automotive tools list in a garage or workshop
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- Issue Time
- Apr 19,2023
Automotive tool list for a garage or workshop
● Auto mechanics need a variety of tools for both training and work.
● Beginners can expect to spend $1,000-$4,000 on tools, depending on their training program.
● This list of tools covers the basic equipment you may need to begin your career
Must have automotive tools list:
Air Compressor
Air compressors can fill up tires and run power tools in your garage. Air compressors come in both large industrial models and small, compact, and portable designs. These devices run pneumatic tools, including impact wrenches.
Car Jacks and Car Stands
Sometimes, you need to lift a vehicle off the ground to diagnose problems or make repairs. Car jacks lift a car, but you cannot depend on them to keep you safe while working. Stands provide additional help in keeping a vehicle off the ground so that you do not need to rely solely on a car jack.
Flashlight
You need a good light source to diagnose problems and make repairs correctly. Many mechanics prefer small flashlights, such as penlights, that they can keep in their pockets. These tools allow mechanics to quickly inspect areas underneath hoods and cars. Penlights are lightweight and usually offer long battery life.
Funnels help mechanics top off fluids during vehicle maintenance. Funnels ensure that oil, transmission fluid, and windshield cleaner find their way to the proper reservoir. Some funnels may include a hose you can use to better reach small or obstructed openings.
Hammers
Auto mechanics' hammers include ball-pein, cross-pein, and straight-pein versions. These tools can shape metal and aid in part removal and installation. Take care in how hard you strike your target. Most mechanics use hammers for precision work, not brute force.
Jumper Cables
An essential for any roadside safety kit, jumper cables can connect one car battery to another, helping boost its power to start a motor. Look for cables that can handle six-volt, 12-volt, and 24-volt batteries.
Multimeter
Many vehicle systems rely on electronics. A multimeter, or volt-ohm meter, measures electrical voltage and amperage. This handheld tool helps diagnose issues with wiring systems, power supply, and circuits.
Oil changes are one of the most common tasks for auto mechanics. An oil drain pan collects used oil from the engine. Keep in mind that you must follow local rules for disposing of used oil. Make sure the pan meets the capacity of the engine. Engines may require as much as an eight-quart pan.
Pliers
Mechanics use different types of pliers for various tasks. Needle-nose pliers, duckbill jaw pliers, and wire strippers perform essential functions. Some jobs require specially designed pliers, such as piston ring installers and brake spring pliers. Check with your instructor to determine which pliers you need for your studies.
Prey Bar
These steel bars serve a variety of functions in an auto mechanic shop. They lift, provide leverage, remove nails, and help line up holes. You may hear a pry bar called by other names, including crowbar, pinch bar, and "jimmy."
Ratchets
Ratchet wrenches connect to a socket, making loosening and tightening bolts easier and faster. The socket completely covers the connector. Socket extensions can help mechanics reach nuts and bolts they could not get to with a conventional wrench. Consider purchasing a set in both U.S. and metric sizes.
Screwdrivers
Find a set of Phillips and flathead screwdrivers with different size tips. Some screwdrivers boast magnetic heads that can help you maintain contact with screws. This feature can come in handy when working with screws in locations that are hard to reach.
Tire Gauge
Driving on overinflated or underinflated tires can result in damage to the tire or vehicle. A tire gauge checks the air pressure in tires. Choose from stick-type gauges (about the size of a pen), dial gauges, or digital gauges.
Vise Grips
These locking pliers provide adjustable pressure for holding parts together and clamping off hoses during automotive repairs. They usually have a quick release feature for when the work is complete. Like pliers, these tools come in a variety of styles.
Wrenches
Mechanics use wrenches to turn nuts and bolts, either tightening them to secure a part or loosening these connectors to remove a part. Early-career mechanics need a quality set of hand wrenches in both U.S. and metric measurements.
At some point you will undoubtedly encounter seized bolts with rounded off hex’s or ones that have completely snapped off. These clever tools have a simple reversed thread that cuts into the broken bolt after drilling a hole into it. We recommend the longer type of extractor as shown below as the shorter style ones are often a hit and miss at doing the job.
Please, please get some of these and don’t waste your time with pliers or even mole grips. Of course, the latter is an alternative option that can work for smaller clamps, however this tool revolutionises the removal of large sprung-type clamps usually found on radiator and intake hoses. They feature a ratchet mechanism ensuring the handle can’t open again while squeezing them together to open the clamp up. For refitting a clamp, a simple release lever on the ratchet is provided. Everyone will know how hard it is to undo mole grips that are adjusted to be tight and it usually ends up in them flying back open and hitting your hand. Not with these! The long wire versions are even more useful for those hard to reach places.
Thinking of changing brake discs and pads yourself at home? On vehicles with caliper pistons that have to be wound back in on a thread that’s either clockwise or anti-clockwise, the procedure simply can’t be performed without it. Many rear caliper have an incorporated handbrake actuator which connects to the piston through the threaded system, you then have to screw the piston back in with pressure at the same time as turning. A big tip here is that if you suspect your pistons are even slightly a bit seized, only get a caliper wind back tool that features a hex on the end like in the photo below. This allows a breaker bar and socket to be attached for more leverage. In any case, we don’t recommend winding a seized caliper piston back in! Remove it by pressing the brake pedal to force the piston out and check for corrosion. If there’s any form of pitting or rust, replace it!
A slide hammer is a tool that attaches to an object (such as a bearing) needing to be pulled out or off a shaft and transmits an impact force to the object without striking the object itself. Slide hammers typically consist of a long metal shaft with an attachment point threaded at one end, a heavyweight that can slide along the shaft, and a stop for the weight to impact on the end opposite the attachment point. The inertia of the weight is thus transferred to the shaft, pulling the attached end in the direction the weight had been moving.
Tap and Dye Set
These allow you to repair, clean or create new threads for nuts and bolts. If you have badly corroded threads you can use a thread gauge on the bolt to find out which tap or dye to use. If you’re creating a completely new thread hole for bolts, look up a drill-tap size chart to find out which is the best-sized drill to use for that particular Tap. This will ensure you have the perfectly sized hole ready for tapping (creating) new threads. The process will also be far easier, if you drill a hole that’s too small or too large, you’ll struggle to even get a new thread started.