What are basic tools I should buy myself?

About to head out and get myself some tools for a shock replacement I plan to do tomorrow.

But besides that what are some basic tools that any person should have when doing the most basic of jobs on their cars?

 

Buy a decent socket set, one with deep and shallow sockets, and a good set of box end wrenches. (All Imperial) Go to a Sears, and see what they have for tool kits, sometimes they have some nice stuff on sale. But try and stay away from 12 point sockets..only use them as a last resort. Plus Craftsman has a lifetime guarantee.
Like this:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00936260000P?adCell=A3

 

A good set of combination (open end/box) wrenches in sizes from 1/4 to 7/8 inch
Good socket set in regular /deep well... same size range as above.
Get em in 3/8 drive configuration and 1/2 inch drive configuration.
Get a set of sockets/ratchet in 1/4 inch drive form also.Most go from 5/32nds to 1/2 inch socket size.(standard depth and deep well for these too)
Several ratchets 3/8 and 1/2 drive: std length....long...and a stubby.
Get a good breaker bar in 3/8...1/2" drive at least 24 inches long(longer the better)
Combination wrenches in larger size...Usually go from 3/4 to 1 1/2 inch in a set.
good ball peen hammers (2) one 16 oz and one 32 oz.
Buy a vise grip "set" should have 3 or 4 in the set.
3 adjustable wrenches to cover from 1/4 inch to 1 1/2 inch
A good pair of pliers
channel locks
needle nose
side cutters(dykes) get big and small here too
Good assortment of screwdrivers as well.
This should be enough to get you going.

 

Good set of screwdrivers, and I have both short and long combination wrenches, Some adjustable wrenches, hammer, chisels, feeler guage, timing light. Don't forget jacks, and jackstands. I buy tools at Harbor Freight. They're not bad for the price. I've got 3 sets of their 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 sockets. I've broken 1, 1/4" socket in over 10 years. If you're gonna make a living at it, I'd say go for the Craftsmen, or Loews carrys Husky, I believe. If you buy at HF save the receipt and write on it what it was for. They won't exchange it otherwise. And they are lifetime warranty also.

 

visit sears and check out the craftsman tool kits thats how i started out many moons ago

 

If you find a set of used S-K Tools, definitely get them. Very good set of tools. I still have the set my father purchased back in the 60s for his shop. He used them daily for 40 years and never had to replace any of them. The good thing about craftsman is the lifetime warranty which you will use. Don't get snap-on, they are way over priced, still a good tool with lifetime warranty but not for that price.
DO NOT GET GREAT NECK

 

You can spend a fortune on tools real easy. A lot of young people starting their collection don't have a lot of money to go out and buy the best tools at first. I bought a lot of my early tools at yard sales. Took some shopping but I ended up with all quality tools and got some great deals over time.
I once bought about 100 different sockets for $5 and every one was either Matco, S&K, Snap, Craftsman, or some of the other name brands.
My dad also gave me a pretty good set of tools when I left home on graduation of High School. Pop never bought anything cheap.
I also recommend Harbor Freight for starting out. Sure they are not the top quality tool like Snap On but they are about 1/4 the price or less and if you break it they replace it.
Now if you were going to try and make your living with these tools I would say buy the best you can but for what it sounds like you are going to do with them they will be fine.
Just use common sense when using them. In other words with my old 1/2" S&K ratchet I might put a pull bar on it and pull with all my strength to break a bolt loose. Don't do this with a Harbor Freight ratchet or you might loose some teeth. lol
clint

 

LOTS of WD-40 (I have a big sprayer can and a few of the tiny cans to get into hard places) - this is great for lubing the threads and coaxing off 30+ year old bolts. Hate stripping threads and breaking and bending metal to try and get something apart (ie. bumpers, body panels and old shocks).

A magnetic mechanics' bowl - stainless steel pot with a rubberized magnet base - keeps washers, nuts, and even wrenches in one place while you're working. Slap it onto the torque box struts and nothing disappears.

LED headlight - long on battery life and better than fighting with an AC work light that blinds you more often than illuminates the workspace you're trying to see.

Aluminum foil (masking, painting, closing off open fuel/air lines, etc).

A big, cheap cookie tray. For cleaning/holding lotsa small parts (ie. carb rebuilds).

Ryobi's 215 piece drill/driver set ($40 at Home Depot). Cheap quality but a LOT of bits and pieces to get you started.

A compressor (they're getting better and cheaper all the time). Air tools are pretty cheap and awesome fun to play with. It took me a long time to finally get one, now I can't wait to hook it up and make some noise.

I have a huge arsenal of cheap, made in China, dollar store tools - which I bought for one time use or to test something out before spending more money. Once you decide which tools are right and what you like to use on a regular basis, THEN go out and buy something reputable, safe, and good quality.

I bought most of my Craftsman tools at 30 - 40% discounts, I've never broken any of them, I never lend them out, and I take care of them... 20 years later.

 

+1 to everything said above... I would also like to suggest a set of ratcheting wrenches... they can be a headache saver. My opinion. Go to walmart and buy the Stanley socket sets and wrench sets in SAE. you don't need to buy a complete socket set if all you are going to be working on is the Mav. (IOW you don't need the metric stuff). I then suggest a long handled ratchet in 3/8 drive for those tight bolts and a torque wrench. There are other tools you will need along the way that you may have to pick up here or there. But the basic list has been stated above.

My recommended list:

1 set SAE sockets set in 6 point standard length 3/8's drive
1 set SAE sockets set in 6 point deepwell 3/8's drive
1 long handled ratchet in 3/8's drive
1 breaker bar in 3/8's drive
1 toque wrench in 3/8's drive that reads from 10-100 ft/lbs (and maybe a small that reads in inch/lbs in the future)
1 SAE 1/4" drive socket set 6 pt standard length
1 SAE 1/4" drive socket set 6 pt deepwell.

1 set of screwdrivers

1 set SAE combination wrenches
1 set SAE combination ratcheting wrenches

A jack and jack stand set
Good lugwrench
An electrical multimeter and a testlight
A timing light

I'd also like to tell you about my favorite tool.... my Ryobi 1/4" drive impact drill/driver. It's probably the cheapest drill I have ever purchased but I have had it for well over 2 years and use it more than any other tool I have by far. Get yourself a driver kit for it and have a blast.

 

extensions.

 

and a good set of...wobbly-head air sockets...
1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4

tip-of-the-day:
4 ft. of extensions and a wobbly socket is a must to get the top bellhousing bolts...

...yes, yard sales are the best way to buy the one of a kind tools...

...frank...

 

I agree with the Craftsman basic tool kit you can get. You just need the stuff to check tire pressure, change a tire (lug wrench, jack & stands), grease gun, oil filter wrench. You can't wake up one morning & decide to be a mechanic. It's something that's in your blood. I recommend finding a good mechanic you can TRUST for any repair. Routine maintenance is something anybody can do, but if you mess up on a brake job, people could die. A good mechanic probably has $30-50k worth of tools or more. Paying a couple hundred bucks to get your car fixed is alot cheaper... & safer!

 

I like PB Blaster better for taking off stubborn nuts and bolts.../ Besides, it smells better.

 

Don't to SHOP at your local PAWN SHOP you can find every name brand tool in there and prices are what you want to PAY . Take CASH if the store owner wants 75.00 for a tool put 30.00 - 35.00 on the table and till him to take it or leave it 9 time out of 10 he will take it ..



Just my thought

Jay

p.s. I have done this more times than I can count .

examples a SNAP ON 1/2 forward / revable air drill retaill for about 385.00 the store owner wanted 150.00 I got it for 100.00 this drill was almost NEW with all the warning stickers on it .. And many more tool bought that way ..

 

I agree. The pawn shops usualy have those "expensive" tools, as some of you called them. I call them quality. Snap On for me. Of course I used mine every day and abused them quite often.
Craftsman are a great second choice and I would have them at the house, but my Snap On box is parked in the garage now. Sears does sell sets at a very reasonable price.