Tools for servicing the car

workaccount

Hi,
I would like to be able to service the car myself and will need to get all the tools. Can anyone recommend a good set.

I also want to get some ramps to lift the car up. Where can I get these?

Cheers.

Max_Damage

workaccount wrote: »

Hi,
I would like to be able to service the car myself and will need to get all the tools. Can anyone recommend a good set.

I also want to get some ramps to lift the car up. Where can I get these?

Cheers.

A good set of spanners and socket wrenches would be a good start. For changing the oil, an oil filter grip thing (don't know exactly what it's called , but it connects to a socket wrench and has three forks sticking out of it to grip the filter). There is also another yoke that removes oil filters that uses a bicycle-type chain, but I find that they are crap and don't grip the filter very well. All of these can be got in Halfords.

I got a set of ramps in Halfords, however, they are quite steep and any car with a low bumper will probably get a scrape.

workaccount

How much did the ramps cost?

Thanks for the reply.

Max_Damage

I think they were about €35 or €40. I got them a while back.

Rudolph Claus

Just make a set of ramps out of solid pallet timbers. Thats what i done and they`re not like them amd steep yokes where the car struggles to drive up them if they`re wet. The car doesnt need to be that high off the ground unless you`re a fat bastid

woop

check out lidl for a jack this week its 17 yoyos got me one theryre fairly hefty too


I do sound like a lidl rep but anyhow

Pete67

In case nobody else says it, never ever work under a car that is supported solely by a jack. They can and do collapse and if you're underneath at the time you could be seriously injured or killed. Use a good set of ramps, or jack the car and support it with a pair of axle stands before getting under it.

JHMEG

Lidl were selling axle/jack stands a while back too, for something like €8.50 a pair.

A basic 3/8" socket set for about 25 euro from Argos will do for servicing. Just make sure it has a decent (4"+) extension bar, as some spark plug wells are deep.

Oil filter wrench. Lidl were selling these too for about a fiver. The adjustable band type (which is what they were selling) is probably the best you'll be able to get it into the most awkward of places. As Max said, chain type are useless.

BTW, if your car is an Opel, they have weird nuts and stuff, kinda like pozidrive. A regular socket set (ie "hex", ie for 6 sided nuts) won't do. You should check before you buy anything.

Oilrig

workaccount,

What type of car have you got? ramps will not suit every car etc.

workaccount

Its a Nissan Sunny. I actually had it up on ramps before.

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Kimbot

Axel stands are great, try get them in lidl/aldi and the do the rolling tray for sliding in and out of the underneath of the car. Also they had a toolset in one of them recently for €15 that will do most cars and are decent quality.

Seth Brundle

I have a set of ramps which are no use for my car (my tyres are too wide and the kit is too low) - ask if you want them.
* A trolley jack
* ramps &/or axel stands
* torque wrench
* 2 * socket set - 1 small and 1 large sized sockets
* wrench set
* oil filter wrench (I actually find my chain one better than my strap one!)
* standard and copper grease
* WD40
* brake bleeding kit
* multimeter
* rubber/latex loves & Swarfega
* Haynes manual
* funnel, oil collection cannister (or 5L container with large hole cut in side)
* torch/light
* screwdriver set
* allan key set
* posidrive set
etc.

JHMEG

@kbannon, are you trying to scare the OP off? He doesn't need a 1/4 of that stuff. Or are you just trying to impress us?:D

Altho I see a Haynes Manual on the list. That's scary.

Seth Brundle

Sorry - was sitting here bored!

workaccount

kbannon wrote: »

I have a set of ramps which are no use for my car (my tyres are too wide and the kit is too low) - ask if you want them.
* A trolley jack
* ramps &/or axel stands
* torque wrench
* 2 * socket set - 1 small and 1 large sized sockets
* wrench set
* oil filter wrench (I actually find my chain one better than my strap one!)
* standard and copper grease
* WD40
* brake bleeding kit
* multimeter
* rubber/latex loves & Swarfega
* Haynes manual
* funnel, oil collection cannister (or 5L container with large hole cut in side)
* torch/light
* screwdriver set
* allan key set
* posidrive set
etc.

Cheers for the advice guys. Slowly building my collection. I received my sealey rachet set today.

Isn't it a good idea to put some grease into the back of the head. Anyone know what kind of grease for this?

Cheers.

woop

holy mother of thread revivals..............
and heres a thread hijack
actually does anybody know the going price for a compression test kit?
and would they reccomend the screw in or the other type?

much like yourself op, building a collection

landcruiserfj62

I strongly recommend leaving to professional. A simple lube service can go horribly wrong when undertaken by inexperienced diy "mechanics". I have spent a portion of my career cleaning up botched jobs, undertaken by peoples uncles, brothers or dads. Also, you could get seriouly hurt/burnt/killed as a result of using improper tools bought at certain supermarkets fyi. (not to mention the accidents that may occur apres service).

woop

I strongly recommend leaving to professional. A simple lube service can go horribly wrong when undertaken by inexperienced diy "mechanics". I have spent a portion of my career cleaning up botched jobs, undertaken by peoples uncles, brothers or dads. Also, you could get seriouly hurt/burnt/killed as a result of using improper tools bought at certain supermarkets fyi. (not to mention the accidents that may occur apres service).

mate doing things like changing youre oil aint that difficult for anybody reasonable,

fair enough there are some eejits out there but if youre confident enough in youre own ability to try it well then I dont see why not, a lot of money is made in fixing these so called botch jobs too though(you should be grateful of the custom), example when someone changes plugs and puts the leads on wrong

from personal experience it happens that garages often say theyve done stuff when in actual fact they havent, one of the reasons I like to do some of the stuff with my car,

landcruiserfj62

Its a catch 22. I will agree that the standard in 50% (or more) of garages in Ireland is very poor. I have spent the last while working abroad, and lets say it was a real eye opener!

I still stand by what I said earlier tho

eringobragh

well i agree with the above there's alot of things that are quite handy if your in that frame of mind, i'm no mechanic and am self taught via a serivce manual. But only recently I've changed spark plugs, Oil, Oil filter, Fuel Filter, Brake Pads, Ignition Barrell, Exhaust Back Box, Fitted HID's, Car radio, Fixed the Boot Lock, Changed Windows, etc & i've never looked under the bonnet of a car before this. I know the list i stated isn't difficult but just saying its possible for joe soap to maintain his car.

Now if i had to get all that done at the garage it would cost me, having said all that my CV rubber is gone on the drivers side and though tempting as it maybe to try and change them it looked alot of hassle so i ordered the bits off Nissan and am going to get a mechanic i know to fit them. I suppose you have to know your limits.

woop

its always good to learn new things and well I get a bit of satisfaction from doing things like eringobragh mentioned, or even the Idea of fixing a niggly litlle fault

but yes a cv joint would be border line in my view...........its not so much difficulty but like landcruiser said you need the proper set up otherwise its just awkward/dangerous and leads to cock ups
heard a story of someone changing a spring without one of those compressor yokes to tighten it the other day.............some people are pure insane

workaccount

So guys grease the rachet head or not?