Get a
9/16in KD/Gearwrench swivel spark plug socket at Advance auto parts. Coupon code P20 will get you 20% off. It's discontinued and you need it. There's a
5/8 and a
13/16 matching socket but Advance doesn't carry the last one and Ford Triton V8s only require the 9/16.
If you have an air compressor, you'll want air tools. If you don't have one, you'll want an air compressor. There's nothing worse than waiting for an electric tire inflator to fill a 38in swamper.
Ford trucks are fairly simple for the most part, the basics will do. If you really want to buy all your tools at once, there are vocational kits available from the big brands. If you just want to start with some decent tools with a no-hassle lifetime warranty, the fold out Husky kits on the bottom shelf at Home Depot are decent. They're a better value than Craftsman kits as long as you stay in the regular chrome and buy the wrenches separately. I know I'll get an earful if I don't note those are made in China. The briefcase boxes all those kits come in are useless, you'll find some tool storage you like when you want it. If you get a briefcase starter kit, you'll want to replace the ratchets with something nice, I recommend the Gearwrench Roto Ratchets. I know, China. This guy Dan really has it out for America.
You'll want an impact wrench and impact sockets. If you have an air compressor, great. $35 for a cheap impact. Don't have an air compressor? $160-500 for a plug-in or cordless impact. I like cordless. There's threads already dedicated to those. You'll need sockets. $65 for Craftsman, $18 for Stanley (Amazon, Walmart). I'd go with Stanley. I've only ever broken two impact sockets in my life, and I don't have any quality concerns with Stanley tools. (I went with Craftsman myself. Craftsman, Snap-On, Mac, Gearwrench and Channellock account for just about everything in my box.)
You can find a KD 3414 serpentine belt tensioner kit on ebay for about $25 new. You don't really need it imo, but you asked for specialty tools. I use it a lot. It's been replaced in the catalog by an expensive Gearwrench kit.
If you don't have Channellock brand pliers, start buying them. Cheap cheesy pliers don't compare; even expensive pliers don't stand up to Channellock imo. American made in Meadeville, PA.
On torque wrenches: I'm really cheap so I like deflecting beam torque wrenches. Craftsman has a pair with lifetime warranty that is about $50 combined for the 1/2 and 3/8 sizes. They are very accurate and easy to use, do not ratchet. I'd stay away from the cheap clicker torque wrenches in Advance, Autozone and Harbor Freight, too expensive to determine their accuracy. If you want a good, quality automatic torque wrench that will last a lifetime, I don't think you can do better than the
PI split-beam.
Screwdrivers are important too, I recommend Husky Pro, there's a 6pc kit for $20 and next to it there should be a $20 ratcheting bitdriver kit. They're very comfortable and excellent quality, Made in USA. I use Wera, Gearwrench and Snap-On myself; if you want a German tool at a similar pricepoint to Husky Pro, you can find Wera at Amazon.
