Starting general maintenance, tools required?

[BarrintonL]

I would like to start carrying out basic maintenance on my Megane and am wondering what i actually need to get started?

I was thinking:

A Socket Set - I'm not sure what to get though, i've seen a 150 piece set in Halfords for £100?

A Jack - Unsure what to get, i guess the more expensive the better?

Jack stands/Ramps - I am pretty sure i will need these but i don't know which to get,i thought i read somewhere that some people won't use stands for safety reasons?

Any other other suggestions of things i will need or specific makes would be appreciated.

I'm hoping to start off doing basic maintenace on my car and in the future try and get an apprenticeship at a garage.

Thanks

[Faust66]

You’ve made a good start with your list!

The Halfords professional range seems to be highly rated – I’ve not got the socket set you mention but the ratchet spanners they make are brilliant bits of kit. I personally rate Sealey as a brand – got one of their socket sets (in a metal case ‘cos I’m old skool, me) and the quality is spot on.

I use a 3 ton rated Clarke trolley jack – got it and a pair of axle stands for 70 quid a few years back and it’s not let me down yet. There is nothing wrong with axle stands as long as they’re placed on level ground and are supporting the car in the correct place/s. If you’re not sure where to place them, your Haynes manual/owners book should show you. Failing that, ask a friendly amateur mechanic who lives near you (there will be one!) or a garage will be happy to instruct you. I also use a pair of Halfords 2 ton ramps – they give a fair bit more clearance than stands for some jobs.

The trick to building up a tool kit is to buy stuff as and when you need it – there is no need to start splashing out on piston ring compressors and hub pullers when you’re learning the ropes. I’ve building mine up since 1996 but there are many chaps out there who will have been adding to their selections for several decades.

As well as a good socket set & jack, I’d go for a decent quality set of spanners (ratchet as well as fixed), some good quality screwdrivers and a nice tool box to put them all in – a can of plus gas or similar for undoing reticent bolts is always essential. Torque wrenches are handy for when you need a bit of force to undo those tricky bolts – don’t splash out on a fancy one to start with: mine was 18 quid from Argos 5 years ago and it’s still going strong. It’s always nice to have a selection of nuts, bolts, washers and screws handy (cheaper on ebay than Halfords etc.). You WILL lose that vital bolt on a Sunday night when you need your car the next day. As I’ve said; buy more specialised stuff when you need it.

Perhaps most importantly... buy your missus/partner a new set of hand towels so he/she can’t moan at you when you get oil all over the old ones!

And remember; lefty loosey/ righty tighty!

[BarrintonL]

Thats good to know, thanks. It's a good job its coming up to christmas, i've got some good present ideas!
I want to tread that fine line between spending enough to get quality tools, but not spending too much. I won't be using them every day after all.

When it comes to jacking the car and putting it on stands, do you put anything behind the rear tyres like chocks or bricks?

I'm really looking forward to getting stuck in now.

[HustleRussell]

As above, there's no secret to building up a tool kit, start with a decent 3/8" socket set and some spanners, dead-blow hammer, ball pein hammer, Jack, axle stands, torque wrench and workshop consumables like Nitrile disposible gloves, blue paper towel, aerosol degreasers and lubricants, Loctite and copper slip.
Other worksop neccessities include a decent inspection lamp or head torch and a pad to kneel on.
Over time you'll probably end up with a set of wobbly extensions, assorted outsize sockets for hub nuts and stuff, a flare spanner for brake pipes, Torx, Spline and Allen drivers, ball joint seperators etc etc

[HustleRussell]

Faust66 said:

some good quality screwdrivers

Forgot about those in my post!

Faust66 said:

Torque wrenches are handy for when you need a bit of force to undo those tricky bolts

I was always advised not to use torque wrenches for loosening bolts, particularly very tight ones. A torque wrench is a calibrated piece of equipment and it's a bit of a waste to use it when an 18" bar would do

Faust66 said:

It’s always nice to have a selection of nuts, bolts, washers and screws handy (cheaper on ebay than Halfords etc.). You WILL lose that vital bolt on a Sunday night when you need your car the next day.

It is! good idea...

[y2blade]

+1 for Halfords Professional tools.

Definitely get some axle stands.

[ed1983]

Filter removal tool. Easy to make one from an old seat belt but only about £10 from motorfactors.

A magnetic telescopic thing for picking up runaway nuts and bolts

Breaker bar as well as socket set

Work lamp

[BarrintonL]

Right so im looking at these two:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

Can't work out which would suit better?

Edited by BarrintonL on Thursday 15th November 21:08

[BarrintonL]

Thanks for all the suggestions, i've got to be honest though i'm a bit wet behind the ears so a lot of these suggestions i am having to google

[robseagul]

Don't forget the mole grips.ex mech and have used them a lot ..r

[Faust66]

BarrintonL said:

Right so im looking at these two:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

Can't work out which would suit better?

Edited by BarrintonL on Thursday 15th November 21:08

I'd go for the 99 quid set - that will be a good start.

Don't worry about being wet behind the ears mate: we all had to start somewhere, and you're asking sensible questions.

I'd sign up to a forum specific to you car and ask the members on there if you'll need and specific bits and bobs for working on your car.

Have you checked to see if your local further education colleges run basic car maintenance courses? Or maybe a local PHer will help you with the basics? (If you're near Nottingham, give me a shout).

[ch427]

halfords pro stuff is really good, ive got the 170 piece set and it is brilliant for the money. Their screwdriver sets are hard to beat too and are normally always on offer.
The only thing id look elsewhere for is the jack

[murphster]

I do my own servicing and have been using these for the job. I think they are great for the money:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

[PistonSmegs]

Remember to get a good inspection lamp/light.

[mrmr96]

If you get an apprenticeship at a garage then you can register for a halfords trade discount card. The card is totally free but gets pertty chunky discounts off tools and service items (oil/brakes/bulbs/etc). Well worth having IMO and could save you a chunk if you're "tooling up" and buying a lot. See if you can get one before your spending spree?

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

[sunbeam alpine]

Big hammer. You always need a big hammer.

[mrmr96]

murphster said:

I do my own servicing and have been using these for the job. I think they are great for the money:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

Scary cheap that stuff!

[oOTomOo]

As someone has already beaten me to "Big hammer", My advice would be get a decent set of 6 point sockets, and a good ratchet.

If I had my time again, I wouldn't bother with a socket set in a box. Most of them come with 12 point sockets and/or half and half imperial and metric sockets. I've got a big bag of imperial sockets in the bottom of my tool chest that I never touch.

Socket sets also 'tend' not to have every size socket in, you'll probably find they have 8,9,10,12,13,14,15,17,19 mm sockets in for example. and I guarantee you'll need one of the missing ones before long.

And 12 point sockets round off bolts like nobodys business. I found a socket rail at B&Q earlier this year, 20 or 30 quid or so with every size from 6mm to 22 mm socktets (and i'd been looking for a 22mm 6 point for ages - after my 12 point one rounded a nut off..)

I'm sure there will be lots of people along shortly saying 12 points are fine and mine were cheap or I'm ham fisted. But that's my advice, take it or leave it.

Also, get a 2-3ft breaker bar that fits your sockets. you will find a nut that wont budge and that will make it much easier to get off than your ratchet.

[oOTomOo]

And another thing..

I do a lot of work on bikes, so not sure how much on cars use Allen keys, if you find it's a lot, get a set of allen key screwdriver bits.. I got a set recently with Torx, security torx, allen keys security allen keys (never knew there was such a thing) loads of screwdriver bits.. that go into a socket and onto your ratchet again..

Much easier than pissing and swearing at your allen key because you can't get that bolt out.

[BarrintonL]

Faust66 said:

I'd go for the 99 quid set - that will be a good start.

Don't worry about being wet behind the ears mate: we all had to start somewhere, and you're asking sensible questions.

I'd sign up to a forum specific to you car and ask the members on there if you'll need and specific bits and bobs for working on your car.

Have you checked to see if your local further education colleges run basic car maintenance courses? Or maybe a local PHer will help you with the basics? (If you're near Nottingham, give me a shout).

Unfortunately i'm based in Norfolk, thanks for the offer though. Funnily enough i am booked in on a one off maintenance course this sunday, i have looked for evening classes etc but there doesn't seem to be much going round my way, there have been courses but apparently there wasn't many people who signed up for them.
I'll check out some Renault forums aswell.