Tool kit for kit car

[pigeondave]

I have just (2 months ago) bought a Fisher Fury and as you all know a car is never quite finished. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a all in one tool chest.

I dont know what the quality issues are between different sets. As I will only be using the tools at weekends or days off, do I need to go the snap-on route or are the halfords chests good enough? or are the chests at machine mart OK.

I have £250-300 to spend, this wont go far it I go the snap-on route. Or is it a case of I only need a basic kit as the car is largely held together with the same size bolts.

Thanks

[jamesG20V6]

You can't really go wrong with halfords professional range, they come with a lifetime guarantee too. They have had some major sales on at the moment, I saw a fully stocked 7 drawer chest of professional tools in my local branch for less than £175 which is a bargain.

There are equally good tools available for the same money or less they just take a bit more finding.

I've heard good things about sealey?

[Furyblade_Lee]

I have a mix of Snap-on and Halfords Professional. To be honest, the Halfords stuff is ace. But for £300 and light use, i would look for a £300 package by Sealey or someone if you want a tool chest too. The £300 budget is a bit low for the Halfords stuff. I have a big Clarke tool chest, about £400 if i remember, and about £600 of Snap-on and Halfords Pro. It is not a great deal of tools, just enough to get by. I have a great socket set from Halfords which was £99, had it 5 years and all still perfect. You do not need top quality stuff, but likewise not the s*** you buy on market stalls. Machine Mart (Clarke) are a good cheaper option.

[Furyblade_Lee]

More importantly with a kit car, is you mobile toolkit! I have a Sparco toolbag which i carried in the sidepod of my Fury / Phoenix. In it you need a scissor jack / (use a deep 19mm socket on wheelnuts to save weight not a wheelbrace), socket set and extensions, stubby spanner set, 2 adjustible plumber-type grips, screwdriver with various heads, allen key set, pliers, scissors, multimeter, stanley knife, elecrical tape, gaffa tape, cable ties, bradawl (for emergency holes!) fuses, spark plug socket, spare spark plugs, torch, small hammer, glue, silicone (plumbers' LSX) 1 litre oil, small brake fluid, wire brush, assorted self tapping screws and nuts / bolts of popular sizes used on your car. 1 can of tyre foam. And European breakdown cover. Welcome to kitcars!

Edited by Furyblade_Lee on Saturday 20th December 23:06

[ruaricoles]

Furyblade_Lee said:

To be honest, the Halfords stuff is ace

+1

And if you do ever break anything they'll replace it for you (might need to show the receipt, although I've not had to in the past)

Ruari

[Vindi_andy]

AFAIK the halfords Pro guarantee covers for manufacture or material defect not abuse.

Clarkes Pro range is the same and these are my weapon of choice.

Snap on are to the best of my knowledge gauranteed full stop so if you do abuse them say use a 3/4 inch drive to undo a very tight wheel nut then they will repair or replace them. but you do pay for that priveledge

[TonyHetherington]

Vindi_andy said:

AFAIK the halfords Pro guarantee covers for manufacture or material defect not abuse.

Officially, yes, but a pro mechanic friend of mine has snapped spanners in half to be able to get them into little gaps, and still had them exchanged.

Halfords stuff is great quality, and with an unbeatable guarantee too. Highly recommended.

[Farmer]

I'm a Draper dealer and have to agree that Halfords Pro tools are good as thy are mostly from the same source as Draper Expert which also carry a lifetime warranty (with the usual caveats)

General advice with tools, you usualy get what you pay for but you will often find your favorite tools are the cheap ones . So ask yourself how often do you intend to use them ? if it's all day every day then get the best, if it's regular use then get good ones . For occasional use, a good general set of cheap (not nasty) tools will be fine . But like most people you will end up with a combination of all grades .

Also tools can be a lot like cars , you can pay a lot extra for the name , a Nissan GTR will keep up with a porker turbo any day . thats not to say the Porker isn't desireable but just not good value in comparison .

Ian

[groomi]

Farmer said:

Also tools can be a lot like cars , you can pay a lot extra for the name , a Nissan GTR will keep up with a porker turbo any day . thats not to say the Porker isn't desireable but just not good value in comparison .

Ian

Do draper also make can openers? You seem to have demonstrated how to open a large can of worms...

[Sirius]

I really like the Halfords stuff and have broken a number of items never had them quibble over any of them just replaced.

Another really important point to bare in mind is that with the Halfords stuff you can get a replacement at 2pm on a Sunday afternoon, no chance of that with snap-on as far as I know.

I have a couple of tools from snap-on but they are specific items for particular jobs that Halfords don't sell.

My 2p

[pigeondave]

I have started to go with the Halfords stuff.
Thanks for all the replys.
I also like the idea of a little bag of tools in the car at all time. I will have to sort one out.

[dhutch]

Just buy bits and put together what you want.
- When i buy tools i either buy decent stuff that i know i will use forever.
- If if i cant afford it, or only need it once or twice. Budget junk thats 'good enough'.

To that end i have a collection of pimping screwdrivers, a halford prop 1/4inch set, a set of britool ratchet ring spanners, a sealey 3/8th breaker bar, a pair of bahco adjustable spanner, some 'mole' molegrips, that sort of thing.

Then because i dont actaully have any money becuase i student running two car, and ive not seen a good one i really like, so i have a £10 chinese 3/8th socket set which i dont use much as i use my 1/4inch or my housemates!


Then two screwdrivers, a mid spec chromed aj (more rustproof), and a roll of black gaff in a poach in the car.


Daniel

[dhutch]

Most of my stuff is from tooled-up

Britool 5 Piece Metric Ratchet Ring Spanner Set £41.98
http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=143179

Halfords Professional 36 piece Socket Set 1/4" Drive £29.99
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

Bahco 8070 Black Adjustable Spanner 6In £12.67
http://www.tooled-up.com/ManProduct.asp?PID=754
Bahco 8072 Black Adjustable Spanner 10In £19.53
http://www.tooled-up.com/ManProduct.asp?PID=762

And then proberbly this:
Draper 33 Piece Expert Quality 3/8" Square Drive Metric Socket Set £38.12
http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=113125


Daniel

[stevebubs]

This is pretty good value

http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/details.php?ca...

[stevebubs]

But then so is this..

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

And then just get the bits you need to pop into it. Could start with:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

and

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...


Can store the spares in the cabinet while you build your toolbase up...

Edited by stevebubs on Tuesday 6th January 20:10

[bill bob]

Hi, there is some good advice in this thread. Draper, Halford
tooleded-up, clarke and even screwfix are all adequate for DIY mechanicing.

Make no mistake, Snapon are fantastic tools, but unless you are working professionally on hitech equipment, particularly jet engines, or you need a chrome finish that you can comb your hair in, they're not worth the extra dosh. Unless of course, someone else is paying.

regards
Bill Bob