They might say that a poor workman blames his tools but without the right tools, you certainly wouldn’t be much of a mechanic. Every good mechanic deserves to have the best tools at their disposal when servicing a car. It is their job, after all. To that end, here’s a list of all the most basic tools that every car mechanic should have to hand.
Toolbox
A good toolbox keeps everything in one place and keeps it all safe from prying eyes and prying hands. This is particularly important if you work in a busy garage with lots of other mechanics or if you often take your tools home and you have small children who might reveal a fondness for them.
Hoists
Some of the most vital work needs to be done in a raised position under the body. The engine hoist gives you the best access to the parts of the car you’ll need to work on. Of course, larger hoists can seem like incredibly expensive purchases but depending on the kind of garage you’re running, you won’t be able to do without one. Especially if you regularly work on larger vehicles such as vans and trucks.
Socket sets
A good socket set will include all the metric sizes and 3/8 inch, ¼ inch, and even ½ inch drivers and sockets. The great thing about sockets is their modular build, which means you can invest in a single socket with dozens of extensions suitable for most situations.
Wrenches and torque wrenches
When you picture a mechanic in your mind’s eye you probably immediately picture a man in overalls holding a torque wrench or spanner. Go for wrenches with an open-ended side so you don’t have to keep removing the wrench at every turn and use a clicker torque wrench, if possible, as this gives you tangible feedback that you’re not being too tight with your nuts.
Battery chargers and jumper cables
There’s nothing quite as sobering as being lumbered with a dead battery in the middle of nowhere when you’ve driven out to do a job. Particularly if that job is to help a dead car start! With a battery charger and a pair of jumper cables, however, you’ll be able to kick-start your ride in no time. in case you get a vehicle with dead batteries that needs a jump start.
Lighting
You’ll probably find yourself working long nights over the winter months and without proper illumination, this could lead to some quite dangerous mistakes in the garage. LED floodlights are an affordable way to bring extra light to your workspace and you should never feel ashamed to keep a trusty torch in your toolbox at all times either. Sometimes a phone light is just not enough.