Car Repair Tools

What basic car repair tools would you need to have in your garage if you wanted to start fixing your own car? There are some commonly used tools that every garage should have.

To begin with, all car parts are held together with nuts, bolts and screws. To repair any part of the car you must be able to get to the part that needs to be fixed or replaced. You will need both a manual socket set and ratchet set so that you can loosen and tighten the nuts and bolts on a vehicle. A ratchet (or socket wrench) is a gadget which allows linear or rotary motion in just one direction, while preventing motion in the opposite direction. It is used with removable sockets of varying sizes. Sockets and ratchets are used to a loosen lugs on tires when changing them and on most mechanical parts such as engines, transmissions, alternators, and starters. Before purchasing, be sure to check whether your car uses metric or standard sizes. For the screws, you will need both Phillips and flathead screwdrivers.

One of the essential car repair tools you will find helpful is an air compressor, which has a variety of uses. Many of the nuts and bolts on a car require more force than what can be provided manually. In those cases, you will need an air compressor, with impact sockets and impact ratchets that are designed to withstand greater torque. The air compressor can also be used with an air sander and paint sprayer when repairing scratches on your car.

Some other car service tools that you will use repeatedly are jumper cables for dead batteries, as well as an oil filter wrench and funnel for routine oil changes. A diagnostic code tester may save you lots of money by quickly spelling out what is wrong with your car when you simply plug it into the computer terminal on your car. It is also helpful to have a hydraulic floor jack that slides under your car to lift it more easily, and jack stands to keep your car safely suspended.

Getting your garage set up with good car repair tools does cost a bit on the front end, but it could save you a lot of money in the long run.