Tools For DIY

Safety wire pliers.

 

All vintage hand-me-downs from my dad and my compadre.

 

If you're looking at a ratchet like these:


Id suggest looking up youtube videos on them that compare the regular ones to the fuel. Keep in mind these are ratchets, not impacts. They are just spinning for you, not breaking bolts loose unless they aren't very tight. They have 1/4 and 3/8 regular m12 and fuel brushless in 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2". Most guys say always go brushless but the FUEL versions are bulky, so go to the store and put them in your hands if you can. The smaller non fuel versions fit in tighter spaces and you won't be undoing enough bolts to burn through batteries. Just have one on the charger and you'll be fine for most any job you do. I'd venture to say you could do quite a few jobs without going through a battery for how much you will use this tool.

FWIW I work on cars as my hobby. Used to do it professionally so I have tons of tools and have used tons of tools and worked with other guys who worked on cars. The ratchets are good for smaller fasteners to zip them off AFTER you have broken them loose. So yeah a 1/2 ratchet for automotive feels like money wasted to me.

Get one of the smaller ratchets, it will fit in tight spaces and you can get some long extensions to reach stuff if you need. But I would get a 3/8 impact wrench first. Milwaukee is good for those too. They make a compact FUEL version. I have a Bosch fyi cause I also have a bosch brushless drill, led light, impact driver and hacksaw. 12v stuff is fine for most automotive work, especially interior stuff. I have a bigger 1/2 impact wrench, its not the super high torque version but it works fine for wheel lug nuts and some suspension stuff. If it won't break something loose I have a snap on super long breaker bar that gets just about anything off I've ever needed. I don't work on heavy equipment or 18 wheelers so I've never needed anything bigger. Get it loose with the breaker bar then zip it off with my Makita impact. If I had to start over I might go all milwaukee since they have everything.

 

same. Its what I do to relax. I wish I had room for a lift, its getting harder and harder to get down on and under my cars in the garage to get some work done. I've been eyeing the quick jacks but my space is limited even for those. Are they even big enough to pick up a Tundra? I'm sure it will work for my LS430.

 

@myktundra
Instead of worrying about breaking the fasteners loose and using the ratchet to zip them off, why don’t you look into purchasing the Milwaukee right angle impact? Can also use it as a breaker bar if you want to which you can’t do with the ratchet. Kill two birds with one stone. Definitely on my Xmas wishlist this year..

 

I just saw that whilst perusing the Milwaukee website. Honestly the places I could have used a right angle impact throughout my career and hobby years that guy doesn't have enough torque. IE breaking loose a hard to get to crank bolt or something. I think it would be great on certain things. Those are definitely the best ones I've seen, I hadn't seen those yet. The old ones were terrible, so weak. I think they still sell those. Its like an M18 but only 3/8 and only like 60 foot pounds of torque! lol. Its a toy. Those are better with 220 ft/lbs of torque. FYI you can lock up the ratchets and break the bolt loose then let the tool spin it off. But I just dont use it enough in general. I've used one but haven't bought one cause i tend to just find a way to use my 3/8 impact wrench. I see guys use them on valve cover bolts and whatnot just so they don't have to spin a hand ratchet.

I'll have to check out that right angle impact though, its looks more promising.

 

Thank you

 

Definitely on my needs/want list.

 

Anyone signed up for the S-K pro membership? $50 for the year plus a free socket every month and coupons. I’m missing 1/2” deeps non impact both metric and sae, so might give it a shot and see what it’s all about. They have some big 1/2” sockets on the list that would be a pretty penny if you were to buy individually

 

Just picked one of these up because it was too cheap not to. Saw something similar used on Mustie1 and this appears to be the new industry standard on how to remove really stuck Philips (or any screwdriver type) fasteners that are corroded

 

Check this guys setup out. Skip to the toolbox tour if you want to see a silly amount of tools
https://youtu.be/DLpIHvdDLPs?si=i5fk4QqaZ174Kr1f