Question for the Mechanically inclined with Pathys...about tools

[NaturaTek]

Hey guys..It's me, noober guy.

 

As you guys know I'm NOOB noobier noobiest noober. I've got the Chilton and Haynes manual for my 90 pathy. Now, is the next phase. To get my first time tool kit.

I was at sears and they have a couple of good deals on mechanic tool sets this week. They have a 117 piece set for 79bucks and a 155 piece set for 99bucks. Both with that new 'laser' etch to view better.

 

Here are my questions. Should I buy one of these kits or should I build my own? Example I'm a computer tech, and I never and will never buy a 'computer tool kit', I always piece my pc tools with pieces I like.

 

I have a few craftsman wrenches and bunch of screwdrivers, allen keys, drill bits, pliers, visegrips etc that are in a home tool kit. All are pretty good brand tools. It seems I need ratchets and sockets. For a 1990 pathfinder, are the nuts standard or metric? Or are they a little of both?

 

I'm looking to get my own tools to do little stuff on my own. Maybe change my own sparkplugs, tighten a nut, and who knows, change something major one day.

 

What are the perfect tools to start little mechanic repairs with (only on my own pathy)?

I'm not mechanically smart, but by looking at these tool kits, the only thing bad I kinda see, is everything is short. Nothing long. No long wrench, etc. Then again I might not need it. Also looking thru tutorials, I see a long extending tool for a ratchet to pull out spark plugs. These kits dont have them but I see you can buy separately.

 

What are the most important tools I should buy to work on my pathy? Yes I know this is noobish, just bare with me I'll try not to blow nothing up

 

I'll link photos later of the 2 kits I have in mind.

UPDATE, here are the 2 sets I have in mind (cause they on sale and I'm cost conscious at this sec, lol)

 

1. 117 pc mech tool set

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_0...anics+Tool+Sets

on sale for 79.99$

 

2. 155 pc mec tool set (i couldnt find it from sears.com but its on sale for 99$ at my local store..i linked a googled image)

 

Or I was thinking of buying sockets/socket wrench and start buying tools as I need/when on sale. To build a nice set. I'm not pro. but I HATE those black cases. Like the ones that came with a cratftsman jack or the one tthat came with drill/saw set. REally, I don't use them. I'd rather have everything organized in a thick nice canvas bag or a real toolbox.

Edited November 20, 2007 by NaturaTek

[Earth1]

Yep everything on your Pathy is metric, unless someone had put standard hardware on somewhere along the way (aftermarket exhaust, etc). You'll find you commonly use sizes 10,12,14, sometimes 8,17,19mm- so may as well get both a socket and wrench set. Doubles of the commonly used wrenches would be nice. Longer wrenches will tend to get in the way, there are a lot of tight spots. Some extensions and wobbles will come in handy, and if you can afford it gear wrenches make so many things easier. I sometimes use a baby 1/4" ratchet in tight spots. Also a 1/2" drive ratchet (or a 3/8" to 1/2" adapter) will be needed if you plan on changing the fluids in difs, tranny and transfer yourself. I bet if you get a "kit" there will be a bunch of stuff you never use and a few things you use all the time. I buy most of my tools used, pawn shops, and garage sales. Try craigslist, you'll find a ton of tools there. Some peeps are tool snobs, but even the cheap ones do the job. I would stay away from cheap ratchets though.

 

Cool, once you start wrenching you'll get so much more confident about working on your truck. good luck.

[Tincan4X4]

I started out with one of those large Craftmans sets and just built up from there.

[GrimGreg]

I started out with one of those large Craftmans sets and just built up from there.

 

Yeah, one of those kits will get you going with the basics. Then just fill in the gaps piece by piece as needed.

[Casey.T]

I originally bought a Wally World Metric Set, then I got a second one thats in the back of the Pathy... Then I got some nice Craftsman Metric wrenches... If I find im missing something I need... Ill go shopping as needed...

[unccpathfinder]

My mom got me a Companion tool kit from sears when I was 16 it had your common size wrenches and 1/4" and 3/8" sockets with a couple extensions and a ball peen hammer, channel locks, needle nose and whatever the wirecutter name is...They got me through most jobs on the pathy...I eventually purchased a breaker bar and 1/2" to 3/8" adapter and larger sockets as required...The only thing it lacked was deep well metrics so she got a craftsman set of those...

 

I used those for probably 6 years...They have now been retired from the tools I carried everywhere to the ones in my tool box and if I were you I'd wait till the day after thanksgiving...last year I got the 253 piece "mechanics set" for $100 off the day after thanksgiving...that is the only thing I went out for and I was back at the house in less than an hr...even jumped some curbs in the pathy to park b/c I got tired of riding and not finding a single spot...

[MikeV]

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Toolin'!

I have a 2 1/2 car garage with no room for cars. A bit overtooled, but happy!

All I need is a good pipebender and a plasma cutter... (for Now) then a 4 car garage so the wife can park her car in it!

[94extreme]

yeah, get the bigger tool set of the two.. it's a good start. everything is metric on these trucks but if you ever replace a nut or a bolt you'll end up with the english standart even though the thread may be metric.. that's how they roll in the US.

 

you will need a few torx and a few large allen sockets. extensions and wobbles (CVs) are highly necessary. definitely get wrenches and sockets as i have used all of them. get at least 2 or 3 10mm sockets.. it is the most common nut on the truck.. 12 and 15 are probably next.. all the big stuff is 17mm or 19mm.

 

what barnd you get is totaly up to you.. most of my stuff is craftsman but matco, maco etc.. are very very good although very expensive.

 

oh, don't forget the BFH!

 

[Tincan4X4]

oh, don't forget the BFH!

 

 

 

And a few steel pipes in various lengths. For when a breaker bar alone is not enough. LOL.

 

I have a 5 footer for breaking axle nuts.

[nige]

don't buy cheap tools. spend the money and get a good brand with a lifetime warranty. craftsman is a good name, so is husky from home depot.

[adamzan]

Up here, i've been surprised with the quality of some of the canadian tire brand (mastercraft) tools. But usually I buy snap-on or that other major brand, cause I'm hard on my stuff (damn rusty pathy bolts)

[NaturaTek]

WTF is a breaker bar? and BFH? My cousin has a cordless impact drill, a mini one, dang that thing is cool. It's like a vibrator for my pathy, she'll like it.

[bigfisch1191]

Yea don’t bother with the cheapo tools, craftsman and I believe snap-on has lifetime warranty. And yes if you got the money go out and buy a big tool set like that but if not wile your driving around look for tools on the side of the road, stop and get them and if there craftsman bring them back to sears and get new ones (they accepted a ratchet that was bent in half I don’t know how it got that way but I got a new one). I have done this on many occasions vice grips Phillips screwdrivers and tons of sockets. Not like we need any more tools we have 2 full sized tool chests and full tool kits in each vehicle and a bunch were found on the side of the road and garage sales.

[zonianbrat]

I have one of those black case crafstman i believe it was like 185 pc or something close. That is what I carry in the pathy. I have had the kit for like 4 or 5 years and it still works great. I am not sure if they have changed the design inside so that when you turn it over everything still falls out of it's spot but I just cut a piece of carpet to the shape and just put it in before I close it and it is tight. No tools fall out or rattle. It has worked great for me as a pathy tool kit plus I have an old medicine bag with other stuff like hammer channel locks vice grips screwdrivers fuses all kinds of crap. And I 2nd the idea of waiting till the day after thanksgiving. you will save a ton of money.

[jj big shoe]

I've got the 155 piece which gets me through most jobs, but the deeper you get into it the more stuff you'll need. Like others have said, start with the 155 piece and add stuff as needed like voltmeters, cutters, pliers, vice grips, etc... And choose wisely. You should spend the money on tools you're going to use a lot like sockets and screwdrivers and such, but you can get by with less expensive tools that will only be occasional use like a table vise or die grinder. Just don't scrimp too much on tools that your safety will depend on like jackstands and hoists.

 

A breaker bar is like a 1/2" drive rachet without the rachet and the handle is a bit longer for extra leverage. It's used to "break" tight nuts loose. Very handy on our old trucks.

 

And a BFH is a Big __ Hammer, you fill in the "F".

[unccpathfinder]

A breaker bar is like a 1/2" drive rachet without the rachet and the handle is a bit longer for extra leverage. It's used to "break" tight nuts loose. Very handy on our old trucks.

 

 

You can lengthen your breaker bar by adding a pipe on to it...Long before Igot my breaker bar I was using my ratchet with bars on it but decided I need to get one when I scored it at pepboys for like $5 and I think its the 18" long one

[95shakinPF]

You can lengthen your breaker bar by adding a pipe on to it...Long before Igot my breaker bar I was using my ratchet with bars on it but decided I need to get one when I scored it at pepboys for like $5 and I think its the 18" long one

Damn nice score on a breaker bar unc!!

You'll always be adding to your tool arsenal so get a descent set like the bigger set you were lookin at then go from there! You cant expect to get all you need outa one set, so just make sure you've got the basics like listed above. Good Luck and have fun!!

[NaturaTek]

Thanks for the input guys. I did the next best thing, I told my girl to get me the tool kit for a xmas gift

 

I did go on black friday and got some basic stuff I've been wanting. The 3 set of all black riveted craftsmans pliers 9.99, 13 piece craftsman metric wrenches 9.99. Black led rechargebale worklight 9.99. I already had a set of crafsmans pro vice grips. and a bunch of other misc tools. screwdrivers, wire cutters, etc.

 

While waiting for the xmas gift, lol...I bought a tiny kit at homedepot, husky 'stubby' set. Dang, it has angle head adjustable ratchet, adjustable wrench, ratcheting screwdriver with a bunch of sockets, adapters and mini extenders. the handles are small and fat and 'stubby' a perfect fit in your hand. Quality is good, vanadium for 10bucks. Not a bad combo tool for tightspots.

 

Theres a book 'automotive maintenance for dummies'... I go buy that later.

 

[msavides]

For wrenches and sockets I would go craftsman, especially if you have a Kmart, Sears Or osh near. It is way convenient when a tool breaks to just take it back and swap it with a new one no questions asked. with other hand tools I generally will give a cheap tool a try, especially if it is under 1/3rd the price of the craftsman. Reason, If it breaks I am not out that much I learn my lesson about that tool then buy a craftsman. I did this with my snap ring pliers. bought a cheap harbor freight for 4 bucks, they broke. I then bought the craftsman for 29 bucks, still working to this day. I have saved just about as much as I have spent replacing them. I still have quite a few cheap tools still working great. My rule of thumb if you use it frequently or are going to rely on it for emergency do not skimp. BTW new craftsman ratchets are getting cheaper and cheaper in quality, I still have some old craftsman ratchets that are going strong while I have had to swap my new craftsman ratchet 4 times already. Just my 2 cents.

 

The thing I don't like about Husky (home depot) they do not have a lot of stock of individual tools to swap unlike sears that always has individual tools available. I went to swap my ratchet that came in a set, they did not have the exact ratchet, so I swapped it only to find that it was so different in shape that it would not fit in my case. the price for husky generally is about the same as craftsman.

 

Mark

Edited November 26, 2007 by msavides

[trigger]

don't forget the excisions 1/2 3/8 about 1ft and 2ft you might not use them all the time but that one time you will thank god you have them trust me

[PDCCD]

For wrenches and sockets I would go craftsman, especially if you have a Kmart, Sears Or osh near. It is way convenient when a tool breaks to just take it back and swap it with a new one no questions asked. with other hand tools I generally will give a cheap tool a try, especially if it is under 1/3rd the price of the craftsman. Reason, If it breaks I am not out that much I learn my lesson about that tool then buy a craftsman. I did this with my snap ring pliers. bought a cheap harbor freight for 4 bucks, they broke. I then bought the craftsman for 29 bucks, still working to this day. I have saved just about as much as I have spent replacing them. I still have quite a few cheap tools still working great. My rule of thumb if you use it frequently or are going to rely on it for emergency do not skimp. BTW new craftsman ratchets are getting cheaper and cheaper in quality, I still have some old craftsman ratchets that are going strong while I have had to swap my new craftsman ratchet 4 times already. Just my 2 cents.

 

The thing I don't like about Husky (home depot) they do not have a lot of stock of individual tools to swap unlike sears that always has individual tools available. I went to swap my ratchet that came in a set, they did not have the exact ratchet, so I swapped it only to find that it was so different in shape that it would not fit in my case. the price for husky generally is about the same as craftsman.

 

Mark

 

I totally agree with Mark on this. I love snap-on and Matco tools, but i don't work at a shop they visit, so if i'm in the middle of a project and i break something, I'm SOL till i can track them down. There's sears and Kmarts practically everywhere in the states, so it's sooooo much easier just running in and swapping the problem tool with them, never had a problem. Now as for Husky tools and The Home Depot, what a PITA they can be. I received a beautiful set as a gift one christmas, but the damn 1/4" socket jammed up and broke on it's second use. It took it in, and yep, sorry, don't have it in stock, we have to send it back. Sent it back for repair and a month later received another that was no where near as nice as the original, didn't even fit in the kit box. Broke the 3/8 drive next, and again, another hastle, nope, not in stock, how about this cheap crappy one? They never have much in stock, and try to jip you when you need to replace the crap. Stick with Sears and Craftsman, they might not be as good as snap-on, but they're super easy to get replaced in a pinch. My .02. Best of luck.