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Known as the tool of last resort, Vise Grips are often the only thing that can get the job done when things go awry — and in every repair job, large or small, something will go wrong. A bolt head gets stripped, a flange bends, a rusted nut or screw won’t turn: all of these can be solved with the clamping and twisting power of a good pair of Vise Grips locking pliers. |
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Everything from car lug nuts to engine head bolts requires a precise amount of torque, which you’ll get with a tool like this Snap-on Torque Wrench. With a torque range from 30- to 250-lb-ft that’s displayed on an easy-to-read laser-marked scale, this comfort-grip wrench is easy to set and use. There are less expensive torque wrenches that will do the job, but precision and a lifetime warranty count here — and Snap-on’s reputation for crafting professional grade tools comes with both. |
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Once you’re committed to getting under your car, forget the carpet pads or cardboard boxes. None of those backyard solutions can hold a drop light to the Torin 4-Position Headrest Shop Creeper. The adjustable headrest keeps you at the right angle for your work, while the padded surface babies your back. Six rotating caster wheels make rolling around on the garage floor a breeze. |
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Hopefully you don’t spend a lot of time under your car, but when you have to go there, it’s nice to have a simple and safe way to lift and stabilize your workplace. The Powerzone 3-Ton Hydraulic jack has a lift range from 4 to 18 inches, and the frame is made of aluminum so you won’t break your back when you move it. It also incorporates rear swivel wheels, so you don’t pull an Austin Powers when you try to redirect it. Of course, you should never use a jack without stands, especially if you plan on getting underneath. |
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There are some tools in your arsenal that you know you’ll use again and again and again. You may as well buy quality and quantity right from the start. Craftsman’s 220-piece Mechanics Tool Set with case practically guarantees you won’t be running out to the hardware store for the right socket mid repair job. With 128 sockets in standard and metric sizes, deep well and regular depths, in ¼-, 3/8- and ½-inch drive sizes, with three ratchets and six wrenches, this set has it all. |