Err, toolkits and torque bits and bobs...

[StevieP]

Hokay, I need to lower my car, and after everyone else doing it and going on about how *easy* it is to do, Ive decided to do it myself to save on labour charges etc... Ive got springs, axle stands and spring compressors already... I just need a decent set of tools to do this stuff with..

I dont have a clue what it means by tightening stuff to whatever torque settings pounds feet argh its all rubbish to me? Isnt it just ok to just tighten it up pretty well?

How much can I expect to pay for a half decent portable toolkit that I will use to carry out simple maintenance jobs with and lower my car? B&Q a decent place to go? Or will Halfords/Motorworld sell decent stuff too?

Advice on what you guys and gals use please! Oh, and will I need a trolley jack too?

 

[McBunny]

Get teng tools or snap on (ok you wont have any money left after but they wont break)

You need a torque wrench mate one that is rated for the amount you need to tighten up and a bit more, if you dont then things have a nast habbit to work loose and fall off and you dont want that or do you !! but they arnt that cheep but halfords do them

 

[BenR]

If you only wanted a tool kit with most stuff, halfords do halford kits which are around 40-60 quid for jsut abot everything you need for most jobs.

They quality is fine and i have not broken onve halfords tool yet, teng and snapon are great tools, but cost the earth to buy.

A torque wrench, you can buy them from anywhere, but do learn how to use it, torque values are there for a reason.

 

[StevieP]

Bought some cheap-o Draper stuff from Motorworld. Not sure what Draper build quality is like but at least Ive heard of them before... A torque wrench was £30.99 and some socket bit thing set was £20.

Time to get workin!

 

[BenR]

draper is ok, nowt wrong with them, but they do break lol......

draper torque wrneches, if you have the one i think you do have funny increments, id read the insructions as each increment is like 8.6ft/lbs i think.

 

[Rick]

Do you have a mk1 clio?? If so your probably better off getting the back done professionally, cos it aint straight forward like the fronts (torsion beam, not wound springs). If you want to have a crack at it tho, someone did some pics a couple of months ago showing hows its done.

Oh, and I would get a trolley jack. You can make do with the standard reno one but once youve used a trolley jack a couple of times, youll wonder why you didnt get one sooner!

Rick

 

[BenR]

using the std reno one is dangerous.......DONT

if your doing the torsion bar, you gonna need a few more tools like a slide hammer.

 

[Rick]

Ive only ever used the Reno one once and it did seem a bit unstable to say the least!! Youd have thought someone would have come up with a better design for car jacks by now.

 

[BenR]

lol, well, space and weight is a problem

A trolley jack is only about 20 quid but get some wood to place inbetween teh rails to you dont bend anything.

 

[Daz]

I cant use my renault jack anymore.. sideskirts in the way..

I think I might have to drive up onto some wood before the trolley jack will go under! The one my mate used wouldnt, and we had to lift the car up to get the trolley jack out!

The standard renault one is very unstable.. I hated using it!

Daz