It’s been said clothes make the man, but I think when it comes to fixing cars tools make the man. Well here’s one that really works. You know the tie wraps you use to bundle wires and all sorts of things under the car? Well they’re always tough to get tight, so this tool from SnapOn, what this does is this tie wrap goes into the tool and it pulls the wrap up tight to make a good solid connection. It works really really well. 

Now, lots of time you’re going to be involved in wiring, well one of the things you’re going to want it a pair of wire strippers this is an elite type right here. What you do is put the wire through here and then you squeeze this. These jaws can squeeze down on the coating, then it pulls off. Works well. These are the ones I use on a regular basis. They have the different wire sizes and so on here in the handle. You simply put it in there and then pull it apart and you have your stripped wire. Now in most cases you’re going to strip the wire because you’re going to put a wire connector on to it. We’ll have this connector and one of the things you want to make sure you do in this wire connector there is a side of it that has a split in it and what you’re going to do is you’re going to take this and take the little tab that sticks down and you’re going to squeeze that right down into that split which is going to make a dimple which is going to push the metal right down into the wire and you’ll have almost a factory connection. 

Here we have a strap wrench we use these for all kinds of odd ball sizes and shapes. It gives us a lot of leverage as you put it around something like we have on this oil filter and then put force on it tightens itself grabs really well. Gives you a lot of leverage. Here we have a close fit ratchet. These things are design to fit up inside the ratchet so you don’t have the socket sticking way down. Things like engine mounts and so on where you have no space at all this will let you get in there and ratchet rather than work with an open end or box wrench a little bit at a time. Invaluable tool.

Here’s something else you’ll find a thousand and one uses for this is a flange tool and it can be used to straighten or align various metal parts on the car. Simply go along like that. Has different angles that you can use. The metal goes in between here. It really really comes in handy for lots of things.

So tools, very important. And if you have a question, or a comment, drop me a line. Right here, at MotorWeek.