Tools what do you use?

Mootang said:

Well crap, here I am thinking one of these (CDI) is good enough. :frusty:

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I have no experience with that branch of snap-ons venture with them. I cant vouch for their quality. My apologies.

As a professional Ford Registered Technician for fourteen years, I started out with big set of Craftsman tools. Being a professional you quickly get ridiculed for the everyday Craftsman, and quickly move to the Snap-On and Mac brands that are of better quality and obviously a lot more costly. But for the occasional enthusiast I see nothing wrong with: Northern Tool, Harbor Freight, and Craftsman. It's really all about convenience and quick access to the store.
As I recently heard, I guess Sears is selling-off the Craftsman brand. I have already seen Craftsman tools at my local ACE hardware store.

mikeD4V said:

Don't worry so much about where they're made or the brand if they work. No sense in dropping big money on SO/MAC tools you're gonna beat up initially.

- low profile aluminum 3ton floor jack $100-$150 (As Wildcatgoal said there's a bunch of these identical jacks with diff branding, I found them labeled as Arcan at Costco for $100. 3.75" height with 18.5" max lift)
- 4 jack stands at Harbor Freight $50 (http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/jack-stands/3-ton-steel-jack-stands-69597.html)
- set of pry bars from Harbor Freight $15 (http://www.harborfreight.com/4-pc-heavy-duty-pry-bar-set-69281.html)
- there's a 254 piece craftsman set of mechanics tools for $180 right now that comes with a 1/2" breaker bar and ratcheting wrenches (no 18mm for driver side sway bar mount - $15 extra) (http://www.sears.com/craftsman-254p...HBKArYxUZAXhKcczIuaD-BoCzEDw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
- Socket adapters for your cordless impact $10 (https://www.amazon.com/Impact-Adapt...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=P3B91XCHBSVVHMMFV3NH)
- 1/2" Tekton torque wrench (25-250) for $60 (https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-24340...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=P3B91XCHBSVVHMMFV3NH)

Should be able to do just about everything with that and you're in around $500. Basically the same price as two ratcheting screwdrivers from Snap On

Ratchets... you may want to switch the craftsman ones out for a set of GearWrench with more teeth if they end up frustrating you in tight spots. They're basically SO/MAC knock offs but are built well.

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Looks like a good list to work off of thanks!

I have two questions regarding jack stands:

1. Is HF just as good as anything else? Again almost everything is made in China so hard for me to know. Also, which ones have better safety features to lock them in place? Just thinking about trusting my life with these things...

2. Do you need to use pucks or those magnetic pucks they sell with the jack stands to avoid damaging the pinch welds? Or is there a different location for the stands under the car?

For what I do, I can't make myself justify Snap-On. I'd love to...but it'd be overkill. I've got a full set of Craftsman tools, Gearwrenches, Milwaukee impact and drill, some HF jack stands and low profile jack.

Lexman said:

Looks like a good list to work off of thanks!

I have two questions regarding jack stands:

1. Is HF just as good as anything else? Again almost everything is made in China so hard for me to know. Also, which ones have better safety features to lock them in place? Just thinking about trusting my life with these things...

2. Do you need to use pucks or those magnetic pucks they sell with the jack stands to avoid damaging the pinch welds? Or is there a different location for the stands under the car?

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I don't have Harbor Freight jackstands, but one trick I learned from a friend a long time ago: if you 're working on your car and have to remove the wheels, place the wheels on the ground face up and place them under each corner of the car. That way, in the extremely unlikely event that the jackstands fail or the car falls off the wheels will take the impact, and not your body. Also, if you don't have the wheels off you can always place your jack under the car, as well. Not so it's supporting the car (make sure the car is securely resting on the jackstands), but almost up to it so it would hopefully catch it or at least slow it down if the unthinkable happens (which it won't). Of course, after putting your car on jackstands it's always a good idea to give it a bit of a push in each direction to make sure it's secured.

Also, regarding torque wrenches, I have several and recently purchased this Tekton model which I love: https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-24340...85556491&sr=1-2&keywords=tekton+torque+wrench

They also have a 150 ft-lb version, which would be required for tighter locations where you can't fit the 250's massive handle. I've had pretty good luck with the few Tekton tools I've purchased from Amazon. The 150 ft-lb torque wrench from Harbor Freight is also a great deal (less than 30 bucks). Most of my other hand tools are Craftsman, but they were purchased many eons ago when most of their stuff was still made in the U.S.

Anyone replace their springs?

What is the best tool/brand?

Lexman said:

Anyone replace their springs?

What is the best tool/brand?

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I am assuming you are doing front and back? Not about the front as I just got coil overs. The rears, I actually took off today for half shaft and LCA bearing install. Didn't need to compress the spring in the back with a compressor, but I think you will need it in the front? I know you need a spring compressor for coil overs in the front.

JohnVallo said:

As a professional Ford Registered Technician for fifteen years, I started out with big set of Craftsman tools. Being a professional you quickly get ridiculed for the everyday Craftsman, and quickly move to the Snap-On and Mac brands that are of better quality and obviously a lot more costly. But for the occasional enthusiast I see nothing wrong with: Northern Tool, Harbor Freight, and Craftsman. It's really all about convenience and quick access to the store.
As I recently heard, I guess Sears is selling-off the Craftsman brand. I have already seen Craftsman tools at my local ACE hardware store.

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My Dad's been a master Mechanic for over 40 years...cars, trucks, gas, diesel, commercial or industrial my father has worked on them all. All he ever uses is craftsman tools. He has forgotten more about engines then I could learn in a lifetime. I would love to see someone make fun of him about his tools... Good enough for him they are more then good enough for me. Seems like its nothing more then penis waving and a huge waste of money going after "boutique" tool brands but to each their own.

Kinjirra said:

Seems like its nothing more then penis waving and a huge waste of money going after "boutique" tool brands but to each their own.

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I wouldn't go that far but will agree that functional tools are technically all you'll need to do the job. If you look at everything in that vein we should all be driving miatas, wearing dockers, timex watches, etc.. Everyone gets bitten by the "nice stuff" bug as money allows, nothing wrong with that. Can you do the same job with cheap tools, most probably yes. Will it be easier with better tools, absolutely. Like any process, the further you get into specialization the likelyhood of a quicker process presents itself. A simple example of this would be teeth in a ratchet or a ratcheting wrench. Try putting headers in or something in a tight spot, a better tool will shine there.

My main argument here is the complexity and amount of use that the tool will get; if you're gonna use it daily, make it the best you can afford. Decreasing the amount of time that work gets done increases the frequency of jobs you're gonna get paid for or time saved working in your gagrge/driveway. There's a reason "professional grade" tools exist.

Mootang said:

I am assuming you are doing front and back? Not about the front as I just got coil overs. The rears, I actually took off today for half shaft and LCA bearing install. Didn't need to compress the spring in the back with a compressor, but I think you will need it in the front? I know you need a spring compressor for coil overs in the front.

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Yes, I would be looking at replacing all four. I know the rears you wouldn't necessarily need something, but the fronts you do.

Looking for the right tool and safest tool.

Lexman said:

Yes, I would be looking at replacing all four. I know the rears you wouldn't necessarily need something, but the fronts you do.

Looking for the right tool and safest tool.

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You can rent a spring compressor tool at the local auto parts store (advance auto, etc.) which will help quite a bit. They're like $40 to buy but basically free to rent with a deposit. Here's what you're looking for for the fronts: [ame]

Regarding spring installation, there are some good tips in this thread: http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51918

You can use the style of spring compressor that you get from the parts store (make sure to ask for the McPherson Strut Spring Compressor style, Autozone carries two different spring compressors), but it's a pain in the ass. I did it that way, but if I have to do it again I'm going to buy the style of spring compressor that they use in the CJ Pony Parts installation video. Amazon has them for around $50.

You'll need a good hammer (I used a 4 lb hammer from Harbor Freight) for knocking out the strut-to-knuckle bolts on the front.

You'll need a panel removal tool for prying off the plastic connectors for the ABS wire.

You'll need a big torque wrench for properly torqueing all the connections. I actually used, two: I used the big 250 ft-lb Tekton torque wrench that I mentioned earlier for the bolts that had to go to 184 (?) ft-lb and then I used a smaller Harbor Freight 150 ft-lb torque wrench for all the smaller stuff (tighter fit).

For getting the top center strut nut off you'll either need an impact wrench and a set of deep metric impact sockets (this is what I used - I got an electric impact wrench and a set of metric deep impact sockets from Harbor Freight) or you'll need a special strut nut removal socket.

I would also recommend getting a big breaker bar (once again, Harbor Freight has a good cheap one).

One last thing: if you have any plans to install camber plates up front, buy and install them at the same time as your springs. Installing them at the same time basically takes almost zero extra time (because it replaces the top part of the strut, which you have to take off during the spring install anyway). Conversely, if you decide to install them later you'll have to redo the entire front spring install. I held off on camber plates because everyone on here told me "you'll be fine, the camber won't be off that much" but it did turn out to be a bit uneven and out of spec, so I wish I had done it.

I'm a tool whore. HF 44" box with two side cabinets. Full of Snap On, Gear Wrench, HF impact sockets, all kinds of air tools, pullers, etc. and I use them all!
Here's a tip: if you want to buy say something like a steering wheel puller or harmonic balancer puller, rent it from Auto Zone and keep it. No, you're not stealing anything since rental price is actually full cost. But you are getting a tool with a nice blow mold case instead of that clear plastic pouch that rips apart all the time.

Uh... or buy the exact same thing with a case online for sometimes less than half the Autozone/etc. price. An engine mount for my daily is $48 at Autozone. Rock auto, with shipping... $17. The exact same part number. Those stores can screw themselves... haha.