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Mechanics: what are your most common tools?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by PixelRogue, Sep 3, 2016.

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  1. PixelRogue

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    What are your most common tools when working on a prius? Specific sizes of sockets, wrenches etc.
     
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  2. ILuvMyPriusToo

    ILuvMyPriusToo Senior Member

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    Well, generally you get the best price buying sockets and wrenches in sets, but I believe you will find mid-range (6,8,10, 12 mm) the ones you use the most. In close quarters, a ratcheting wrench set is handy, as are socket extensions.

    A good repair manual for your model is a "tool" you will use again and again.

    As you start to put things back together, a torque wrench is a wise investment so that you can tighten things to specifications.

    Glad to hear others' suggestions!
     
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  3. William Redoubt

    William Redoubt Senior Member

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    14 mm for oil changes.
     
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  4. StarCaller

    StarCaller Senior Member

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    10mm for pretty much most other things//
     
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  5. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    A multimeter
     
  6. Eastside

    Eastside Member

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    Mostly the same Park bicycle tools used on my Cannondale bike.
     
  7. StarCaller

    StarCaller Senior Member

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    don't want to forget this one/[​IMG]
     
  8. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    Techstream with mini VCI if we can add soft tools
     
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  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    This is the bulk of the small stuff. Also, lots of funnels, syringes, graduates, hoses, floor jack, two sizes of safety stands (4 of each), four heavy rubber wheel chocks, drain pan, drain bottle with funnel, charger, jump pack, and on and on.

    image.jpeg
     
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  10. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    The phone number to a REAL mechanic! :ROFLMAO:
     
  11. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

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    A 3/8" ratchet... but you need the tools for the job you're doing. Each time you do a procedure for the first time, you might need a new tool.

    Oil change? Toyota oil filter wrench
    Tranny oil change? A pump or a very long funnel with a tube, a beefy breaker bar and a special Hex socket that nobody has in their set. If you do spark plugs, you need a particular-sized plug socket, with the rubber insert.

    In general?
    A complete metric socket set with 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" short and long sockets.
    A 3/8" and 1/2" breaker bars
    A set of extensions
    A set of metric wrenches
    A set of Allen wrenches
    A screwdriver set
    All kinds of pliers
    3/8" and 1/2" torque wrenches
    A box of rubber gloves
    Shop towels
    Clorox wipes
    A drain basin
    A rolling tool chest to store it
    A head mounted flashlight
    Floor Jack
    Jack stands

    You hopefully understand that one accumulates these over a period of years as various repairs require them. I would begin with the biggest Sears Craftsman toolset you can get -- like the $150+ set. Get one with the form-fitted storage case, because that way you'll easily account for all of your sockets when you're cleaning up.
     
  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Oh, and a pit lamp or two.
     
  13. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    If you are spatially challenged like most of us in suburbia and do not have room for a rolling chest ( I have a 2 car garage and park both cars in it), hanging them on the wall or the work bench works just fine. So add a hammer and a box of nails to the list;).

    I had a 3 car garage in Wichita, KS when we lived out there, but 2 tornadoes within a 1/2 mile of the house scared my wife away:eek:. I knew it was over when I saw she was looking for homes near her parents in the Bay Area :rolleyes:.

    I do miss the days of having a bay for working on the cars:(.
     
  14. ILuvMyPriusToo

    ILuvMyPriusToo Senior Member

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    I miss having a garage, period :(
     
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  15. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I gave up trying to stow all my hand tools in my (woefully small, single tray) tool chest, just lay them out on a work bench. More readily accessible that way anyhow. Some carpet samples help cushion them and keep sockets from rolling off.
     
  16. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

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    A 17 mm for removing the windshield wiper arms, if you want to change spark plugs.
    The tool to remove the oil filter cartridge, a scangauge2, ramps to run the front end up on and a jack for the rear to change oil, a good air gauge.
     
  17. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

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    Without further ado, I present, my tool chest:
    I printed the labels on one sheet of paper, cut them to size and affixed with cellophane tape. Simple, but it works:
    Image1473671325.618304.jpg
    Electrical tools, bicycle tools, and a set of lonely feeler blades.
    Image1473671416.704557.jpg
    Chisels and prying tools, lots of hex wrenches, and a bunch of unused nut drivers.
    Image1473671484.493512.jpg
    Multimeter and various electrical leftovers
    Image1473671581.670309.jpg
    Measuring tapes. Before I had this chest, I kept losing them and buying more.
    Image1473671640.051099.jpg
    Pliers. Lots of pliers.
    Image1473671711.599790.jpg
    Ratchets, breaker bars, extensions, and an oil filter wrench
    Image1473671743.770036.jpg
    No, you can't have too many screwdrivers. No such thing.
    Image1473671790.290728.jpg
    Metric sockets in all three drive sizes
    Image1473671834.787211.jpg
    British sockets, including a Prius spark plug socket I made by jamming the rubber from a different socket into the smaller socket for Prius. Without the rubber insert, it's pretty hard to get the old spark plugs out. (Go ahead: Ask me how I know).
    Image1473671892.961078.jpg
    Two torque wrenches, a drill, an impact wrench, lots of drill bits, etc.
    Image1473672017.678271.jpg

    And there are two more drawers full of wrenches (one drawer) and hammers, but there's tons of miscellaneous junk in them and I'm just too embarrassed to show them.
     
  18. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

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    I'm thinking I need some kind of girlie picture on the wall to make it a real garage.
     
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  19. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    @Rebound had a nice setup for a tool chest and probably garage as well:).

    I do not have room for one of those nice tool chests in the 2 car garage :(. see attached.

    With 2 cars in the garage, space is at a premium. But there is enough room for a hand made work bench and enough wood space to organize the tools. The wife also ends up using the bench for her projects:rolleyes:, leading to additional spatial constraints. The paint on the bench is from the trim replacements.....

    While nice to have a great tool chest, there are good things you can do without one:).
     

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  20. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

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    Our lives are so good...