Tools for home servicing

alexalexalex

I want to start servicing my car at home, nothing fancy - just the air, oil, and fuel filters and changing the oil etc. I've found guides online specific to my car for the jobs but my tool bag is a bit lacking with not much more than a hammer, saw, and a few different size screwdrivers

Would I be ok getting a kit like this from Halfords and along with a socket like this to swap over the oil filter?

Is there a bare minimum set of tools that you should have for car repairs or will a kit like I linked to get me off to a decent start?

s_b

i guess you have a vauxhall
socket set looks rubbish
socket looks the business and laser tools are good if chosen wisely
up the anti (spondies) on the socket set or you will end up doing yourself an injury

Delivery_Driver

Some of the Halfords professional range are pretty good and are on offer a lot.
Don't scrimp on tools like spanners and screwdrivers as they will let you down just hen you really need them.

Trebor16

A cheap socket set like that won't last and it is worthwhile getting a good set as it will pay off in the long term. I have had a Halfords professional socket set for 10 years and it is still working nicely. It will have the majority of the stuff you need.

This one is half price at the moment:-

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_163079_categoryId_255215_langId_-1?cm_sp=Intelligent_Offer-_-Product_List_Zone_1-_-Blank&iozone=PLPz1

in_the_Cotswolds

Also get yourself a toolbox. Something like this http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cb2-2-drawer-chest or this [URL="httphttp://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cb3-3-drawer-chest://"]http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cb3-3-drawer-chest://[/URL]

Keeps everything in one place.

Wig

You won't need a 36mm socket for the oil filter, I guess it is a vauxhall black plastic cap oil filter with hex nut on top? Either unscrew it by hand or use water pump pliers on the hexhead, no need for an expensive socket that you will likely never use for anything else.

Look at argos tools section in there you will see a RAC spanner set £14.99
You need something like that.

And the socket set you showed is going to be next to useless, lots of tiny sockets 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5 you will never use any of those

You want a socket set that includes from 12mm to 22mm 1/2 drive sockets, just the sockets on a rail from ebay will be fine, then you can buy a 1/2 drive bar and/or a 1/2 ratchet drive seperately

You want to avoid all sets that include A/F waste of money IMHO
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=metric+socket+set+1%2F2%22+-AF&_sacat=0&_odkw=metric+socket+set+1%2F2%22&_osacat=0&_from=R40

This one
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/11PC-1-2-DR-DRIVE-CHROME-VANADIUM-RATCHET-HANDLE-METRIC-SOCKET-SET-/380382261170?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item58908cafb2

or this one, but the ratchet lets this set down, and there's no bar.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DRAPER-15-PIECE-1-2-SQ-DR-METRIC-SOCKET-SET-10-22mm-26835-WITH-FREE-P-P-/260941871199?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item3cc158f85f


I don't agree, with others you should, at your stage, buy cheap, cheap as possible, a socket is a socket at the end of the day, granted a ratchet is not always a ratchet, but a bar is always a bar. If you buy cheap and you become more adept and adventurous you can always upgrade later. I still use a set of cheap Kamasa sockets.

For the jobs you mention you won't really need a tool kit anyway.

forgotmyname

Dont buy cheap tat, Rounding nuts off and ratchets that slip will cost you dearly.

Ignore sets that bulk up the tool count by adding screwdriver bits and pliers etc.

Socket set = crap. Socket for oil filter = overkill its an impact socket for air/power impact wrenches.

Starting out the tools will cost more than the service at a garage but as the kit builds it pays for itself.

No point getting cheap tools that need replacing each time.

20+ years ago i bought a 1/2" drive Kamasa socket set 1/2 price when unipart opened near me, I paid £50. Its still going strong to this day, Used a hammer and extension bars on the ratchet but its never failed.

Jacks and axle stands put your life at risk, Buy cheap ones of those and you may never need to replace any tools ever again.

Notmyrealname

Go for the Halfords Professional range for all your sockets and ratchets and oil filter strap. Next off to Machine Mart for screwdrivers, hammers, hacksaw.

in_the_Cotswolds

A 3/8" drive socket set is better than a 1/2" drive. They are smaller especially if you have to change recessed spark plugs.

Imp

I agree with the "buy cheap to begin with" mentality. The items that you use a lot will wear out, get quality replacements.

I'd suggest buying this set from Halfords.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_232701_langId_-1_categoryId_165572

It's not get everything, by a long way, but it has a wide range of things. Sockets, screwdriver, electrical tap, knife, wire brush etc. I've got one and, while I have many more tools, this set always comes out when I do anything on the car just because of the variety of contents.

Edited to add: a can of Loctite 8040 is really useful to release seized fasteners.

Joe_Horner

mechanic wrote: »

A 3/8" drive socket set is better than a 1/2" drive. They are smaller especially if you have to change recessed spark plugs.

+ about 5 million on that. !/2 inch drive is overkill for probably 98% of what you're likely to do, cost more, weighs more and takes up more space.

Get a basic 3/8" drive set and a 1/2" drive breaker bar, then buy odd 1/2 inch sockets as you find you need them for the really tight stuff. As soon as you've got the moving you can swap to the 3/8 for convenience.

Having lost my well-loved (and very hard-worked) Britool toolbox in a car theft about 15 years ago I replaced the socket set with Draper on the basis of getting better as I broke things.

So far I've replaced a total of 4 sockets, and that's cos I lost them. My tools get used a lot, and hard, but I don't abuse them.

It's also worth having a look at Silverline. They're cheap (from around 70 pence each for spanners!) but very well made for the price - much the same as Draper used to be before they tried to push themselves upmarket.