ToyotaCare Expired... Buy Tools for DIY Maintenance?

Yeah it is a very tight fit. I learned that once it is torqued to spec, when it gets that death grip on the filter… i just gently twist my torque wrench the opposite way. It wont loosen the filter but it gently nudges the motivx. Works for me at least then back the other way ect and repeat till loose.

i dont bother attempting to take it off while i have the filter housing off the truck. Damn near impossible.

 

That’ll happen. Just tighten it down and give it a quick pull back the other direction and should break free.

or get a long extension and rock it.

mine sticks nearly every time

 

Valuable word of advice: When buying any wrench or socket that is 10mm, buy three of them. Trust me on this.

 

My grandfather’s craftsman tools are still running strong. The newer Chinese manufacturing is acceptable and as they are now ubiquitous if the do break it is convenient to get the free replacements. Add a breaker bar to your box.

 

I never thought about pawn shops for tools.
Have not stepped foot in one since over 20 years ago with my brother when he was looking for some high end cameras.
Off to Pawnshops I go this weekend even though I don’t need anything in particular right now. Fawkkk I am becoming like my old man.

 

Trim panel removal tools are pretty handy to have and are inexpensive. They're great for popping out the plastic press rivets and are generally non marking for interior panels

 

Ditto!

 

Drop lights / wand and a breaker bar.

Good tire gauge

OBD II scan tool

Decent meter to check voltage and resistance / connectivity.

 

Yeah, I agree that today's Craftsman tools are not what they use to be. But on the other hand the new stuff is not as bad as some folks are saying here. And Lowe's must have bought out the brand as they have a decent supply of Craftsman tools now at their stores, which makes it easy to get warranty replacement if you do break something. I recently saw a smoking good deal on a really nice Craftsman socket set at Lowes, so might be worth checking out.

I have Craftsman tools dating back 50+ years (most I bought when I was a young man, but some are my Dad's). They have been fantastic and I use them all time.

PS: the only time I have ever had to use the Craftsman warranty is occasionally snapping off the tip of a flat head screwdriver when I was using it for something other than turning a screw.

 

Hammer & Duct tape.

Oooops, I thought I was on the Ford Forum....

 

https://youtu.be/0URaztDXHco

https://youtu.be/3O0N7ZinDK4

 

I have a bitchin set of tools, but I very rarely ever change my own oil. This is for 2 reasons and both have to do with money.
1. Cost. You are going to have a hard time ever doing it yourself for less. Oil + filter + time and the quick lube places are going to be less
2. Value. While doing it yourself is no different than paying someone to do it, but there is a very important aspect to having someone else do it and that is that it shows up on carfax. Get ready to trade your truck in and they can see regular maintenance and even better, dealer maintenance and you are able to get more for your trade. It is kind of silly, but the paper trail adds value.

Of course that doesn't include the hassle of dealing with old oil or the clean up of an accidental spill.

 

Point 1: I guarantee you that I can change my own oil for less than having it done somewhere else. But that is not why I do my own oil changes. For one, I don't trust the mouth breathers they have doing oil changes at the dealer or those Jiffy Lube places. I concur that I am not saving a ton of money changing my own oil. But some of us change our own oil / work on our trucks because it brings us joy and satisfaction. I love working on cars!

Point 2: your logic here is total bullshit! Do you really think someone will pass up on a used car because the maintenance was not done by some shop? And I don't think getting your oil changed at a Jiffy Lube shows up on Carfax but maybe I am wrong.

 

I agree with all Craftsman & MotivX comments above. Two socket wrenches broke in two months over a summer. They kept giving me the same crap as replacement. I finally got the most expensive one they had which had a much larger head and that has held up for a couple of years so far. Most of my tools are Huskey but I'm just a weekend warrior so I don't need Mac or Snap-On quality. I also use HF jack stands.

 

My Kia oil plug was mutilated by jiffylube and they put in an oversized plug. Now I have to live with that forever. It was a mistake on their part but they wouldn't fess up to it of course, else I would have had them buy me a new pan. As far as dealing with the old oil, any Oreilly or Napa parts store will take the old oil for free, not a big deal. They also take your old batteries including motorcycle and give you store credit. And kitty litter is cheap. Plus, everyone should be keeping your own journal of maintenance, even if you take it in somewhere for work.

inb4 homeless druggies start stealing batteries with the catalytic converters...

 

To answer simply:
yes, its time to go out and buy a reliable floor jack and jack stands; these items will be useful for more than just your tacoma

as for other tools you should get, "you gotta be smarter than the tool you're workin with".. You'll find you can most jobs done with the simplest of hand tools. Buy what you need first. Then buy what you want for the next time to make that same job easier/faster. The best tool you can acquire is in your head. Refine it, learn, read forums here, learn from other's mistakes, and weigh pro's/con's of doing your own maintenance with your given experience.

to piggyback off previous point, don't get caught up in tool brands. Some will say you need a $300 impact + $200 impact socket set to do a job that can be done with a knockoff socket and allen wrench. Comparing tool brands is like comparing anything else in life, everyone has their favorite. Don't skimp on the things that matter, like jack stands, but don't get caught up in power tool brands or socket sets. Just pick your favorite color, and replace anything as needed. Some swear by the most expensive brands. Some get by with the cheapest. I shoot for the cheaper mid options with lifetime warranties, like HF impact sockets, Ridgid power tools, Husky hand tools, etc.

 

1. Unless you are buying oil in bulk, you are not getting it for less. How much is your time? It isn't free. There is no way you can do it for less. A 5 qt jug of 0-20 is going to cost you $40. An oil filter $10. Then add your travel costs. Your disposal costs, etc. Local Toyota dealer does a synthetic oil change for $49. You simply cannot do it for less. Could they make a mistake, sure. You can also make a mistake. It isn't rocket science. The big difference is if they make a mistake, they own it. You make a mistake and it comes out of your wallet.

2. Keep thinking it is bullshit. I'll keep putting dollars in my pocket. If you have ever bought a used car, you pull a carfax. I keep my cars in top shape. People appreciate that, but people are always skeptical people also like that it is backed up with details from a what is viewed as a trusted source. A car with detailed dealer service history will always get more than one with a blank carfax.

Don't get me wrong. I do a lot of work on my 6 cars that include a 66 mustang, 95 H1, 76 vette, 70 Javelin, but oil changes have been outsourced for those reasons. I don't think that there is any validity to Carfax, but you have to remember that 99% of the population knows nothing about cars. You might be a master mechanic and master quick lube tech. That doesn't mean a damn thing to someone who doesn't know, but people are sheep and when they see all of the dealer maintained history on a Carfax, they will spend more. Once that car ends up on a dealer lot, the people looking at it have no idea what the previous owner did or didn't do unless it is documented. Again, I don't think there is anything special at all about dealer work, but it is about perception to those that don't know any better that puts more dollars in your pocket.

And yes, the quick lube places log work with carfax. The major ones anyway. A local mom and pop may not. The dealers absolutely do. Hell, they even log that they washed and vacuum it.

 

Fun fact, you can both be right! One of you can value your time monetarily more than the other, making a jiffy lube type experience more valuable. One of you can also in fact get enough 0-20 synthetic and OE filter for cheaper than a jiffy lube experience. Travel cost should honestly be argued the other way around given you can have all supplies for DIY change home delivered (for free from most places). Disposal fee? Used oil has plenty of uses, and doesn't cost anything to dispose of at many places. The argument is really just based on convenience, and can be argued both ways. One persons jiffy lube experience is knocked out in a regular day's lunch break, or a quick break away from work, and is a reward. Another person's jiffy lube experience is "driving into town" 20-30 mins away, waiting 15-20 mins to get it done, and driving 20-30 mins back. That person can DIY it in less time, and cheaper. It goes both ways.

Side note, you can log literally anything into the Toyota owners app. I log all of my own maintenance, just like a dealer would, as detailed as possible, upload or take a picture of receipts, and is just as valuable (if not more valuable to some buyers) as having all dealer maintenance records.

 

Craftsman isn't too bad I beat the hell out of the wrenches with a hammer and they still look brand new. Only have had 1 or two ratchets fail in 25+ years and have never had a socket break or crack even when using it with an impact.

I recently picked up a set of these for 180 and love them. They match really nice with the

$129 Milwaukee M18 Cordless Lithium-Ion 6-1/2" Circular Saw - 2630-20 - ( MILWAUKEE ) - BARE TOOL

Milwaukee M18 High Impact gun. Plus the set doesn't skip sizes like other companies.

 

I've found that HF can be a real crap shoot. My rule of thumb is, if it's going to be a tool you use all the time.. Buy name brand quality. If it's something I may only use once or twice in my lifetime (Say a harmonic balancer puller) I'll go HF.
On the other hand, I have a HF 1/2" air impact that I paid $20.00 for, 25 years ago, that still works perfectly. But I also bought a 14" board sander that broke after using it for an hour. So, you just never know.