The 11 Tools Every Garage Needs: Best Tools For Mechanics
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Whether you’re just starting out as an apprentice mechanic and aren’t sure what tools you should pick first, or you’re a home handyman who wants to work on your own car rather than pay someone else to do it, this list will certainly help.
There are some tools that are essential for working on cars, and making a small investment in these at the start of the journey may prevent much larger expenses down the line. Using the wrong tool when working on your car can cause significant damage that may turn a small task into a gargantuan one and increase the cost tremendously.
These are the top 11 tools that every apprentice or home mechanic should seriously consider buying before setting out on their car repair journey.
1. Torque Wrenches
Torque wrenches are by far the best tools for mechanics. There aren’t many tools on this list that are functional, prevent damage, and are also vital for safety - torque wrenches check all three boxes.
If you’re working in the engine bay, you’re going to need to torque every single bolt to specification. Bolts that are too loose can cause oil or other fluid leaks, bolts that are too tight can cause cracks and damage to gaskets.
Worse yet, some of the bolts vehicle manufacturers use in engine bays feel like they’re made of chalk, and torquing even a little further than specification will snap them right in half. When I had to replace a rocker cover gasket for the first time, there was one bolt that I just couldn’t reach with the torque wrench, no matter what angle I approached it from. I thought: “It’s just one bolt, I’ll be gentle with a box wrench instead”. The head snapped off after half a turn.
If you think it’s a pain to tighten bolts with a torque wrench, believe me, it’s much more of a pain to have to remove a broken bolt stud.
In addition to preventing damage, torque wrenches are vital for safety. Every time you take off a wheel, whether you’re changing tires, adjusting coilovers, or checking the joints, when you put it back on you must torque all the lug nuts to specifications. And you should torque them again after you drive 100km.
There may only be a 1% chance of failure if you don’t re-torque your lug nuts, but you don’t want to be the 1% of people who have a wheel fall off while they’re driving on the highway.
Tohnichi Click Type Ratcheting Torque Wrench 24 Tooth (10 Sizes) ML-QH
$179.00
2. Pipe and Hose Removing Tools
The rubber used for engine hoses really isn’t as durable as it should be. After a few years driving, it turns from a soft, pliable rubber into a hard, almost plastic-like material. The manufacturers really wedge them on tightly, because of course they shouldn’t be able to come loose by themselves, but that means they require a lot of work to get off.
If you use the wrong tools, like vise grips or pliers, to try to pull them off by force, you’re only going to crack and break the brittle rubber-plastic mess that the hoses have turned into, and create a much bigger problem for yourself.
Most hoses and pipes, however, come off really easily with the right pipe and hose removing tools. A pair of hose removal pliers works a treat in most cases. Simply slide them between the hose and whatever it’s attached to, and squeeze.
In cases where the hose is flush with the surface, and you can’t fit hose removal pliers in the gap, a cat’s paw tool like this one is fantastic for getting the job started. You can slide the blade under the hose and lever it up enough to get the pliers in there.
Hose picks also work to break the seal between the hose and whatever it's attached to, but be careful not to pull too hard and crack the hose.
Anex Radiator And Heater Hose Pick Coolant Hose Removal Tool 9115
$13.99
3. Jack & Jack Stands
The jack that comes with your car is good enough for changing a tire in a pinch, but it’s not good for much else. If you need to take two wheels off at the same time, replace any exhaust components, or even complete an oil change with some degree of comfort, a floor jack is your best choice.
Floor jacks can quickly and easily lift up two wheels at a time by using either the front or rear jacking points. Then you can slide your jack stands under the side jacking points and get to work.
Jack stands are also a vital tool here. Never work under your car while it’s only supported by the jack. Jack stands should be the primary support, and you can leave the jack there too only as a secondary support in case the jack stands fail.
Most mechanics who don’t have lifts tend to have double and triple contingencies in place when working under cars. Buy two sets of jack stands and set one just behind the other as a failsafe. Taking off the wheels? Stack the wheels under the car to catch it if it falls.
You can never be too safe when you have 2.5 tonnes suspended above you, held by a thin metal rod.
4. Deep Socket Set
Deep sockets are the kind of thing you’ll need eventually, and when you need them, you’ll really need them. There won’t be any substitutions, and you’ll need to stop working and head on down to the hardware store to pick some up.
So why not save yourself the trouble, and get a set now so that you’re never stuck in that situation?
These are great for working on deep-set bolts and nuts, nuts on studs with long exposed threads, and nuts and bolts in areas where it’s hard to fit a wrench.
Deep sockets are especially important for working on suspension components, where many of the bolts and nuts are set deep, or surrounded by other components that get in the way of your wrench. So if suspension work is in your plans, you’d better start looking at investing in a deep socket set in advance.
Koken Z-Series 1/4" Deep Socket Set With Rail (12 Pieces) RS2300MZ/12
$139.00
5. Ratchet Wrenches
This one’s pretty self explanatory. If you have sockets, you need something to turn them. You can’t use an impact wrench for most jobs, so a standard ratchet wrench is your best bet. Almost every engine component is held together with nuts and bolts, and to remove or replace those nuts and bolts, the best practice is always going to go like this:
Removing:
- Use a breaker bar or box wrench to get the bolt started if it’s on tight.
- Quickly loosen it all the way to the top with a ratchet wrench.
- Complete the last half-turn with your fingers so you don’t lose it.
Replacing:
- Get the nut or bolt started with your fingers to ensure it’s threaded correctly.
- Tighten it down quickly with your ratchet wrench.
- Tighten to specification with a torque wrench.
Ratchet wrenches are faster than box wrenches, and thanks to the usefulness and variety of sockets (deep sockets, shallow sockets, 12-point sockets, wobble sockets etc.) you can access many fasteners that box wrenches can’t.
Deen Fast Action Twist Handle Reversible Ratchet Wrench & Screwdriver
$89.00
6. Breaker Bar
A breaker bar may just be the best value for money investment you can make as a beginner mechanic. I couldn’t count the number of times I struggled to remove a tight, rusted nut or bolt. From the lug nuts on the 20-year-old car I had in high school, to the drain bolt on the 20-year-old motorbike I had in college - they all took hours of blood, sweat, and tears to remove with a standard wrench. The thing about old cars is that they rust, and that rust is like superglue for bolts.
When I bought the 15-year-old car I have now, I bought a breaker bar. Breaker bars add a lot of leverage to a socket, making it turn with so much more force for the same amount of effort. Better yet, you can typically get above the bar, and lean your body weight onto it, so you’re not causing early arthritis in your fingers and wrists as you would if you were struggling with a standard wrench.
From lug nuts, to sway bar link bolts, to the ultra-rusted bolts that hold exhaust pieces on - the breaker bar gets through all of them with minimal effort and pain. This is really an essential tool.
Deen Spinner Handle Lightweight Breaker Bar
$32.00
7. Palm Ratchet
Working in engine bays can be a frustrating experience sometimes. The engines were perfectly designed by the engineers to go together in a way that is clean and tidy, where the parts that need to be cooled are cooled by airflow, and the parts that need to be protected from water are tucked away. On top of everything, they have limited space, so every pipe, hose and cable is bent and twisted to fit together like a 3D puzzle, and wrap neatly around the engine.
This means that any time you need to access anything important, you’re almost certainly going to have a few things in the way. The stark lack of space and maneuverability in engine bays makes palm ratchets and low-profile sockets indispensable.
When you don’t have enough clearance with your regular ratchet, and you can’t access from the correct angle to use a box wrench, a palm ratchet will fit right into tight spaces and get the job done. If your fingertips can reach the nut or bolt, this Deen Palm Ratchet should be able to remove it.
Deen Delta Palm Ratchet Reversible Thumbwheel Ratchet Wrench
$34.00
8. Trim Remover
If you’re installing a new stereo, new speakers, a reverse camera, or a drive recorder, you’re probably going to need to remove some interior trim pieces to make sure all the cabling is tucked out of sight.
The interior trim pieces in cars are difficult to remove. This makes sense, we want the interior of the car to be clean and seamless - we don’t want to see screws holding all of the plastic coverings in. So most trim pieces are held together by hidden clips. These hidden clips are usually difficult to access, and very easy to break.
Making matters worse, you can’t really get away with trying to get the pieces off with brute force and a screwdriver anymore, as in modern cars many trim pieces have airbags behind them, and jamming a screwdriver in there could puncture, or even deploy the airbag.
A few different shapes and sizes of trim remover and clip removal tools will get the job done quickly and easily. And they’re small and lightweight enough to store in your glovebox for whenever you need them.
Deen Door Panel Trim Clip Removal Tool Automotive Clip Remover
$12.95
9. Screwdrivers
Like the ratchet wrench, this is another self-explanatory one. While cars rely heavily on nuts and bolts, and you’re unlikely to come across too many screws in the engine bay, or around the suspension or exhaust components, there are still plenty of times you’ll need a screwdriver.
Slotted screwdrivers come in handy when removing trim pieces that have a gap to prise them open, and even in the engine, many covers (such as the rocker cover) typically have ears to fit a slotted screwdriver so you can lever it open without damaging the cover or gasket.
Star screws are typically used in the brackets that hold your stereo and speakers in place, as well as around the lights and light housings. You never know when you’re going to have to replace a lightbulb, so it’s good to have a nice set of crosspoint screwdrivers on-hand.
If you drive a Japanese car (Toyota, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Honda, Mazda, Suzuki, Lexus, Infiniti) then you’re going to want a set of JIS screwdrivers, as a regular Phillips screwdriver will likely damage your fasteners.
Fujiya Kurokin Slotted Demolition Screwdriver -6 150mm 566K-BG
$12.99
10. Needle Nose Pliers
Needle nose pliers are a fantastic tool that will save the day more times than you could imagine. Not only are they good for reaching interior trim clips if you don’t have the right tool for it, they’re also great for disconnecting electrical components, particularly pin and socket connectors.
But that’s not all, before you know it you’ll be picking up your needle nose pliers more than other mechanic tools, when you’re twisting wires together, pulling fuses, retrieving dropped nuts and bolts, and fishing out hard to reach harnesses from behind the dash.
These incredibly useful and very cost-effective automotive tools are fantastic to have on-hand, because you can use them for so much, and they’ll save you a lot of time.
Engineer Long Needle Nose Pliers PR-46
$23.98
11. Bolt/Screw Remover (Anex)
The bolts and screws used in cars seem to be made of the most fragile steel possible. They’re already incredibly easy to damage, strip, or break when they’re new, but add in the fact that vehicles are exposed to the elements and these fasteners rust and seize after just a few seasons, if you’re someone who works on cars regularly, a broken screw or bolt isn’t something that you might encounter, it’s something that you will encounter.
Because of this, it’s essential to have a set of bolt and screw removers like the set below from Anex, or a pair of screw and bolt removal pliers that can easily grip a stripped head, like these from Engineer.
If you have the right screw and bolt extractors on-hand, that inevitable, heart-sinking moment when you realize you’ve damaged a fastener beyond repair won’t feel so bad, because you’ll know you’re prepared to remove it.
Anex Nejitori Screw Removal Tool and Impact Screwdriver Set 1903-NS1
$49.00
While there are many tools that are important for apprentice and home mechanics to purchase, and by the time you’re done you’ll probably have more tools than you know what to do with, this short list covers some of the most important and accessible tools that are cost-effective and incredibly useful in your day-to-day life working on cars.
Do you have a tool that you just have to have with you when you’re working? Tell us about it in the comments below, we’d love to know.
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