Advice on tools

[bobg03]

Good luck, sounds as if you like it so far. No real advice to give other than don't get caught up buying top $$$ tools, if you continue forward in the career you can update your tools as you need to.
There will be some situations for specific tasks where a better quality tool will make a big difference, your coworkers will be invaluable for that information.
Remember this corralation, you don't need a Maserati to work at a Toyota Dealership..

 

[BroncoAZ]

It also lets you use 2 of the socket deals per ratchet set, so you could get a full set of SAE on top of it for another 35.

People still use SAE? The OP here isn’t likely going to need SAE for working on Toyota’s so he might want the metric hex set instead.

I finally convinced my OCD self to stop compulsively buying the matching SAE tools to anything I buy in metric. I won’t get rid of the SAE drawers I have now, but I’m not going to expand my SAE collection going forward. Most of what I work on is domestic cars and boats newer than 2000. Everything on my Ford’s, Toyota, and the Suzuki/Yamaha outboards is metric. Some of the stainless hardware on the boats is SAE 3/4” and down, but I’ve got that covered already.

 

[BroncoAZ]

Good luck, sounds as if you like it so far. No real advice to give other than don't get caught up buying top $$$ tools, if you continue forward in the career you can update your tools as you need to.
There will be some situations for specific tasks where a better quality tool will make a big difference, your coworkers will be invaluable for that information.
Remember this corralation, you don't need a Maserati to work at a Toyota Dealership..

The old adage in the dealership world was if you borrowed a tool twice it was time to buy your own. Avoid the tool truck! They snag the young guys with easy financing and then hook them for life. Shop around for used stuff, most people don’t completely wear out their tools in a lifetime. When it was time to upgrade my Harbor Freight cart I bought my Mac Tools cart for $300 used from Craigslist, it was $1200 off the truck at the time. Check out the flea market for used top tier ratchets and sockets. Many of the specialty tool sets off the tool pimp’s truck are something else rebranded and can be bought online for 50% of the truck price. I did buy some single specialty sockets and drivers off the truck, they were usually $20-35 each for the size I needed vs the entire set at $300 I’d never use.

Tell the tool truck guy you’re a fan of Dave Ramsey, it should be enough to keep them at bay. If you don’t know who Dave Ramsey is, find out and avoid debt.

 

[rust in the eye]

A lube "tech"(please) has NO business on the tool truck.
There is nothing wrong with using tools "good enough" to do your job. HF hand tools are adequate for your purposes but I would buy a better cordless impact, the Milwaukee ones come to mind.
Keep you ear to the ground for deals on used pro tools/boxes as you progress.
Some of the best advice I've ever read here is to buy what you can afford and IF it breaks buy better. Let those indentured tool truck minions in your shop pay their weekly while you smile.

 

[boom_bap]

If work on stuff other than cars, in the future get SAE then. Pullers are all SAE as well, so if you step up to any suspension work you'll need specific sizes, and you can pick and choose. Sometimes it is nice to just have a set on hand.

If you do any welding, everything is SAE, hoses, regulators, grinder nuts, and so on. Work on a house? SAE.. I find its really only automotive that uses metric in the USA that I run into.

All that being said, for the OP, I'd get the metric set and metric allens for toyota transmissions.

 

[KnurledNut]

@P3RS1AN
People add aftermarket accessories to vehicles.
Wheels that require thin wall sockets and sometimes hex bit sockets for caps, off road guards/skid plates, etc etc etc.
Just because its a Toyota doesnt mean everything on it is...

And I disagree with all the guys saying stay off the tool truck.
It can be a valuable asset.
Instead of burning that bridge, I would keep it connected because you might need to cross it some day.
Id say a fair number of Toyota lube techs are using the Bluepoint filter socket. Anything that gets repetitive use will wear. Having a replacement handed to you while on the job is worth the premium for some tools.

Do yourself and your customers a favor and get a decent torque wrench.

Your employer, workmates, and customers will have more trust in you if you have quality tools.
Seasoned techs will also be more likely to let you borrow stuff if they see you are serious about your own stuff.

 

[MarineScott]

Appreciate the advice sir! That’s what I ended up doing at the end. Majority of my tools were bought from harbor freight. Got ingersoll rand impacts off Amazon and a toolbox from Home Depot. I’ve been a lube tech for about 2 weeks now. Been pushing out 18-23 cars a day; not a single issue. Then again being a lube tech is not exactly the hardest thing on the planet if you have basic mechanical knowledge. Either way thanks again!

Also look into being a fleet tech/mechanic , look for someone willing to teach you and if you can, get into a good school. I have a 22 yr old that graduated Ford school, and I show him how to weld, fabricate, repair vehicles and machines, being paid hourly. Good choice on the Ingersoll Rand impacts

 

[fatfillup]

Lots of good advice here. As to not buying Snap on, up front that is good advice unless you can get it used at a screaming deal. Make sure you like what you are doing before investing in top tier tools.

That said, if you find down the road that you will be turning wrenches for a living and as a career, then you should start to gravitate towards Snap on. Buy a little at a time, used when you can and you will amass a nice collection over time.

I have been around shops and mechanics for 40 years and they guys who do it for a living, the good ones, who have made a nice life for themselves, by and large prefer Snap on to any other make. You do not need to start there.

 

[Shelbylex]

Another idea:
A while ago one of my friends got married. His wife came up with an interesting idea: she talked to a lot of us and asked us all to give her cash (whatever amount we were planning to spend on a birthday gift). He would get tools for his birthday from that money. Many years later I agree with her wisdom.
Play the same game if you can - majority of gifts we get in life are not that useful. You might upgrade your toolbox very well.

Agree with everybody above on used tools. Since it's for work, I would keep an eye on marked tools/sockets/etc - they often go for much cheaper. Just know the names/numbers/etc on identification (make a list) in case somebody borrows the tool and forgets to return.
When I started my tool set, I was fast to get rid of some of marked tools for almost nothing. Now I keep them till I find a great deal on unmarked ones before getting rid of marked one...

Do not burn the bridges to tool truck as well (as mentioned above) - you never know when one day you need to get something quick (and there is also a chance that they might be willing to warranty some of your used tools - I doubt they remember who buys what for years....)

 

[jfkp]

People still use SAE? The OP here isn’t likely going to need SAE for working on Toyota’s so he might want the metric hex set instead.

I finally convinced my OCD self to stop compulsively buying the matching SAE tools to anything I buy in metric. I won’t get rid of the SAE drawers I have now, but I’m not going to expand my SAE collection going forward. Most of what I work on is domestic cars and boats newer than 2000. Everything on my Ford’s, Toyota, and the Suzuki/Yamaha outboards is metric. Some of the stainless hardware on the boats is SAE 3/4” and down, but I’ve got that covered already.

Why do people still SAY “SAE” - is my question. Inches is a measurement in the “Imperial” measurement system. The society of automotive engineers had absolutely nothing to do it’s creation. I understand SAE keeps standards, but if that is the intention, why don’t we Americans also refer to “metric” by the organization that keeps the metric standards? - the “Bureau international des poids et mesures” (BIPM). Anybody want to start using the term “BIPM” instead of metric? Would that be stupid? Then why say SAE instead of Imperial?

 

[four.cycle]

^ for the same reason they say "Band-Aid" or "Kleenex", and nothing is going to change that.

 

[tez929rr]

I came across this video yesterday - pretty interesting and maybe helpful to you.

 

[BTL-A4]

Why do people still SAY “SAE” - is my question. Inches is a measurement in the “Imperial” measurement system. The society of automotive engineers had absolutely nothing to do it’s creation. I understand SAE keeps standards, but if that is the intention, why don’t we Americans also refer to “metric” by the organization that keeps the metric standards? - the “Bureau international des poids et mesures” (BIPM). Anybody want to start using the term “BIPM” instead of metric? Would that be stupid? Then why say SAE instead of Imperial?

I usually hear, and say, "metric" and "inch".

 

[msharley]

I appreciate the kind replies and yes that’s exactly what happened. I love anything and everything to do with cars. Never worked on Toyotas tho. And have done basic garage work all on my own, on my own Chevy singular. I got hired as a Porter, and busted my *** to become a lube tech. And I will continue to bust my *** and get even more certifications and continue to improve in the career field I’ve chosen. And another thing… I don’t mean I didn’t know what the damn tools were…, I was more wondering what brand, where to buy, what can I go with as a second hand product, comparisons between brands etc. questions I thought I’d be able to ask, a MECHANICS FORUM without all the judgement and hatred. Either way, a few bad apples won’t change the fact that 90% of those who responded, did it out of genuine thoughtfulness, and to help someone out. And for that I appreciate you all and am grateful. The rest of you though, why don’t you go get a job or something instead of dig up month old threads like someone else mentioned just to talk a whole lot of smack. Hope everyone has a great night tho!
Sincerely,
The Troll 🧌

Check for used ...flea bay, craig list...etc...

Sometimes? You can get great used tools for good pricing....(I think this has been mentioned...??)

For 1/2" impact sockets? The ones at the parts store (O' Reilly, Advance, Auto Zone..) or Harbor Freight should do you...

A couple impact extensions? Maybe? A couple impact swivel sockets ?? (these come in real handy for front end work)...

A couple good squirt cans. (ATF is a great penetrating oil, especially with a little fuel in it...works great on key locks for preventing freeze up) One with motor oil (for doing the hinges on the doors)

A measuring tape/rule...for measuring windshield wipers....(having two different wipers is popular, now)...

Several clean seat covers/fender covers....(old flannel sheet?)

Would invest (at some point) in a couple/three 3/8" rachets? Stubby, regular & flex head...extensions, shallow & deep sockets (I like the mid wells, too)

For me...1/4" drive is invaluable....allows ease of access when bigger is not better...

For wrenches? I think a set of "combination" wrenches as well as a set of good Double Ended Offset (I use these the most) will be most useful...(used snap on come up on EBay & this fine forum....expect to pat $15/$20 wrench.....well worth it for not damaging fasteners or busting your knuckles)

There are a variety of good screwdrivers...look around the shop...see what the other fellers are using (I use a variety...some brands are better for certain vehicles...than others...)

Am partial to Channel Lock slip joints & "lineman" type pliers..... If you get sucked into wiring, some Klein tools will be most helpful...

Good luck!

 

[CGarage]

I came across this video yesterday - pretty interesting and maybe helpful to you.

This is excellent.

 

[CGarage]

1. STAY OFF the tool truck.
2. See number 1
3. Learn the values of the tools……Amazon + tool manufacturers will swing the price of a tool up and down by as much as 40 percent over the course of a year! Do not buy when the tool is at the +40% price. Buy when it is on sale.
4. Humble Mechanic on YouTube, flat rate master, and Project Farm are some great channels to start following and learning from.
5. The Gearwrench socket sets are a good value I think and I am fond of their locking flex-head ratchets.
6. Do not be peer pressured into buying things on the tool truck or because the idiot co-worker tells you to get on the truck and buy it. You will be paying 5 times what you should pay.
7. Spend time on here to learn what is quality and do not buy junk. Most of the big tool companies do not manufacture more than half of what they offer for sale, so learn to buy direct from the companies that actually make the tool. An example of this- Trusty Cook makes hammers for Snap-On. Snap-On charges 2x to 3x more for the same tool.

 

[F-22]

I recently got some stuff from Toptul. A 3/4" socket set and swivel wrenches - kind of niche stuff TBH but I was really surprised with the quality.

If you mainly need metric stuff, it's a great brand to check out! It's made in Taiwan, but the brand is actually Taiwanese too, so you're not buying from some rebrand sold under a well known name. A bunch higher-mid range tools come from Taiwan anyway, but with Toptul you buy straight from them so it's even a bit cheaper.


Otherwise if you really want top tier tools... Snap on is great but you can get same or even better quality for less money if you invest time and research. E.g. Koken socket sets, knipex pliers, vessel screwdrivers (or PB Swiss, but those are $$$), bondhus hex keys (or weras are really nice too)... Snap On does make lots of stuff, but they also rebrand lots of stuff (like, the hex keys from bondhus are the exact same as made for snap on, just a lot cheaper).


But IMO from what I've seen the Toptul stuff will hold up daily use for years, there's practically nothing wrong with their tools. You'd maybe get a better ratchet if you're extremely picky (hard to beat a Snap On dual-80 or a Koken - though if you want a cheaper dual-80, Bahco, a sub-brand of Snap On, sells a ratchet with that same interchangeable mechanism for a lot less money), and I'd go for Vessel screwdrivers cause they probably cost even less and are pretty much the best on the market. I've no idea how Toptul pliers are like, they probably adequate though I'd also build my set up gradually from top plier brands like knipex, nws, Tsunoda, Engineer...

Overall, Japanese brands are really worth exploring, they're often cheaper than the competition but still offer great quality.

 

[Mikeske]

Always cash and carry for tools. Even With the trucks or online or the stores or pawn and flea markets it was to buy cash only. That is how I started my career over 50 years ago and even today I still have that in I always did cash and carry. I am retired and I have some of my original tools when I started. Sure my first tools were then Craftsman given to me in the early 1970’s by my father who was a manager at Sears.

My other tools I acquired selling back my unused leave from Air Force I banked half and the rest I bought from Grainer company that at the rime sold me a complete set of basic tools from Bonney.

Over the years I buy other tools as needed but I never used credit for tools. It has and always will be cash and carry. I am now retired and my tools are setting in my shop and I still find time to use them

 

[FSUwelder1212]

1. STAY OFF the tool truck.
2. See number 1
3. Learn the values of the tools……Amazon + tool manufacturers will swing the price of a tool up and down by as much as 40 percent over the course of a year! Do not buy when the tool is at the +40% price. Buy when it is on sale.
4. Humble Mechanic on YouTube, flat rate master, and Project Farm are some great channels to start following and learning from.
5. The Gearwrench socket sets are a good value I think and I am fond of their locking flex-head ratchets.
6. Do not be peer pressured into buying things on the tool truck or because the idiot co-worker tells you to get on the truck and buy it. You will be paying 5 times what you should pay.
7. Spend time on here to learn what is quality and do not buy junk. Most of the big tool companies do not manufacture more than half of what they offer for sale, so learn to buy direct from the companies that actually make the tool. An example of this- Trusty Cook makes hammers for Snap-On. Snap-On charges 2x to 3x more for the same tool.

Trusty Cook does not make snap-on's hammers. Snap-on does rebrand a few things under the Snap-on name but the vast majority is actually manufactured by snap-on or one of the companies under their corporate umbrella.

 

[CGarage]

Trusty Cook does not make snap-on's hammers. Snap-on does rebrand a few things under the Snap-on name but the vast majority is actually manufactured by snap-on or one of the companies under their corporate umbrella.

I believe one of the hammers sold by Snap-On IS indeed made by Trusty Cook.

 

[Lassen Forge]

Probably one of the most important things is a LOCKING tool roller - because in a shop environment, they will look to you as the "dumb kid with tools" and have no qualms about borrowing your stuff. And breaking it or not returning it. Craigslist or somesuch. Our shop rat (decades ago) had an old beat up craftsman box he got at a garage sale, it's "lock" was 2 tabs welded to each line of drawers, top and bottom of the box, with slots cut into them, steel flatstock bars bent into an "L" on one end ("top end") and a hole for with padlocks on the bottom end, and matching padlocks...

Also, you need to mark your tools. I painted a bright colored band of an unusual color on EVERYTHING I owned, and engraved my initials on them. Someone (ex-coworker) broke into my box and decided to help themselves, and another coworker saw my bright pink striped tools on their bench, and assised in my repo-ing my ****. I spent all of a weekend doing this - it's boring slog work, but you get your tools back if you do.

When I was getting into the biz, Craftsman was the go-to for starter / intermediate tools, they were durable and did the job, and if you needed something unusual you could go to Sears and get it. Now, well...

 

[M635_Guy]

Trusty Cook does not make snap-on's hammers. Snap-on does rebrand a few things under the Snap-on name but the vast majority is actually manufactured by snap-on or one of the companies under their corporate umbrella.

They don't currently, but they did for some time.

 

[FSUwelder1212]

They don't currently, but they did for some time.

I am aware, I actually have a few. However, snap on has made their own for at least 10 years, so I am not sure how it's relevant and is certainly contrary to Cgarage's claim as he was speaking in present tense.

 

[M635_Guy]

I am aware, I actually have a few. However, snap on has made their own for at least 10 years, so I am not sure how it's relevant and is certainly contrary to Cgarage's claim as he was speaking in present tense.

If you were aware, a fun game is to speak in the full context so folks who only have part of the story can learn something. Relevancy is achieved by not encouraging someone else to argue with you because they only have half the story or, in my case, offering the rest so they won't.