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Tools for a weekend warrior

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  • #878294
    Davin YapDavin Yap
    Participant

      Hey there! It’s been a while since I last posted on this forum. I have a question for all of you weekend warriors out there. What tools do you have in your toolbox? What are the essentials and what are the extras.

      This question might be a little broad, but I’m just curious about what tools any of you have.

      Thanks!
      Dav

    Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
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    • #878851
      Dave TidmanDave Tidman
      Participant

        According to my wife, I have too many tools! As a weekend warrior, here is what is in my box.

        bare necessities (for me):

        1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 sockets and ratchets
        3/8, 1/2 breaker bars
        screwdrivers
        Torx bits or sockets
        Combination wrenches
        Allen sockets or wrenches
        Triple squares (wifemobile is a VW, you are fixing nothing without triple squares)
        Flashlight
        test light
        BFH (Big F*&^#ng Hammer)

        Good to have:

        OBDII scan tool w/live data (getting to be more of a necessity)
        multimeter
        pry bars
        gasket scraper
        feeler gauges
        1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 torque wrenches
        line wrenches
        long combination wrenches

        Dipping into luxury:

        Cordless Impact, impact sockets and lug sockets (1/2″)
        Ratcheting combination wrenches
        Long handle ratchets
        Oscilloscope
        Boroscope
        Infrared Thermometer

        A lot of my basic tools I picked up at garage sales and craigslist, a lot of tool truck brands in there. Others range from craftsman to parts store brands.
        I do have a stash of Harbor Freight stuff I keep in my garage for quickies, I figure if someone breaks in and takes them, no big deal. I keep the good stuff in the basement and haul it out when needed.

        I’m also finding this:
        In my teens, I got the bolt out with a 1/4 socket
        In my 20s, it took a 3/8
        In my 30s, it took a 1/2
        In my 40s, I took a 1/2 with a breaker bar
        In my 50s, I said screw it and got an impact

        #878886
        Sang Kimskim3544
        Participant

          pretty much what dtidman has, but add
          2 – 3 ton floor jack and jack stands of many sizes. I use two to make tire rotation easier.
          Vehicle ramp (sometimes easier to use ramp than jack stands)
          Chain vise grip
          strap vise grip
          adjustable wrench set
          3-4 different styles of engine oil filter wrenches
          engine compression gauge
          tap and die set
          fuel line clamps
          number of magnet pick-ups
          Plumbers Blow torch

          I use Milwaukee M18 cordless system – pricey but gets the job done. I have tons of air tools but they sit inside of the tool box. Only air tool I use is Air Hammer – because they don’t make battery powered air hammer (yet). Then I have two large rolling tool boxes to store all the tools.

          Under luxury,
          I have various special tools for Honda, Volvo, BMW, Mercedes, and diesel. These are the tools that you use only once or twice because they are vehicle specific.
          cylinder dial bore gauge
          inside micrometer
          outside micrometer
          piston ring compressor
          3lb brass hammer (for hitting on metals without damaging)
          Reciprocating saw with metal cutting blade (saved my butt few times working on Honda suspension)
          Cherry picker engine hoist (usually to support engine from top)
          engine stand

          #878925
          Davin YapDavin Yap
          Participant

            I was thinking of getting some tools to do some basic maintenance job on the car since the car’s warranty period is over. Eric provides videos for most of the fluid change in the car. Just need to know what other tools i might want to get besides the tools Eric specified in his videos.

            Thanks for the reply everyone! A floor jack and jackstands will be the first! B)

            #879661
            Gareth RandallGareth Randall
            Participant

              As well as the usual range of sockets and ratchets, I’d highly recommend a decent 1/2″ cordless impact. I have the IR W7150, which is a few years old now but is still a powerful professional-level tool that’s significantly cheaper than when I bought mine! It’s never been beaten by anything, including the biggest axle nuts and suspension fasteners on old rusty Jeeps.

              #879743
              Davin YapDavin Yap
              Participant

                Yup, almost forget the cordless impact. Makes things easier to unbolt stuffs. Thanks for the reply! 🙂

                #881298
                ryleyryley
                Participant

                  depends on what you’re working on, and how much your willing to do. Somehow I am stuck fixing friends trucks, I have everything listed. However I would add a good Ball joint press, good set of snap ring pliers, and a set of striking pry bars. (Don’t cheap out, OTC is good, as for snap ring pliers otc/snap on/bluepoint/Mac/Matco, any striking type pry bars.)

                  A nice add-on is a air compressor and a air hammer or a rivet gun.

                  #882795
                  TheFellaTheFella
                  Participant

                    I probably have too many tools. Lol.

                    A jack and 4 jack stands

                    I have standard sets of 1/4″, 3/8″, and 1/2″ drive ratchets and sockets, both deep well and shallow. This also includes a few adapters and extensions

                    Phillips and flat head screwdrivers of various lengths and bit sizes.

                    7-16, and 19 mm combination wrenches. I also have a set of ratcheting combination wrenches. I love them, but my main complaint is that the ratcheting head is a bit too thick to fit into some applications.

                    A couple of AC service tools. Specifically a manifold gauge set and an oil injector tool.

                    3/8″ and 1/2″ drive 18″ breaker bars

                    A set of assorted impact sockets, both 1/2″ and 3/8″ drive

                    An air impact

                    A window crank removal tool

                    Various Torx head bits, including the “security” bits

                    A tri-wing screwdriver that I use only for opening my Gameboy Color

                    An air angle die grinder

                    A heat gun

                    Snap ring pliers with changeable heads

                    A rubber mallet (when all else fails, hit it with a rubber mallet)

                    Zip ties

                    A UV light

                    A magnetic work light

                    A battery powered 18 V drill. I also use it to quickly remove nuts/bolts after I break them loose with a ratchet.

                    #882801
                    Sam RoodmanSam Roodman
                    Participant

                      It all depends on what you wish to accomplish.

                      my recycle yard bag (usually remaining in my car) and mostly hf, or kobalt or just plain crappy stuff found lost in the yard

                      Dead blow mallet

                      Screwdrivers both Phillips and flats of several different sizes

                      100 piece screw driver tip kit including security bits.

                      Metric line wrenches

                      3/8 sockets in both sae and metric

                      1/4 deep wells in both sae and metric

                      Double ended metric box wrenches

                      15″ 1/2 breaker bar that has a 15″ conduit sheath. (Good for extra leverage)

                      Needle nose pliars

                      Lineman pliars

                      Vise grips of different types

                      Crc freeze off

                      Set of picks

                      Flash light

                      Diagonal cutters

                      Tweezers

                      Spoon (good for scraping quarters out of yucky cars)

                      Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

                      #882807
                      MikeMike
                      Participant

                        An 18″, 24″ or larger pry bar can be a life saver. When you need one, nothing else will do. What I’m thinking of is one of those pry bars that resembles an oversized flathead screwdriver, but really isn’t a screwdriver.

                        Similarly, a set of tapered alignment punches really have no substitute.

                        Don’t ignore tools that come from the realm of woodworking. A selection of “C clamps” can be very useful third hands, and also come in handy for temporary emergency repairs. For instance, if a siezed steel bolt breaks off in an aluminum casting, like an alternator body, you can often re-install the alternator in its mounting brackets by clamping it down tight with a C clamp. These clamps also work well for tightening flakey exhaust system joints where the fasteners have rotted away, like where a downpipe attaches to the exhaust manifold. You can always come back to deal with the fubar fasteners on another day when you have the time.

                        Also, a cheap circular saw is handy when you need to cut 4″X4″ lumber to build some “log cabin” style cribbing to support a raised vehicle, and you don’t have enough jack stands, or the jack stands are way too tall to fit under the vehicle.

                        #882813
                        Sam RoodmanSam Roodman
                        Participant

                          [quote=”Evil-i” post=190183]An 18″, 24″ or larger pry bar can be a life saver. When you need one, nothing else will do. What I’m thinking of is one of those pry bars that resembles an oversized flathead screwdriver, but really isn’t a screwdriver.

                          Similarly, a set of tapered alignment punches really have no substitute.

                          Don’t ignore tools that come from the realm of woodworking. A selection of “C clamps” can be very useful third hands, and also come in handy for temporary emergency repairs. For instance, if a siezed steel bolt breaks off in an aluminum casting, like an alternator body, you can often re-install the alternator in its mounting brackets by clamping it down tight with a C clamp. These clamps also work well for tightening flakey exhaust system joints where the fasteners have rotted away, like where a downpipe attaches to the exhaust manifold. You can always come back to deal with the fubar fasteners on another day when you have the time.

                          Also, a cheap circular saw is handy when you need to cut 4″X4″ lumber to build some “log cabin” style cribbing to support a raised vehicle, and you don’t have enough jack stands, or the jack stands are way too tall to fit under the vehicle.[/quote]Both Tekton and hf have pry bars like that. Comes in a set of 4

                          Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

                          #882819
                          TheFellaTheFella
                          Participant

                            What are lineman pliers?

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