Mechanics Tool Supply

If you haven’t yet invested in good mechanics tools for todays tire pressure monitor systems, you’re in the dark ages. These things have been mandatory for a couple years now and smaller shops are beginning to see the need to deal with them. For the first year or two it was ok to let the dealer shops take care of it since there was still a warranty on the systems but now those first cars are beginning to age and have more and more miles on them. They’re finding their way to independent shops and too many of those shops aren’t ready. The ones that are ready will get the business; even the business beyond TPMS because customers simply want it all.

The 3833TQR from OTC is an ideal place to start looking for that update. It comes with all the latest information you’re going to need and a software subscription as well as CDs of the latest training manuals. Experienced mechanics shouldn’t have a problem with this professional unit from one of the leading automotive tools manufacturers in the country and delay is costing you money.

Was trying to think of that “perfect” tool a while back that I always want in the box ready to use. Decided that the manual impact tool from Lisle Manufacturing is the one for anybody into hobby work on older cars. Those old classics always seem to have the bolts that won’t break loose. You try and try and only succeed in stripping the head of busting the bolt or even a knuckle for your effort.

The manual impact wrench seems to solve those problems. Put a little oil on the stuck bolt and let it soak in then put the right socket in the tool or maybe even a twist socket, get on the bolt and hit the top with the hammer and it will practically always break loose. The next step(s) is to smile and ratched the thing off as if it was a brand new bolt without a grain of rust. Beats heat and saves a lot of time with letting oil seep into rusty areas.

Can’t even begin to say how many times that little magic tool saved us from confronting the impossible and giving up. No torches for heat are needed and the back breaking part is replaced by the hammer hit; quick and easy and it works almost every single time.

The part number for these great little hand tools is L29200; it’s made by Lisle Manufacturing; it’s available at Mechanics Tool Supply and you need it in your tool box if you ever deal with bolts that won’t break loose.

Owners can save money with a simple, inexpensive code reader. Fact is, cars just don’t get to technicians as often as some of us would like in order to keep it running all the time. Hey, it’s expensive and time consuming so it’s understandable. But, that means that when something begins to go wrong, it usually isn’t until much later that car owners know there’s a problem that needs attention. By the time he gets it to his technician, the “patient” is all too often in need of an amputation instead of a couple aspirins and call in the morning.

That’s where a modest investment in a consumer-level code reader can pay off. There’s a number of these units on the market and many are priced in the middle and even lower double digits. They’re easy to use. Just plug the cable into your car’s outlet and let it take a look at all the possible trouble spots that might be lurking in the car’s future.

It makes even more sense in service costs too. Some of the smaller, less-expensive units don’t have all the information that the big diagnostics mechanics tools and scanners that your mechanic has on hand, but they’ll at least alert you to trouble brewing and you can get that car into the shop before major problems have materialized and that’s a cost savings any driver should appreciate.

There’s also a degree of comfort to be had in having a good idea what the problem is “before” the car goes into the shop. Nothing wrong at all with knowing a little about the problem “before” somebody tells you what they want to do.

A good candidate to start looking at for a code scanner is the CP9125 code reader from Actron. It fits into the palm of your hand so that means it fits in the glove box with ease and for the money it does practically anything you could want a scanner to do.

I can’t remember the last time I heard a mechanic tell his customer that he’d just checked the charging system and they’re ok for the forseeable future. Select the right words and do a quick system test and you save your customer a breakdown on a cold winter night and probably save yourself the loss of a customer.

The PBT-300 Battery/Starter/Charging Tester from Midtronics bills itself as an “advanced” system tester that meets the full testing requirement for automotive manufacturers for warranty work at dealerships around the world. Needless to say, that requires state-of-the-art capabilities. If a technician works in a dealership it goes without saying that his mechanics tools “must” meet those needs. BUT, those working in the aftermarket service sector also need to compete with the dealerships and need to be up to date and this is the unit that accomplishes that in a reasonable price range. It’s generally recommended that the battery/starter/charging systems should b checked at every oil change in order to catch problems that could later lead to breakdowns on the road. The ease of use afforded by the PBT-300 coupled with it’s advanced capabilities make it a must have for professionals that want to make sure their customers stay happy - rather than find themselves standing in the snow beside a car that won’t run. (remind your customers of that possibility - you’ll win a loyal customer with a quick check of their system) Was surfing the web a while back and came upon a graph that said that almost 20% of all on-road breakdowns was because of battery service problems and those problems are almost all preventable. Take a look at this diagnostics business builder from Midtronics and consider the ways you can keep building customer loyalty.

The latest thing from OTC into the Pegisys diagnostics family is the OTC 3828. It called Pegisys PC Diagnostic System reprogramming and scan tool.

It’s targeted to meet the needs technicians that prefer to use a PC as opposed to a hand held scan tool. It’s still a wireless setup so you’re not going to be stumbling over wires and cables and it does everything the regular Pegisys unit does except it’s limited to OBD II (1996 and newer cars). That limitation doesn’t seem to be much of a problem, those older cars are at least thirteen and fourteen years old now so you’re  going to see fewer and fewer of them. Not much these mechanics tools won’t handle for you.

Putting the PC on a service cart is easy and with the larger monitor on most PCs you have “both” hands freed up to work. Just a glance at the monitor and you’re there and if you need the keyboard while working, it’s just a step away.

One of the biggest advantages with the Pegisys 3828 is that you don’t have to pay for the cost of the scan tool. If you already have a PC (check to make sure your laptop meets requirements - not all do) you can save a bundle and still have the most up-to-date and sophisticated scan tools on the market.

Battery service season is fast approaching so it’s time to take a look at the portable jump starters that you’ll be relying upon to bring in extra cash during that cold snap when people realize they need new batteries, tune-ups and of course jump starts.

The JNCAIR from Jump-N-Carry is an excellent investment in cold weather profits because it not only gives those sick batteries a starting boost, it’s a quick easy supply of portable compressor air that can expand your “in-the-field” repair capacity dramatically.

It’s a 12-Volt system with 1700 Peak Amps that sports long 68-inch cables that gets you to practically any battery quickly and easily with numerous jumps per charge. Same is true for air to power air tools or inflate a tire - maybe enough to avoid changing it on  site.

Don’t forget how a good service call can win a good customer in the shop. The guy’s stranded and if you get him out of trouble, it’s the perfect “in” to win a new regular customer - so, it really pays to have professional mechanics tools ready on hand when that phone rings. Both in the short term by getting the service call taken care or quickly and in the long term by winning new customers. All from a simple battery service call.

The people at Lincoln Lube pioneered battery-powered lubrication years ago and evolved into the Power Luber of today. They’ve won the loyalty of automotive service professionals that rely on and demand top quality mechanics tools as well as an impressive array of industrial maintenance technicians, fleet owners, contractors and farmers that require quick and dependable lubrication to keep equipment operating.

We particularly like the Lincoln 1444. It has the same great Power Luber as the Lincoln 1242 but it has that valuable extra rechargeable battery that’s jam-packed with power, so you’re not going to get caught with a dead battery coupled with an impatient customer. Keep one in the Power Luber and the other in the charger (enclosed in the kit, of course).

There’s also all you expect from lubrication giants of the industry too. There’s a long 30-inch flexable hose with a spring guard and a storage case that has room for grease cartridges (not included) so you’re always prepared and ready to go.

If it costs half as much as a battery and saves you the cost of a battery, it’s a buy you need. That’s the easiest way to explain why, with the approach of Fall and Winter there should be an on-board charger on every battery used seasonally.

The people at Solar manufactures Automatic On-Board Battery Chargers (part number Solar 1002) and bench chargers made to order for that motorcycle, ATV, boat or what-have-you that has a battery and also isn’t likely to be used much in the coming cold season. You can let the battery drain down to nothing over the season and very probably have to replace it a year or two earlier than would be necessary if you simply hooked up the Solar 1002.

The On-Board Battery Service charger automatically keeps the battery at peak charge without overcharging so when Spring rolls around again, you don’t waste time getting things started again. Just hop on and go. Top quality, well thought out mechanics tools that pay their way with a dividend.

Seems that most of the time a few screwdrivers is about all you need.  You keep going back to those same few over and over again because they meet the need at hand. But, there’s always those special times when you need a special bit, or a ratcheting driver, a T-handle or a stubby handle to speed everything up.  That’s the time to add an actual “set” in a case to your toolbox selection of mechanics tools and hand tools. That set that has everything you’re likely to need out of your normal day to day work.

An excellent one to look at is the KD8940 by Gearwrench. It’s a set of screwdrivers in a case that includes three handles, 30 popular bit configurations and six shafts ranging from 3-1/2 inches up to 11 inches long and even a shaft that allows you to combine shafts for even more specific length selection.

Being in a case, it fits easily into toolboxes or service carts so it’s out of the way while you’re doing normal work yet it’s right there the moment you need to step up from the normal selection of drivers. Doesn’t cost much, doesn’t use up much space and saves a lot of time fishing around for exactly the right screwdriver when special needs arise.

Add to all that, the fact that it carries the Gearwrench name and it’s a must have for professional technicians and serious amateures everywhere.

Sometimes the most simplistic way is still the best and detecting problems by listening is one of those ways that deliver the goods. It’s simple. If it doesn’t sound right it probably isn’t right. If it doesn’t sound right at a particular place, that’s probably the place that isn’t right.

When the people at Steelman developed the Wireless ChassisEAR (part number 97202) that’s obviously what they had in mind. It’s a great way to pinpoint the source and location of problems from bearings, gears and suspension components. It finds faulty fuel injectors based on sound (or the lack of it), if can detect faulty CV joint problems, transmission problems - in fact if there’s a sound to be listened to, the ChassisEAR will hear it and speed up your diagnostics efforts. That’s what professional-quality automotive tools and mechanics tools in general are supposed to do.