Chevy & GMC Vans

I didn't know about this. It really would have come in handy when I was beating the crap out of my tie rods trying to get idler arms off:
http://www.handsontools.com/Kent-Moore- ... 18268.html
http://www.etoolcart.com/kent-moore-bal ... 43631.aspx
http://cache01.voyageurweb.com/otctools ... toSpec.pdf

What do you folks think? Are dealer specific tools really that useful? If so, what is needed, and what really isn't?

If you are serious about working on your own vehicles then you should buy tools. Lots of them. There is no such thing as too many tools. Garage sales, flea markets, local classifieds, craigslist.org., pawn shops are just a few places to look so you don't break the bank. New tools are crazy expensive.

New tools are crazy expensive.

You ain't kidding. Job specific tools are too expensive for one time use but man do they make the job go easy.

Yepper-I have bought the sockets for locking hubs before and they are like $40.00 or $50.00 bucks each. But ya gots to have them if ya going to do the work. ](*,) At the time no one rented or lent out diddly.You just had to go belly up against the counter.

i bought a whole set of FWD nut sockets (man these things are heavy) was worth it. i should check out kijiji and such for some other tools now that i think about it....

Application specific tools are absolutely worth the cost. IF you plan on getting good use out of them. They will make a relatively tough job seem easy. If you are just doing one job, it would probably be better to rent them if you can. Now, having said that, I have never rented a tool. I have always bought the tools needed. And sometimes, with the cost of the tools added, it was more expensive than having the work done elsewhere. But in the end, nothing beats the satisfaction and pride that comes from doing a job yourself.

If you have an Advance Auto near you, all you need is loaner tools Powerbuilt Kit #3. You technically purchase the kit while you use it, roughly $100, but it's always a full refund when you return it. It has both of these tools and several more to pop ball joints. I've borrowed this kit 4+ times in the past couple months.

This kit has everything that the Advance Auto loaner kit has for $125.

I've accumulated some of them, the first and third on the bottom of that photo, already in my tool box, along with flaring tools, tubing benders.... luckily havn't had a need for them yet.

You can never have enough tools!


Most of mine are in boxes in my mom's basement...

i'll post apic later of one that i bought for about 80 bucks at napa for tie rods and idler arms that i have used more than enough its a really great tool to have

Wanna hear something that frustrates me? I'll just assume you all said yes...

My shop supplies tools that are specific to one operation so that we don't have to buy them, but we can if we want. That's great but the shop tools that are used frequently are generally beat up and often damaged because no one treats them like they treat their own tools.

I got so tired of trying to make the shop's rear ball joint tool kit work when it was damaged that I went and bought my own set. It was about $160 for the whole kit. It presses rear lower ball joints in and out on several different vehicles so it should have paid for itself quickly.
The part that frustrates me is that about the time I purchased the tool the economy started to turn south and not one customer has bought rear ball joints since I got the tools!

I dream of someday being able to take them out of the package and use them....

You probably won't have to wait long. I hear auto parts sales are up. I bet repair shop business will be up before long too. So many people used to buy cars like new clothes. I bet they'll be hanging on to them a bit longer for some time to come.

The one thing that is so true is the pro-line of tools is certainly alot different than the ones a homeowner buys.They are made to fit into your hands for 8hrs a day.They are made to fit into places where most tools wouldn't.Some can throw stones at the brand names costing so much and it being only because it is that brand name.I guess some of that is true,but not in all the cases.One thing that comes to mind is how well the more expensive sockets fit on a bolt or nut limited the chance of rounding it off.Well,I'll let it off here.

GEJ wrote:The one thing that is so true is the pro-line of tools is certainly alot different than the ones a homeowner buys.They are made to fit into your hands for 8hrs a day.They are made to fit into places where most tools wouldn't.Some can throw stones at the brand names costing so much and it being only because it is that brand name.I guess some of that is true,but not in all the cases.One thing that comes to mind is how well the more expensive sockets fit on a bolt or nut limited the chance of rounding it off.Well,I'll let it off here.

what gets me is i bought some tools awhile back off a tool truck and was looking at a new 1/4" air ratchet the guy had two that were completley identical both made by ingersoll rand but one said IR the other one said cornwell tools the ir one was $110 the cornwell was $250 thats what i don't understand and some people still buy the $250 one