hey all, i have 30 bux left on my sears giftcardand am willing to spend my own cash for a new tool. ive been thinking of getting a good torque wrench. bascally heres the deal. im a poor senior in high school getting ready to go to college to become a mechanic. what will i need most while im there? ive got all the sockets and ratchets i need right now. im just trying to expand my use of tools. for instance im going to be buyin a 98 v6 firebird and converting it to an LS1 in a few months. which tools would i benefit from most? thanks all!

p.s. ive been thinkin since im gonna have a v6 firebird, wont it be cheaper then having a TA on insurance? that way ill be paying for v6 insurance but ill have an LS1 in it... makes sense to me?

 

Buy air tools. Air wratchet, impact gun and an air hammer. Air tools simplify the jobs so much and save lots of time and effort. You will need alot more then you think you do. Both SAE and metric sockets 6pt and 12pt, SAE and metric wrenches 6pt and 12pt, torx bits and reverse torx bits. Thats just a few things. I just started as a technician a few months ago and I already need more stuff that I can afford. Oh, and don't buy a cheap tool, it ends up hurting you when it breaks and you go flying into something.

 

I was in your shoes last year at this time and am now working as a tech. get a set of metric and standard impact sockets deep and shallow 3/8 and 1/2 as well as a 1/2 Impact and air ratchet to start off after you start working then by the 1/4 air ratchet and 3/8 impact. a good set of sockets and combo. wrenches. metric gear wrenches. oil filter wrench, tire guage, air chuck, needlenose pliers, dykes, slip-joint pliers, channel locks, snap-ring pliers, torx and hex sockets, screwdrivers, cordless drill, drill bits, and probably a good set of easy outs and stuff seems like everyone needs them once in awhile. I don't think you'll need an air hammer a good 4 pound sledge and some muscle will do as well or better in most situations and is just a fast so save some money in that area. I've used both and they both work well but for the most part a good swing and the sledge will take care of business. If you have trouble doing it that way you might borrow an air hammer and try it to see which way works best, different things work for different people. a good pry bar or 2 is a must. as mentioned 4 lb sledge, chisels, punches, pickle fork, a brass hammer for removing wheel studs and other items that are threaded that you don't want to damage. a 90 degree die grinder is very helpful to have on hand with the sanding and cutting disks and some carbide bits (I've used the carbide bits many a time to enlarge a hole when stuff wasn't working out right and that saved me plenty of time)

What kind? for price I'd go with craftsman sockets, ratchets (although after you work awhile I'm sure you'll buy a snap on ratchet or 2 I know I did after awhile), pliers( except the snap ring pliers get them from snap on I used my craftsman snap ring pliers to death in 2 months doing fuel pressure regulator campaigns), and their professional screwdrivers and combo wrenches. I know alot of people will talk bad about them and talk about how much better snap-on is but I look at it this way if I break it and use it often then I'll replace it with a snap-on or whatever brand and take the replacement craftsman gives me home. I would also go with Ingersoll-rand on the air tools because they are the best you can buy, the guts on them are the same as snap-ons and they have the same warranty as well as a lower price. On the cordless drill get a 12v Dewalt I use it all the time from removing interior screws to putting the plastic caps on the lug nuts(saves a load of time I can do all 4 wheels worth of lug covers in the time most do 1 twisting them on with deepwell socket) with the slip-clutch set just high enough to get them tight but not break them which reminds me buy the socket adaptors for the drill for that reason. later on after you've been working for a few months you'll understand that some of these tools that sound like tools you "gotta have" are the tools that spend their lives in you bottom drawer wasting space.

 

Get the set of 14 Nut drivers for $19.88. Not the 12 with case for $19.99.
Now that I have them, I use them all the darn time on hose clamps, etc. Can't imagine how I got by without them (Well, I used 1/4" ratchet and sockets)

 

I like my air hammer with a goo hard pointed bit and a flat bit. The pinted bit works really good for rounded nuts, wheel studs, and spliting nuts. The flat bit is good for loosening tierod ends and removing ball joints. A swivel 5/8 spark plug socket is handy for s10s and fords. Don't get the impact style, they are too bulky.Accually I use mine for most spark plugs. Gear wrenches. I have Blue Point reversable flex heads, But the plain ones are work. A big *** slip joint pliers with about a 5" opening is very handy. Brake spring pliers with a curved end for putting springs on. I think Snap-on is the only one that makes them. There's alot more, but I can't think of now. I haven't used my stuff much in the last three weeks since I quit my job. If anyone in SE MN is looking for a job, I know a o good shop looking for a machanic.

 

I have the pliers for the brake springs snap-on , mac, matco, craftsman all make one I have the craftsman and it works as well as the others.

 

i did this, not for the insurance reasons, but because i had a v6 from when i was 16. basically, if you dont HAVE to do this, dont. lying on your insurance isnt the smartest thing (yes im doing it) and it totally defaces ANY reasale the car has. Also, you can do the engine swap with a 30 dollar tool set, one furniture dolly, and a 3 1/2 ton jack with some 2x4's. So dont think of this as a feat to conquer before mechanics school. I did the entire swap by myself, and the only prior experience i had was watching someone do it (only saw half of the project), and replacing a water pump on a 92 buick. The swap was VERY simple, VERY straight forward, and SO worth it. Pics of the swap are in my sig if you care to see. In the v6 section, you can see all the amazing tools i used.