Ke55 General Mainenance Tools

[polaegame]

Hey guys, been working on my KE55 Sedan trying to get it in tip-top shape, but I realised I have no tools of my own.

 

What (in your opinion) is a good, cheap, reliable brand of tools?

 

Looking to buy a set that hopefully has everything, plus a timing light and dwell/tachometer etc

 

should i just go to repco or are there exotic brands that I should look at?

 

any suggestions appreciated.

 

cheers.

 

EDIT maintenance sorry guys,

Edited November 29, 2009 by polaegame

[RedKE30]

Hey guys, been working on my KE55 Sedan trying to get it in tip-top shape, but I realised I have no tools of my own.

 

What (in your opinion) is a good, cheap, reliable brand of tools?

 

Looking to buy a set that hopefully has everything, plus a timing light and dwell/tachometer etc

 

should i just go to repco or are there exotic brands that I should look at?

 

any suggestions appreciated.

 

cheers.

 

EDIT maintenance sorry guys,

 

In my experience repco are a little pricey. I bought an SP toolkit back when they were real cheap, payed $1100 for a massive box with like a ~250 set. Haven't really had any problems with SP. TTI are also a fairly cheap, good tool brand.

[Redwarf]

Trade tools do a brand called Force, and for home use, you'd struggle to find a better value/ money/ application than these. I have a Kincrome wall mount for home, but if I had my time again, I'd by a force one.

[Mr Hardware]

Two really good tool brands i've had success with over the years have been 'Drop Forged' and 'Chrome Vanadium'.

 

Sorry, i had to do it.

 

Personally, i'm a big Kincrome lover. (no g, no h).

[towe001]

Just something worth noting is that you'll mostly be dealing in metric sizes so apart from a few odd balls imperial stuff would be a waste of space and money.

 

Socket sets - 1/2in drive and a 3/8in drive, i do have a 1/4in drive around somewhere but i've used that much i wouldn't have a clue if its here at home or at my parents place. I just use a 1/4 to 3/8 adapter if i ever need a 1/4in drive for my 8mm socket.....

While on the thing of sockets like for the ones that grip the sides of the nut and not the corners - less chance of rounding the head off

and if you do

Kincromes new "Loc-On" sockets are f@$kin amazing. We have a demo set at work and these are the only sockets that still grip on a 85% rounded nut. Metrinch even slips.

If you have the money go for the tool chest/box with a good wide selection of tools.

If you don't then start with a screwdriver set and a 1/2in drive socket set and grow to a set of spanners yadda yadda and after a while you'll also find that you'll be needing something that'll give leverage so go for a nice long 1/2in breaker bar.

and if your doing it that way a Sizecatcher would be a pretty useful thing to have in the box it'll make that planning ahead so much easier..

 

Timing light - go for one that runs off the battery and uses a clamp to fit to the ignition lead

Dwell meter - haven't used one for years - have one at home here but i wouldn't even have a clue on what it looks like any more..

Compression tester - get a screw in type, don't even look at the press in style.

[baggus]

Sp tools are prety good and not to expensive ever, I work at ford and and we sell all sp shit there and most the guys use them. My tool box at home consits of a socket set, plyers, duck tap, electrical tape, cable ties and a hammer that's all you need realy lol

[silverra23]

I am intrigued to know what duck tap looks like... sounds uncomfortable for the duck :jamie:

 

I use repco branded tools for my diy stuff at home, supplemented by bits and pieces I have acquired over the years as I have needed them.

 

Best bet is to go have a look at a few different kits and get a feel for the quality and what you feel comfortable.

 

SP tools do seem to have some competitively priced kits out there at the moment.

 

Kincrome is always price competitive, but that has sometimes been at the expense of quality, though it appears to improve as the years go on.

 

I have also read and heard good things about Teng tools but never used them myself.

[styler]

nothing beats the trade tools small force kit, ended up buying one for home and travel use as

it uses the same spanners / socket sets / screwdrivers i bought previously for work but also

includes allen keys, all sorts of pliers / multigrips / cutters / shifter and a impact screw driver.

it has long series sockets and both metric in a comprehensive range and imperial in a shorter range.

comes in a 3 drawer smooth drawer tool chest with top compartment which i added rags,

locktite, hammer, zip ties, wd40 and duct tape to finish it off.

 

has life time warranty and cheap individual replacement parts should you lose anything or want to

add extra sizes or tool parts. also comes with moulded foam trays to keep things in place and

save kicking the thing over in a rage when you can't find a certain size socket in the mess...

its certainly quality gear for the money if you keep it clean and look after it.

 

seen similar sets from other brands at $1000+ and couldnt resist this one at $380 or so, absolute

bargain, took 1 year to pay itself off from time and money saved going to fetch and drop off my original

tool set!

Edited November 30, 2009 by styler

[philbey]

I've got a Sidchrome 1/2 inch drive, metric only set. 8-22mm sockets, sparkplug socket, ratchet and short breaker. It cost me about 80 bucks, its small and solid as shit with lifetime warranty.

 

This, a set of Stanley scredrivers (the 11 piece or whatever) and a set of decent (Sidchrome) open end ring spanners covers my arse for just about any work on the corolla.

 

Also, buy a set of Verniers (mitutoyo 200mm), Feeler gauges and Thread gauge and you are set.

[anastasios]

I'd go Kincrome, I had one of my Sidchrome ratchets kinda stuff up, but it could be because I misused it

[philbey]

So did it stuff up because you misused it? My guess is your kinchrome would do the same if misused.

 

You hammered stuff with it didn't you?

 

Seriously I'd take Sidchrome over Kinchrome anyday but that's brand preference really.