Tool set

[Jdog]

So I'll be the odd guy out and say I only use 12 points, its a warm and fuzzy personally. I used 6 points when I first started out and had nothing but bad luck so now when I use 12 points I fill all warm and toasty inside and I don't have to worry about the crazy glue sniffing fairy sneaking into my house stealing money of the dresser and knocking my daughter up. I have seen it a thousand times. I also carry a set of good pry bars, 152 or so mechanic set in a case, and a set of deep wells, set of extensions the wobble end, and the obligatory pliers and screwdrivers. Good idea or just what I did, get a part time job at Sears wait for one of there discount days or clearance and get what you need and few extras and then you have the tools you need and for cheap.

That's my two penny's worth. And a little Tommy Boy. If you want me to take a dump in a box and marking it guaranteed I will I have the time.

 

[UnderFire]

I Highly reccomend the Kobalt set that is a big cube with 3 drawers, has all the sockets you'll need, plus extra room for screwdrivers, more wrenches and whatever else you may find you need, all really well pakced.

 

[traffic61]

I keep a set of Kobalt 6 point wrenches, several pairs of pliers and assorted screwdrivers. I had a gift card to Lowes, so it was a really inexpensive proposition. I also keep a battery powered lantern and a bunch of shop rags in the tool bag as well. I do need to throw a hammer and some sockets in there, now that it has been mentioned.

The tools came in really handy last weekend when I had swap a dead, and I mean seriously dead, battery in my mother's Jeep. Trying to find a metric wrench in my late father's shop is like the quest for the Holy Grail.

 

[MK1Power]

As much as I may get bashed for saying this. Harbor Freight aren't complete garbage. You have to read the reviews of what you buy, but I have used many of their tools and haven't had problems. Even their torque wrenches are accurate.

 

[Riceye]

My two cents for the discussion:

I advocate six point sockets. They are not only less likely to cam out, but they are also stronger, and less likely to break or distort.

Back in 1970 Snap On was granted a patent for their socket design featuring 'flank drive'. This type of socket had the corners clearanced so that the socket did not contact the fastener's corner, but rather the flank, which is much stronger.

This patent has long since expired, and now many lower priced sockets have this detail. Look for it when shopping for your new tools.

 

[repo]

Read through the garagejournal tool forum. Basically for sockets it's USA vs Taiwanese. Pittsburg pro (Harbor freight), Kobalt (lowes), Klutch (northern tool) and Tekton (online stores) are the same Taiwanese stuff and perfectly fine. Husky (Home depot) is not liked. Snapon and USA made craftsman is more expensive and heavy duty.

This is what I've got and covers most stuff I've had to do:

• 3 Tekton torque wrenches 22 in/lb to 150 ft/lb.
• 6-pt impact sockets, regular sockets, and combination wrenches that I buy individually from NT/lowes/HF as I need them.
• spark plug socket
• Adjustable wrenches (pay extra for good ones)
• Arcan 3 ton low profile jack from Northern tool.
• Torin 6 ton jack stands from northern tool.
• 2 wheel chocks from NT
• $30 creeper from NT which is fine but I hardly ever use it cos I dont like to put the jack stands very high.
• hex wrenches
• 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 flex head ratcheting socket wrenches
• Pitman puller from napa.
• $20 clamp type inner tie rod tool from advanced auto.
• Breaker bars, socket adapters, extensions from NT/menards/wherever.
• Oil pumper, funnels, pans etc.
• Random screw drivers
• c-clamps
• Various pliers, snap rings, cv boot pliers, etc
• Harbor freight digital caliper
• 1,2,3lb dead blow hammers, rubber mallet and 4lb sledge
• steel and brass punches/drifts
• soldering stuff
• wire brushes
• pry bars
• magnetic parts holder
• grease gun
• handheld impact driver
• led headlamp
• safety glasses
• nitriles gloves
• mechanix gloves

I'd add a mulitmeter to the list but I dont have one.

I like NT a lot they have good deals.

 

[AZ4Running]

I got a craftsman 230 piece machanics tool set that i leave in the back of my 4runner along with a tool bag with some extra pliers, screw drivers, wrenches, tire plug kit and rachet straps. Gives me all the basics for minor repairs.

 

[flyinbrick]

BigFishAllDay has a pretty good list going (somewhere in his long post is a paragraph on tools). For emergency tools in the truck, it's Harbor Freight for me where available. No way am I paying more money for something I may never use, although I get the other school of thought that says you need something that won't break when in dire straights. One exception I have is with open-ended wrenches - I once broke one and the piece that flew off could have blinded someone.