Best starter tool kit for new owners?

[a4edwin]

I bought one of those 300 pcs craftsman toolboxes and I hated it most of the sockets are 12 point I ended up buying six point sockets afterwards. 12 points you end up striping the bolt if it's too tight

 

[ScottyBoy]

This is a great starter set, plus its a good all around set to keep in your truck at all times for emergency repairs.
It has from 8mm all the way up to 19mm , and 5/16 to 3/4inch in both shallow AND deep sockets, and it does NOT skip any sizes like most other sets do. Plus has two extensions and a universal joint. Plus its small enough to hide under the seat. I don't have this set, but I do have a lot of other Tekton brand tools and they are very good quality. Better than Stanley IMO.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00R...socket+set&dpPl=1&dpID=51q30N7b4eL&ref=plSrch

 

[quest51210]

Flare and a tube sock...

 

[YukonandtheHOE]

Im learning little by little about cars with this truck. Right now im working through a misfire code thats been nagging my baby. But i have learned how to clean throttles, MAF sensors, seen smoke test done, seen indepth diagnostics lol im learning. Gonna get the power steering flushed and replaced soon. by grease it, what parts are you talking about particularly for mantainece? and what grease brand?

Grease at oil change intervals
-Ilder and pitman arm's
-Inner and outter tie rods
-upper and lower ball joints
-Front and rear shaft Ujoints if equiped with serviceable ujoints...

Grease between oil changes
-outter tie rods
-Upper and lower Ball Joints
-front and rear drive shafts

If you follow that regiment your front end and and drive line will go a loooong way! Just use chassis grease.

 

[YukonandtheHOE]

I think the guy just wanted to know about basic tools to have. Ps a jack.

Somewhere along the line we started talking about a total truck kit....Tony

And while I respect your opinion, I am a fan of carrying a truck box, yet doing as you mentioned. I would never leave home without my box

Haha not saying dont carry anything at all, thats just preposterous!

 

[YukonandtheHOE]

To get back on track here..

You can completely dismantle one of these trucks with

7mm,8mm,10mm,11mm,13mm,15mm,18mm,19mm,22mm and 35mm sockets
And a variety of extensions.
T15,T20,T25 and T55 sockets

8mm,11mm,16mm and 19mm wrenches

Little pry tool
Hammer
#2 Phillips And flathead screw driver

Quick clamp Pliers,needle nose and a nice pair of channel lock's

A floor jack and some jack stands

A multi meter, Testlight and a simple or advanced scantool, I use laptop based software called Scan Xl pro for codes and diag.. its fairly cheap.

All that stuff at Harbor Freight shouldn't run a guy more then a few Hundy..

But to have a real arsenal get a pitman arm puller and a balljoint press.

 

[ScottyBoy]

I ALWAYS carry a tool bag with some basic tools, especially when traveling. Back in March I had a catastrophic wheel failure while traveling at 75mph on the highway. I had a caliper bolt come loose on the right rear caliper, and then the caliper pivoted out and started rubbing on the inside of the wheel. As soon as I heard the noise, I went to stop and check it out, but then just as fast as it happened, the caliper actually cut the wheel in half just like a can opener cutting a can open. The wheel basically exploded when it did that, and being that I was cruising at 75mph, it caused a good bit of damage. Busted the shock, ripped the brake hose, and bent the brake hose banjo bolt, and brake fluid was EVERYWHERE.. A good Samaritan stopped to help me, and luckily I had enough tools to repair it on the side of the highway after he drove me to the nearest parts store to grab a new brake hose, bolts, and some brake fluid. I put the spare on after repairing the brakes and I limped it 120 more miles the rest of the way home on the busted shock.
This is a perfect example of why you should carry some basic tools. But even with tools, if that gentleman would not have stopped and offered me a ride to the auto parts store, I wouldn't have been able to fix it.

 

[BlueCollarTahoe]

thanks for all the replies. writing all this down in my little car notebook. I would also like to keep stuff to help fellow drivers if i seem them on the side of the road needing help. reason i ask for a complete list of things.


God Bless that man @ScottyBoy. sharing the info here will definitely count as pay it forward if i come across a situation.


since im getting replies , anyone know if the interior lights on the 2004 chevy tahoe 5.3 v8 have to be canbus or can be regular LED?

 

[YukonandtheHOE]

I ALWAYS carry a tool bag with some basic tools, especially when traveling. Back in March I had a catastrophic wheel failure while traveling at 75mph on the highway. I had a caliper bolt come loose on the right rear caliper, and then the caliper pivoted out and started rubbing on the inside of the wheel. As soon as I heard the noise, I went to stop and check it out, but then just as fast as it happened, the caliper actually cut the wheel in half just like a can opener cutting a can open. The wheel basically exploded when it did that, and being that I was cruising at 75mph, it caused a good bit of damage. Busted the shock, ripped the brake hose, and bent the brake hose banjo bolt, and brake fluid was EVERYWHERE.. A good Samaritan stopped to help me, and luckily I had enough tools to repair it on the side of the highway after he drove me to the nearest parts store to grab a new brake hose, bolts, and some brake fluid. I put the spare on after repairing the brakes and I limped it 120 more miles the rest of the way home on the busted shock.
This is a perfect example of why you should carry some basic tools. But even with tools, if that gentleman would not have stopped and offered me a ride to the auto parts store, I wouldn't have been able to fix it.

Damn, ive seen that with the a case of the classic rock stuck on the caliper machining the wheel down!

Thats why we allways gotta take the time to practice preventative maintenance and look at our machines

I have a good story,

One time i was heading up the Dempster Hwy back home to inuvik with my 03 2500hd Sierra gasser, i was about 400km in any direction of help. The little spring retaining clip that holds the trans cooler line into the rad decided to break and dump the fluid out.

Lucky enough i had a gallon of atf in the box because of a power steering leak that developed a few days eariler.. so i drove the last 1000km of my journey with my shoe lace holding the line into the rad. No amount of the tools i had could help me. Only my witts.

 

[Tonyrodz]

I ALWAYS carry a tool bag with some basic tools, especially when traveling. Back in March I had a catastrophic wheel failure while traveling at 75mph on the highway. I had a caliper bolt come loose on the right rear caliper, and then the caliper pivoted out and started rubbing on the inside of the wheel. As soon as I heard the noise, I went to stop and check it out, but then just as fast as it happened, the caliper actually cut the wheel in half just like a can opener cutting a can open. The wheel basically exploded when it did that, and being that I was cruising at 75mph, it caused a good bit of damage. Busted the shock, ripped the brake hose, and bent the brake hose banjo bolt, and brake fluid was EVERYWHERE.. A good Samaritan stopped to help me, and luckily I had enough tools to repair it on the side of the highway after he drove me to the nearest parts store to grab a new brake hose, bolts, and some brake fluid. I put the spare on after repairing the brakes and I limped it 120 more miles the rest of the way home on the busted shock.
This is a perfect example of why you should carry some basic tools. But even with tools, if that gentleman would not have stopped and offered me a ride to the auto parts store, I wouldn't have been able to fix it.

I would've stopped for you too @ScottyBoy