A bad tool that bends or breaks at the first rusty bolt can cause problems and ruin your enjoyment of the job.
When buying, pay attention to quality - good tools are made of quality material and exactly the right size.
For someone who works with bolts and nuts only occasionally, it is enough to have the following basic equipment:
Screwdriver set with durable, non-slip handle for slotted, cross-head and star screws.
Set of fork and ring wrenches. It makes sense to purchase double keys with a size of 6 to 19 mm. Buy two combination wrenches each in sizes 10, 13, 17 and 19 mm so that you can work with locked screw connections.
Candle wrench size 16 mm - a special socket wrench with a rubber insert.
Keys for hexagon socket screws from 2 to 8 mm
Pliers 1, pipe pliers 3 (length not less than 240 mm) and side cutters 2 will help you bend, rotate or cut almost any material you might encounter in your vehicle.
Locksmith's hammer 1 (weighing about 300 g) used as a percussion tool, for example, to loosen stuck bolts with a punch. Components that are sensitive to impacts such as bearings, cast and hardened parts can only be machined with a plastic or rubber hammer 2. When straightening sheet material, a straightening hammer is useful.
Punch 1 is required when drilling metal. Punch 2 (diameter 3 and 6 mm) is a universal tool, it can be used when working on the chassis, engine and brakes. If necessary, chisel 3 (with hardened cutting edge) will allow you to cope even with deformed or rusted bolted connections, for this you need to chop off the nut together with the bolt with a chisel.
When working with electrical equipment, it is recommended to use pliers with insulated handles 1, crimping pliers 2 for plug and cable connections, a screwdriver with an insulated handle 3 and a probe to determine the presence of phase voltage with a probe and a separate wire for connecting to ground 4.
For work in the engine compartment and under the machine, it is recommended to purchase a set of socket wrenches 1 with interchangeable bits from 10 to 32 mm and a ratchet 2 with a half-inch drive. It is cheaper to buy a whole set than individual nozzles. A set of socket wrenches will also be useful when working in the cabin, but only with less (quarter-inch) drive. Here, in addition to slotted, cross-head and star-shaped screws, as well as plastic clamps, manufacturers often use screws with a wrench size of 6 to 13 mm.
Checking the on-board tool kit
Check the completeness of the tools you carry with you. The best garage equipment will be useless if you don't have the right tools at hand in the event of an accident on the road. Screwdrivers and a jack must always be in the car. In addition, the most necessary tools include a cross-shaped wrench for dismantling wheels 1, in case of poor contact or a loose cable connection, pliers 2 are needed. It is good to have spare wire 3 and electrical tape 4 with you. In addition, it is advisable to have a set of lamps 5 and spare fuses b, tow rope or pole 7, emergency start cable 8, and flashlight 9. The manual you keep in front of you is also better kept in your car than on a bookshelf at home.
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