Tool kit
 

What would be a good tool kit for my car? I don't need EVERY single specialty tool, but I want enough to where I can do all the normal DIYer jobs on my car. Any manufacturers recomended? Should I buy one of those sets or piece by piece?

Get the one that came with your car. The factory toolkit has everything that you will need, at least in my car.

Well some might shudder at the thought of this, but sears usually has some craftsman sets with many pieces all of very good quality.

I once had a nice mechanics toolset made by craftsman with like 150 pieces. Mostly ratchets and sockets, but it had combination wrenches in metric and standard.

It was not very expensive, and came in a nice carrying case. I found it had most everything I neeed if not everything I needed.

When I went to college, and left it at home, my family somehow lost almost every tool. I was left witha few sockets.

I'll buy another craftsman set soon enough. They are good for a DIY'er.

If you want to buy some of the more expensive brands, they all make top quality and extremely nice tools. The price might be a bit high for some of the stuff by some peoples standards, but they will last a lifetime.

Craftsman tools have a lifetime warranty. Break one and take it in they will replace it free for life.

Others will mention the other brands I can't think of at all.

Alon

Thanks Alon! So you think a small metric tool set will do? I guess then I can buy a special seperate tool if I need one. Do some people not like craftsman? My dad has a lot of those and they seem to be just fine. It's amazing what kind of money you can save by DIY. and the things you can buy with that money....like a tool set and service manuals. They seem expensive at first, but they will pay for themselves the first time you use them!!

I'm with Alon on this one. Go to Sears and pick up a good Craftsman metric socket, open/box end wrench, allen wrench set etc. They do a pretty good job of offering different size sets based on how much you are going to spend. Make sure you get a set of those metric allen wrenches that have the "ball" shape on one end along with a "Swivel" socket extension and something to turn the 27mm crank socket with (1/2" drive wrench). You want a 1/4" and 3/8" drive socket wrench set. You will eventually want to pick up a high quality torque wrench.

I remember saving money from cutting grass, picking up sticks, cropping tobacco etc.. all summer and getting my dad to take me to Sears where I spent every bit of that $500 on a pretty complete set of tools. That was around 1969 or 70 I guess. I even purchased metric tools back then because I was wrenching on Yamaha and Honda motorcycles. Alot of those original tools are still in my toolbox and used today.

I just replaced the head on my 88 Chevy S10. All with Sears tools. They do just fine. I found that when I needed something special, I just went out and picked it up. And, let me say, when it comes to tools, I NEVER sell them or get rid of them. Buy some peg board from a hardware store (4'x4' at least) and put it up in your garage, shed or basement. Then, hang the unusual tools that don't fit in your tool box on it. You'll be surprised how many times you'll grab tools off those hooks! As far as professional mechanics not using Craftsman tools, I have known many who have accounts with snap-on and other tool companies. These companies have delivery vans that show up at professional garages just full of tools for these mechanics to buy. It's like a bookmobile full of tools. The mechanics have accounts and sometimes pay off the tools over time. This is also convienent for them because they don't have to go to the store and waste valueable time. These tools are very good, but expensive. Besides, these mechanics use these tools EVERY day. I'm sure you'll find craftsman tools to be better than adequite for anything you'll do in your driveway. I sure have.

Well unless Sears have changed their source of craftman tools, they are really made by snap on.

We used craftmen tools, when I was in the Australian Air Force, with never any problems.

It is best to always buy quality tools, many of my tools, will go to me Grandson when I move on, I bet he cannot wear them out either.

Best of luck, but good tools will also build confidence, as you successfully learn and do more and more.

Regards

Col Tigwell Downunder

Yeah, well it looks like I really can't go wrong with Craftsman...I mean they replace anything no questions asked. Good deal if ya ask me. Two concerns about torque wrenches though:

1)What size drive should I get? And will I need a small one, like an inch/pounds? (Don't know what the metric equivilant is... newton/centimeters maybe??)

2) On the Sears site, their torque wrenches (bout 70 bucks) are accuarate within +-4%. Now we all know that torque can be very crucial, probably even more so on our beloved european cars. Is this 4% worth noting? I mean if I were to torque something to 100ft lbs, them it could be 96 or 104...isn't that quite a bit, especially if dealing with a sensitive part? Should I go with a more expensive one?

Thanks guys for all the advice!

I usually buy the most complete crasftman kit I can, which comes with standard and metric sockets. I have a boat with a mercruise engine which is essentially a small block chevy engine. So I need both types.

The last toolkit I had form craftsman was top quality as far as I was concerned, and they worked great.

I'll pick up another sooner or later, but like I said I'll pick up one of those complete sets that has lets say 200 300 400 pieces, and then get the little nick knacks that just arent included.

As for torque wrenches, I say buy the best one you can afford to buy.

Alon

I don't think I want to spend the money on one of those mega tool kits. To give ya an idea of what I found at Sears, a 140 piece metric set costs $200...not too bad. A 259 piece metric set....$600!!!!!!!!! So not even double for 3 times the price. I am confident the 140 will suffice. I'm afraid if I drop 600 on the 259, I'll end up not using a good portion. And then if I absolutely need some other tool, I can just get it individually.

Check them out and see what you think

140:

http://www.sears.com/sr/product/summary/productsummary.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0045466831.1020538967@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccccadcfdgflimhcehgcemgdff mdfim.0&vertical=TOOL&fromAuto=YES&bidsite=&pid=00933941000

259:

http://www.sears.com/sr/product/summary/productsummary.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0045466831.1020538967@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccccadcfdgflimhcehgcemgdff mdfim.0&vertical=TOOL&fromAuto=YES&bidsite=&pid=00933759000

Yeah, get the cheaper one and add to it as you need to. As far as the torque wrench goes, I'm personally not bothered by 4%, but that's me. Alon is probably right, buy the best one you can afford. I doubt you'll need one anytime soon unless you have a job in mind. You won't use it as much as you think.

Well my friend, in regard to a torque wrench, you need to buy it in 1/2" drive, any less then the higher settings will not able to be selected.

If you are on a limited budget, then stay away from the larger kits, lots of bits, but I suspect that you and I, would never use them. Though if you are carefull kits can be a good buy, especially ones that have a range of sockets for example.

Torque wrenches need to be calibrated often, here is Australia, you can take them to a certified shop, who do a good job.

If you can buy one that has both a rod indicator, and makes a click, that is the best kind, because if the area you are working in, is noisey, you cannot here the click when the required torque is obtained.

DO NOT USE A TORQUE WRENCH TO UNDUE ANYTHING, nothing messes up the calibration quicker.

Sometimes you can pick up second hand torque wrenches at a good price, but only buy a good brand, and have it calibrated before putting into service.

Unfortunately most wrenches do not get a lot of work, but you really cannot do a professional, job without one.

best of luck, in all your efforts

Regards

Col Downunder

My set of open-end/box-end metric wrenches are probably the most used items, closely followed by my metric socket set. For most DIY stuff, you're not likely to need anything larger than a 19mm or so. Also a small assortment of screwdrivers, allen wrences and allen-head sockets, needle-nose pliers, a couple of sizes of vise-grips, one of those multi-tool thingys for electrical cutting/stripping/crimping, a few mid-sized deep sockets (for glow plugs/spark plugs/hard to reach stuff/etc.), and a nice hammer to smash things with when all else fails!--Just kidding! ;)

For a DIYer, I don't see any reason to spend tons of money on anything other than Craftsman...They may not be the ABSOLUTE best tools, and you may break one or two someday, but they have a lifetime warranty, so who cares? Go get another one for free. :D

Mike

The beauty of the pre-made kit is the case they come in. You can easily stash it in the trunk in case there are any roadside fixes you need to do (God forbid)

Kyle, you think like me when it comes ot it. Being able to stow it easily because of the well organized case is a great thing. But even better is the fact that everything is organized and easy to find once you open the kit.

I think you should definately go with the metric set that you feel is good. The larger kit is expensive, and it doesn't seem like you get that much more.

I would opt for the 140 piece. you probably wont need much more.

I like to have all the sockets for each size rathcet, including all the sockets in deep socket form. sometimes a deep socket is what you need.

I have broken manya cheap toolkit, but when you spend $20 and get a 100 piece kit, in apinch it can do just fine. In fact I used one of those today to fix the range rover. It worked, but ratchet action is sucky. I only by these kits to keep one in the car for emergencies.

I have two kits. one is really cheap. the other is a powerbuilt. the ratchets appear to be good quality, and the sockets as well. it has a lot of 12 point sockets too.

But like I said. ultimately I'll get a nice craftsman set, and the other sets will be relegated as household sets for just in case...

Alon

Hit post new topic intead of reply
 

mbtjc,
I hit the wrong button in replying to you question. Look at my post Stanely tool sets.

I have never bought anything but the best in anything I can afford to do. As a result I have never used many craftsman tools except when I used my dad's growing up.

There is a lot to be said for the kit idea, but the best kits are more expensive than the sum of their components. Aquiring a set to carry on the road is a different condition. If I were gathering tools to facilitate real DIY / suspension, brakes, service/maintenance, electrical, diagnostic operations, I would first pick a tool storage system (box, cabinet, etc) that would accomodate twice my anticipated needs. I would then start with socket sets in 1/4 and 3/8s and two good ratchets. I would buy SK sockets from any of the tool warehouses online (I imagine they are cheaper than Craftsman but CM will be fine for sockets if the price is right). I might get nicer ratchets used or online.

Buying assortments of sockets and/or wrenchs gives the best overall price but as one gets to larger sizes a lot can be spent on sizes that are never needed such as18, 20 and 21mm (these are used on a lot of domestics and asian cars). To do much suspension work one will need 22 and 24mm all over the place. My suggestion would be to buy the smaller sets (up to 19 usually) and buy the larger sizes individually where ever you find them (a good place to look is at used tool in flea markets [STAY away from the new tools there!!!]).

From this point one should get individual tools or groups as they can be found or afforded. The online tool stores have many good lines of tools - SK, Visegrip, Channelock etc. I will find the appropriate brand for good long service and quality of use and then find the place to buy it right; sometimes used - I'm sure one could stock a box with Snap-On tools at Craftsman prices on ebay every day.

For many MBs a good spark plug tool and one to pull the boots can be real handy. If you buy a big general assortment these are the things that will suffer. A Hazet or Snap-On magnetic in the proper size is a good choice. Hazet and Stallwille (sp?) make some good pliers for pulling the leads undamaged.

Radio Shack makes good cheap durable DVOMs but my last Fluke 87 (about a $350 meter) was about brand new at 120 off ebay.

Buy as you have need and ask questions to make good choices; assemble that box all your life.

Tool Quality/Value!
 

Most name branded tools are pretty good overall, Craftsmen are probably on the higher end of the average brands, and the return policy is attractive. Snap-On, MAC, S-K, and Armstrong are good professional tools.

Hazet, Gedore, Stahlwille are very good professional quality tools that are worth every dime they cost, which is a lot.

So for me personally it's a matter of whether or not to invest more money in a higher quality tool that will perform better and longer or less on a tool that will work good enough to get the job done.

I generally will spend the most on the tools that I will use the most. A Hazet ratchet that works as smooth as butter and has little or no play between its' moving parts is truly a pleasure to own and use and when your in the middle of a tough job its darn nice not to have the added aggravation of a "good enough" tool. So I pay the double or triple price for a tool like a ratchet that I will be using thousands of times over the years to come. An there is nothing better than a 5 degree swing when your bent over, upside down, turning a fastener that you can't see, and barely feel, in a tight space!

The second place that I am willing to spend the extra $$ is on the tool that makes actual contact with the fastener. This is, in the long run, probably the best place to spend your hard earned first. You can most likely make do with a standard ratchet to turn a high quality tool but a high quality ratchet turning a standard tool isn't nearly as effective. As you decide which tools to buy an interesting thing to is to take a vernier caliper with you to the store (Sears for instance) and when you decide to buy a socket or the like, take a measurement of the tool and measure a couple of the same ones, you might be surprised to see just how much the inside measurement of any given five 17 MM sockets vary, my experience is the .5 MM +- is not unusual! Some people will opine that this condition is desirable given the variation in fasteners in the world, but my experience with at least with MB that their fasteners like most other aspects of these machines are subject to higher tolerances than most. Some will say so what! but I will offer that when your trying to remove say the water pump or your motor mounts and the use of a low tolerance standard tool leads to a damaged or destroyed fastener and all the time, energy and money that will then be expended to make things right, the price difference between a Sears 10 MM Allen head socket at $3 and Hazet tool that costs $6 is in my opinion a very wise investment. The fit and finish of these high end tools is immediately apparent to a discerning tool aficionado.

Another thing to consider is whether the replacement of a fail or broken tool is enough. Earlier in my life I ran a sport fishing boat for a wealthy family from Palm Beach. Each spring/summer we spent three months of a fishing diving safari in some of the more remote and pristine areas of the Caribbean. We carried almost every spare part that could possibly be replaced on board and a complete outfit of Armstrong tools that never failed. Many of the repair and maintenance tasks that took place would have been impossible if a Craftsman replacement guaranteed tool had failed then and there! 500 miles from Sears is a mighty long way and time when your blower is lunched or you genset is down you and your 1/2" ratchet has a broken pawl and teeth ripped off it's gear or your only 11/16 socket has rounded out! Ditto that water pump/motor mount/brake job that was to have taken the only two hours that you had available on Sunday from 1-3 PM (Sears is an hour away, but closed!)so you could drive to work through rush hour traffic without over heating/not stopping to work early Monday morning.

Someday and sometimes it might be worth it to have a functioning tool rather than an unlimited supply of replacement tools!

Last but not least, with tools, just like your MB itself there is more value than the sum of the parts. The pride in ownership of a piece or collection of finely engineered and finished "tool art", the security in knowing that your ability to complete the task is limited by your capabilities not those of your tools, and the understanding that when than time comes for you to pass over to the big boneyard in the sky you might have passed on all this appreciation to a son or daughter who might very well be wrenching their own 85 year old 3,000,000 mile 1985 300CD with their son/daughter in 2050 using Grandpa's 14 MM Allen head socket to change out the differential fluid it will be a couple of more dollars, well spent!

What is the sense of investing in disposable tools if you don’t invest in disposable cars! Invest in the best you can afford for the long run! Just think of how much satisfaction you’d have using the same 13 MM wrench to open your oil filter housing for the 333rd oil change at a million miles and the your wrench fits as perfectly then as it did way back when, the first time you performed this most sacred of rituals! It is such simple things in life that can be so good!

By the way I have plenty of Craftsmen tools I usually pick them up in used tool stores quite cheap knowing I can eventually swap them for new! Just picked up a Craftsman 24” X ½” drive breaker bar for $4 that will make turning the engine over by the crank much easier! Just some things to consider. Good Luck and Good Wrenching!
:D

Good points BillyBob
 

I will say too that I have some SK and Snap-On tools. Keep in mind that Sears is the closest store to some of us - next to WalMart that is. I purchase my oil from WalMart.

Those are great points to consider.

For the average DIY'er Most craftsman tools will suffice.

I prefer to get 12 point sockets, I feel they grip the best, and chances of rounding out a bolt or nut are less.

Alon

I looked at some Stahlwille on the web...nice tools!!! You can get socket sets, you can get allen head sockets, everything. They even have a specialty oil change tool for Mercedes, and other specialty tools. These folks definitely cater to the german car crowd...all they sell is metric. Will I need anything other than sockets and allens for my car? Also, will I need a small torque wrench for low torque specs? I'd hate to spend $200 on a Craftsman 140 piece set and then only use a fourth of it, if I can buy a less amount from Stahlwille, pay the same or even a little more, but use all of it and know I am getting damn good tools.