Beginner toolset suggestions?

[dbking321]

See if you can get a black Friday deal on a set of tools. Then add as needed.... .you can never have enough tools

 

[Hemi832]

If you don't know what you want, BUY WHAT YOU NEED, WHEN YOU NEED IT. That is how I started and am still building my tool set.

 

[RamminMopar]

Just started my own set as well but my advice would be to start with a tool set with ratchets and sockets of 1/4,3/8,1/2 and a screwdriver set.

 

[RoadRamblerNJ]

Like 14hemiexpress said a few posts back, and I 100% agree, buy Snap On ratchets! I bought 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch swivel heads when I was 27 yrs old and I still use them and I'm 61 now. Best damn money I ever spent! Soo much thinner heads for tight spots and much finer ratcheting gears. My S.O. clicks 5 or 6 times for every one ckick on a Craftsman ratchet. Life saver sometimes. They are also the ONLY Snap On tools I ever bought. Saw my bosses "mortgage" payment every week when the truck pulled up. Every week he handed them $350. For years. Not me. I was just the mechanic, not the business owner. My old collection of Craftsman sockets, combo wrenches, screw drivers, pliers, etc, etc work just fine. When they broke or just got dull, rounded over, whatever, just bring it back & get a brand new one. Guaranteed for life. Used to bring a bag full every 5 yrs or so. I'm Not familiar with the stuff being made by Stanley.
It's nice to finally be able to walk up & down the isles in Sears and go "got it, got it, got 'em, got it, don't need it, got 4 of those".......hahaha. Good Shopping pal.

 

[Keasy]

as one poster st as Ted buy quality tools, and know your tool companies, as who makes what for instance. Stanley owns, Craftsman. And Dewalt .so you know they make good solid tools, life time warranty is grest.
Craftmsn makes a starter kit if like 300 tools, of both metric and SAE , wrenches combination, double open, etc, rachets. Sockets swallow,and deep, Allen wrenches,and some bits,allen,star,Allen,, that is a good place to start, get a good tool storage room around cabinet. Then add you your special tools oil filter wrench, funnels,drain pan ,and rags or shop paper towels ,lights and such.
Then you can get into floor jacks,and jack stands(a must have) when buy all of this make sure to buy the things to clean your garage broom,dust pan,kitty litter, a dirty ,slippery floor is no fun to work on.
Later you can buy as needed your test equipment.

 

[miles01]

The most used tools among the hundreds of tools I have is the ratchet set that has 1/2, 3.8, and 1/4 inch drive with all sockets and extensions that go with it.
It was a kit in hard case 20 years ago from sears (no longer in business) cost $99, kit like that is about $600 - $1,200 now.
If you live in Canada watch for sales of ratchet sets at Canadian Tire, a set can be gotten for cheap when on sale (don't know where to buy in USA).
Also a multy bit screw driver, plyers (vise grip, regular, side cutter, and needle nose)
If you have these basic tools most maintenance and modifications can be done easily.

 

[kevkev]

Stay away from Crapsman

 

[Barney556180]

Stay away from Crapsman

That’s a damned shame...Craftsman was the standard for quality and lifetime warranty replacement, no questions asked.

I’ve had Craftsman tools for near 40 years. Haven’t had to buy any for a while. Guess quality went down the toilet along with Sears.

 

[Doug Ram]

Craftsman was never the best quality, despite their lifetime warranty, which they still have. The mediocre quality was good enough for users and since you could always get it replaced at any Sears, their tools were a decent value.... Fast forward to today. You can't be sure that you will be able to replace it that tool.. Sears is nearly dead. Sears has closed in most cities. Online presence is awful. And while Craftsman is now available at Ace and other home stores, it's not owned by Sears. So who is backing that warranty? Stanley? Ace? Bottom line: I would not trust that the warranty will be honored without a receipt, or that the same tool is available in 5 years.

 

[tron67j]

Just going through this, one tool I have found indispensable is actually a set of plastic pry tools that is use to remove dash pieces, etc. Got a set on Amazon, have used for so many things in garage and around house.

On Craftsman, I used to do the warranty replacement on them and did my own construction work over the years so I have probably seen more than most people ever will. I will say almost 100% of the screwdriver replacements were due to someone using flathead for a pry bar and Phillips head because they were using it to dimple metal for a drill bit or to make a hole in something or pounding on the handle while trying to remove a rusted screw. I rarely saw craftsman screwdrivers with worn phillips heads coming in for replacement. And personally, my drawer is full of some from my grandfather, my dad, and my purchases over the years. No worn ones and I work them all the time.

 

[4xdad]

buy the best tools u can afford try to get them from a place that has a lifetime warranty because I am hard on everything I own .like putting pipe on wrench or ratchet.craftsman was good for that. here in Canada we have princess auto some of their tools are junk but they do the job and if you take it back in pieces they will replace it. for your rig tools I like carry socket set sae and metric in 1 wrenchsscrewdrivers hammer ax 2x4 blocks bottle jackboostercables and tire patch kit 12 volt compressor I only take all this stuff on road trips.but I always have all my recovery gear

 

[GTyankee]

I agree with purchasing a set of Plastic Trim Tools, it really does not matter which brand, you will use them all over your Ram

Here is something that i learned the hard way
When you buy a set of wrenches & sockets, everyone in your neighborhood will soon know it.
Buy a cheap set of tools like Harbor Freight just to loan out

Buy on Sale or at your local Swap Meet if you can

A Vice comes in very handy

In my garage, i can't seem to find a few tools, like 1/2" combination wrench or socket, a 10 mm combo wrench or socket
a 5 mm allen wrench & i know that i have purchased several of them

I broke down & bought a Scan Tool, with the ABS function, i have used it mostly on my apartment managers vehicles, so that he could pass Smog Inspections

I first bought a 20 gallon Air Compressor for when i was building my old 1956 Chevy 1/2 ton, but i spent more time waiting for the air to build up, than it was worth, so i bought a reconditioned 60 gallon air compressor & never waited again

First i had built a ramp out of 2X6s, it worked ok, then i bought a set of good plastic ramps from Pep Boys, they are lighter & just as strong & easy to store away.

I hardly do any larger jobs on the truck, old age caught up to me, but i still have 2 sets of Craftsman Roll Aways in the garage & a decent set of tools in the Ram's tool box.

I also have a Schumacher battery charger & also a their Jump Starter

I sold my set of Cutting Torches, a Mig Welder & a Arc Welder, welding was not something that i was good enough at & a friend that could do it well had moved away



That's a rebuilt 327 cu in chevy engine under the blue tarp, on the engine stand, the engine hoist is put away behind the Floor mount Drill Press

 

[RamminMopar]

Do you guys carry a kit of tools in your vehicles? If so, what does it consist of?

 

[Loudram]

I should but I don't. I never got around to putting one together.

 

[GeometryFletch]

magnet rod so when you drop tools in the abyss

 

[Treburkulosis]

My tools are a mix of Craftsman and Husky. They both have been good to me. I did buy the boys some tools from harbor freight. Wrenches and Ratchets and what not just to tinker around with their bikes and skateboards. They feel and seem to perform as well as my Husky stuff. IMO and I have been wrenching with my dad and then on my own for 25 plus years and there is nothing like the feel of a craftsman ratchet.

 

[HAL9001]

I never know what to say when people ask me what tools they should buy. I'm nearly 65 and I've been avidly collecting tools since I was 14. I have thousands of tools, electrical, automotive, plumbing, carpentry, you name it. I gave away an entire set of tools to my son just from the spares I had. Those who look at my tool collection might think I have every tool anyone could ever need.

However, the truth is that, to this day, I'll start working on some project and I'll find that I need a tool I still don't have.

 

[Cableman]

I just sold a bunch of usa forged craftsman sockets and wrenches, couple other stuff and a metrinch set also, made 315 bucks!
I want all one brand and no missing sizes!
Like the tekton stuff and they give you rewards on each purchased, ordered up an sae and metric wrench set

Next is the ¼/⅜/½" socket sets
https://www.tekton.com/6-point-socket-and-ratchet-set-bundle-skt95302

 

[GTyankee]

I always have tools in my truck bed
On my current Ram, i had a special aluminum tool box made, it's much lighter than the one that i had made for my old 2009 Ram & 1999 Chevy 1/2 ton

this was my 2009 Ram
The black tool box used to be in my 1999 Chevy pickup
When i needed to put it in my 2009 Ram, the box corners needed to be cut off to fit the rear wheel wells, ( when the welder cut off the corners, he flipped the corners upside down & switched left side over to the right side & welded it all back up ) The box was made of 5/16th steel plate.
I had a soft tonneau cover over it, mostly to hide the auxiliary fuel tank

I carry a 2 ton Trolley Jack in a suitcase, the most common SAE & Metric combination socket & combo wrenches, set of electrical connectors & wiring tools, tow straps, road flares, 3 fire extinguishers, & etc.


This is my current tool box in the 2016, it was also custom built
I didn't need a auxiliary fuel tank, the Ram has the Ecodiesel engine

 

[noodles]

Always buy a box of fasteners and screws. I have many that ran away into the grass or asphalt purgatory.