo bad.


I might add a magnetic pick up tool. Very usefull for newbees who will drop things more often. Oh well, get any of the above mentioned brands and enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done. Good Luck.

[CBFryman]

mine is some off the wall stuff...the cheapest decently sized set they had. but they hold up. but the bits rust and the magnetsi n the screwdrivers can barely hold a 1" drywall type screw....
as for power tools i have black and decker and craftsman. and air tools i have craftsman (i think) but hand tools, crap...

[public]

I was just joking around with the "wtf?" comment. I seem to recall that walmart used to sell Popular Mechanics brand tools that were okay for pliers and such.