If you fancy yourself a garage mechanic and you want to do some of your own automotive work, there are some tools you need in your garage.
The right tools do make the job much easier, which is a much better situation for you than if you don’t have the tools you want at your disposal. The tools needed for some work on your car are different from the ones used to complete repairs. While there is some crossover, you’ll want to add a few great items to your toolbox to make sure you can work on your vehicle whenever you want.
An OBDII Code Reader is an Invaluable Tool
Whether you see a check engine light come on or you have neighbors that see this light show up, if you have an OBDII Code Reader, you’ll be the hit of the neighborhood, and everyone will bring their car to you so that you can tell them what’s wrong with their vehicle. After 1996, every vehicle on the road has an OBDII port, which makes it easy to find out what’s wrong with a car.
Add a Bit More Grab with a Pair of Vise Grips
This is one of the tools you need in your garage that some people don’t understand until they use them a few times. A pair of vise grips allow you to get a strong hold on a rusted nut that won’t turn or a screw that has a stripped head. Vise grips look like pliers but have a locking mechanism to make sure you can grab hold of an item and turn what you want or hold something in place.
A Grinder Comes in Handy for Lots of Things
Whether you want to cut through metal with an angle grinder or you’ll buy a Dremel tool that has several different bits and heads, you’ll have a tool that’s extremely useful. You can buy a cordless Dremel and grind or sand down something small that needs to be a bit smaller. This tool isn’t only good for working on your car, but it can be used for several tasks around the house. Find the right type of grinder to add to your toolbox.
The Most Common and Necessary Item is a Flashlight
You have a flashlight on your phone, but you might need your phone for other functions while working on your car. One of the most important tools you need in your garage is a flashlight. You might remember the days of holding this light for your parent while they worked on their car; now, your kids can do that for you. Of course, today’s flashlights come with magnets that can attach to the underside of your hood along with angled functions to turn the light where you need it.
A Drill/Driver and Bits Will Make Your Life Easier
When you want to work a little more quickly, the right way to turn a screw could be with a drill/driver and the right bits to get the job done. These items are lightweight and give you an easy way to put screws through a hole. Many items offer motors that are much stronger than you are, which means you can set the right level to put screws of various types in your car where they belong.
Buy a Full Mechanics Tool Set for Your Tinkering
A basic mechanics tool set is affordable and offers you several great tools to handle just about any job. Between standard and metric tools, you’ll have everything you need. This is one of the most important tools you need in your garage so that you don’t have to go to the store every time you run into a challenge. Visit your local auto parts store and find the toolset that will help you get the job done.
Put a Hydraulic Floor Jack and Stands in Your Garage
You shouldn’t use the jack in your spare tire kit to do auto work in your garage. This jack is only made for changing a tire. The best way to feel secure and know you can get under your car is with a hydraulic floor jack and a set of jack stands. These items help you lift your car to the height needed to go underneath and do some work. You’ll also easily work on your wheels when you have these items in your garage.
Mechanic Work Requires a Torque Wrench
You don’t need to tighten every nut or bolt in your car as tight as you can. A torque wrench helps you have the right amount of force, which is necessary for your vehicle to operate properly. This is one of the tools you need in your garage if you’re going to do mechanic work on your car regularly. With a torque wrench, you can make sure your nuts and bolts are set at the right level.
Your Back Will Thank You for the Creeper
A Creeper is a padded platform with wheels that sits low to the floor, making it easy for you to slide under your vehicle and work on the stuff underneath. This is a great item to use so that you don’t have to lay on the floor, on carpet pads, or on cardboard boxes just to get under your car. This is one of the best tools for working on your car and something that’s great for your back.
An Impact Wrench is Great for Those Tough Nuts
The right impact wrench can loosen the corroded lug nuts or tough bolts that get stuck. This is also the best tool for changing one wheel out for another. You can tighten and loosen your lug nuts with ease when you use an impact wrench. This is one of the most important tools you need to have in your garage when you want to get the job done. Instead of fighting with a nut for hours, let an impact wrench get that nut loose in a matter of seconds.
