Printer Friendly Forum Posts - Whats your favorite special tool?

I would like to know what are some of the installers are using for tools that help make your job easier , preferably specialty or custom tools and where do you get them ,price,and breif description , and part # if available .

Mine is called a Gofer and its sold my Snap-On about $25 it is like a snake tool or like using a antenna but it is a fiberglass type material and very convenient

also a wireless test probe it grounds through your body and is great for testing fuses . it is carried by MAC tools and is about $30 .

What other wild stuff do you have out there

Powered probe sold off the Snap On truck.. Powers up and your able to shoot a ground or 12v to whatever ckt your testing. Hmm a wire cable that is used for fiberglass lid latches, this makes a killer snake. Astro Starts multi test II , a DMM Tach readout both audible and visual plus it's their bit writer, very cool tool.. Snap On's pencile grinder is a really awsome little tool also..

-------------
Tire Proz Stillwater Mn
High End Restyling and Comlete Repair

Forgot possibly one of my most recent purchases , I bought a 7,8,and a 10MM 1/4 drive that have a magnet inside these three sockets have been invaluable they hold the screw so much better than just using a magnetic bit adaptor tehy are from Snap-On and are about $15 per socket but you wont have to hassel with dropping any more screws .

hi guys

i used to have a gopher it worked great but $25 for a fiberglass rod seem silly.

what i use now big ass zip ties they are available at home depot in 24" and 30" lengths in packs of 10 for $5

much cheeper and they work just as well

-------------
";P

I'm with you Hymer...the multitest is Kool. I alway here of the guys having trouble testing the tach wires....NOT ME!! posted_image

Im also still a big fan of the hammer

-------------

Ahhh...the 12lb sledge. Usually placed on the floor in front of the vehicle for the intimidation factor. Just in case it wants to try to make things difficult. posted_image

-------------
The Flakman
I feel strange. I have deja vu and amnesia at the same time.

John | Manteca, CA

For us, our favorite tool(s) are our TPI 440s. We go to shows and talk to people with their home made show cars and gain set them (for a small charge; gain match for a little bit more) We have fun and make a cleaner sounding world. This allows us to meet more people and find out the latest trends. (and show off our stuff) ^-^

-------------
Never send your ducks to eagle school.
The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.
The 3Ls of life: Learn from the Past, Live for the Present, Look to the Future.

VIM tools makes a wire-pulling tool called a MEG20 or a longer version, MEG40. It's a flexible rod with a removable bullet tip and removable wire mesh sleeves to grip the wire. If you have more than one, you can screw them together end-to-end to increase the length. This is by far the best tool I've found for running wire through firewall grommets or door boots. It's stiff enough to push under carpet or through a grommet, but flexible enough that you can guide it through a fairly long door boot conduit. I've used it with wire up to 4-gauge.

wranglercory wrote:

Forgot possibly one of my most recent purchases , I bought a 7,8,and a 10MM 1/4 drive that have a magnet inside these three sockets have been invaluable they hold the screw so much better than just using a magnetic bit adaptor tehy are from Snap-On and are about $15 per socket but you wont have to hassel with dropping any more screws .

Ditto on the 7 and 10mm magnetic sockets, but instead of the 8mm I picked up a 5/16" magnetic nutdriver for $2 from Home Depot. It's the same size as the 8mm and works just as well in a power screwdriver, for much less money. You can also get a 3/8" magnetic nutdriver for the Chrysler head unit screws.

Garden Bender automatic wire stripper. Strips wires so good I have to tip her a 5.

-------------
Tell the Snap-On guy I'm not here!

i love the snap-on auto wire strippers. they strip sideways, not at the tip making it easy to strip the end of a wire or a section of a whole wire in a harness. also the wire pusher and wire grommet tool by snap on...has a hollow shaft and fairly sharp point you can use to go through factory grommets in the firewall without cutting. also the snapon vantage multi-meter is great, has graphing and split screen functions...great for tach signals and finding the VSS wire but a little on the expensive side (i paid 2 grand for mine)

-------------
"If a man made it, another can modify it...it just takes some thinking."
"If you ask questions, you're a fool for 5 minutes; if you don't, you're a fool for a lifetime."

I have a snap-on solus. Great for electrical diagnosis and code learing, but super expensive.

Aside from that, bluepoint makes a factory head unit removal multi-too, and it has all the keys you'll ever need to remove factory radios, like BMWs with the 5 pointed allen keys. It costs 20 dollars, and it is a must have for any installer. Works on most aftermarket heads too.

Also, my led rechargeable drop light. That thing rocks.

-------------
Northstart.....or start it your damn self.