I'm just curious as to what kind of tools you guys use. Me personaly I have one of those Stanley 200 piece general mechanics sets that I leave in the truck then I have 2 small boxes with all sorts of odds and in tools that I can't ever seem to keep cleaned out haha.

 

Mac, Matco and Cornwell.

 

Mac, Cratsman, Matco, Snap-On and some assorted others. I keep them in a Mac and a Craftsman tool box.

 

I don't have the money for mac or matco stuff Maybe one day but while being in college.. my ole stanley set does the trick for most stuff.

 

Unless you turn wrenches for a living like I do and probably DKSDAD, you really don't need name brand. I've been buying tools for about 12 years now and keep them in 3 tool boxes at work and one box at home. I have 2 mac boxes and 1 craftsman box at work and a mac at home.

But, like they say, you get what you pay for. I work on tractor/trailers and can brake cheap tools all day long, even craftsman don't hold up well in my line of work. I quit using craftsman at work years ago when the plating on a wrench peeled off and sliced my hand open. Snap-on, MAC, Matco, Cornwell are great tools and will last a long time and if you do break them, usually the tool guy will replace it for free, depending on the tool.

 

Yeah the only way Id actully buy a mac or matco box is if I had a bunch of vehicles and a seprate shop off my house. I know a guy that has a similar set up (worked at lockede martin for 30 years). He's a ford guy but has an all orginal 66 Shelby GT350 and a 2O10 GT500. And a bunch of other nice old fords.

 

I have a lot of craftsman, some gear wrenches, IR Impact and impact sockets. But what I use more than anything else is my Metrinch set that I bought about 10 years ago. Each wrench or socket handles both metric or standard nuts & bolts. For most of my repairs it is sufficient. For more heavy duty stuff I have 1/2 drive sockets, breaker bar, impact wrench, long handle open/box end MAC and Craftsman, craftsman ignition wrenches.

 

Now don't get me wrong, buying a quality toolbox is well worth the money. They will literally last a lifetime if taken care of. I've seen craftsman boxes go to **** within a year. I bought my first Mac box in November 1998 and two weeks ago I sprayed some WD-40 on the roller bearings and they open and close like the day I bought it. I also wipe try to wipe it down with WD-40 once a week.

 

If I need it, and Mastercraft makes it, then thats what I get. Sure Ive busted ratchets sniping them, but its never a problem swapping it, you dont even need the receipt. And I go to crappy tire enough, remembering to take the broken tool when you go is the hard part. For small little few time use things, and specualty stuff I hit up the princess auto. They will also let you swap broken stuff. The stuff they sell is fairly cheap, but if you arent using it everyday then its fine. I got things like O2 sensor sockets and spring compressors, ball joint took etc there for cheap. For brake tools and bleeder wrenches I got an assortment from SnapOn years ago to the tune of about 500 bucks, its not much for the price, but they are still in great shape and havent rounded out or anything. Have to get a new toolbox, moving around and all to and from another province you have to sacrifice some things along the way... Milk crates worked for moving and saving room. Toolbox on the list. I like the black Pro Series ones at the canadian tire, so that is what I will get eventualy.

 

I've got a mix match of everything that I've gotten over the years. Always like coming up against something that I don't have the right tool for so I can go get something else!

I also carry a small tool bag in my Blazer with sockets, wrenches, pliers, drive sets, etc, that'll cover just about every road side repair.