My First Tools

[BonesDT]

hey sorry for this ameatur question, but it would save me a lot of money.

im planning on installing superlift and a body lift in about 2 weeks. i dont own any tools!!! ive been saving up to buy a nice collection of tools but i dont want to spend a thousand dollars.

i noticed (after painful trial and error) that my oil drain plug needs a 13mm wrench. i also know that the front bumper nuts are metric sizes as well. but this is all i know.

is the whole truck metric?? or do i need a US set too? should i get 6 point and/or 12 point sockets & wrenches? 1/2" or 3/8" drives? what size ranges should i get for the sockets and wrenches? what tool tightens bolts to a specific torque? do i need any power tools?

again, sorry for the dumb question, but ive been doing a lot of research and nothing seems to go into detail and this is one thing that is really holding me up from my work. THANKS!

 

[Rx4phun]

Most every thing is metric I believe. Get both 3/8" and 1/2" drive, get a strong set. it will save you time and money and frustation later. Breaker bar too I would go as low as 6 mm to 21mm or something I remember for the bumpers. Lots of 10 mm and 8 mm. I like the 6 points just b/c I think it is a better fit, but 12s can be easier if you are in a tight place. Power tools are nice. Impact wrench, drill. I dont know as much as a lot of people here but I would know what to do if I got a free shopping spree at home depot.

 

[tbomb]

well, some stuff is SI and some is STANDARD on explorers. dont worry 6 point or 12 point. get 1/2" and 3/8" drives. a torque wrench lets you specify a torque, but they can be pricey unless you get a crappy one. dont get any power tools yet; you can do everything with hand tools - power tools just make stuff easier later, but save your money for now. your best bet is to go sears and get one of those 150 or 200 piece kits (or whatever they got going), and get a few things separately that arent in the kit, and you should be set. i was in your position about 5-6 years ago when i had NO tools and needed to start a collection, so i went out and bought what i just told you, and the rest just accumulates over time. its impossible to get everything at once; when you have a project you want to do, you get what you need at that time and then move on to the next project and the tools keep accumulating. tools are just too damn expensive to try and buy everything at once.

oh, and just 2 more things: deep well sockets and toggle extensions WILL be life savers

 

[JDraper]

If you're gonna buy tools, make sure you get decent ones. Don't get the Wal-Mart specials. Get Snap-On or Craftsman. Both have a lifetime guarantee against any type of damage, accidental or on purpose (i.e. that screwdriver that just became a prybar will be replaced for free ). The nice thing about Craftsman vs. Snap-On is availability, since Sears has stores all over the place. Snap-On, IMHO, makes better tools, but you can't bet the bang for the buck of Craftsman.

 

[MONMIX]

Yeah Snap-On is the best but , oh my gawd , you pay for it. Put it to you this way , I have the Flank Drive combination wrenches by Snap-On for 10 wrench set cost me over $350.00 !!!! But I work on cars for a living.
Craftsman is good enough for a weekend warrior , and as JDraper said unconditional warrenty.

 

[Brian1]

Since your going to do a lift, you should get a 4.5" grinder. Your best bet would be a milwaukee or dewalt for a lifetime of service. You may also want a 1/2" drill and drill bits. A pry bar set would also come in handy. You also mentioned a tool that measures how tight a bolt is. That is called a torque wrench and 1/2" would be the way to go on that. Not a totally necessary tool however. Go to a harbor freight store near you if you have one. Their hand tools carry a lifetime warranty and are decent however stay away from the "chicago electric" power tools.

 

[BonesDT]

wow, you guys are helping a lot.

some of you said to get both 3/8 and 1/2. why both, whats the difference? wouldnt i have to get 2 sets of sockets then? and im thinking both standard and metric would cost twice as much to buy both. i notice that metric come in finer increments and would probably fit a standard size, is this true?

Brian1: why the grinder? why isnt the torque wrench necessary?

also, i need to get more organized but i travel a lot and go to school. does anyone know of a nice toolbox that custom fits in the trunk?

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by BonesDT
some of you said to get both 3/8 and 1/2. why both, whats the difference? wouldnt i have to get 2 sets of sockets then? and im thinking both standard and metric would cost twice as much to buy both. ?

The 3/8 is for light to average work whereas the 1/2 is for heavier work.

Good luck......

 

[Robb]

Originally posted by tbomb
your best bet is to go sears and get one of those 150 or 200 piece kits (or whatever they got going), and get a few things separately that arent in the kit, and you should be set.

I would second that! I bought one of those $200 kits (with the 3 drawer box) about 9 years ago, and still have most of it. It is definately a great way to start building a tool collection. If you have a Sears nearby, it is extremely convenient when something does break.

I have also heard good things about Husky tools that they sell at Lowes or Home Depot, I can't remember which. But I am unsure about the warranty or replacement hassle.

I would start with just the basic kit ($200-$250) for right now. Then whenever you are budgeting for your next project, make sure you budget in the cost of a couple of tools, then just purchase them as you need them.

Robb

 

[aldive]

The only problem with the Sears tool kits is that they duplicate a lot of the tools. But still are often a great buy.

Good luck.....

 

[BonesDT]

Originally posted by aldive


The 3/8 is for light to average work whereas the 1/2 is for heavier work.

Good luck......

so why not stick with the 1/2? cant it do the light jobs too?

i found a 195pc. kit from craftsman for $150. its got 1/4 3/8 and 1/2 and more sockets and hex keys than i can count. just worried about it only having 12 wrenches. i guess i still need a breaker bar, torque wrench ($70 or $100), and a tool box. sounds good?

im trying to keep costs down, i still have to buy the lift kits and tires!

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by BonesDT


so why not stick with the 1/2? cant it do the light jobs too?i

They are too big to do many tasks.

 

[BonesDT]

nice, that set looks good then. plus my friend works at sears and can get me a 5 or 10% discount! cant wait till a few more weeks when my friend can help me out! its my daily (actually hourly) driver, so i dont want to be stuck and delayed because i dont have the right tools.

 

[Muskrat]

yeah, my friend (a mechanic) told me that Craftsman tools were no good, but he has absolutely none, and my tools got us out a many jams, we do break parts, but when you go to sears with strippped wrenches, from about 600lbs of force behind it, no questions asked, new tools I think they are perfect for the do it your selfer, I started wtih a 200+ kit, with 3 diff. wrenches, and have been using and adding to it for 4 years. The tools are decent prices.

 

[aldive]

Craftman tools are not what they used to be and they are definately not Snap On quality, but they will be fine for most purposes.

 

[mmsdrummer]

My dad farms, and I've seen him do horrible things to craftsman tools and they've always survived. It'd be wise and save some money for the tires and lift.

 

[MONMIX]

Originally posted by Muskrat
yeah, my friend (a mechanic) told me that Craftsman tools were no good, .

But it is crazy to spend the money on Snap-On stuff if you are just a do-it-your-selfer. When I got started I had mostly Craftsman , it worked well enough and you can never argue the warrenty. I am not going to say there is not a differance cause there IS. But for a weekend warrior , Craftsman is just fine.

 

[Brian1]

Originally posted by BonesDT
Brian1: why the grinder? why isnt the torque wrench necessary?

I didnt realize you had a 99, I thought you had an early model. The grinder would be for grinding rivets off the early models. So it wouldnt be necessary for you. The torque wrench isnt necessary because you can generally tell when its tight enough. If you have the money for it however it is worth it. Between my dad and I we have about 5 or 6 torque wrenches from 3/8" all the way to 1" drive

 

[MONMIX]

Troque wrenches are not just for tight enough , but also for too tight. How many people have warped their rotors by just grabbing their impact and slamming the lug nuts on their wheels ?