Tool Kit 101

[mr3]

A hammer and socket.

[traintech86]

i made a newb mistake when i bought my 2. bought standard wrenches. since buying metric, i have found you NEED 10, 12 and 14 to do just about anything on this car. i went to a junk yard and found a 2. armed with nothing but a 10 i did a ton of removing haha

[dirocyn]

This list is getting pretty complete. Only other tool I use regularly is a 5lb sledge, use it to hit your wrench, places where the breaker bar won't reach. I have also had to use a torch, some of the suspension bolts get seized pretty good. The LED headlight is dorky-looking but real useful--even if you end up setting it where it'll shine on your work.

[tstoney82]

i would suggest some u-joints....wether they are the sockets or extensions, you'll need them at some point.

[lovely09]

I make sure i have these tools in case no mechanic is available and i really need to change my flat tire immediately.
My tools:
1.Lug nut wrench (an X-type would do great)
2.A two-foot sturdy metal pipe that fits in the handle of your wrench
3.At least a hydraulic cylindrical/floor jack (not one of those lousy stock jacks that usually come with the car)
4.A flat head screwdriver
5.Early warning device (EWD, that red reflective triangle)
6.Wheel chock
7.Penetrating lube (WD-40)
8.Inflated spare tire

[scottohno]

Originally Posted by lovely09

I make sure i have these tools in case no mechanic is available and i really need to change my flat tire immediately.
My tools:
1.Lug nut wrench (an X-type would do great)
2.A two-foot sturdy metal pipe that fits in the handle of your wrench
3.At least a hydraulic cylindrical/floor jack (not one of those lousy stock jacks that usually come with the car)
4.A flat head screwdriver
5.Early warning device (EWD, that red reflective triangle)
6.Wheel chock
7.Penetrating lube (WD-40)
8.Inflated spare tire

discard that and go the cheaper way. cheapo bike pump ($5) and a plug kit.($3)

i live in luxury with a 12v air pump with a gauge on it ($25) and a plug kit($3) and AAA towing for if its a really nasty one

[Phosphor]

Safety glasses - they'll save you a hospital trip someday...

Swivel head gear wrenches - now that I have a set I don't know how I lived without them.

Small mirror - because sometimes you just can't see what you're wrenching

[scottohno]

Originally Posted by Phosphor

Safety glasses - they'll save you a hospital trip someday...i dont think youll need them for the side of the road, but for the garage heck yeah also if you do a clutch or brakes you need a facemask and lots of brakleen. that will clean anything

Swivel head gear wrenches - now that I have a set I don't know how I lived without them.haha yeah those thngs are a godsend. dont cheap out on them though or the ratchet mechanism breaks. get gearwrench brand.

Small mirror - because sometimes you just can't see what you're wrenchingso true. especially with my car

[Sh0ty]

Cheap sockets will make you wish you were dead, go ahead and at least get craftsman. They're not great, but you can replace them easily if/when they break (I have broken a few) and have decent tolerances on them. Cheap ones split and round out bolt heads.

[scottohno]

oh, and PB blaster or its equivalent. soak the stuff the night before, and tou at least have a 50/50 shot.

[Sh0ty]

PB blaster is great, but sometimes you just need that extra oomph. It's not really budgety, or convenient, but an impact gun is SO helpful. I couldn't remove the 17mm castle nut that held my front lower balljoints on (torque would just twist and deform the nut) with all the PB blaster in the world, so I bought an impact and it was off in seconds. Worth every penny.

[scottohno]

impacts and air ratchets are really handy. so is a good hammer. for use in appropriate situations

[SeeTopher]

best tool to have is a brick. you can use it to break into your local auto garage and use everything they got

[SeeTopher]

Originally Posted by scottohno

discard that and go the cheaper way. cheapo bike pump ($5) and a plug kit.($3)

i live in luxury with a 12v air pump with a gauge on it ($25) and a plug kit($3) and AAA towing for if its a really nasty one

wanna stay clean for cheap????? FIX-A-FLAT. its just like puttin air in your tire . but from a can

[scottohno]

Originally Posted by SeeTopher

wanna stay clean for cheap????? FIX-A-FLAT. its just like puttin air in your tire . but from a can

fix a flat is awful stuff. this car is made to handle. fix a flat makes tires impossible to properly plug, and takes more room than my 12v air pump and my plug kit. i have 5 plugs and the tools are multi use.

staying clean is overrated. if you put fix a flat or slime in your tires you should replace that tire.

[lucky_charms]

a long pair of needle nose pliers just in case you dont have a magne and drop something

[hoonoze]

Always use Anti-Seize lubricant on all nuts and bolts that will get wet or hot, like under the car and exhaust parts. It slows assembly but it eliminates the wasted time trying to free up frozen nuts and bolts.