Good tools to have

When working on your quad there are obviously tools you should have and some that will make life easier. For years I have made things work where I don't have a specialized tool. However when I finally do acquire the specialized tools I often find life so much easier. Without saying you should at least possess a good assortment of hand tools. You can usually find these at department and home improvement stores labeled as mechanics tool sets. I would highly recommend a both standard and metric tools. A good selection of both standard and deep well sockets will certainly help. You should have 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" sockets and ratchets. A good selection of both standard and metric wrenches, also a good crescent wrench or two wouldn't hurt. Pipe wrenches are good for big axle nuts on quads unless you want to invest in an axle wrench. You should also have various allen wrenches, screw drivers, awls, picks, and pliers.

Beyond your hand tools there are various specialty tools that will make life much easier.

I don't know where I would be today without my air compressor. I have various medical issues with my hands and wrists, using air tools alleviates strain for me. Also air compressors are good for a variety of other tasks. Such as airing up tires, blowing things out with the blow gun, and providing a power source for a variety of tools. If you were to list the number of pneumatic tools available today the list would span many pages.

Two of my favorite tools I use my compressor for are my impact wrench and air ratchet. You may recognize the term impact wrench from racing or mechanics shops. While I would never condone the use of an impact wrench to install a fastener I do use mine quite frequently to remove larger fasteners. This is important. Using an impact wrench to install a fastener can cause havoc quickly. The impact forces created can quickly exceed the bolts yield strength, either stretching it or snapping it off. You also shouldn't use impact wrenches on smaller fasteners. As they can easily snap them regardless of the direction they are turning.

All though an impact wrench can make life easier it can also make it much harder if the socket you are using is not up to the task. The impact blows the hammers inside the wrench exert on the socket can be damaging to normal sockets. Impact sockets are often characterized by their flat black color and thick walls. It is important that you always use impact sockets with an impact wrench. Also any extensions or swivels should equally be impact rated. Since we are on the subject of safety some good mechanics gloves, long sleeves, and safety goggles wouldn't hurt either.

There is also a tool called an impact driver. I received mine with my cordless drill. These can be used to remove stubborn screws, smaller bolts and nuts, as well as a variety of other fasteners if you have the correct bit. I would recommend if you are in the market for a decent cordless drill that you buy a kit that includes one of these impact drivers as I have found mine extremely useful. It will really speed things up.

Lastly I can't say how many times I have had to measure something. Certainly you should have the basics such as rulers, tape measures, etc. However there are often times you need a little more precision. I have found my digital calipers to be invaluable when figuring out bolt lengths and thicknesses after everything has gotten out of order. You can get a set for less than $20 from most of the import tool stores and even online. I have checked mine and they are extremely accurate despite the low purchase price. Certainly a must have for any tool box.

Last but certainly not least are taps, dies, and bits. Why? Well if you work on things long enough you are going to screw up, or at the very minimum need to clean some threads. An assortment of metric and standard dies and taps will help save you should you make a mistake. I would recommend spending the extra for the titanium coated taps and dies. Also make sure you have a large assortment of drill bits. When tapping a hole to a larger size the tap manufacture will often times specify a specific drill bit size to use. So a large assortment, once again titanium coated, is extremely helpful.

This certainly isn't every tool you could possibly need or want I could go on for days. However these are some of my most used and most prized tools that I own. They make the job much easier and help me get out of jambs.

Feel free to add your favorites in the comments below and happy wrenching.