Question: Still fillin' my tool box. . .suggestions please.

[Bolisk]

So, I'm still doing my part to help the economy. . .by buying stuff! At any rate, I've finally gotten a proper tool box for my garage. Sadly though. . .it is painfully under stocked. Funny how I didn't have room for my tools before. . .now I don't have enough tools! :L I suppose that is a good problem to have.

So, keeping in mind that I have a 1970 coupe, I'd like to ask the collective wisdom of the group to help me idenify the most common (and uncommon) tools I should have in order to properly service/maintain my vette. Here are some of the projects I will be doing in the near future:

1) Removal of the steering box (for overhaul by someone else), and reinstall.
2) Replacement of the Rag Joint in the steering assembly.
3) Replacement of the Heater Core (I do not have A/C)
4) Removal of the Spedo / Tach (for overhaul by someone else), and reinstall.
5) Wheel berrings
6) Replament of Windshield wipper door assebly.
7) Replace intake manifold gaskets.
8) If Im really daring, removeal of the front A arms to have the busings replaced by someone else.

So here are my following tool questions:

1) In the 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2" socket driver sizes, what range of sockets should I have? (i.e. 1/4" - 1.5")

2) Do I really need both 6 and 12 point sockets in the same size?

3) Do i really need deep and short in exactly the same sizes?

4) Extensions?

5) Universals?

6) Spreader forks?

7) Any other tools you can think of?

Note: I have a timing light, and multiple greses guns.

 

[Evolution1980]

Most of the <$300 complete kits that Sears ("Craftsman") sells are pretty good deals. Here's one for $199 that's will certainly get you started..
Duplicates of wrenches and whatnot is a good idea so you can work bolts/nuts from both sides. As well, having both deep well and regular sockets allows you the luxury of losing one and still having a backup. 6pt and 12pt sockets are nice because sometimes you only have <1/8" to turn a ratchet. A 6pt won't give you enough adjustment.

A couple of angle-head wrenches come in handy. A couple u-joints for your sockets. And some ratchet-wrenches. That pretty much allows you to do everything.

If you are a going to be tackling bigger things like A-Arms and stuff with 'big bolts', definitely consider an air compressor and impact wrench.

Other misc stuff like various size C-clamps, fender cover mats for working under the hood, 4 jack stands, a telescoping magnet for retrieving dropped screws/washers/bolts/nuts, a telescoping dentists mirror, patience, money, and an understanding significant other.

 

[bossvette]

you can never have too many tools, I have been acquiring tools for quite a while and still buy more all the time. Three rollaways are stuffed so full the drawers are hard to open.

Start with the basic "mechanics Set" buy duplicate of the sizes that you use the most and keep adding tools as you do different jobs. I used to say I would never buy metric but with the new stuff you need it I now have 1/2 a rollaway of metric stuff.
I prefer 6 point because they grip better but once in a while you need a 12 pt to do the job. Until you get into heaver work you can get by with 1/4 and 3/8 stuff that's what most of my stuff is but I do have a several complete sets of 1/2 in hand and impact.
Just fill up your box and buy another.

 

[Hib Halverson]

First, let me say that in my rollaway is a mix of Craftsman and Mac Tools. Lately, I've been buying mostly Craftsman 1) because they are less expensive than Mac--two years ago, that didn't matter much, but now with the crappy economy, it does, 2) in cases were Craftsman and Mac make the same tool, they are functionally the same, 3) and most Craftsman Tools carry the same lifetime guarantee and 4) they are convenient to purchase from the Sears store at a Shopping Mall a couple miles from here whereas, with Mac Tools, I have to chase down a tool truck.

In fact, I just got a Craftsman 1/2-drive impact wrench and, when it arrived, I found it was made by Chicago Pneumatic, one of the top makers of tools like that. I used it for the first time last week to change a pinion seal on one of our project cars. I unboxed it, shot couple drops of Red Line Air Tool Oil into its air connection, chucked it on my air hose, snapped on a 1 1/4-in socket and ripped that pinion nut right off! Man...what a nice piece of equipment!

(snip)

So here are my following tool questions

1) In the 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2" socket driver sizes, what range of sockets should I have? (i.e. 1/4" - 1.5")

In my tool box, I have:
1/4 drive: 3/32 to 1/2
3/8 drive: 3/8 to 3/4
1/2 drive: 7/16 to 1 1/4

2) Do I really need both 6 and 12 point sockets in the same size?

I don't have both 6-pt and 12-point of all sockets in my box. There are some cases were I have both but that's usually, with the smaller sizes, when a 12-point is required (such as the nuts or bolts on racing connecting rods) or, with the bgger sizes, when I really want to put a lot of torque on a bolt, a 6-point is required.

3) Do i really need deep and short in exactly the same sizes?

No. I only have deeps for a few sizes of fasteners I know are the most common to require a deep socket.
The deeps I have are, in 3/8-drive, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8 and, in 1/2-drive 3/4, 13/16, 7/8.

4) Extensions?

I have
1/4 drive: very short, short, long and very long
3/8 drive: short, medium, long, very long
1/2 drive: short and medium

5) Universals?

I have lots of those. Not only do I have u-joints for 1/4-, 3/8- and 1/2-drive but I also have u-joint sockets, 1-4-drive 3/8 and 7/16 and 3/8-drive , 3/8 to 11/16

6) Spreader forks?

Never use them.

7) Any other tools you can think of?

You need screw drivers, pliers, allen wrenches and tons of other stuff. If you are starting from scratch (ie: no tools at all) I strongly suggest dropping by your nearby Sears store and picking-up a Craftsman Tool catalog and looking at its selection of tool sets because it's really tough to beat Craftsman's pricing on tools sets.

Note: I have a timing light, and multiple greses guns.

Both things that you'll need

 

[Copdogcorvettes]

All of the above; and YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TO MANY TOOLS !!!!!!!!

A good set of screw drivers; punches; pry bars are all needed items. A couple of nice items are seatbelt bolt socket as well as sending unit socket. Nothing else will work safely when working on this things.

SAVE THE WAVE
Gary

 

[stepho1975]

I may be going against the grain here, but I think having both deep and shallow in most if not all sizes is essential. You won't be able to loosen the nut off a stud with just a shallow socket, and a deep socket may not fit where you have to put it.

If you decide to get ratcheting wrenches make sure you get the kind with the lever on them to reverse the direction. I've had it happen where I started taking a bolt out using one without the lever and I wasn't paying attention to clearance and I backed it into something else. I had no way to get the wrench off or drive the bolt back in. I was lucky enough to be able to reach a recip saw in where i was working to cut the bolt off.

 

[TimAT]

Add a couple different sizes of brass hammers, a soft face hammer, some brass punches, and one whoppin' big hammer. 3 to 5 lbs.

 

[Koop]

What?

No condoms?

You do have a Vette don't you?

 

[6880 Mike]

7) ...Any other tools you can think of?...

SpellCheck.

 

[Evolution1980]

SpellCheck.

Irony? I think you mean GrammarCheck.

 

[LVMYVT76]

A big vice help when you use that BFH. It saves finger, maybe a big box of bandages, assorted sizes and colors.

 

[76okievette]

Multimeter or at least a ground probe are a must, also a good shop light, needle nose plyiers and I agree you never can have too many tools, I made a living working on aircraft and had my own tools but ways always needing that one special tool I did not have, you will discover as you do each project that there will be one wrench, socket, screw driver that you need but don't have, GO GET IT you will need it again trust me.
When you expand into electrical work then a different list of tools is necessary, wire stripers, crimping tools, etc then body work has its own set of tools etc etc, it never ends, happily so, I love to shop for tools.
I have a set of crow's feet that I find very helpful

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Don't forget the torque wrench.

 

[petes74ttop]

I Love Tools!

A Vise grip.
Spark plug socket.
Vacuum guage.

 

[LVMYVT76]

A good floor jack

 

[JohnZ]

Dwell meter, double-bent distributor hold-down wrench, and inserts to keep your tools organized; I have these in all of my rollaways and bench drawers.

 

[stepho1975]

Dwell meter, double-bent distributor hold-down wrench, and inserts to keep your tools organized; I have these in all of my rollaways and bench drawers.

Geez your tools are organized! I have a socket set that has all the tools in the right place, all the rest of them are just tossed in the drawers.

I've started trying to keep it some what organized. One drawer for screw drivers, one drawer for sockets/ratchets, thats about as far as I get in organizing tho.

 

[Evolution1980]

Don't forget the torque wrench.

Doh! I can't believe most of us passed that one up! Good call!!!

Dwell meter, double-bent distributor hold-down wrench, and inserts to keep your tools organized; I have these in all of my rollaways and bench drawers.

Geez your tools are organized! I have a socket set that has all the tools in the right place, all the rest of them are just tossed in the drawers.

I've started trying to keep it some what organized. One drawer for screw drivers, one drawer for sockets/ratchets, thats about as far as I get in organizing tho.

That's one of the nice things about the Craftsman kit(s) that I recommended in my first post. Those all (or they did) have marked holders for all the sockets, ratchets, and other misc stuff. And then there's usually an extra drawer and some tray space for misc stuff.
Plus, since they are in the 'tote' boxes, it makes it easier to just pick it up and take it all over with you versus back & forth to the toolbox. (The down side is they are more portable...("theft"))

 

[LVMYVT76]

Oil filter wrenches, and drain pan.

 

[Vette79]

What?

No condoms?

You do have a Vette don't you?

Now, that's good Funny! otfl