Twenty years ago, I hated working on my stuff but did it because I was poor. Today, I have undertaken more and more work on my own. Mainly because I have a couple teenage boys who tear things up and I'm still not independently wealthy. However, along the way I've acquired some things that make the jobs so much easier and (sometimes) enjoyable. I thought it would be interesting to have a thread detailing what things I've done and what other people have found to make the DIY experience better.
1. A lift. $800 from Craigslist plus another a few hundred more in parts to repair and install it. This has made the biggest difference as I don't have to roll around on the floor. Obviously not everyone can afford or has the space for one.
2. Alldata subscription. I don't pay for this as the local library provides online access from the comfort of my home. I used to buy factory service manuals on DVD from ebay but I really prefer Alldata as it is easier to navigate and some of the DVDs didn't include all the wiring diagrams, etc.
3. Better lighting. I installed eleven 4300 lumen led lights in my 40x60 building. Much nicer than the eleven 100 watt incandescent bulbs they replaced. About $10 per fixture from Rural King plus shipping because my store didn't stock them. I also bought some small magnetic lights with swivel heads to use under the vehicle, etc.
4. Better air. I moved the air compressor to a far corner (less noise) and piped the air overhead to various places in the building. I bought a nice retractable hose reel and hung it on the ceiling. Bought some more air tools. 3/8 drive rachets, etc.
5. Bought a cheap cart from Harbor Freight to place tools and parts on. This keeps all my tools right next to me and I've stop laying them inside the engine where they might get lost or forgotten.
Wish list
1. Heat. It gets cold in my building during the winter. I doubt this will ever happen. I have thought about hanging some plastic around the lift to make a small "bay" that would be easier/cheaper to heat.
2. Welder & torch. I get tired of taking stuff to my dad's shop to work on.
3. Hose clamp pliers. Seems like channel locks get the job done but frustrate me in the process.
4. Manual fluid evacuator.
5. More specialty tools. Serpentine belt tool, ball joint separators, etc. Hard to justify some of this stuff that I can rent from the parts store
6. Cordless tools. I see lots of people using cordless impact drivers now.
7. Better storage and organization. Since I put the lift in my barn, I need to build a workbench and move the rest of my stuff out of the garage. Too many trips walking between them to use a vise, etc.
1. A lift. $800 from Craigslist plus another a few hundred more in parts to repair and install it. This has made the biggest difference as I don't have to roll around on the floor. Obviously not everyone can afford or has the space for one.
2. Alldata subscription. I don't pay for this as the local library provides online access from the comfort of my home. I used to buy factory service manuals on DVD from ebay but I really prefer Alldata as it is easier to navigate and some of the DVDs didn't include all the wiring diagrams, etc.
3. Better lighting. I installed eleven 4300 lumen led lights in my 40x60 building. Much nicer than the eleven 100 watt incandescent bulbs they replaced. About $10 per fixture from Rural King plus shipping because my store didn't stock them. I also bought some small magnetic lights with swivel heads to use under the vehicle, etc.
4. Better air. I moved the air compressor to a far corner (less noise) and piped the air overhead to various places in the building. I bought a nice retractable hose reel and hung it on the ceiling. Bought some more air tools. 3/8 drive rachets, etc.
5. Bought a cheap cart from Harbor Freight to place tools and parts on. This keeps all my tools right next to me and I've stop laying them inside the engine where they might get lost or forgotten.
Wish list
1. Heat. It gets cold in my building during the winter. I doubt this will ever happen. I have thought about hanging some plastic around the lift to make a small "bay" that would be easier/cheaper to heat.
2. Welder & torch. I get tired of taking stuff to my dad's shop to work on.
3. Hose clamp pliers. Seems like channel locks get the job done but frustrate me in the process.
4. Manual fluid evacuator.
5. More specialty tools. Serpentine belt tool, ball joint separators, etc. Hard to justify some of this stuff that I can rent from the parts store
6. Cordless tools. I see lots of people using cordless impact drivers now.
7. Better storage and organization. Since I put the lift in my barn, I need to build a workbench and move the rest of my stuff out of the garage. Too many trips walking between them to use a vise, etc.