The number of registered motor vehicles in the United States is on the rise. In 2018, American consumers spent $188.5 billion, a 15 billion increase from $173.5 billion in 2016, on maintaining and repairing their motor vehicles.
This data suggests that the average spending on car maintenance and repair is also increasing every year. However, you can save money by self-servicing your car for minor repairs instead of paying a mechanic. By stocking your garage with these seven essential pieces of equipment, you will be able to carry out repairs on your vehicle efficiently.
Air impact wrench and air ratchet
If you own a wrench set, one for each operation, that’s great. What’s better is having an air impact wrench that doesn’t require too much energy. Just press the button on the air wrench handle, and it will tighten and loosen the bolt for you. There is a high-torque motor to spin the bolt and nuts powerfully. It’s an excellent tool to deal with old, troublesome nuts and bolts.
Unlike an air impact wrench, the air ratchet is a long and slim device that allows you to access the difficult-to-reach areas inside the car. You can choose one of these if you have a limited budget.
Socket set or mechanic toolset
This tool has multiple wrenches of different sizes and shapes to handle various bolts and nuts for car repair. Unlike the air impact wrench, the socket set requires manual operation. The multiple heads and sizes of a mechanic toolset are useful in dealing with various car engine jobs.
Car lubricants
Cars have many metallic parts that rub against each other and require frequent lubrication to stop them from causing friction, leading to damage. Some essential car lubricants are grease, brake and clutch fluid, transmission fluid, antifreeze, compressor oil, engine oil, steering fluid, and suspension fluid.
Hydraulic jack and the stands
A hydraulic car lift is a complete car workshop equipment and is not useful for DIY repairs. It would help if you had a tool to lift the bottom of the car’s body, and a hydraulic jack can be of immense help here. You can also buy a jack stand for extra safety and balance.
Spark plug wrench
It is useful to loosen and remove the spark plugs of your car. The spark plug is not a part of usual maintenance and doesn’t require frequent replacement. However, it is better to have the wrench handy for times when the spark plug needs replacement.
Protective gloves
DIY car maintenance and repairs expose you to engine oil, intense temperatures, fuel, and electric currents. Therefore, you must use latex or fabric gloves for protection. Latex gloves are disposable and work best for minor tasks such as topping up engine oil. However, since latex is not firm enough, you must use fabric gloves for repairs that require heavy manual work.
Car battery charger or jump starter
It is unnecessary for car maintenance but essential to start a car after maintenance or long periods of no use. Initially, mechanics used starters to jump-start the car battery. However, multi-functional jump starters can also be used as a power bank for your mobile device.
About Jet Auto Transmission
Our mechanics have decades of experience handling transmission repair and replacement. All our staff is ASE certified, and we have been serving the residents of West Park, Florida, since 1987. You can call us at (954) 251-1204 to get a free quote and information about costs and other queries relating to economical vehicle & auto transmission repair services.