Car mechanical tools needed

[tigdlo]

Not sure if it's already been mentioned, I would recommend 3/8" and 1/4" breaker bars, I think owning both has saved my ratchets. Space is getting tighter all the time on cars, I think because of working in the motor trade it became a habit for me to use the smallest appropriate drive size that will do the job.

 

[PhillipM]

Not sure if it's already been mentioned, I would recommend 3/8" and 1/4" breaker bars, I think owning both has saved my ratchets. Space is getting tighter all the time on cars, I think because of working in the motor trade it became a habit for me to use the smallest appropriate drive size that will do the job.

Yep, very handy even if it's just 1/4" straight bars to get in where a ratchet is a struggle.
Ratchet spanners too on that list, just for the sheer time saving they offer the odd time they're the only thing that will fit, even a cheap lidl set will do.

 

[PhillipM]

A little outside of the normal hand tools but a couple of sizes of these chamfer tools when you're working on old, rusty cars and plant are a godsend as well. Being able to knock the rusty ends off a thread or take of a damaged end where someone's dinked it with a hammer or a stone or something in a couple of seconds with a drill makes taking off old nuts much easier.
Not a must have, but a nice to have.

 

[lotus_esprit_s1]

Snap on FN18A breaker bar has been one of my best purchases, 18” long 3/8 breaker bar

 

[KemppiFrog]

Tool porn here...
I started on Minis in '64, very few sizes needed then. Bits of 1/2", bought as needed. Then aircraft in '70s, so 3/8" and 1/4" Mostly Bedford and Snap-On. Often made bits, like a flywheel puller for Mini's, that would pull it, in the car, for a clutch change. Bit of a queue formed at the door after that became known.
Now, 1/4" & 1/2" with deepdraw sockets and some other oddities.
Was caught out on a Golf, the drive shafts are bolted to the g/box flange with some multi splined socket bolts, had to buy those, I thought Torx, but more 'bumps' on them. It is coming back for a clutch job, and I think there are some other odd splined bits needed.
Got landed with fixing a Ducati camper. Local recent widow trying to sell it, so needed a test . Drove it there and noticed a front wheel bearing was duff. Test showed rear brakes leaking and useless. Fixed those, but the front hub needed serious torque to get off the nut, so made a socket + a bloody great bar to get it off and re-tighten it.
The friend that got me involved in this was very embarrased, as we both thought she was skint and needed help. Plus, no internet or even TV, so I did the selling on the web, along with test drives with a couple of buyers. I sold it quite well to a couple of gays, that knew exactly what they wanted. All over in half an hour.
Turned out she had several rental properties and had used us a bit... Even tried to stiff me for the nominal fee I charged for it all.

 

[pedrobedro]

I bought a Bahco socket set 1/2" and 1/4" drive. The 1/4" drive goes up to 13mm and has been invaluable working on the car, surprisingly strong for the size.

 

[Barking Mat]

I mainly use 3/8" kit, rarely 1/2" , but on big things you need 3/4" .

Depends on application.

 

[keithski122]

Pickle fork ball joint splitters work well at splitting ball joint covers, not much use at splitting ball joints, loads of years in the motor trade and a belt with a big hammer works best, don't bother with two hammers.The ball joint splitters are good at removing driveshaft though.
On the drive debate I use mainly 3/8th drive, if the bolt is big enough for 1/2 drive use an air gun and 1/4 for interior and timing belt covers.

 

[Memmeddu]

That was adult was it?
You and me have different ideas on that one.

It's that the point, you and him have took the thing on the personal side of things.
I believe that you didn't need yet 3/4" on car maybe because you use other tools like a good impact ect.
Maybe him uses breakbars more
I would not take it too seriously.
I am considering both your opinions

 

[Farside]

I remember those days well when you’re lying under a car on a Sunday, in the rain, Sod’s Law it’s winter trying to fix a car because you need it to get to work on a Monday, oh the joys !

Ah yes, I recall one merry Xmas day spent replacing the main and conrod shells on an Essex in a Scim.
Bit of a doddle, really.

 

[Farside]

The 2" rear hub nut on the buggy that used to get torqued to 280lbft + 180 degrees, and the thread would get distorted with a clamp bolt would be about the only thing I'd use the 3/4" breaker for, and that was just to undo it to get the threads to straighten back up, without me jumping on the end of the 1/2" bar.

Fond memories of the hub nuts on a Type ? Variant VW. Blasted thing, at one point I wasn't sure they weren't LH threads.

 

[Farside]

I still don't think they're at all necessary for someone just getting going with their own work, there's nothing on a car you couldn't get off with a good 1/2" - it's wasted money that could go into tools you'd use every day.
If you're expecting everyday work on commercials sure, but that's not the case here.

I'd not owned a 3/4 drive until I needed one to remove a Mk6 Transit hub nut. Only bought it and the socket for that one job, never used it since, but it's nice to have in case I run into something else that needs it. In fact, there's another couple of 3/4 drive sockets in the drawer for some reason - can't recall what they were for.
I started with, as someone said, everybody did back then, with all 1/2" drive set, then gradually moved over to 3/8 for the vast majority of it. 1/4 comes into play for titchy stuff, as I simply prefer 3/8 for the better feel.
I very rarely use 1/2 these days, can hardly recall the last time, but it was definitely over two years ago.

 

[Memmeddu]

1/2"-1/4" exagonal sockets and ratchet set 4-32mm

Corrige
It actually goes up to 34mm

 

[AVI_8]

Ah yes, I recall one merry Xmas day spent replacing the main and conrod shells on an Essex in a Scim.
Bit of a doddle, really.

You were unlucky the 3.0 Essex would normally go on forever and a day without needing a bottom end rebuild compared to other engines of their generation, My first job was an ambulance mechanic they were fitted to all of the Fords in the 80’s

 

[SierraV6]

You were unlucky the 3.0 Essex would normally go on forever and a day without needing a bottom end rebuild compared to other engines of their generation, My first job was an ambulance mechanic they were fitted to all of the Fords in the 80’s

Wasn’t it originally designed as a Diesel engine, or is that an urban myth? It would explain why they’re so substantial!

 

[Memmeddu]

Wasn’t it originally designed as a Diesel engine, or is that an urban myth? It would explain why they’re so substantial!

Like the Volkswagen VR6?
An engine block crankshaft and connecting rods designed for diesel but later due to various factors became a strong gasoline engine (I think I've read somewhere it's internal can manage 600 up to 800HP bone stock)

 

[Memmeddu]

A friend of mine decided to give me a Makita knock off 1/2" brushless impact (520 declared Nm) for Christmas ,I'm not an impact enthusiast ,it would be just useful for unbolting things faster .
Anyway it appreciated even if it's not the original one, for the kind of use ,it would be fine.
I've seen a lot of Makita knock off tools and I might change platform. I'm on parkside at the moment but I only have a brushless drill , and tools I need and I don't own became hit and miss plus I can't find when I need them great warranty but too much stress getting them .
I have the first X20V version of the brushless drill.
The brushless angle grinder given to my brother was great (2019 version) .
I've bought the half inch drive impact and I've burnt it trying removing a ford fiesta wheel this year .
Not satisfied of the new brushless grinders too because I've had to use them at work .
So I'd prefer to have two types of batteries but at least I can get the tools easily and cheap without stress.
If they Don't work properly I can return them and nothing lost.

 

[Moose McAlpine]

A friend of mine decided to give me a Makita knock off 1/2" brushless impact (520 declared Nm) for Christmas ,I'm not an impact enthusiast.

The more you use them, the more you'll like them. I love an impact..

 

[Trevorleach]

You would never do a Navara d40 front pulley bolt with a 1/2 drive.

Well a milwuakee 1/2 will remove wheel nuts that have been torqued to 700nm and then left for a year or two.
What are the frenchies tightened to?

 

[Cobbler]

Wasn’t it originally designed as a Diesel engine, or is that an urban myth? It would explain why they’re so substantial!

Yes according to the history I found, designed for diesel & petrol. My son had a LR90 with one fitted, the times I drove it, it struck me what a nice conversion it was, loads of grunt & reasonably quiet. I took it to an independent LR place for an MOT, the guy opened the bonnet, looked in a bit confused & then shouted “come & have a look at this then lads”