Introduction
A selection of good tools is a fundamental
requirement for anyone contemplating the
maintenance and repair of a motor vehicle.
For the owner who does not possess any,
their purchase will prove a considerable
expense, offsetting some of the savings made
by doing-it-yourself. However, provided that
the tools purchased meet the relevant national
safety standards and are of good quality, they
will last for many years and prove an
extremely worthwhile investment.
To help the average owner to decide which
tools are needed to carry out the various tasks
detailed in this manual, we have compiled
three lists of tools under the following
headings: Maintenance and minor repair,
Repair and overhaul, and Special. Newcomers
to practical mechanics should start off with
the Maintenance and minor repair tool kit, and
confine themselves to the simpler jobs around
the vehicle. Then, as confidence and
experience grow, more difficult tasks can be
undertaken, with extra tools being purchased
as, and when, they are needed. In this way, a
Maintenance and minor repair tool kit can be
built up into a Repair and overhaul tool kit over
a considerable period of time, without any
major cash outlays. The experienced do-it-
yourselfer will have a tool kit good enough for
most repair and overhaul procedures, and will
add tools from the Special category when it is
felt that the expense is justified by the amount
of use to which these tools will be put.
Maintenance and minor repair
tool kit
The tools given in this list should be
considered as a minimum requirement if
routine maintenance, servicing and minor
repair operations are to be undertaken. We
recommend the purchase of combination
spanners (ring one end, open-ended the
other); although more expensive than open-
ended ones, they do give the advantages of
both types of spanner.
mm Combination spanners:
Imperial - 5/16, 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8,
11/16, 3/4 inch AF
Metric - 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17 &
19 mm
mm Adjustable spanner - 35 mm jaw (approx.)
mm Spark plug spanner (with rubber insert)
mm Spark plug gap adjustment tool
mm Set of feeler gauges
mm Brake adjuster spanner
mm Brake bleed nipple spanner
mm Screwdrivers:
Flat blade - 100 mm long x 6 mm dia
Cross blade - 100 mm long x 6 mm dia
mm Combination pliers
mm Hacksaw (junior)
mm Tyre pump
mm Tyre pressure gauge
mm Grease gun
mm Oil can
mm Oil filter removal tool
mm Fine emery cloth
mm Wire brush (small)
mm Funnel (medium size)
Repair and overhaul tool kit
These tools are virtually essential for anyone
undertaking any major repairs to a motor
vehicle, and are additional to those given in the
Maintenance and minor repair list. Included in
this list is a comprehensive set of sockets.
Although these are expensive, they will be
found invaluable as they are so versatile -
particularly if various drives are included in the
set. We recommend the half-inch square-drive
type, as this can be used with most proprietary
torque wrenches. If you cannot afford a socket
set, even bought piecemeal, then inexpensive
tubular box spanners are a useful alternative.
The tools in this list will occasionally need to
be supplemented by tools from the Special list:
mm Sockets (or box spanners) to cover range
in previous list (including Torx sockets)
mm Reversible ratchet drive (for use with
sockets)
mm Extension piece, 250 mm (for use with
sockets)
mm Universal joint (for use with sockets)
mm Torque wrench (for use with sockets)
mm Self-locking grips
mm Ball pein hammer
mm Soft-faced mallet (plastic/aluminium or
rubber)
mm Screwdrivers:
Flat blade - long & sturdy, short (chubby),
and narrow (electrician’s) types
Cross blade - Long & sturdy, and short
(chubby) types
mm Pliers:
Long-nosed
Side cutters (electrician’s)
Circlip (internal and external)
mm Cold chisel - 25 mm
mm Scriber
mm Scraper
mm Centre-punch
mm Pin punch
mm Hacksaw
mm Brake hose clamp
mm Brake/clutch bleeding kit
mm Selection of twist drills
mm Steel rule/straight-edge
mm Allen keys (inc. splined/Torx type)
mm Selection of files
mm Wire brush
mm Axle stands
mm Jack (strong trolley or hydraulic type)
mm Light with extension lead
REF•4 Tools and working facilities
Vernier caliper Piston ring compressor
Sockets and reversible drive ratchet Valve spring compressor
Two/three legged puller
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