Essential Tools For DIY Car Repairs
Even in modern vehicles with all their electronics, there are still a number of things that you can do yourself, either in terms of maintenance or full-on repairs… not to mention the odd addition of aftermarket gadgets and tweaks! As long as you can do it safely, it’s often a good idea to give it a go. Even if all you want to start with are a few basic maintenance tasks (e.g., changing your oil or filter), you can save yourself quite a bit of money. What’s more, if you have an older vehicle with fewer electronic doodads – and for which spare parts are often easier to find – then there are quite a lot of things that even an amateur mechanic can do successfully.
However, to do any job right, you have to have the right tools for the job. Here, you’ll find a list of the basic tools that any DIY mechanic will need, as well as a few that you can add if you start getting enthusiastic (or if you want ideas for the perfect present for the amateur mechanic in your life).
#1. Screwdrivers
At the very least, you’ll need a Philips (star) screwdriver and a flathead or straight screwdriver, preferably the sort with long, thin handles. If you can add in the closely related square-headed screwdriver (called a Robertson screwdriver) and/or Allen keys (which have hexagonal heads), you’ll be doing well. There are 14 possible types of screwdriver head, so you can start a collection if you’re really keen. Another bonus is that you will end up using them for more than just fixing your car.
#2. A Socket Set
Socket sets are another must if you start poking about under the bonnet of your car. You can start with a basic set that has the ratchet, at least a spark plug socket and an extension bar, and perhaps a few other sockets as well. You can find starter kits with anything from 10 pieces to 40+ pieces. The golden rule to remember with any socket set is ALWAYS PUT IT BACK IN THE RIGHT PLACE. This especially applies to larger kits, as it’s hard to tell minute fractions of an inch apart with the naked eye. Sockets can be measured in Imperial (inches) or in metric units (mm), so be careful which unit yours come in. Just to make things more confusing, the ones measured in parts of inches can use decimals or fractions (the fractions are SAE standards). Unfortunately, the whole numbers for mm don’t exactly match the standard fractions of an inch. This is why good socket sets have one set of sockets measured in fractions of an inch and another in metric – and it’s why you always need to put the heads back exactly where you got them from to avoid muddling them up.
You also need to watch out for the size of the “drive” of the socket set. The drive refers to the hole where the ratchet attaches. These are nearly always measured in fractions of an inch: ¼, ⅜ and ½.
#3 Crescent Spanner AKA Adjustable Wrench AKA Adjustable Spanner
You could buy yourself a set of spanners of different sizes, but it’s much, much simpler to get an adjustable wrench or crescent spanner. (In case you’re wondering, a spanner and a wrench are more or less the same thing, and “crescent” was originally a brand name, so these things get called a number of names). No home should be without one, as they’re very, very useful for more than just tinkering with your car.
#4 Pliers
Pliers, both the needle-nosed and the slip-joint type, are useful things, as long as you don’t make the mistake of trying to loosen nuts and bolts with them – that’s what a spanner is for. Pliers are good for holding little things that you can’t get a grip on properly with your fingers. Look out for pliers with rubber-coated handles if you’re doing anything electrical.
#5 Torque Wrench
Sometimes, you need to tighten something (e.g., spark plugs) in place just enough but not too much. A torque wrench is designed so that you can apply a certain amount of torque (it’s not just engines that have torque) but no more. Some are fancier than others, and I’d recommend getting one if you do a lot of tinkering. Otherwise, you can get away with just a typical wrench, as long as you show some restraint and don’t try to “really do it properly” and give it just one more good hard twist just in case – that’s how things can get broken or damaged.
#6 A Magnet On A String
Everybody drops things, and it’s really annoying if you drop a nut into the depths. As most bits inside the engine are made from steel or iron, a magnet on a string can be lowered in to pick the wretched thing up. You can attach magnets to other long things for greater precision, especially if you’re as fumble-fingered as I am.
#7 A Light
Even if your garage is well lit, shadows cast by all the twists and turns of the workings of your engine may make the bit you want to look at difficult to see. A good light that allows you to keep your hands free (unless you’re a Hindu deity or an octopus with more than two hands) will be very useful. Even a headlamp can do the trick.
#8 Lots Of Rags
You will spill oil and other bits and pieces. You will need to wipe grease and carbon off things so you can read serial numbers. You could use paper towels, but rags are a lot more robust and, if you’re keen, they can be washed and reused (just don’t wash them in with your favourite white work shirt or anything else nice). They can also be used for polishing the car, so you may find yourself acquiring a stash of old sheets, old T-shirts and the like. Make sure that they don’t shed lint and that all buttons and other scratchy bits have been removed first.
Level 2, 9 Help Street