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My suggestion to use is to go to pawn shops, estate sales, craigs list, and ebay. You are by far better off to get quality tools that way. Anything now a days that is a large set is built so cheaply it is not worth it.
In all honesty I have yet to come across a good chrome set any more that is not Matco, Snap-On, or Mac based. Old craftsman usa made sets were great but, the new stuff is a waste of metal just like the DeWalt is.
There is no one really good fit all set that is not very expensive. This would be a good start KD Tools KDT 80942 That is Gearwrench just under a different name made in the same factory. I would suggest Craftsman 41 pc Screwdriver Set (Only if USA Made) Neiko® 10288A Master Hex Bit Socket Set, S2 Steel | 32-Piece Set | SAE and Metric Neiko® 10070A Torx Bit Socket and External Torx Socket Set | 35-Piece Set | S2 and Cr-V Steel
MECHANIC’S SEAT WITH DRAWERS MS15 Found out it was made by pro-lift afterwards for $50. Also drawer retention is not great will be buying rare earth magnets to fix that.
ATD-1420 14 Pc. SAE Jumbo Crowfoot Wrench Set, 1/2″ Drive Sizes: 1 1/16″ – 2″ Haven’t used yet but, look good.
Brake Pad Measuring Tool BP6596 Already saved me from removing tires on 10 different trucks so that is a lot of time.
Where i am at if you don’t have the tool they tell you to figure it out. If there is no way some times they tack it on to the price of the repair other times the send it to the dealer shop. Some times they send it to the dealer and have one of our guys check the work and then charge them for both. Other times they send it and it comes back and they tell them they had to send it to the dealer. It all depends on the customer what they want or need and what they are willing to pay. When we send it to another shop though they know we reinspect so very rarely do we have a problem.
Um, did you even read what i wrote especially the last sentence. IR and CP guns new can be had for $130-140 US. Used you can get them for the price of the earthquake. So…..
Earthquake is good for a starter but, if you do this seriously you are better off with an IR, Chicago Pnuematic, Snap-on or any tool truck brand. It would work for the average guy just changing tires but, hobbiest or better once it starts to wear it starts to loose torque one of the car techs at work has one and he went this won’t come off i even used my impact. I laughed handed him my 3.5 yr old SO MG725 and it zinged it off. Earthquake is 700 ft lbs. MG725 is 1200 in reverse. I told him yours might be fine for doing light stuff but, you really should get one that is meant for the job.
Like i said though for a tire changer and once in a while its fine. For hobbiest I say go with an older model IR or Chicago Pnuematic. They will hold up way better.
I remember reading 10yrs 100,000 but, that was like 5-6 yrs ago they may have changed it. I have never heard of using it but, i have heard other people getting advice to do that on this forum and they never came back saying it didn’t work so…. The thing is they will want you to show all proper maintenance for that vehicle for the whole life of the car or they will claim it was because of that. Or they will claim that it is because the work wasn’t done at the dealer. Still not sure if that will fly in court but……
There are ones on the Ford 650/750 Cummins that are a pain. There are lines/starter wires so you can not pull it out the bottom. There is the frame to the side and a/c compressor in front. A/c lines run right next it. You have to remove the hp switch and have one special size filter wrench or a strap wrench. You get oil everywhere cause you have to tilt it to the side to pull it out and if you manage to pierce it from the bottom it hits the lines, frame, axle. The strap wrench is the only way if really tight and you have to weave it between the wires and lines open it up and then tighten it down and reset it after like 1/8 turn.
Hardest to remove I had one on a Mitsu fuso that someone must have crossthreaded really bad. Air chisel wouldn’t remove it had to replace the entire assembly. Had a freightliner that took me and another big tech both using filter wrenches to remove using our entire bodies off the frame. Had to scrape the o-ring or rtv off. No clue wtf that was about.
Hardest Oil drain plugs are international 13L. They heatcycle tigheter each time the engine heats up. Have to put a 4′ pry bar on a 18″ breaker bar and use my whole body lifting me at 280lbs completely off the creeper before it breaks loose. Can’t use an impact as it will strip the plug…
Make 2 separate sets 2 separate tool boxes. The reason why i say this is because of the aviation side. You need to know for a fact if you left that tool in the aircraft. I know most aircraft mechanics have shadowed boxes and you need to know if you are missing things cause 1 wrench in the wrong spot could bring down an aircraft in a not so safe way.
For metric stuff I recommend Mac Precision Torque Impacts only (chrome ones break with no effort at all not joking or being funny) or Grey Pneumatic if you do not want toothed sockets or you want it to be decently cheap. Grey Pnuematic has good large sets of sockets they are impact and they are all pretty thin but, do not break easy. Warranting them may be a little bit of a pain as you need an authorized dealer but, most tool stores (not big box stores) sell them. I use them for diesel mechanics and quite honestly they will work well.
I suggest highly that you get combo flank drive + or wrightgrip wrenches by wright tools. I also suggest you get a set of stubbies gearwrench have worked well for me. A good cheap set of precision screwdrivers is Mayhew Cats Paws as they also are full tanged with a driving cap this makes a huge difference with rust.
I would say start off with a tool cart (Harbor Frieght if you are doing it on the cheap) In my experience MAC tools just seem to hold up better then the rest but, with certain things like the flank drive + combos you can not go wrong with snap-on. I would also recommend that you get Mac’s Filter Claw. If you notice i am recommending toothed wrenches and sockets. The reason for this is because quite frankly i am in the rust belt and a large amount of the time if you do not have them you regret it quickly. I would start off with flex head long handle ratchets as well make sure fine tooth im sure you already know. You should really only buy impact stuff it is not very often where only chrome will fit. If that is the case though Snap-On makes the thinest ones and they are still strong. Me and most of the guys at work rarely use chromes and we work on cars, light med and heavy trucks. I highly suggest that you get a set of Mountain or EZ-Red double flex head offset reversable ratcheting wrenches. Standard sizes are pretty much left for lugnuts some drain plugs (mainly chrysler) and fittings for hoses/pipes. I recommend snap-on for your tubing wrenches if you buy them i normally end up just using the flank drive + wrenches tbh.
If you want to know more i have a huge list of things that help all the new techs/diy guys: So you want/are going to be a mechanic/technician
If a customer actually pulled the stick and told me the level of a trans i would be surprised i would also ask if they had it in the right spot on the sifter.
As for when its hard to see i use a paper towel and pinch the bottom of the dipstick and then squeeze it to the stick and compare like DaFrinz stated. Either that or use my streamlight stylus pro or hold the dipstick level and look at it from the side thin part in front of my eyes and look for the height difference.
If it is a clear reservior like power steering i put a flashlight against the container and look for color difference whether above or below the fluid.
Snap-On –
Negatives – Pinned, angle socket side will go to, depth of socket side, starting to use less quality steel so get worn out faster
Positives – No Collar, readily available, easily warrantiedMatco
Negatives – Not as strong as others (Normally not an issue in Auto but, diesel and up is), warranty replacement tends to take longer, expensive
Positives – Same Diameter as collarless, no pin so better rotation and less hopping off the bolt, good amount of angle to themGP (Gray Pnuematic)
Negatives – Pinned, Collar, warranty (have to use a distributor and amazon does not count), can not use larger drive size will snap pin
Positives – Very durable will outlast everyone else, grabs onto bolt very well good tolerances (not too tight and not too loose even after years of repeated use), good amount of angle to them, cheapI personally like GP but, the collar does get in the way at times. They have worked extremely well for me. I own Snap-On as well and generally the GP because of the angle will fit better then the Snap-On but, the collar does get in the way. Matco’s pinless is awesome but, mad expensive and in the diesel world break more often which doesn’t really matter if you have a truck every week.
because of the way they make the complex electronics it is setup to absorb small spikes from the power side. attaching negatiive first supposedly can cause more of a spike because you have a very good ground and the voltage wants to go to ground bad. Where the positive first then the negative the ground is going to be poor and slowly get better so its not as much of a shock to the system. Also electricity actual travels from negative to positive if you get into the scientific crap.
That is all theory and yeah sure i get why they say it but, honestly i do it whichever way is easier for me. I have yet to short out anything and i have done it after charging all the batteries separately and arcing stuff 3 inches away (12 big rig batteries one truck makes for lots of amperage) So if you ask me just do it whichever way you want to.
Might be good for home use though being that low to the ground makes accessibility a pain. As for techs thats maybe 3 drawers worth of tools maybe.
I am a patient man. At this point i would ask him a very simple question you are trying to save money and it has cost you more xyz number of times now. If you want me to fix it and fix it right its going to cost what it costs. You are not just paying for my knowledge, years of experience, but, also for me to eat and buy the tools to repair things properly. if you can show him a break down of costs and show him the cost of your Snap-On tools you may get through to him.
It is up to you but, i would fix his stuff and do it as cheap as possible ( and still have it fixed right) maybe cut him a deal on labor but, only if he spreads the word about how good you are and how its worth the price you charge. Also maybe have him talk about it on social media. People that are this hard headed normally have friends that realize how hard headed they are. When you can deal with someone that hard headed it speaks volumes to people. Though I would make sure that his friends are the caliber of clients worth the hassle. You also can get a life long customer out of doing this. Though once again if the guy isn’t going anywhere in life and his friends are not your target customers then send him on his way.