Top 10 Tools To Work On Our Trucks

[Gregski]

what makes our trucks so nice to work on is their simplicity and the minimal amount of tools required, so

guys lets think about this and list the top tools that you believe are essential / required to work on our beloved trucks, please include a picture as a bonus

I am not trying to trick you but I know at least of one or two tools that we may overlook, yet you would be hard pressed to get the job done without it or them

also, yes a two post hydraulic lift does make life easier, but lets keep this list realistic, assuming most of us have a standard height one or two car garage if that, know what I mean

so please lets have some fun, but challenge ourselves to stay on point, so that if you had to grab all your necessary tools and throw them in the back of your truck in 15 minutes or less you would know what to snag and what to skip

[Gregski]

ok, I'll start us off with the basics, a floor jack and stands, we are lumping these two items together cause it's a safety issue, you don't want to rely on the jack by itself, I got this jack at Costco years ago and it is very good, only downside is that it is not aluminum so it is heavy, the jack stands are Harbor Freight standard issue 3 Ton rated

[Restrorob]

Here's 6.....

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Restrorob

Here's 6.....

well yeah, lubricant is very important

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by Restrorob

Here's 6.....

not my brand but this and a couple friends can get a lot of heavy lifting done

[franken]

My favorite is the commercial grade 80 gallon compressor, hard lines and drawers of air toys. There's nothing like having lots of good cool air.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by franken

My favorite is the commercial grade 80 gallon compressor, hard lines and drawers of air toys. There's nothing like having lots of good cool air.

man I wish you were my neighbor cause our idea of just the essentials is a bit different, LOL

[Gregski]

another tool you can not do without is the tire iron, you need it to change a flat tire and can't do the brakes without it

I believe mine is a 13/16ths

[donut]

Decent set of wrenches, and socket sets. If this were just about squarebody's, I'd say 9/16's wrench and an adjustable would cover most. Later years did start to transition to metric, though metric adjustables are relatively easy to find.

[Gregski]

this is the one that everyone overlooks and takes for granted LIGHT, but it doesn't matter if you are an expert mechanic with 30 years experience or have the newest best tools cast by virgins, if you can't see that bolt hole, or the bracket, or that clip, you can't do your work, and the engine bay tends to be dark in a lot of places

[Gregski]

keeping this thread going because I think it is fascinating how few tools are needed to work on these trucks.

For my '74 all I need is a flat screw driver and a philips. The flat one is for prying as much as loosening hose clamps, the philips is for taking the gauge cluster out, the dash, and headlights and tailights. I noticed that at some point GM started using torx screws so therefor you would need a torx screw driver, maybe someone can comment on that.

By the way I am not a big fan of these "glass handle" Craftsman screw drivers, but they came in a set so I use what I got, had some nice Stanley actually made in the USA but they walked away

[Axle]

Torx T15. Sometime between 1981 and 1983 things started switching over to other items besides taillights, ie: horn mechanism retainer screws and q-jet screws (two sizes needed) come to mind.
But, some scaveging at the autowreckers on older vehicles will get you a nice set of replacement phillips screws to replace the torx screws if you want one tool for everything. =-) just watch out for the other transisition: metric threads that in some cases came along with the change to torx.

On tire irons:I prefer an 1/2" drive 18" long breaker bar with a 13/16 deep socket for lug nuts. Much nicer fit on the lug nuts (never met a tire iron that felt nice and snug). Stuff a bit of rag into the socket to set the depth and you won't need to worry about bottoming out on the wheel, and you can put more effort, easily, into loosening stubborn lugnuts. Add in a 9/16" socket and you can do a roadside starter swap.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Axle

Torx T15. Sometime between 1981 and 1983 things started switching over to other items besides taillights, ie: horn mechanism retainer screws and q-jet screws (two sizes needed) come to mind.
But, some scaveging at the autowreckers on older vehicles will get you a nice set of replacement phillips screws to replace the torx screws if you want one tool for everything. =-) just watch out for the other transisition: metric threads that in some cases came along with the change to torx.

On tire irons:I prefer an 1/2" drive 18" long breaker bar with a 13/16 deep socket for lug nuts. Much nicer fit on the lug nuts (never met a tire iron that felt nice and snug). Stuff a bit of rag into the socket to set the depth and you won't need to worry about bottoming out on the wheel, and you can put more effort, easily, into loosening stubborn lugnuts. Add in a 9/16" socket and you can do a roadside starter swap.

most excellent post, thank you very much

[motornut]

Originally Posted by Gregski

another tool you can not do without is the tire iron, you need it to change a flat tire and can't do the brakes without it

I believe mine is a 13/16ths

that will also remove the jimmy/blazer back seat

Originally Posted by Gregski

this is the one that everyone overlooks and takes for granted LIGHT, but it doesn't matter if you are an expert mechanic with 30 years experience or have the newest best tools cast by virgins, if you can't see that bolt hole, or the bracket, or that clip, you can't do your work, and the engine bay tends to be dark in a lot of places

i even have 1 thats 12 volts for on the road

I carry a spark plug gapper,and a 5/16 wrench,and a air chuck

[JointTech]

truck lifter thingy ok im only bragging a little.

[Gregski]

I am seriously beginning to think a proper welder for at least sheet metal should be on the Top 10 list as it is specific to these trucks. Could someone post a pic of a good "entry level" name brand welder that they own / use. (Please don't bother listing the Harbor Freight junk).

[1malo68]

Originally Posted by Gregski

I am seriously beginning to think a proper welder for at least sheet metal should be on the Top 10 list as it is specific to these trucks. Could someone post a pic of a good "entry level" name brand welder that they own / use. (Please don't bother listing the Harbor Freight junk).

Here's 3 that have made my life much easier.

I used the welder and band saw to make the Bed Lift

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by 1malo68

Here's 3 that have made my life much easier.

I used the welder and band saw to make the Bed Lift

That is a nice welder. I looked it up and it's a $1,000 machine, shoot a bit too rich for my blood, I buy cars for that, LOL. I might could buy something used for $300 on Craigslist, maybe

[catch2otwo]

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by catch2otwo

Oh, Nelley - Game Over !!! jk, lol

[Daubs]

9/16th inch wrench. Seems like every bolt is 9/16ths on these trucks...

[49bourbon]

Since I tend to work on rusty stuff I would say a good 4 1/2 inch dewalt grinder. By using wire cup, metal cut off discs, various grits of sandpaper on flexible backing it is a indispensable time saver.

[swamp rat]

Kinda depends on the depth of the work you plan on doing. I'll add the following:

Did anybody mention a Multimeter yet
Timing light.
Vacuum Guage.
Creeper.
Oil filter wrench.
Funnels for tranny and radiator.
Cherry picker.

[Dismas]

I gotta agree with the compressor . . 80 gal is just luxury, but my 30 gal works awesome.

To go woth the compressor, impact wrench, and my favorite air tool, the air ratchet!

[77c10]

Here lately my best tools for working on my truck have been my 24' x 24' garage, propane wall heater and 100lb propane tank!