Automotive Tools to Use and Avoid

stkjock

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Please post your recomendations of hand, power or other types of tools that you've found to be useful for working on your ride.

Also if there are tools you've found to be unworthy of purchase please post them up.


Please start your post with:

"Helpful" or "Avoid"

Please be as descriptive as possible. Use part names and numbers if possible.



Helpful Tools






Waste of Money Tools





 
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94tbird

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Craftsman open ended ratcheting wrenches. the ratcheting works less than half the time. it either gets stuck, or it just swings loosely. promptly returned the whole set.

pd8lCxpDzcCbnkl_fMmSJp7igrP4qGaqOSZx0Yz3UoNIT8ak8HWvp2BNnDLadbcIsdZgIQ1YMm9YLjMa2SyPGjqXxl-_KE4NQ8Ia6jimUtI49y_HK922Q9Vm6PjSlNhSYwpVJQTQ8aUq3x49P1_n7l5YJUW96M0mZJ7VrccJpd0UeLcwl_5A1zz7
 

Wicked GT

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Picked this beauty up at Lowes for porting the aluminum opening of my supercharger to port match my FRPP 62mm throttle body. Didn't dig very fast but worked far better then a file.

img0165lo.jpg
 

retfr8flyr

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Here is a Helpful tool.

Anyone looking for a good cordless impact wrench should look at the Milwaukee M-18 1/2 inch. http://www.milwaukeetool.com/tools/...torque-impact-wrench-w-pin-detent-kit/2662-22 I have had this tool for about 4 months and it hasn't failed to remove or install anything I have tackled. It has power to spare and the battery lasts forever. I don't even use my air impact wrench anymore because I don't run my compressor all the time. Instead of waiting for the compressor to pressurize I just grab the Milwaukee. I highly recommend it.


Earl
 

94tbird

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Here is a Helpful tool.

Anyone looking for a good cordless impact wrench should look at the Milwaukee M-18 1/2 inch. http://www.milwaukeetool.com/tools/...torque-impact-wrench-w-pin-detent-kit/2662-22 I have had this tool for about 4 months and it hasn't failed to remove or install anything I have tackled. It has power to spare and the battery lasts forever. I don't even use my air impact wrench anymore because I don't run my compressor all the time. Instead of waiting for the compressor to pressurize I just grab the Milwaukee. I highly recommend it.


Earl

I have the Dewalt Version. IT too is a great tool!

http://www.dewalt.com/tools/cordless-impact-driverswrenches-high-torque-wrenches-dcf059kl.aspx
 
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TexasBlownV8

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Craftsman open ended ratcheting wrenches. the ratcheting works less than half the time. it either gets stuck, or it just swings loosely. promptly returned the whole set.

pd8lCxpDzcCbnkl_fMmSJp7igrP4qGaqOSZx0Yz3UoNIT8ak8HWvp2BNnDLadbcIsdZgIQ1YMm9YLjMa2SyPGjqXxl-_KE4NQ8Ia6jimUtI49y_HK922Q9Vm6PjSlNhSYwpVJQTQ8aUq3x49P1_n7l5YJUW96M0mZJ7VrccJpd0UeLcwl_5A1zz7

So those would be 'waste of money' tools?

Good tools to have:
- wratcheting box-end wrenches. The swivel-ends are nice but fixed-ends are ok, too. Be careful of the 'sets', they need to have 10, 13, 15,and 18 mm for what you use the most.
- good set of deep metric sockets
- good assortment of screwdrivers
- torx bit set
- hex bit set
- torque wrench

You wont use them every day, and some more than others. But not having the right tool when you need it is a real inconvenience and can be dangerous as well.

And +1 on battery/portable driver/impact guns. Milwaukee and Dewalt are great tools for that.
 

Rasmus

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Helpful: 8x1.25mm thread chaser for cleaning up the threads in the heads when doing a manifold swap. At least I think it's an 8? Or is it 7?

ARP 912-0001

Helpful: Flexible neck utility lighter. One that burns with a clean blue flame. I do a lot of electric work, so I'm a huge fan of heat shrink tubing. The adjustable neck, and the short, hot flame makes life a whole lot easier, and usually also makes the end result look better.

No part number, can be found at Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc. Looks like this: http://www.smkw.com/large/knife/ZP121330.jpg

Helpful: Magnetic angle finder. Very helpful when adjusting pinion angle.

AF006M by Swanson Tool. Lowes has them for $8.95
 
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Captainstr8edge

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Helpful:
Roush pulley puller. (for press-on)

Tried to do a pulley swap without it.... BAD IDEA. Had to cut the stock one off and couldn't get the new one on all the way. Had to bring it to a shop nearby (got it on just enough to drive it) and they pushed it on the rest of the way with the tool in about 30 seconds.
 

Towelly

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Waste of Money Tools

Both the Half inch and 3/8th version of this:
00944596000-1

Product Name Digitork Torque Wrench

Are junk. Don't waste your money. Buy a quality torque wrench.
 

Towelly

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Helpful Tools

These are a must have however:
AAAAC8Hm-HIAAAAAAXAvSg.jpg


Huskey (or any major "Lifetime Warranty" brand) Ratcheting wrenches. Love mine. Use them ALL the time. Got them from Lowe's IIRC. Passed them in the isle and they were on sale. Great tool's for the price. Especially considering the warranty.

Another Helpful Tool I use all the time:
snap-on-flex-head-ratchet.jpg


Snap-On Flex head Ratchet (3/8)
 
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PNR Welding

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1/4" impact... for sure!

I use my snap on 1/4" impact on everything. Small enough that it wont strip a bolt, so you can even drive things in with it. I use it all day at work building motors. I keep an adapter in the case for 1/4" to 3/8".
 

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PNR Welding

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6x1.0 is the bolt size in the heads of the manifold. I agree, cause I broke a bolt off in my head by removing it once. Those bolts get corroded and become a pain in the ass to remove. I wish they were 8x1.25.



Helpful: 8x1.25mm thread chaser for cleaning up the threads in the heads when doing a manifold swap. At least I think it's an 8? Or is it 7?

ARP 912-0001

Helpful: Flexible neck utility lighter. One that burns with a clean blue flame. I do a lot of electric work, so I'm a huge fan of heat shrink tubing. The adjustable neck, and the short, hot flame makes life a whole lot easier, and usually also makes the end result look better.

No part number, can be found at Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc. Looks like this: http://www.smkw.com/large/knife/ZP121330.jpg

Helpful: Magnetic angle finder. Very helpful when adjusting pinion angle.

AF006M by Swanson Tool. Lowes has them for $8.95
 

amustangrocks

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air compressor

ive done alot with a 10 or 20 gal air comp., and this is a little overkill but this is the best air system ive ever had. i always had small ones but wanted one of these. i got this 60 gal new but damaged from grizzly tool for around $500. it cost me $30 for the copper tube between the cylinders, and i was able to straighten the pressure switch, but i want to replace it at some point, i think around $50-60.

i cut and threaded all my 3/4" pipe myself and ran it through the upper level, and down into the lower level of the shop here. cost me almost as much as the compressor for a good water trap off the compressor, all the pipe, pipe fittings, shutoffs, water traps and regulators for each drop and chucks ect.

sure is nice to have unlimited air.
 
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JEWC_Motorsports

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ive done alot with a 10 or 20 gal air comp., and this is a little overkill but this is the best air system ive ever had. i always had small ones but wanted one of these. i got this 60 gal new but damaged from grizzly tool for around $500. it cost me $30 for the copper tube between the cylinders, and i was able to straighten the pressure switch, but i want to replace it at some point, i think around $50-60.

i cut and threaded all my 3/4" pipe myself and ran it through the upper level, and down into the lower level of the shop here. cost me almost as much as the compressor for a good water trap off the compressor, all the pipe, pipe fittings, shutoffs, water traps and regulators for each drop and chucks ect.

sure is nice to have unlimited air.
Ive had bad experiences with those compressors (hausfeld and husky) Their customer service is worse than their compressors.
 

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amustangrocks

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Ive had bad experiences with those compressors (hausfeld and husky) Their customer service is worse than their compressors.
when i called to get that part it needed, they were pretty good to deal with and got me the part pretty fast. its not running full time in the garage like it would in a big shop, so it should last a while but time will tell.

harbor freight is ok for some stuff, i bought a parts washer tank thats ok, a caliper kit as much as it gets used is ok, but ya, dont buy handtools that you use alot, worth putting the money towards some nice tools that will last a lifetime.

i got in a jam and lost a new snap on box i bought in the early 70`s, but replaced it with used stuff in the late 70`s when i worked for roush for a few years. those darn tool trucks got a bunch of my pay. i dont regret getting a good set of snap-on end wrenches though when i had the chance. for sockets sets, i went with mac mostly and they have been great too.
 

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Rasmus

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This is a little out of the ordinary, but I still think of it as one of my most essential tools for working on an S197...

Helpful: A good laptop that is light, durable, and has plenty of battery power to last an entire day at the track. I've been through several different laptops, big and small, but here's the one that I, by far, prefer.

HP Pavillion dm1z: http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/series/category/notebooks/dm1z_series/3/computer_store

Very small, only an 11.6" screen, but full featured with a dual core AMD processor. Plenty of power to comfortably datalog and run the SCT Pro Racer Package. Much better than your garden variety netbook. Also, because of size and weight, it's easy to use while in the car, and it won't break if you drop it -- I've tried. I paid $370 for it at the local Best Buy.
 

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