DYI - Worth buying the tools?

[jmac0011]

A quick question for the DYIers out there.
Was it worth it to buy the tools and were you happy with the results doing suspension work, oil changes etc... on your own?

My goal is to upgrade the suspension on a 2021 JL Diesel and a 2023 HA Gladiator, starting with a steering dampener. The floor lift and jacks I have are 20 years old and need to be replaced. Looking at the Badlands floor jack at Harbour Freight, air compressors etc., and wondering if it is worth it.

Even though both my Jeeps are under warranty for now, dealing with a dealership or repair ship has evolved into dumpster fire of frustration that will burn up your savings. I was quoted $ 200.00 for a steering dampener install that takes 30 min. My now sold F-150 with 100k miles died at speed on the highway on me 3 times in FL a few months ago and all the local dealers told be it would be a week before they could look at it and a month or more before a repair, so I drove it home 4 hours with gritted teeth.

Just wondering what others have experienced with buying the tools for suspension upgrades and other weekend mechanic jobs.

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[Heimkehr]

I've a fair assortment of general tools and a small variety of specialist tools. The latter tend to have very narrow use cases, but also they're also indispensable when needed.

In all instances, it's been money very well spent. Yes, more than twice have I used hand tools, etc. to avoid a dealer visit, or perform enough advance DIY work to reduce the cost of any visit to the Svc Dept. that may need to occur.

E.g., I was quoted $900.00 to replace two struts on Offspring's Honda. I purchased the parts and did it myself for <$300.00.

P.S. -- Peace be upon the name of Aero-Kroil.

 

[Zandcwhite]

You don't need a jack for the steering damper, or an air compressor. A basic socket set and 10 minutes laying in the driveway if you take your sweet time. Now if I were you I'd go for a relocation bracket while you're at it as the thing is literally low hanging fruit if you ever go off road. Even full suspension swaps can be done with a basic socket set, a torque wrench, and jack stands. I have a compressor and air gun and never use them any more. My cordless Dewalt impact has all the torque I could ever need and there's no setup, hoses, cleanup, etc. If you get in to a project that requires specialty tools you can "rent" them free from O'Reilly or autozone. No need to buy much. Unless your jack stands are rusted out, there's no age limit on using them. A quality floor jack, sockets, and wrenches will do almost every job.

 

[R4D4R]

Never in a thousand years would I buy a harbor freight jack. Hand tools? Sure. Use them a few times until they break. No way in hell would I buy something that could kill me if it fails from there

 

[Heimkehr]

A quick question for the DYIers out there.

Never in a thousand years would I buy a harbor freight jack. No way in hell would I buy something that could kill me if it fails from there

Perhaps that's why the OP used "DYI"...Do Yourself In.

To be fair, the store's hydraulic jacks are generally well-regarded. It's the jack stands that require additional consideration.

 

[Zandcwhite]

Never in a thousand years would I buy a harbor freight jack. Hand tools? Sure. Use them a few times until they break. No way in hell would I buy something that could kill me if it fails from there

If you put yourself in a position that any jack "could kill you if it fails", you have way more faith in cheap rubber deals than I do. That's what jack stands are for. Even then I usually roll the tires under the frame when I pull them just in case. I have pushed a vehicle off the jack stands trying to stuff a coil spring back in that was a bit too long. The tires kept from damaging anything and fortunately I pushed it away from the side I was on.

 

[58Willys]

Yes, it’s worth to buy tools. If you don’t go hog wild on fancy stuff, the tools will pay for themselves very quickly.

 

[Megawatt]

Get your own tools. Even when you hit the trails you should have some good hand tools to fix or adjust things. I even take a cordless impact to help remove lugnuts for the rare flat tire change. I haven’t had to use my tools on my rig on a trail but I have helped many others in need.

If all you can afford is a HF jack then get it. A jack is to lift the jeep not a tool to use while working under a raised jeep. Jack stands are for working under. And you should never been in the line of fire in the first place in case the jack fails at any time.

 

[Jeep Wick]

A quick question for the DYIers out there.
Was it worth it to buy the tools and were you happy with the results doing suspension work, oil changes etc... on your own?

My goal is to upgrade the suspension on a 2021 JL Diesel and a 2023 HA Gladiator, starting with a steering dampener. The floor lift and jacks I have are 20 years old and need to be replaced. Looking at the Badlands floor jack at Harbour Freight, air compressors etc., and wondering if it is worth it.

Even though both my Jeeps are under warranty for now, dealing with a dealership or repair ship has evolved into dumpster fire of frustration that will burn up your savings. I was quoted $ 200.00 for a steering dampener install that takes 30 min. My now sold F-150 with 100k miles died at speed on the highway on me 3 times in FL a few months ago and all the local dealers told be it would be a week before they could look at it and a month or more before a repair, so I drove it home 4 hours with gritted teeth.

Just wondering what others have experienced with buying the tools for suspension upgrades and other weekend mechanic jobs.

100% tools are worth their weight in gold.

 

[thance]

Jack and stands from 20 years ago are likely just as good if not better than new. The Jack may need oil. I'm not saying I don't love the snap on tools I've inherited, but craftsman from Lowe's or one off harbor freight's higher quality brands such as Pittsburgh will certainly get the job done and likely outlast your use.

 

[rcadden]

100%. It's extremely cost-effective to buy the tools and do your own work whenever possible.

Apart from the hard savings, there's also a soft-savings. By working on your own vehicle, you're more attuned to it, and can more quickly/easily recognize when something is amiss - most things are significantly cheaper to repair if you catch them earlier on.

For those things that you *have* to allow the dealership/shop to do, you'll also be much more informed, and they'll be less likely to attempt to (or successfully) get you to spend money you don't need to spend.

There's almost literally zero downside whatsoever. Just don't be sold on needing a full set of Snap-On tools. As others have said, invest in the things that can kill you, and work with what you can on the rest.

Instead of an air compressor, you might look at a good battery-powered impact driver. I have a Ryobi one (since I have all their other tools) that works great. I keep it in the Jeep at all times.

 

[NWJeepr]

Yes.

But before buying "basic" grade tools at HF made you know where, I'd honestly look at Craigslist, Marketplace, and the like for people selling older hand tools from Craftsman, Stanley, Mac, etc.

 

[Maverick909]

100% worth buying the tools. Now I wouldn’t say go out and buy every tool know to mankind out of the get go. Get a nice set of 3/8” and 1/2” drive sockets with 4” 6” and swivel extensions and a good torque wrench. Note you will need 19/21-24mm socket and wrench’s for suspension work. Get a nice roll up bag for you wrenches to keep them organized. A good jack and stands and a 18v 1/2” impact gun.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

I have 2 floor jacks and it makes tire rotations quick and easy. It's also great for suspension work. You will need at least 2 jack stands too.

Nearly every floor jack on the market is from China, Harbor Fright stuff is on par with what you will get from Lowe's Home Depot, Tractor Supply, Northern, etc. NEVER work under a vehilce sorely supported by a jack, BTW.

Home Depot has a Gearwrench mechanics tool set on sale right now for $199, and it's really a great value for what you get.

I would also suggest a small to medium compressor in the garage so you can keep your tire pressures correct without having to go get it done. A blower chuck is a nice thing to have too. If you plan on using any air tools, go with the medium size.

You'll also want an oil filter wrench, torque wrench, a couple of adjustable wrenches, screwdrivers, a creeper and various pliers.

That will get you a good enough start to tackle many of the jobs you will want to do on your Jeep or other vehicles.

 

[CaJLMetalHead]

Get the tools, once you start calculating how much you save on DIY projects you will get hooked on buying tools and tinkering with your rig, Dealers will rip you off, and there is always a good chance they will cause unintended damage either by inattention or lack of knowledge..

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