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Best "Mechanic's tool set" to buy for Volvo?

VolvoGuy123

Iron Man.
Joined
Mar 17, 2016
Location
CT
So long story short. I have a friend who is newly into building Volvos (He bought a 940 Turbo) and is looking for the best all around "Mechanics tool set" to buy for a $100 or less (Like a Craftsman type set or similar) And since I've cobbled together my tool collection over many years, I'm am of moderate help. lol. Any suggestions or opinions? Thanks for any help guys! ttys.
 
I don't think you can buy everything you need for everything in a 'set'.

Craftsman, Snap-On, etc. are all very expensive guaranteed forever tools and even if I made a living relying on them I don't think I would spend the money today. In fact, I still have all of a Craftsman set that I bought nearly 60 years ago. In that time I replaced one socket and a ratchet under the warranty. I broke both on two separate occasions with a great big long pipe extension. Never broke a wrench probably because it is difficult getting a pipe on one.

Most of my day to day ratcheting, including the Ford engine swap is done with a $10 ACE Hardware set of sockets/ratchet. Now I buy Harbor Freight for 20% of the price and still get the lifetime warranty.

Buy 1/4" and 3/8" Metric socket and ratchet and wrench sets from HF and then pick up all the little specialty items you need when you need them. Screw drivers, $10.

Need a torque wrench? HF $9.99 on sale. Snap-on $239.99

Volvo tool repair kit. Turned my tool cabinet over.

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Thanks for the replies so far! I told him similar to begin with. There prob is no "all in one" type kit best for our cars (hence my hoarding of tools over the years! lol) but something like a Sears kit is a good place to start. I forgot about Harbor Freight tho.
 
I also told him that it would prob require more than $100 just to even begin with. That 500 piece Sears/craftsman kit is nice! ;)
 
Get 6 points metric sockets to start.

Half of the sears/craftsman 500 piece tool will be NEVER used. Don't get it.


Get their 3/8 metric tools instead.
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-10-p...SellerId=Sears&prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2


Then buy whatever socket/ratchet/wrench/whatever as needed.

I?ll second this. Buy as needed or you?ll end up with a bunch of volvo useless sae stuff that will just sit there tempting you to round over bolts when you lose your 10mm socket 300 times in a day
 
HF will do just fine for an intro jobber. My only complaint is that a lot of their sets don't include a full range. Like they'll skip a 16mm or an 18mm here or there.

I'd get the basics at HF, and fill in the holes from Lowes/HD single pieces.

7-19mm sockets and wrenches, a decent adjustable wrench for the big stuff, a good 6-in-1 screwdriver, a 19mm (lug nuts) and 24mm (crank bolt) 1/2" drive sockets, some extensions, and a hammer, and he'll be able to do 95% of what he'll need. Maybe a few torx bits for stuff, but those might not be needed right off the bat. Don't waste time with the little L shaped allen keys. Just get some allen sockets.
 
I started with this (no longer sold):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002VXN6TG/

I don't use most of the SAE sockets, but if you get a metric-only set look for one that'll still cover the largest and smallest fasteners that you might find on the vehicle. His car might also have Torx screws which he'll need the bits for.

The case fits nicely in the 3rd row compartment, which is lockable and nicely out of sight of passerby. Also in the 3rd row compartment, I have a briefcase ($5 from Goodwill) with stuff like:

-Vice Grips
-Channel lock pliers
-Needle nose pliers
-Wire crimping/cutting tool, wire and crimp connectors
-Philips screwdriver
-Extra big flat screwdriver (AKA prybar)
-Cheap digital multimeter
-Extra extensions for the socket wrenches

And the breakdown kit elsewhere in the back:
-HF breaker bar (AKA lug wrench) with appropriately sized socket for lug nuts. OEM wrench bent when I tried to use it.
-HF bottle jack
-Jack stands
-Gallon of coolant, quart of oil.
-Spare belts.

All bought piecemeal from HF and Amazon over the last 3 years, as I need it... There's more junk kicking around but that's the stuff I've actually used at the side of the road.

A more sensible person might store all this in the garage, but I like having all my tools with me on long trips.
 
HF will do just fine for an intro jobber. My only complaint is that a lot of their sets don't include a full range. Like they'll skip a 16mm or an 18mm here or there.

I'd get the basics at HF, and fill in the holes from Lowes/HD single pieces.

7-19mm sockets and wrenches, a decent adjustable wrench for the big stuff, a good 6-in-1 screwdriver, a 19mm (lug nuts) and 24mm (crank bolt) 1/2" drive sockets, some extensions, and a hammer, and he'll be able to do 95% of what he'll need.

Pretty much this.

I do notice that on the combined SAE/Metric sets, sometimes there is a SAE socket which is the exact right size to fit the missing metric size. Perhaps they save money by trying to omit "duplicates".
 
HF stuff, collect odds and ends on the way; I have a $60 pittsburg set I still use. Metric always unless I lost it.
 
Thanks for all the replies guys! I told him to also eventually get a good "cordless impact gun" as well. I know it was one of the best things Ive ever bought! My Dewalt XR will break anything free, Thing is awesome! Also a good torque wrench set too. ;)
 
There are 3 must have tools before you ever think about socket wrenches ect. Test light ohm meter (and know how to use it) fuel pressure gauge. If you don't have these, you will never properly diagnosis and repair any vehicle.
 
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