Like most work, having the right tools for the right job when it comes to working on your car can make all the difference. And no, the dollar store tire pressure you use to twice a year doesn’t count. What does count are tools that can help you with all the core aspects of owning a vehicle, even changing tire sizes.
Below, we detail what you should be in your garage to help you get all the basics of vehicle repair done without going to a mechanic.
A Quality Impact Wrench for Changing Tire Sizes
If you ever want to change your tires out yourself, you’ll need an impact wrench. It’s the fastest and most effective way to get your lug nuts off versus simply using a tire iron. Don’t forget though that even if you change from summer to winter tires or vice versa, your tires will still need to be balanced so they all wear down evenly for a smooth ride.
A Complete Socket Set
Cars are made up of a ton of parts with a load of different sizes of nuts and bolts. Naturally, the more sizes of sockets you have, the better equipped you’ll be to work on your car. A solid toolset will include both standard and metric sizes and 3/8-inch, 1/4-inch, and even 1/2-inch drivers and sockets. Extensions and thin-walled sockets are also useful for certain situations.
Various Pliers
In order for your car to stay together safely while driving at highway speeds, parts need to be put on tightly. Sometimes too tightly though where your hands won’t cut it to loosen something. That’s why having several types and sizes of pliers on hand can be immensely helpful. Wire cutters and wire strippers are also very useful for tinkering with the electrical components of your car.
A Set of Wrenches
Wrenches are almost synonymous with working with cars, and there’s a good reason for that. They help you get into a lot of nooks and crannies of your car that your socket set can’t. We recommend getting a set with ratchets on the ends so you don’t have to remove the wrench on each turn.
Screwdrivers Big and Small
While nuts and bolts do make up a lot of your car, there are still plenty of screws of various sizes that only a screwdriver can tighten or loosen. You may already have some screwdrivers in your home and as long as they fit the screws you’re working on you might not need to buy many (or any) more, but adding a few smaller or larger ones to your existing collection will never hurt.
Overall, there are plenty of useful tools to help you keep your vehicle in the best condition possible, but these ones are a good place to start.