tool box setup

Station House said:

Agree Beasty

The missus got me the ratchet ones with the swivel heads for Valentines - they've been useful already for getting into places that previously would have seen me finish the job with less skin on my knuckles!

Beats chocolates or flowers as a pressie IMO

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Had the same ones for 3 years now, taken a surprising ammount of abuse

I misread at first - must be the wine.

Thought you were referring to the missus

surprised none of you professional mechanics mentioned torque wrenches, all to busy with my tools bigger than your tool, lol

Good call Johnlad - I have one, but only really use on the cylinder head.

Guess I should use more often - a case of muscle overtaking brain:doh:

hardly use one you get to know how tight things should be by feel

jamesmartin said:

hardly use one you get to know how tight things should be by feel

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really

really ,there only really necessary on compressible things like head gaskets

jamesmartin said:

really ,there only really necessary on compressible things like head gaskets

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td5 defender wheel bearings are torqued fitted

right i'm gonna chuck my oar in....

whats your budget?their is no point me saying buy a £400 set of sockets if you can only afford a £80 halfords ones

but basic hand tools are a must,

Decent screw drivers, i see far to many screws that have been butchered by people using cheap screwdrivers, i have a set of cheap screwdrivers that i use when deliberately butchering stuff... or opening stuff you should budget about £50 for a decent set of screwdrivers

Spanners starting off with just a normal metric combination spanner set (ring one end and open the other) i like ones with a slight offset budget £100 for spanners that won't take your fingers off and will grip the fastener correctly you want to go from about 6mm up to at least 19mm and then buy the larger sizes individually (you can go upto 105mm in laser but its about £400+vat )

Sockets,
1/2" drive should take you up from 10mm to 32mm, 6 sided wall drive (although you will need some 12 sided 14mm for instance)

3/8" drive should go from 8mm up to about 22 or 24 mm, again 6 sided wall drive

1/4" drive from 4 or 5mm up to about 14mm , 6 side wall drive

all the above should be in normal short sockets, plus 3/8" and 1/4" will need to be in deep (some 1/2" too)

also i find torx and allan bits are better in socket form rather than in 'driver/key form

Socket accessories,

ratchets, extensions(various sizes) and universal joints for all of the above, plus breaker/power bar for 1/2"

torque wrenches, 1/2" that goes from about 40nm - 200nm should see you good on most jobs don't forget they need calibrating once a year

Hammers and striking implements

a medium ball pein hammer will get you a long way, you may find it not suitable for all jobs though, supplement it with a large ball pein hammer, a copper/hide hammer and a club hammer (a dead blow hammer is also a good idea)

cold chisels and punches various..... don't get the real cheap ones as they can shatter


Larger items

trolley jack, go for the best one you can afford avoid the cheap crap peddled on eblag and hobby ones they are not really upto the job! a standard chassis workshop one is best (value of money wise)

axle stands, same as the jack avoid the **** ones!!! nobody wants to see ' crushed under landrover in the obituaries '

angle grinder 4,1/2" with a selection of cutting and grinding discs


safety items,

eye protection!!!!!!!! weather its goggles or the skydiver/sunglasses type for the £10 they cost they can not only save you some pain or your sight i know someone who's life was saved by his!!(if you don't think its possible let me know and i will tell yer the story)

gloves, examination type and thick rigger glove type

overalls, they don't just keep you clean they protect you too




OH AND FINALLY




a radio to keep you company while you while away the hours replacing bits you have broken

bloody torque wrenches :frown:

on a completely unrelated note... learn how your lovely new tools work and use the right one for the job.

A tip I was given years ago is buy a cheaper set to start off with to give you the best selection for your money and then if/when you buy a single item or replace something, buy the best you can afford.

Most useful random tool : medical clamp, so many uses...

Siliconwombat said:

bloody torque wrenches :frown:

on a completely unrelated note... learn how your lovely new tools work and use the right one for the job.

A tip I was given years ago is buy a cheaper set to start off with to give you the best selection for your money and then if/when you buy a single item or replace something, buy the best you can afford.

Most useful random tool : medical clamp, so many uses...

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i got a set of bent nose ones in me fishing tackle box better than any disgorger

G-man said:

i got a set of bent nose ones in me fishing tackle box better than any disgorger

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I can believe it, picked up a straight and a bent pair at the market for pence thinking theyd come in useful for summit...first job was removing the filter from inside a chainsaw fuel tank, then replacing it and since then they've never been far away.

Siliconwombat said:

I can believe it, picked up a straight and a bent pair at the market for pence thinking theyd come in useful for summit...first job was removing the filter from inside a chainsaw fuel tank, then replacing it and since then they've never been far away.

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never used them for anything other than fishing......


tell a lie i once held a cut closed with them while i got the insulating tape out

td5 wheel brgs have a predetermined spacer to give preload to brg nut only has to be tight so that it doesnt come loose,as long as its tight makes no difference,nuts hold by stretching thread to lock nut as long as thats achieved without going past its elastic point ,

Station House said:

I misread at first - must be the wine.

Thought you were referring to the missus

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snigger

My dad's a retired mechanic and confirmed brittool user, but even he reckons the halfords stuff is good.
I use the halfords stuff and have not had any problems with it, and my halfords trade card makes them even cheaper!

Trained as a truck mechanic, Most of the lads used Snap on or MAC, Waste of money even for daily use, TENG,BRITOOL,BACHO,GEGDORE are the best one ones for price. Must say Halfrauds tools arnt bad except for their screwdrivers and rachets which i find fail too much, Their torque wrenchs come with certs too which is more than some of the bigger names.

BearDy89 said:

My mate said the same


Ive never understood this argument??
SnapOn would have cost me 4x as much?
they have a lifetime garuntee, Yes.

MY halfords ones have a lifetime garuntee, if they break due to their so say "inferior" quality i get a new one..... and its still cost me 1/4 of the SnapOn ones in the first place????

Sam

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Thing is, out in your truck or working on it late some evening and your tool breaks or otherwise fails what good exactly is the Lifetime Guarantee when what you needed was a tool that didnt let you down.

I'm not being elitist and slagging halfords kit and personally i think snapon thrive on the we're expensive thus better mind game.

Pays your money and takes your chance I guess,

Gary

dave18 said:

Trained as a truck mechanic, Most of the lads used Snap on or MAC, Waste of money even for daily use, TENG,BRITOOL,BACHO,GEGDORE are the best one ones for price. Must say Halfrauds tools arnt bad except for their screwdrivers and rachets which i find fail too much, Their torque wrenchs come with certs too which is more than some of the bigger names.

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When I was working on me bikes Snap On, Britool and Teng were awesome.

I did unfortunately get some cheap 'snap off' tools from Wollies. The ends would snap off as soon as you'd look at them!