I have been itching to do some modifications to my car such as suspension work, doing my own oil, changing out the exhaust.. and other things to the vehicle.


My question is what tools do you folks mainly use in your projects,tasks, etc? ..and what brands to recommend? ..avoid?

 

torque wrench!

 

Vice grips, 10-14mm sockets w/ socket wrench, lots of shop towels and Lava soap.

XD

 

Low profile racing floor jack, jack stands, and/or ramps, wheel chocks or bricks to block wheels. Magnetic spark plug socket.

 

Totally agreed. I used to do all my own wrenching and never owned one until I decided to do my own tire rotations on the Fit. Going blindly by feel or guessing is a sorry substitute.

 

Craftsman handtools, lifetime warranty

 

any recommendations on some good jacks/jackstands? and price?

 

Sears has some really good deals on floor jacks and jack stands with them. Bang per $ craftsman is almost unbeatable. There are far prettier tools with lifetime warranties (snap on) but be prepared to pay. Watch your Sunday paper for deals on craftsman tools. If you just walk in off the street without a sale Sears can be pricey!

 

I have like $30,000 in tools so its hard to recomend what to get.

An air compressor and some Ingersol Rand impacts are a good spot to start

 

I work on cars for a living (vw/audi to be specific), so tools are very important to me. I do have craftsman tools, and i've never broken any yet. The only issue i've had is with my 1/4" professional slim head ratchet, where it would get stuck in-between teeth. I traded that one in for a snap-on swivel head. My 3/8" professional is still doing fine! All of my Craftsman sockets are doing GREAT, and i can still see the laser etched numbers (worried they wouldn't last). All of my bit sockets however are MAC or VIM. Lifetime warranty is great, but if you don't see a tool truck once a week it's not worth it. As for cheap quality bit sockets (i.e. allen, torx, tamperproof), i'd go with VIM. They have great 1/4" drive sockets that are at a reasonable price! I went with Matco for impact sockets because they're new number markings are SUPER visible. Stick with Ingersoll Rand for good quality air tools at a great price.

Bottom line is: Unless your turning wrenches for a living, craftsman quality meets the needs for an avid DIYer and professionals alike. I wouldn't spend mad $$$ on tools your going to use every once and a while. And as far as which drive to focus on, our Honda/Toyota techs have 3 times as many 1/4" drive tools than any other drive.

 

haha, you said it

 

you really do not need a air compressor, but it is nice to have one when doing swaps etc.

Took me 3 years to finally buy one.