Your car deserves a spacious garage and a good tool kit to boot. With a home garage tool kit, you can work on your car at home at any time of the day. It can help you save lots of money and give you something to brag with your friends the next time you go drinking.
Building a basic home garage tool kit can also spare you the trouble of going to an auto repair shop especially for car maintenance tasks that you can do on your own. With a home garage tool kit, you can change the engine oil, check the battery, replace spark plugs (see recommended spark plugs) , and fix dents and dings.
However, keep in mind that an auto mechanic’s tool kit is different from that of a carpenter or woodworker. Hence, you may have to buy tools other than those you have already accumulated in your general DIY tool kit.
Do you want to build your own home garage tool kit? Below are some of the essential tools you need to invest in:
Screwdriver set
There are three types of screws you will likely encounter in the process of maintaining your car– Phillips, Flathead, and Torx. The Phillips and Flathead screwdrivers are the most common, with the former having a plus-sign head and the latter, a slotted head.
The Torx screwdriver is not as common but can crop up at some juncture in a DIY project. Hence, it pays to invest in a full set of screwdrivers capable of handling various screw specifications.
Avoid using the wrong type of screwdriver as it can damage the screw. It can also pose a safety risk as your hand may slip while struggling to utilize the wrong tool. Additionally, choose a screwdriver with large and easy to grip handles as this can help in loosening tight screws.
Ratchet Wrench
Using a gear and pawl mechanism, a ratchet wrench creates a ratcheting motion in one direction while enabling the wrench to freely spin in the opposite direction. With this tool, you can tighten or loosen a bolt in the fastest and most efficient way possible. Moreover, you won’t have to sort through numerous sockets to find the appropriate one for loosening or tightening a bolt.
Ratchet wrenches come in different sizes. For smaller pockets, a ¼ inch wrench is ideal for precision work. For general use on a car, a 3/8- inch variety is the most useful. It can drive sockets of different sizes. It is also of the right size as it can fit into tight spaces yet big enough to apply substantial forces. There’s also the ½ inch wrench which can be used in undoing nuts on a car.
Power Tools
Power tools are devices or pieces of equipment boosted by an additional power source like electricity or gasoline. From drivers to drills to saws and grinders, there are plenty of power tools that you can add to your home garage tool kit. These tools can speed up simple processes like fastening nuts, smoothing surfaces, and cutting materials.
Air compressor is one power tool that’s worth investing in. It’s something you’d find handy in cleaning different items, powering up nail guns, jackhammers, and other pneumatic tools, and doing auto repairs.
If you own an SUV like a Subaru Forester and you love to drive through rough roads, then it is recommended that you have a portable air compressor in the trunk. It will come in handy when your tires get deflated. This will also allow you to routinely check your tire pressure and ensure that these are in an optimal range.
You’ll also appreciate having a power drill and best toe kick saw in your home garage tool kit. It is a versatile tool that can be used for almost anything, from driving in screws to making holes. Power drills are popular that you can easily find one that suits your budget.
Work Light
A good and reliable work light should let you work on your car even when it is nighttime. It can also illuminate the area in tight spaces like the engine bay particularly when you are working in low light conditions.
You can choose from two models of work light units—base mounted and handheld. With a base mounted work light, you can illuminate a large garage. It usually comes with a plastic plate or magnetic base. It is also useful when working outdoors.
Handheld work lights, meanwhile, are ideal for small garages and short repair jobs. These lights often come with hooks and thus can be placed under the hood or hung on the wall. These are also lightweight and ergonomically designed, so you can bring them wherever you want. Most models are also cordless for enhanced portability.
Zip ties
Zip ties may look simple, but these are highly useful in the automotive field. These are heavy-duty cable tiles that are also called cable or rat ties. It’s a simple type of fastener that can be used in bundling cables together. You can also use them to keep cables away from hot and moving parts of the engine.
Zips ties are also helpful in organizing automotive parts. Some models come in different colors so you can color code car parts.
Lubricants and cleaners
These products are used in cleaning and lubricating mechanical moving parts. Acquiring liquid sprays should be useful in this regard. For example, a rust penetrate can prevent the accumulation of rust while a brake cleaner clean brakes and other metal parts of the vehicle.
Meanwhile, a silicon lubricant can get rid of squeaking, and friction awhile citrus de-greaser can remove oil from car parts like axles and skid plates.
Other things that should be in your home garage tool kit are latex gloves, a multi-meter, drip pan, desiccant, and duct or electrical tape.
Conclusion
Building a home garage tool kit is one of the first steps you must take if you want to develop the mechanic in you. You’ll have to spend on the above-mentioned tools, but you’ll find them highly useful and valuable in the long run.