Tools - Wrenches , Hammers & Pliers

Wrenches:
There are tons of wrenches to choose from, but for a basic toolbox we can narrow down the choices quite a bit. The most common wrenches are open-end, box and combination wrenches. Open-end wrenches have ends that are, well, open. These are for those jobs where a box wrench will not fit. A box wrench has no open end and fits completely around the fastener. The box wrench is preferable to an open-end wrench because it will grip the fastener on all six sides. A combination wrench is a combination of both, box on one end and open on the other. This is the most useful and eliminates the need for two sets of wrenches. A good range of combination wrenches in SAE is 1/4" to 7/8" and in metric 8mm to 22mm. Wrenches come in short styles for tight areas, standard length and long when extra leverage is needed. For the basic toolbox a set of standard length combination wrenches will do very nicely.

Another type of wrench is the line wrench. These wrenches are designed to be used on fuel, brake and other hydraulic lines. They are thicker than a regular wrench for more gripping area. One end is open and the other end is like a box end with a cutout to allow it to go over a line and still allow it to grip all six sides of the fitting. A good range is 1/4" to 9/16" in SAE and 8mm to 14mm in metric.

An adjustable wrench is also handy to have. These have two jaws that are adjusted with a screw mechanism that open and close the jaws parallel to each other. I have both a metric and SAE adjustable wrenches. One is a 6-inch adjustable and the other is a 300mm adjustable. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Then we have an Oil Filter wrench. As the name implies, it is for removing oil filters. It is not used for tightening oil filters because we all know that oil filters should only be hand tightened. There are several different styles, but for the basic toolbox a large or small strap style is sufficient.

Wrenches also come in 6-point and 12-point styles. 12-point are more useful for general work, but 6-point wrenches have more gripping power. If I had to chose one style or the other, I would chose the 12-point although I do have complete sets of both in my toolbox.

Hammers:
Hammers also come in many shapes and sizes. The most common hammer used in automotive work is the ball-peen hammer. A ball-peen hammer has a regular striking face on one end and a rounded "ball" on the other end. Dead blow hammers have a hollow head filled with shot to prevent rebound and direct more force to the object being struck. Hammers are sized by weight, from an 8 ounce tapping hammer to a 20-pound sledge. I once used a 20-pound sledge on an Oldsmobile, but that's another story. A good range for hammers is 8 ounce to 32 ounce, otherwise known as a BFH.

Pliers and Cutters:
Nothing beats a pair of plain slip joint pliers. I prefer the ones with soft plastic grips, they are more comfortable in the hand. Water pump of Channel lock pliers are also a must have. These are like slip joint pliers except they have angled jaws and several different grooves for adjusting the jaw size. A large and small pair is good for your toolbox. Needle nose pliers are a pair of pliers that have two thin jaws that come to a point. I would keep a large and small pair in your toolbox. A good pair of wire cutters is a necessary item for any toolbox. I have several different styles, but for the home mechanic a large and small pair will do nicely. A good pair of terminal pliers is handy to have. These will strip and cut wire and crimp solderless terminals. You can get a pair in a kit with an assortment of solderless terminals at any auto parts store.

Miscellaneous Tools:
Some other tools to round off your toolbox are a good tire ressure gauge. A tire gauge should measure up to 50 psi. A magnetic pick up tool is a good thing to have. This has either a flexible or telescoping shaft with a magnet on the end to pick up those nuts, bolts and tools that have fallen into a nook or cranny that you can't get your hand into. And since Murphy's Law states that a fastener or tool falling on the floor will gravitate to the geographic center of the car being worked on, it will extend your reach to get it back. Punches and chisels are nice to have for general use. You can get a nice set with several different sizes. Files are good to have for general de-burring work. A decent digital Volt-Ohm meter is good to have for testing circuits and sensors. A 12-volt test light for checking continuity and power in a circuit is a must. Masking tape and a felt tip-marking pen for labeling vacuum lines and wires is very handy to have.