in need of advice once more...
#23
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For a "basic" set, here's my advice...
Go to Sears and buy Craftsman. Pick out one of their "Mechanic's Tool Set" packages in the 2 to 3 hundred dollar range. You want 3 fairly complete socket sets. 1/4" drive, 3/8" drive, and 1/2" drive. Good selection of sockets in both standard and metric, both regular and deep. Also, a good selection of wrenches. Again, both standard and metric. And a nice selection of Allen wrenches. (you guessed it, both standard and metric)
Yes, 2 to 3 hundred sounds expensive to most people for a basic set of tools. But look at what repairs cost at the shop. It'll likely pay for itself on your first project.
That's pretty much what the "basic" set I bought a while back included. Paid around $225 on sale. Throw in a good set of screwdrivers, a nice assortment of various sizes and styles of pliers, and maybe a set of pry bars, and you should be in fairly decent shape for 90% of the work that a shadetree mechanic is going to be doing.
It's probably worth having a GOOD floor jack and a heavy set of jack stands. And a creeper. (Never, ever, ever crawl underneath a vehicle that's being held up by the tire changing jack that came with it. Never.)
From there, you just add one tool here and another tool there as the specific job requires it.
(first things you'll be adding to your collection will likely be torque wrenches)
You can go with cheaper tools, but you'll regret it. Crafstman have a lifetime warranty, are very reasonably priced for the quality, and the only way you're going to buy better tools is to make friends with a mechanic who will buy stuff for you off the Snap-On truck (and then you're talking serious money).
If you really start doing a lot of your own work, it's well worth looking at a compressor and some air tools. Impact wrench and air ratchet to start with. And, of course, the corresponding sockets. Don't use normal "hand" sockets on air tools, especially impact wrenches.
Also, I've done every kind of brake work there is with just standard hand tools, but if you're going to do much work on drum brakes, a small set of actual "brake tools" will make things much more pleasant. Disc brakes don't really require anything special, other than maybe a large C-clamp.
Go to Sears and buy Craftsman. Pick out one of their "Mechanic's Tool Set" packages in the 2 to 3 hundred dollar range. You want 3 fairly complete socket sets. 1/4" drive, 3/8" drive, and 1/2" drive. Good selection of sockets in both standard and metric, both regular and deep. Also, a good selection of wrenches. Again, both standard and metric. And a nice selection of Allen wrenches. (you guessed it, both standard and metric)
Yes, 2 to 3 hundred sounds expensive to most people for a basic set of tools. But look at what repairs cost at the shop. It'll likely pay for itself on your first project.
That's pretty much what the "basic" set I bought a while back included. Paid around $225 on sale. Throw in a good set of screwdrivers, a nice assortment of various sizes and styles of pliers, and maybe a set of pry bars, and you should be in fairly decent shape for 90% of the work that a shadetree mechanic is going to be doing.
It's probably worth having a GOOD floor jack and a heavy set of jack stands. And a creeper. (Never, ever, ever crawl underneath a vehicle that's being held up by the tire changing jack that came with it. Never.)
From there, you just add one tool here and another tool there as the specific job requires it.
(first things you'll be adding to your collection will likely be torque wrenches)
You can go with cheaper tools, but you'll regret it. Crafstman have a lifetime warranty, are very reasonably priced for the quality, and the only way you're going to buy better tools is to make friends with a mechanic who will buy stuff for you off the Snap-On truck (and then you're talking serious money).
If you really start doing a lot of your own work, it's well worth looking at a compressor and some air tools. Impact wrench and air ratchet to start with. And, of course, the corresponding sockets. Don't use normal "hand" sockets on air tools, especially impact wrenches.
Also, I've done every kind of brake work there is with just standard hand tools, but if you're going to do much work on drum brakes, a small set of actual "brake tools" will make things much more pleasant. Disc brakes don't really require anything special, other than maybe a large C-clamp.
Last edited by coreybv; 02-28-2011 at 03:57 AM.
#24
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+ 2 on Craftsman......a little high on initial cost but the lifetime warranty pays for itself....if you break them. Get a good all around set, and go from there. Add as necessary.....soon you will be a posting master on this thread.
Heres another tidbit......Craftsman tools......work on other vehicles besides Durangos......if there is such a thing....LOL!!!!!
Heres another tidbit......Craftsman tools......work on other vehicles besides Durangos......if there is such a thing....LOL!!!!!
#25
#27
#30