Expensive tools you don't regret buying.

The big compressor is handier than I ever thought.  Noisy though, but one day I leaned over it while running and the belt was wonky, pulleys were wobbly, WTH?  I disassembled the whole mess and discovered it was assembled in a hurry, badly.  All better now, quiet and not self destructive.

Most expensive and helpful is a Time-Sert repair kit for inserts that leak.  If you pop one of those NAPA M-14 repair kits and it leaks, this is the one you want!! 

Just try to do a transmission in a Honda HR-V without one.

RonnieFnD said:

ShawnG said:

Almost forgot.

Snap-On long barrel air hammer. NOTHING hits like this thing does. Best tool in the world for stubborn, rusty suspension parts. I haven't met a bolt I can't get moving with it. Wear ear protection.

Power Probe II. One of the best tools for electrical diagnostic.

I'm generally scared of power probes.  I've only used them to open Range Rover upper glove boxes once they are removed because they shut themselves and they need to be open to install.   We have a guy here we call Captain Airbags because he was poking around with a power probe in a 4 door Chevy truck and managed to pop all the airbags at once.

Yeah, I'm already afraid of my power probe. Probably  ought to list it on eBay since I really don't have a clue how to use it.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

Is that a flex head 90 degree impact? I have never seen that before, who makes it.

Caperix said:

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

Is that a flex head 90 degree impact? I have never seen that before, who makes it.

I got it from Matco.  The handle free-swivels, too.  It has a surprising amount of torque, too!

RonnieFnD said:

ShawnG said:

Almost forgot.

Snap-On long barrel air hammer. NOTHING hits like this thing does. Best tool in the world for stubborn, rusty suspension parts. I haven't met a bolt I can't get moving with it. Wear ear protection.

Power Probe II. One of the best tools for electrical diagnostic.

We have a guy here we call Captain Airbags because he was poking around with a power probe in a 4 door Chevy truck and managed to pop all the airbags at once.

It's great but it doesn't have a brain.

You have to use your own instead.

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

 

Just try to do a transmission in a Honda HR-V without one.

I do like mine. It's another one of those air tools that make life so much easier.

ShawnG said:

RonnieFnD said:

ShawnG said:

Almost forgot.

Snap-On long barrel air hammer. NOTHING hits like this thing does. Best tool in the world for stubborn, rusty suspension parts. I haven't met a bolt I can't get moving with it. Wear ear protection.

Power Probe II. One of the best tools for electrical diagnostic.

We have a guy here we call Captain Airbags because he was poking around with a power probe in a 4 door Chevy truck and managed to pop all the airbags at once.

It's great but it doesn't have a brain.

You have to use your own instead.

Like that time I fried a Miata MSPNP with a Power Probe trying to see if I could get the tach to work.

So Far...

But yeah, I seldom regret buying good tools.

wheelsmithy (Joe-with-an-L) said:

So Far...

But yeah, I seldom regret buying good tools.

I was all-in on the old version of that compressor with the shroud over the motor.  Without the shroud I may as well keep my ugly old IR compressor.

1. Snap-on 76pcs tap and die set. 
2. Hobart Handler Mig welder.

this fancy torque wrench. Needed it to do torque to yield angle on my trucks cylinder head, as there wasn't enough room with a standard angle tool while inside the engine bay. Tried different ways and didn't trust it, so finally bought it two years ago and just used it.

My version of "expensive" is pretty tame. I don't have a garage and the tools are all in the basement down some narrow stairs with a low ceiling. My best investment has been in an aluminum floor jack so I don't get worn out before even starting the job. 

these in metric and SAE have been the best by far; stupid money but in a junkyard they'll do about anything I need done

In reply to chandler :

That's beautiful. I have some gear wrench ones but I don't trust them to not strip when breaking loose

I don't think I've ever regretted spending money on good tools, but since I haven't seen a bender posted yet, my JD2 bender...

It's set up on a homebuilt rolling stand with an HF air/hydraulic ram, and a Swag upgraded HF tubing roller on the off side.  It bends in the vertical plane, so no need to bolt down the stand.  The dies are pricey, but the bender has paid for itself a couple times over at this point.  With dies for 1", 1.5" and 1.75" I probably won't need to buy another set.

Milwaukee M18 tools. Specifically the high power 1/2" impact and the smaller 3/8" mid-torque impact. Tons of power, great battery life, and they've been perfectly reliable for me. Air impacts are a hassle by comparison.