Tools you wish you'd known about years ago

In reply to eastsidemav:

I don't know about the Milwaukee but the snap on one is whisper quiet compared to a pneumatic ratchet. It is also more powerful than all the air ratchets except the Ingersoll Rand brute.

In reply to Ashyukun:

Agreed. Wanting to avoid a bank of different battery chargers has been one of the reasons I haven't bought one. Although I'm starting to soften (give up...) on that stance as I realize certain battery types work better for certain types of tools.

ratcheting wrenches. I bought a set last year for the first time and can't believe I've lived without them.

Grtechguy wrote: ratcheting wrenches. I bought a set last year for the first time and can't believe I've lived without them.

I've got two sets of tools basically--basement and garage. One has a ratcheting set of wrenches.

I want to get 3 more sets--one normal ratcheting set, and two stubbies.

Grtechguy wrote: ratcheting wrenches. I bought a set last year for the first time and can't believe I've lived without them.

Those are absolutely the most useful tools that I've ever owned.

It's been mentioned before but battery pliers. Just used them to get the rusted nuts moving on an exhaust flange. Boy do they grip. Then finished off with an Irwin bolt grip extractor.

Tap Sockets

Not something I use often, but when you can't get a tap handle into a tight space, they're a life-saver.

KyAllroad wrote: Not an automotive tool but when I discovered this little gem (came free with the N88 framing nailer). When you need to drive a nail and nothing else fits, this thing is the bees knees!

Indeed! A contractor friend lent me one when I was working on the garage attic, and it blew my mind.

Ian F wrote:

mtn wrote: Woody. You just blew my mind. I had no idea that thing existed.

Wait until you see the price. Still... could save a good bit of time. For hose clamp pliers, it pays to get the complete set. Especially if you work on modern cars with band-type hose clamps.

$180 Isn't too bad, frankly for tools like this by the time you reach for them my frustration level is at a point where I would be willing to give a blank check to have the job done.... I never knew this was out there either, good to know the only thing I would think would be the nut I was trying to break with it would likely be in a spot that would prohibit getting this tool in place to do the job you want it to.

Ian F wrote: Tap Sockets Not something I use often, but when you can't get a tap handle into a tight space, they're a life-saver.

Never knew these were out there either! just recently I had an absolute need for this exact tool for chasing some threads I couldn't get a tap handle into!

Not the thread I was expecting...

Rumnhammer wrote: $180 Isn't too bad, frankly for tools like this by the time you reach for them my frustration level is at a point where I would be willing to give a blank check to have the job done.... I never knew this was out there either, good to know the only thing I would think would be the nut I was trying to break with it would likely be in a spot that would prohibit getting this tool in place to do the job you want it to.

True. I have quite a number of tools purchased out of past frustration or with hopes of preventing a future frustration. Some of them I have yet to actually use or have used only in once in a decade.

When talking with many of my car club friends who look astonished when they see my tool collection, I generally respond that if you only work on one particular car, you can often get away with a fairly minimal tool set. However, when you start working on a lot of different cars from all over the world and spanning some 50 years, you begin to understand why professional mechanics have so many tools.

These look like an alternative to Channel-Locks, but it is really a different animal. I like having both.

Ian F wrote:

Rumnhammer wrote: $180 Isn't too bad, frankly for tools like this by the time you reach for them my frustration level is at a point where I would be willing to give a blank check to have the job done.... I never knew this was out there either, good to know the only thing I would think would be the nut I was trying to break with it would likely be in a spot that would prohibit getting this tool in place to do the job you want it to.

True. I have quite a number of tools purchased out of past frustration or with hopes of preventing a future frustration. Some of them I have yet to actually use or have used only in once in a decade. When talking with many of my car club friends who look astonished when they see my tool collection, I generally respond that if you only work on one particular car, you can often get away with a fairly minimal tool set. However, when you start working on a lot of different cars from all over the world and spanning some 50 years, you begin to understand why professional mechanics have so many tools.

I'm the same way. I have tools that I needed the "proper" tool for that I ponied up the money for to get the job done more easily, and I'm glad I did. I never regret spending money on the proper tool for the job as I've found it makes the job easier, then the next time it pops up even if it is years in the future you have it when you need it. I also always make a mental note when I'm working on stuff and find I need a certain tool, even a non specialty tool to buy it the next time I'm shopping for tools. This also just recently happened when I removed the rear brakes on my Mazda 3 I needed a 7mm allen wrench to remove the caliper. I have a 7 mm even though it is not a common allen wrench size, but the job would have went faster if I had a 7mm allen head socket so the next time I went out I bought one for the future. I also got a set of metric crows foot wrenches for the same reason.

For me it's these guys. Hose Removal Pliers:

$5 from amazon or $19 from Snap-On if you prefer.

They are great for loosening coolant hoses you want to re-use, especially smaller ones, as long as the fittings are sturdy (do not use on Miata brass heater core pipes for example). They also come in handy for removing rubber exhaust hangars - I might use them for that more than anything. The 'pipe' side is sharpened slightly and will bite into the exhaust hangar and let you work the rubber free in a more predictable manner than "cram a screwdriver up there and yank til it falls on your face".

In reply to RedGT:

Interestingly, a quick Amazon search finds something that at least looks to be the best of all worlds regarding hoses/hose clamps:

9-piece Hose Clamp/Hose Removal Tool Kit

For the exhaust hangers I prefer to use these.

Exhaust hanger pliers

Ashyukun wrote: In reply to RedGT: Interestingly, a quick Amazon search finds something that at least *looks* to be the best of all worlds regarding hoses/hose clamps: 9-piece Hose Clamp/Hose Removal Tool Kit

That's what I have (and posted earlier).

And yes - exhaust hanger pliers are the bomb.

In reply to moxnix:

Oh, I like those. Going on the christmas list just because.

Ian, I saw that they were included inside your kit but weren't specifically called out - I'd buy these again for $5 before I bother with a $55 set. Somehow the constant pressure clamps don't bother me, I have a variety of pliers already on hand that have worked for every one so far. I probably don't know what I am missing.

I suppose it's a MINI thing when they bury said clamp deep in the engine bay and can't be accessed with regular pliers to clip it closed easily...

Ian F wrote: I suppose it's a MINI thing when they bury said clamp deep in the engine bay and can't be accessed with regular pliers to clip it closed easily...

Nope, it's most definitely NOT just a Mini thing... I've encountered it on multiple vehicles, most recently the Riviera's lower rad hose connections.

The drill powered rotary sheet metal nibbler. Draws clean edged shapes in metal like a boss!

Huckleberry wrote: The drill powered rotary sheet metal nibbler. Draws clean edged shapes in metal like a boss!

I do have one of these, and yes you only need it every blue moon, but it beats the hell out of using tin snips! The only bad thing about it is that it leaves these razor sharp toe nails all over the place for you to step on the next time you are barefoot in the garage at 1am looking for a flashlight...... I'll be putting a set of those exhaust hanger pliers on the to get list as well.

I took one of these and made a little arbor for doing bodywork, Its like a hand held planishing hammer.

KyAllroad wrote: Not an automotive tool but when I discovered this little gem (came free with the N88 framing nailer). When you need to drive a nail and nothing else fits, this thing is the bees knees!

moxnix wrote: For the exhaust hangers I prefer to use these. Exhaust hanger pliers

I'll be using a pair of these for the first time on or before this weekend. I've seen recommendations to use silicone grease or wd-40 to help. The funny thing is that I learned about them in a very round about way, sort of. Searched youtube for exhaust removal and came across a Wheeler Dealer episode where he used a long shaped thin bar and then googled that and instead came up with the above which I bought immediately as it looked like an even more effective tool.