©By: John T. Blair (WA4OHZ)
1133 Chatmoss Dr., Va. Beach, Va. 23464; (757) 495-8229
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Originally written: circa 1989 Updated: Jan 31, 2006 Updates: : June 1, 2009 - added pictures of the various tools and changed some of the wording. Last update: Feb. 17, 2022 - corrections and additions to text and formatting.
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So, you need some tools and are wondering what to buy. The answer depends on what you
plan on doing with the tools. If you are just looking for some tools for small odd
jobs around the house, or some very occasional work on the car, you can get by with
a very small collection of tools. Most people who work around the house have some
sort of small tool collection (usually stored in a shoe box or a kitchen drawer)
consisting of a couple of screwdrivers, an adjustable wrench, a pair of pliers and a
hammer.
In recent years many companies have come out with some very nice sets of tools in plastic cases for between $40 and $100. These are great for occasional use and small jobs. In fact, I have a small set in my daily drivers (Voyager, and 95 Taurus).
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My 1st Tool box |
If you plan on doing some maintenance on your car like working on the brakes, tune ups, changing the oil, or restoring a car takes a little more than one of the generic tool sets. But you'd be surprised what you can do with a good set of hand tools. You will likely need a lot of big ticket items. If you don't already have a good tool collection - start building your collection now, it's never too early and there's never a gift giving occasion where a tool isn't appropriate.
You don't have to go out and drop several thousands of dollars to get started. With this in mind, I thought I'd discuss getting a tool collection together, for those people that are just coming into the automobile hobby or are finally deciding to try to do some of the work on their cars themselves. |
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Over the years I've managed to accumulate a fairly well stocked tool box. Working on old British, modern Japanese, and medium aged domestic cars has necessitated some of this. Each of these vehicles uses different types of nuts and bolts. The older British use Whitworth, the Japanese and modern European use metric, and the domestic use standard and metric. As a young buck of 18, I started with a small tool box (a Craftsman box with a lift out tray) and as I grew older, my requirements for a tool box grew. Today I have over 5 tool boxes, of varing sizes, and about a dozen tool bags, all filled with various tools.
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Instead of sending your car out to have it worked on, you can save a lot of money by doing a lot of the work yourself and purchase the tools as the jobs require them. (The same can be said for doing many jobs around the house from simple plumb and electrical, to major remodeling.) It just takes time, knowledge, and a little skill. Fortunately the skills can be acquired easily, it's not like learning to play an instrument.
You say you don't know how to repair a car. OK, you can gain this knowledge. Initially, the amount of information required to understand all the parts that make up a car is overwhelming for a new comer.
|  Tool Box from my 1/2" drive socket set - now houses my Body working tools tool |
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So where do you start? That depends on how much you want to learn, how you learn best, and how much time you have. A good way, is to look at shop classes if you're still in high school, or by taking classes at a community college. If you can't take classes, you learn gradually by finding technical articles on the internet, published in club newsletters, or by talking with people who do their own work or have a car like yours, and getting them to mentor you.
To help you learn, start by learning the systems, ie. basic electricity, the starting system,
the ignition system, the charging system, the braking system,
replacing drum brake shoes, the
cooling system, etc. (Most of these articles are geared to older cars before '80 or pre computer). Once you learn the various systems, you can learn more about each of the parts that makes up that system. You will find that once broken down, it is fairly simple. The older cars (pre 1980) are easier to work on then the new ones due to all the electronics
and computers in the newer cars.
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Just like acquiring the knowledge, you can build your tool collection gradually. Tools make great presents! If you need the tool for a particular job, buy it, and consider it part of the cost of the repair. The first time you do something it may cost about the same as having a shop do the job because you had to buy some tools. But from then on, you'll have the tool, and next time you use the tool, it will be making you money! There is an old adage "You get what you pay for". This is especially true with tools. As a rule it doesn't pay to buy cheap tools, however, you don't have to spend an arm and a leg for professional tools either (unless you happen to be a professional mechanic). A lot of my hand tools are Craftsman. Craftsman tools are moderately expensive, but the quality is pretty good, Sears was convenient, the lifetime guarantee is great and I have a Sears charge card!. I broke 3 pairs of diagonal cutters restoring my 65 Morgan, and they replaced them free. One of the nicest parts about Sears is they don't require you to produce the receipt. (Of course I have the receipt for the 1/2" socket set I got when I was 21 - some 50+ years ago.) Many of the local auto parts stores will require a receipt if you try to bring back a tool that has a lifetime warranty. Besides Craftsman, some other good manufacturers of tools are: Husky, Kobalt and Stanley. You'll need to weigh the cost of the tool with how much you expect to use it, and if it's a tool you think you can really use. There are many time I'll buy a cheap tool for a specific job not knowing how useful it will really be. One perfect example of this is my $25 Harbor Freight Oscillating saw. Turns out I've used a bunch over the last 10+ years. While remodeling my house reciently it died on me, so I went out and bought another one, this time it was on sale for $19 and I've beat that thing to death. Another is my harbor freight reciprocating saw. I couldn't see spending $150 on one and didn't know how much I was going to use it. But I have used it quite a bit! Money well spent. Not the best tool around, but it has gotten many of the jobs done!
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To get started, the first thing you will NEED, is a tool box! This is the one thing I hate to spend money on. They can get quite expensive and it seems to be such a waste to spend all that money ($600 to $1,000 is not unusual) on just a box to put your tools in! If you really plan on playing with and or restoring a car, you will eventually end up with a something like a roll around tool box with a upper and lower box. The upper tool box should have at least 4 drawers (preferably more) and a roll around lower cabinet with at least 2 drawers. Sears has a good selection and occassionly CostCo has had a GREAT deal on a very large roll around tool box for about $700. Harbor Freight has started a nice line of tool boxes. You can start
with one of the smaller ones. My first tool box cost me $35 from Sears about 55+ years ago and I still have and use it. Here again, start with something small, or inexpensive, and work your way up.
I purchased a roll around (bottom) cabnet from Harbor Freight. They run about $600 while the Snap On's are about $4,000. There are a lot of differences between an inexpensive and expensive tool boxes. Things to look for are ball bearing slides that the drawers slide out on. The ball bearing slides make it a lot easier to open the drawers when heavly loaded with tools. Another thing to look at is how the drawers lock closed. Some, like my 14 top box, will lock the drawers when the top is closed. Others, like my roll around unit, won't lock the drawers until the key lock is locked. One of my cheap boxes has a metal bar you insert before you close the lid to lock the drawers in place.
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 Roll around Cabinet sold by Harbor Freight |
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Filling the drawers ends up being very easy. Tool boxes are like computer memory and disk space,
there is never enough room. That's why I have over 5 tool boxes and 12 tool bags.
The first tool I bought, back in 1966, was a 3/8" drive socket set. I still have it and all the pieces. It cost $20, which took me almost a month to save, as I was working a part time job, 20 hr a week, and only making about $1.10 per hour. This is probably the most used tool I own, followed closely by my wrenches. It's a toss up as to which to buy first - a socket set or a set of wrenches. For those newcomers who don't know what the 3/8" drive means, it the size of the square shaft that will fit into the socket.) Socket sets come in various "sizes" 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 3/4" and 1" drive. The bigger the drive, the larger/longer the handles of the ratchets and flex handles, consequently the more torque you can apply. The reason I prefer the 3/8" drive socket set, is I don't get enough torque to break bolts when trying to tighten or loosen them. If I can't unscrew a nut and bolt with the 3/8" drive, then I get the 1/2" drive tools or the air impact tools.
Socket Sets
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1. A ratchet - a handle that attaches to the sockets and allows you to turn
the socket some, then back up and turn some more. These are very useful in tight
spaces where you cannot turn the handle a complete turn (360 degrees). The new
ratchets have a button on the top of the ratchet head that releases the hold on
the socket. This is fantastic when you hands are oily or greasy. With my old 3/8"
drive ratchet (purchased back in about 1968), I have to use a screwdriver to pry a
socket of the ratchet when my hands are slippery.
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 1/2, 3/8, 1/4" Ratchets |
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 3in. 3/8 drive extensions |
2. A couple of extensions - these are just bars that fit between the sockets
and the ratchet and come in many different lengths and drive sizes. These allow you
to move the ratchet further away from the nut or bolt so you have room to work.
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3. There may be a universal joint - this attaches between the socket and
extension bar and gives the extension some flexibility. This allows you to get at
the nut or bolt at an angle and not just straight on. They come for all drive sizes.
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 1/2 drive universal joint |
 1/2" drive flex handle or Breaker/Tommy Bar |
4. A flex handle, breaker bar or tommy bar - a handle longer than the ratchet
gives more leverage, but it will not allow you to back up unless you remove and rotate the socket.
These are used when you need more torque to undo a nut or bolt. (The principle here is - the
longer a lever is the less effort you have to exert to move something.)
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I suggest the first socket set you purchase be the 3/8" drive (either standard, metric or both depending on the cars you play with). I find myself using this set more than the others for 2 reasons: first the 3/8" drive tools fit in many places the 1/2" drive socket will not fit; because the walls of the sockets are thinner, and the sockets, ratchets, and tommy bars are not as big as the 1/2" drive. Secondly, the ratchet and tommy bars are shorter than those for a 1/2" drive set, consequently you develop less torque and are less likely to break or strip a nut or bolt.
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 12 point vs 6 point Sockets |
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 Deep vs Regular Sockets |
In addition to the drive size, sockets come in "regular" - 12 point and
6 point. The impact sockets are 6 point so they have a better grip of the bolt or
nut, and consequently you can apply more torque to the nut or bolt without rounding
off the corners.
Sockets also come in different lengths, "shallow" and "deep". Again I would suggest that your start with a 3/8" drive socket set first, then a 1/4" drive, and finally a 1/2" drive set. Sears (and other vendors) sell a "big" set (in the folding case) that includes 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" sockets and accessories. |
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Once you purchase a "socket set" you can then purchase additional sockets (deep dish, impact, Metric, etc) as needed. This is why I know have about 10 sets of sockets, 1/4" regular length SAE, regular length Metric, deep dish, a 3/8" regular length SAE and Metric, a 1/2" regular and Metric, 1/2" regular SAE and Metric impact, and 1/2" deep dish SAE and Metric. Boy sure is a lot of sockets! (See Note 1 at the end of the article.)
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Wrenches As with the socket sets, you will need several sets of wrenches, and they come in SAE and Metric. (See Note 1 at the end of the article.) There are 3 basic types of wrenches:
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open end wrenches - both ends of the wrench are open, like a U. You can use these wrenches to try and break a nut or bolt loose. But if the nut or bolt doesn't loosen, you'll need a different wrench. Once the nut/bolt has been broken loose, you use an open end wrench as it is easier to get on and off the nut as you need to reposition the wrench in tight places. Each end of an open end wrench is a different size, like 7/16" & 1/2" on one wrench
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 Open end wrench |
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For undoing old, rusted nuts and bolts, you want to grip the entire head of the nut and bolt to prevent rounding the corners off of either the nut or bolt. Therefore, you should use either a box end, the box end of a combo wrench, or a socket. Along with the you might want to use a breaker bar for more leverage/torque. This makes it easier to break the nut or bolt loose.
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 Box end wrench |
box end wrenches - both ends of the wrench are closed and grab the entire head of
the nut or bolt. Like the open end wrenches, both ends of these wrenches are different sizes.
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combination wrenches - one end of the wrench is open and the other end is a box end.
These are a great 1st set of wrenches as you get both a box end and an open end wrench in
one wrench. Unlike open and box end wrenches both ends of the wrench are the same size,
say 1/2".
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 Combination wrench |
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 RatchetingCombination Wrench |
There is a fairly new ratcheting box end wrench. This has the benifit of a box end wrench in that it grips the entire nut or bolt, and the advantages of a socket and ratchet in that you don't have to take the wrench off the nut or bolt to reposition it. There are two types, one like is shown where you can flip a lever to control weither it locks for tigtening or loosening, or others that you simply turn the wrench over to tighten then turn it over to loosen a nut or bolt. |
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You will need several sets of wrenches, at least one of each - open end, box end, and combination. Then duplicate that in Metric. Why so many different sets of wrenches? For starters, many times you'll need 2 wrenches, one to hold the bolt and one for the nut. Most ordinary people (but not us "car" people) use an adjustable wrench for undoing just about everything. But for your first set of wrenches you should probably start with a set of comination wrenches. The best of both worlds. |
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Screwdrivers
The next most used item will be your screwdrivers. A set will consist of
different size screwdrivers and different types.
A good set of screwdrivers can usually be had for between $20 and $40. There are 4
basic types. The flat blade screwdriver for the usual slotted screws. A
Phillips head and Reed & Prince head for screws with the X slots in
them. And the Torx tip. This looks like a star, a round hole with five finger
point out.
When you get a new flat blade screwdriver, look at the blade. You will notice that the end of the blade is nice and flat, a uniform width, and the corners are sharp. As you use the screwdriver, the blade will suffer, the corners will be come rounded, the end of the blade will get thinner or even chipped. These changes cause the screwdriver not to hold in a screw's slot. You can fix this by lightly grinding the blade, to flatten the end, and square up the corners.
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 Screw Driver Set |
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Also look at the Phillips and Reed & Prince tips. You will notice that the flutes,
4 sides are nice and straight. As the screwdriver slips in screws, it will gouge out
a section of the sides and you will notice an imaginary ring around the point. When
this happens the screwdriver is done for. It will continue to slip out of screws. You can try to gently grind the 4 sides flat, and you will probably have to take a little off the very tip. But you need to be thinking about getting a new screwdriver.
Screwdrivers come with two types of shafts, smooth round shafts, or square shafts. I prefer the square shafts because when trying to free a really tight screw, a wrench can be attached to the square shaft to give you more torque or leverage.
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 Hand impact tool set |
There is also a manual (hand) impact screwdriver. This is used to loosen
very tight screws, nuts or bolts by hitting the top of the impact handle with a hammer.
The shock from the hammer blow and the twisting motion help undo the screw, nut or
bolt.
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 Adjustable Wrench |
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 Pliers - (L/R) Linemans, dikes, needle nose, slip joing, channel locks |
In the general category of pliers, there are several different types: slip joint pliers, Tongue and Groove (commonly referred to as channel lock) pliers, long or needle nose and diagonal cutters (usually called dikes - for short). These can be purchased individually or in sets. The sets will include several different types and/or sizes. It should be obvious that the smaller the pliers, the smaller the job they were meant to work on. The slip joint and tongue and grove pliers are usually used for clamping, or holding a nut, bolt, or shaft/pipe. I usually use them to compress the spring clip type hose clamps or for holding a piece of metal while trying to drill a hole into it. (Note: a pair of Vise grips would be better suited for holding a piece of metal while drilling.) While not the most used tool, they come in very handy. The dikes are for cutting wire. A must for working on cars. The larger the dikes, the larger the wire it can cut. Don't try to cut a large diameter wire with a small set of dikes. The smaller dikes are for 18 gauge and higher - more electronics than electrical work. |
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Long or needle nose pliers are used when you need to hold something but can't get to it with anything else, or for trying to get into the little crevice to get the nut or bolt you just dropped. The lineman's pliers are for doing electrical work, more house hold wiring than automotive.
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The last type of pliers is in a class all by itself, the locking pliers or Vise Grips are a must. They have a hundred uses from holding something in place, undoing a nut or bolt after the head has been rounded, to helping keep a flare wrench from opening and slipping on a bolt. These also come in various sizes and styles (flat jawed, curved jaw, etc.) including long nose and many specialty uses for body
work, and welding.
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 Locking Pliers or Vise Grips |
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 Scratch Awl |
We have not been through the basic tools, and we'll move on to a few more general tools to help fill that tool box. An awl - a sharp metal rod with a handle. These are used to scratch metal to mark where something was positioned or to lay out a pattern on a piece of metal for cutting. They also work well for trying to poke a hole in something like a gasket, or carpet, and are very useful when trying to align
several pieces to put a bolt into. (Note: for aligning holes you can also use a Phillips head screwdriver or a punch.)
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A center punch - is a short, sharp metal rod used to make a dimple in a piece of metal, wood, or pvc to hold a drill bit in place when starting to drill a hole in a piece of metal or wood. Center punches come in manual - you hit the with a hammer, or automatic - you simply push on them, they have an internal hammer.)
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 Automatic Center Punch |
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 Inspection Mirror |
There are many tools that don't really fit into a specific type of tool catagory, like wrenches, etc. but are definitely worth having. An Inspection mirror is a mirror on a stick. They are used for seeing in tight places or behind things. They come in different shapes (square or round) and different sizes.
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An Allen wrench set (SAE and Metric) is a must have. So many fasteners have Allen heads that you can't escape having a set or two of these, I've got at least 4 sets each of SAE and metric. An Allen head screw is one that has a hexagon pattern inside the bolt instead of on the outside.
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 Allen Wrenchs |
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 Snap Ring (C clip) pliers |
Then there is the Snap Ring or C clip pliers. These are used for releasing
the round clips that resemble a "C" and have little holes at the two open ends of
the "C".
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 Typical Snap Ring |
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 Punch Set |
A drift or Punch set will find lots of uses. The drifts are used to push out
pins, usually holding a pulley to a shaft or 2 have of a door hinge together. Also when
you're trying to align bolt holes in a fixed piece and moveable piece. You can slide a
drift into the holes and wiggle drift to help get the holes aligned.
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If you plan on changing your own oil, you'll need an Oil Filter wrench. There are several
different types. From a strap type wrench that goes around the filter to something that looks
like channel locks. I tried several different types and prefer the one that looks sort of like a
pair of channel locks.
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 Oil Filter Wrench
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 Plug Gapper Gauge |
For setting the gap on a spark plug you'll need a plug gapping gauge. Some of the newer type plugs come pre-gapped. But the older style plugs require that you bend the "L" piece at the bottom end to adjust the cap (between the inner electrode and the "L"). Again these come in different types. The best type has wire loops that slides into the gap. You pick the correct size and try to insert it. If the gap is too tight, you open the gap by bending the "L". If it's too loose, you close the gap just a little.
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For the inevitable times you drop a nut, bolt or tool down into some place you can't fit your hand
or if your arm's aren't long enough there is a magnetic pick tool. It is nothing more that a
magnet on a telescoping stick. But they are worth their weight in gold!
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 Magnetic Pick Tool |
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 Wire Stripper/Crimper |
If you plan on doing any work on electrical systems, you will need a multi-meter (discussed in the 2nd part of this article). This can be used to test for continuity between two points in a wire, testing fuses and light bulbs, and measuring voltages and currents. If you have to add a new piece of wire or repair an existing piece, you will need dikes (mentioned previously), wire strippers and a soldering pencil. If you have to put a connector onto a piece of wire, you can use the crimp end pieces. But I strongly suggest that you also solder the connector to the wire after it is crimped. Be sure to use Rosin core solder. Do not use acid or sold core solder. | ||
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There are several types of wire strippers, many people just use their dikes to strip the insulation from the wires. Then there's the type shown, the stripper/crimper, and there's a "automatic" stripper. You just set the wire in the stripper and pull the handles togther and it cuts the insulation and pulls it off. These are really slick but more expensive than the stripper/crimper ones. |
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One last "off the wall tool". A 4" to 6" C clamp or a caliper retractor tool. This is used when you replace the disk pads on disk brakes. You have to retract or push the caliper piston back into the caliper. Not to mention clamping something to a drill press or workbench.
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 C clamp |
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 Claw Hammer |
Hammers come in all shapes and sizes for different work. Most people are
familiar with the Claw hammer or carpenter's hammer. It has a round head
on one side, for hitting nails, and two claws on the other end, for pulling nails. This
is basically used in carpentry. However, for automotive work you'll want a ball peen
hammer - it has a round head on one side for hitting things, and 1/2 a ball on the
other. This is used to peen (bend) over threads on a bolt to keep their nuts from coming off.
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 Ball Peen Hammer |
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They are also used to make gaskets. Placing the gasket material on the part, you can gently hit the gasket material at the edge of the item to cut the gasket material. You can also press the ball end into the gasket material at a hole to cut a hole out. I use a ball peen hammer for anything requiring a hammer work on the car. The claw hammer is for wood work.
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 Tap and Die Set |
Something that everyone should have is a tap and die set. A tap is a rod or shaft used for cutting new or cleaning threads in a nut. A die is a disk with a hole in it and is used for cutting new or cleaning threads on a bolt. Anytime a nut and/or bolt is removed from a car (or anything for that matter), it should be oiled and have the threads chased (cleaned). When they get put back, they will work very easy and the next time they must be removed it will be a lot easier, which makes it a pleasure to work on something. No more busted knuckles. | ||
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A good set of taps and dies are quite expensive and a cheap set can be more expensive if the
tap breaks off in an engine block. I suggest purchasing quality taps and dies one at a time,
when you need it. Every time I need a new tap or die, I go purchase both the tap and the die.
While their cost varies with their size an average of $5.00 to $8.00 each is to be expected.
This may cost more than if I were to buy a complete set, but I only have the ones I use.
Taps and Dies come in SAE and Metric, so you will need an assortment of both.
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| To find out the diameter of a nut or bolt, or to find how thick a piece of metal is, you will need a micrometer and or a vernier caliper. To determine how many teeth per inch the thread you will need a thread pitch gauge. The micrometer looks like a small "C" clamp, but the shaft is measured in 1/1000" of an inch and is used to measure the diameter of the bolt. |  Micrometer |
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 Digital Caliper |
The caliper can be used to measure outside or inside diameters and depth of a hole.
I'm fortunate in that Harbor Freight has a local store. They also have
a plastic caliper (not digital) that sells for about $2. I have several of these, one
in every tool box, one in the house, and one in most of my tool bags so I can grab one
when I want a quick measurement like a bolt diameter.
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A thread pitch gauge looks like a collection of tiny saws. Each metal blade has a different number of teeth per inch. Simply lay each blade on the nut or bolt until the teeth match.
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 Thread pitch gauge |
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 SAE bolt gauge |
(Check with your local fastener store - most have plastic gauges they sell for about $5 to $15 ea.
You can also order these gauges on line. To find some Google "plastic bolt and nut and thread pitch gauge".
I found a nice SAE and Metric one on Amazon.
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 Metric bolt & thread pitch gauge
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They have a ruler for measuring the length of a bolt, holes to measure the bolts diameter, and stalks to measure the inside diameter of nuts and washers. These also come in Metric and SAE. These are great! I have a couple of each so I can always get my hands on one.) Now that we can undo a nut and bolt (with the sockets and wrenches), clean then with a tap and die, and check it's sizes with a micrometer and a thread pitch gauge, there is two thing left to worry about. One is a bolt that has been broken off, and the other is a bolt that has been rounded off. |
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 EZ out |
To get a broken bolt out will require using a electric drill, some bits, and a set of EZ outs or screw extractors. These items are used to help remove a screw after the head has been rounded off (stripped) or the bolt head has been broken off. The extractor has a very coarse reversed thread screw. To use them, you drill a hole in what is left of the bolt or screw, and push the extractor into the hole, then tape the top of the extractor with a hammer to seat it. Put a wrench on the end and try to unscrew the bolt. (This doesn't always work.) |
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Be very careful using an extractor, if it breaks off in the screw, it is much harder to drill out.
There is also a set of reverse twist drill bits that you can buy. These are a good thing to
have. If you are going to use an EZ out, drill the pilot hole with the reverse twist drill, but
using the reverse twist bits requires you use a reversable drill like a chordless one. Sometimes,
this is enough to remove the broken shaft of the bolt. Each size of the bolt has a preferred
drill size for the pilot hole, an then a preferred extractor. You can find tables showing the size
bolt, drill bit required, and the EZ out size to use.
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Removing a nut or bolt that has become rounded off (so a wrench or socket won't work) has also been the job of EZ outs. However, there is a tool called the "Bolt Outs" and other names like Topec Nut and Bolt Remover. They are like sockets except that the have reverse flutes inside of the points. So as you try to remove the nut or bolt, the flutes dig in and allows the nut/bolt to be removed. If this doesn't work you may have to cut the head off the bolt. There are many good articles on removing broken bolts like broken bolt out |
 Bolt out |
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If you are working on just a nut you can also cut the nut off the bolt using a dremil tool, or an die grinder. Both are high speed inline rotary devices used for cutting, sanding, grinding, polishing, inlaying, engraving, etc. |
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 Angle Head Die Grinder |
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 Dremel Tool |
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Finally there is a tool called a Nut Buster that will split the nut. It has a loop that goes around the nut, and has a cutting piece at one end and a screw at the other end. You turn the screw with a wrench which puts pressure on the nut and pushes the cutting tooth through the nut, to split it.
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 Nut Buster |
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 Battery Post Puller |
When it comes to your car's battery there are 3 tools that you should have. The Battery Post Puller for pulling the electrical connector off the battery post. This is used like any other puller to jack a stuck battery terminal off of the battery post. | ||
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Once the connector is off the terminal, a Battery Post Cleaner is used to clean both
the inside of the connector, and the outside of the battery terminal. It consists of two
wire brushes: one to clean the battery post and one to clean the inside of the battery terminal.
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 Battery Post Cleaner |
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 Battery Terminal Spreader |
In some cases, the battery terminal is too tight to fit over the battery terminal so there
is a Battery Terminal Spreader to open the connector so it will fit over the battery
terminal.
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A few more items should also be in the tool box - a pair of scissors, a razor blade
knife or "box cutter", and/or pen knife for opening boxes, stripping insulation off
wire, etc. A hack saw and blades for cutting off nuts off bolts or cutting other metal
items. Several putty knives of different widths. These can be used as scrappers, or
for applying bondo. These come in both metal and plastic. I'd get several of each. If you
don't want to scratch your paint or something wooden used the plastic ones. For scrapping
off gaskets and such, use the metal ones. A wire brush, and a wire brush disk for
an electric drill work great for cleaning caked on mud and grease off metal parts. A couple of
chisels (1/4" and 1/2") and a pair of dividers will all come in handy. A prybar set isn't something you'll use a lot but come in handy for helping tighten alternators, moving starters, and prying motor mounts. |
 Prybar Set |
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 Inferred Thermometer |
Inferred Thermometer is a seldom used but nice to have tool. You can use the the measure the temperature of a wheel and rotator to see if you have a sticking caliper, or to see how your radiator is cooling, and other such uses. It also has non-autmotive uses like checking the temperature of the air coming out of your ducts both in the heat mode or the AC mode. | ||
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Electric drills:
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You will probably want at least 2 electric drills. Drills are defined by 4
parameters,
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 Makita Cordless Drill |
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 Drill Press Stand |
I've been through several cordless screwdrivers and cordless drills. First let me caution you about the cordless tools that have self contained batteries. While they are rechargeable, when the battery dies, you may have to throw the tool away as the batteries are NOT easily replaceable. Not to mention that when the battery dies, you will have to wait for it to recharge, instead of putting in a backup battery and continuing with you job. After several of drills and screwdrivers, with the non-replaceable batteries, died I finally broke down and bought a 9V 3/8" Makita variable speed reversible (VSR) with a 2 speed transmission, keyless chuck. It came with a charger and only 1 battery for about $60 back in 1990 and an extra battery was about $35 (lately 2020 and later I've been able to buy 2 batteries for about $30). I've had it for about 30+ years now and have purchased I don't know how many additional batteries. I like it as it has enough power for most of the tasks I give it and it's not that heavy. Since I purchased it, manufacturers have been upping the battery voltage which usually means the drill has more power. The down side is they weigh more and the batteries are more expensive. Look around for a set that offer 2 batteries.
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Also a corded 3/8" Variable Speed Reversible (VSR) electric drill is essential ($65 and up), especially when the batteries for the cordless drill are dead. I have several corded drills, a couple of inexpensive ones and a moderately priced DeWalt. Besides being used to drill holes or drive screws, the drills can be used with a wire wheel to help clean grease, dirt, and rust off of parts. A drill press is nice to have, but they are relatively expensive ($125 up). An interim solution is to purchase drill press stand for your 3/8 drill for under $50. While it is not as good as a drill press, it does help fill the void. This is all I had for years! When my dad decided to purchased a floor mounted drill press and gave me his old Craftsman table top drill press which he purchased back in the early 60's. I've always liked it, its well built and heavy.
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 Craftsman Tabletop Drill Press" |
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 Twist Drill Bit Set |
Before we leave drills, we should talk a little about a set of drill bits. These are a must if you
have a drill. There are a lot of different typs of drill bit sets. You'll want to get a set of
twist" bits. These are usually used for drilling metal, but can be used for wood and PVC.
If you are looking at a set like the one pictured, notice that it only goes up to a 1/2" drill bit.
Why? Because most people have 3/8" or 1/2" drill. Remember in a 3/8" drill the largest diameter
shaft you can chuck up in the drill is 3/8".
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: So the 1/2" drill is useless. So how do I drill a 1/2" diamater hole? Do I need to buy a 1/2" drill? Then short answer is No, you don't need to buy a new drill just a different drill bit. What you need is a "reduced shank" drill bit. These bits have their shanks turned down to either 3/8" or 1/2" depending on the size bit you want and the size drill you have. There are also special drill bits for drilling wood (spade and Forstner), and still others for drilling concrete. |
 Reduced Shank Drill Bit" |
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This is a very good start on the general hand tools for working on a car and even doing some work around the house.
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 Trouble Light |
Now let's look at a couple more items that don't really go in the tool box but are great to have on
hand in your garage. A trouble or drop light - preferably with the reel retractor
for the cord. I haven't used one of the fluorescent ones, but they are worth looking at. The
standard incandescent ones give off a lot of heat. The one thing you don't really need on a hot
summer day. Now that the Compact Fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are available, I've been using
them in my trouble light. They last a lot longer than the incandescent bulbs. Now there are LED
bulbs that you can put in an older type trouble light, and there is a new bread of LED trouble lights.
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A heavy duty extension cord is a must if you have a bunch of corded power tools. You'll
want between 25ft and 50ft of at least 12 guage or bigger (meaning smaller gauge number - 10 is
bigger than 12).
Another great tool for the shop is a wet or dry shop vacuum. As the name applies, these can be used to pick up anything from sawdust to a major water spill or leak. Years ago I bought both my dad and myself a Craftsman 16 gallon unit. My dad's garage is 6 bays, but mine is only 2 bays. So storing that big of a shop vac became a real problem for me. I ended up giving my big one to my dad, and I bought a Tacklife 6 gal shop vac (similar to the one pictured here). This one is a lot easier to store and carry around. The only down side is it isn't as powerful as the big Craftsman one is.
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Shop Vac |
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One thing before we leave the items going into the tool box. That is do you have any battery
powered items that use AAA, AA, C, or D style Batteries, even the 9V batteries, such as your
multimeter, flashlights and head lamps, IR thermometers, stud finder, etc? These may go quite
some time between uses. All to often, I've gone to get one of these battery operated devices
to find out not only had the batteries died, they'd leaked all over the inside of the item.
In a lot of cases, I've had to throw the device away and get a new one. So suggest that you
remove the batteries when you finished with the device, and put the batteries in a small plastic
baggie, and put the device and batteries in a 1 gallon freezer baggie. That way if the batteries
leak, the don't damage your tool.
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 Floor Jack |
Let move on, from filling the tool box to safety items. Here are 2 life savers (literally). While
they don't exactly fit in the tool box, they sure make life in the garage a lot easier and safer.
A good 1-1/2 to 2 ton floor jack is a necessity and they run around a $100. I know a lot of people that have purchased the cheap (under $40) jacks with the handles that you have to move between 2 spots to jack or release the jack. They are all right for occasional use and to throw in the back of a truck, but they just don't make it around the garage. They don't have the height and they are a pain to use. |
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The other item is a couple of pairs of heavy duty jack stands. I
know of several people who have been killed working under a car that was supported by
cinder blocks. The cinder blocks collapsed and the people were crushed. So please,
if you are going under a car, think safety! The heavier the vehicle the stronger the set of
jack stands must be. I might be getting paranoid but when I put a car on jack stands, I try
to keep the floor jack under the car also.
One other safety trick - is to place the wheels that you've removed from the car, under the car. So if the jack stands fail, it will land on the tires, and hopefully give you a little safety margin. |
 Jack stands |
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Speaking of safety, when I was younger I never thought much about safety. But as I get
older I got smarter. So a few additional safety items that should be in the shop are:
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 Hearing Protector or Mickey Mouse Ears |
When using air tools like either an inline or Dual Action (DA) sander, die grinder, impact wrench
or such, you should wear some Hearing Protectors or Mickey mouse ears.
Don't ever touch a high speed grinder with out leather work gloves. I have used a grinder or wire wheel without gloves and I have the scars to prove it. So be sure to use heavy gloves when working with sheet metal or tools like grinders.
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I've worn glasses all my life and have taken eye protection for granted. When you slide
under a car and get all kinds of junk dropped on your face. My glasses protected my eyes from
this stuff. But one day I was grinding on some metal and the wind changed direction and blew
the metal filings around behind my glasses. I spent several hours at the doctors having him
pick the pieces out of my eyes. So please wear some eye protection, either a face shield or goggles.
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 Face Shield |
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 Respirator |
So thinking safety, we've taken care of you hand, eyes and hearing. But what about your lungs?
If you sand blast, grind metal, sand bondo or fiberglass, paint, or wire brush rust off of parts,
you should wear a respirator.
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Well there you have it, a good look at the basic tools you'll need to really play with your car.
Here is a list of what you'll end up with for a basic
set of tools and my suggestions as to the order of purchase.
(Notes:
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2. There are a lot of very useful inexpensive tools. I have a Harbor Freight 7 Function Digital
Multimeter in every tool box, in ever car, and in a couple of rooms of my house. At full retail
of $6 they aren't a bad deal, but when the go on sale for $2 - I can't pass up getting one. I
also have Harbor Freight's 4-in-1 Screwdrivers, one in every car, one in about half my tool bags
and a couple in the house. They are just so handy and at $2.00 you can't go wrong. I also have
a bunch of the Harbor Freight plastic calipers. Again for $2 I must have a dozen of them.)
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 6in Plastic Caliper |
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Enjoy
Continue on to Part 2 - Diagnostic and specialty tools For a list of tools to buy and possible the order to purchase them. Return to the Index of Tech. articles To email me with comments or questions.
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