hi
Does anyone have any recommendations for a decent socket and spanner set that is suited to working on mx5 ND?
In particular how extensive set should be, can I just get a few particular ones to cover majority of work on car?
Any particular sets that are easier to work on car. I’ve used different bits over time and some handles / lengths seem bit easier to work with
Thanks
The Halfords Advanced socket sets are pretty good value and have lifetime warranty.
If you watch their website they quite often have a sale on them
10, 12, 14mm covers the majority of things. Buy half inch drive. Buy JIS screwdrivers to avoid chewing up screws using Philips and crosshead screwdrivers.
Halfords Lifetime warranty is not because they are really good, but they are cheap enough for Halfords to swap them for new.
I would suggest that the depth of maintenance that you intend to undertake should probably determine the size and content of tool sets required.
Personally socket wise, I look for hex socket sets rather than multi spline.
Make sure you have individual sockets (hex sockets as mentioned above) for engine sump plugs, gear and diff plugs. Also sockets for wheel nuts, sockets/spanners for brake work, that’s about all you’ll need and throw in a decent bar for those hard to shift wheel nuts or others,
A selection of wire brushes soft/stiff, screwdrivers and spanners and one of those small assorted boxe of small socket/driver screwdriver bits. You can make it expensive or as cheap as you like using Halfords/B&Q/Lidl offerings but I wouldn’t skimp on socket quality for sockets/bars/rachets for removing such things as wheel nuts and drain sump plugs etc.
I’ve got a mixture of stuff from the above places mentioned, it does me ok.
Agreed, that’s a good starter selection.
I would add some ratchet-ring spanners for places one cannot reach with a ratchet socket.
Two reasons, they are very slim for awkward spaces (eg ground bolt behind the footwell fuse box), and the ratchet is much finer than flipping and turning a fixed ring or open ender.
Alas my excellent set is no longer available so I can’t link to it.
The larger halfords sets are pretty good to start off to be fair as they contain a bit of everything which is handy. You can always add to it in the future, you can never have too many tools!
Ive bought their advanced tools for years and never had an issue, a screwdriver set and 1/4 drive socket set is also a good thing to have and theirs is pretty good too.
And get a Leatherman. I have an ancient Supertool that has served me well fr 30 years. I used to have an original PST, but that’s disappeared. My Supertool is the best tool I have. It never goes in the tool box. There are imitators, but I think none are as good, ultimately, as that Supertool. The Leatherman story is the stuff of legends, and it started with a beat up Fiat.
While its not saved my life, its certainly saved my bacon on a few occasions. The top of the bone saw broke years ago, and although it has a lifetime warranty, I’m worried the UK agent will just bin it and give me a credit on a new Leatherman, rather than fix my Leatherman.
I brought the Halfords Advanced 200 Pc Socket and Ratchet Spanner Set (was £195.00 in sale about 8months ago), to replace / add to some old tools, its been good so far.
This has most you will need other than a decent torque wrench. (and set of decent screwdrivers.)
Halfords Professional tools are excellent.
‘ this is most you will need’ This is famous last words. I’ve been working on vehicles for sixty years and you will always need another tool!
Have you even wondered why those tool cabinets in a professional garage are so big? They probably use none of them most of the time.
But, when they need a particular tool it will be there. Us? We come to a complete stop and wait a few days to see whether we guessed right on eBay or whatever.
I gave one of these to my son, who has just started living on a narrow boat.
It covers a lot of bases for the money, in one large briefcase. Draper Expert are usually ok as in not made of chocolate. The big ratchet is ugly and chunky but I’m assuming it won’t break in normal use
I have some older Expert socket sets that are slimmer and nicely polished but they don’t sell them any more and he hasn’t space anyway.
Inevitably you’ll need extra tools from time to time, there’s no torque wrench for example and for regular work on an MX-5 you’ll need 24 and 23 mm sockets. One of those is always missing from sets, I can’t remember which, so you’ll find you want to buy one. And so on.
I agree ratchet spanners can be handy but mine haven’t been used much. Combination spanners are my first stop, get the ring on if you can, if not the the open end.
A “Professional Garage” is working on 50-100 different types of vehicle. I have, for instance, no need of Whitworth or Spline Drive sockets on a NA MX5. I binned my spring compressors years ago. I’m not about to get into timing belt changes. Most socket sets come with imperial and metric sockets. These days, unless you have something ancient or American, the only imperial socket that gets used is the half inch, and thats because you’ve lost the 13mm. I have never needed to use a 11mm, 9mm, 4mm socket. Ditto Allen keys. On a Japanese car, you only need JIS screwdrivers. Those spanner rolls brought off the sunday market, contain a selection of mahoosive spanners that will never see action on a MX5.
In addition, the tools don’t belong to the business. They belong to the mechanics. When the mechanics leave, the tools go with them.
I recently gave away probably half of my tools, eg all my 3/8th drive sockets and ratchets to my niece’s mechanic boyfriend, as he’s brassic. I have too many tools.
Never ever have a 3/8th socket set with a half inch torque wrench (for obvious reasons). I also have a low range torque wrench, along with a standard range one. In 30 years, its been used twice, when replacing a cam cover gasket. I literally have no further use for it.
On something non-Mazda, years ago I stripped down a Jaguar XJS rear end. I needed 2 spanners and a big screwdriver to get the rear subframe and diff off the car, solo. My spring compressors, brought for the MX5, were useless for the 4 Jag springs, so I rented the type of compressor needed.
As mentioned, go for hex sockets. In the usual home diyers sets, they are usually star sockets. These are mostly ok, until you come to take off a strange bolt like the 14mm bolts holding in NA/NB seats, then you find these sockets will round them off.
Go to Machine Mart. Buy their own brand Clarke sockets on a rack. I threw away the useless plastic cases the tool sets come in year ago. Its better to keep sockets on a rack, than to fiddle around finding the right hole.
I agree with that in principle but 12 point or multi sockets will do most jobs if you want a manageable quantity of tools. And I’m not sure I’d bother buying an MX-5 specific set as I use tools for all sorts of little jobs, although it’s not a terrible idea if that’s literally all you need it for because it can be quite a small set.
It’s the little things that catch me out, like trim tools and clips.
The best tool so far in my tool chest is one I specifically bought for removing the front hubs on my NC. It was a small metal plate off a farmers market and 2 large size nuts and bolts, I think £4 bought both. Add some knowledge off YouTube (always a good tool) and it got the hubs off.
If I’d have bought a special tool or even two to have a go they may have failed looking at reviews/comments elsewhere.
You should rightly be pleased about that. Seeing something that will do the job that isn’t advertised as such gives a good feeling.
I just use a plumbers wrench and a blowtorch. Works every time.
Surprising what a good quality 10" slip joint (water pump) plier can do. Certainly my most used and abused item.
Bought mine twenty years ago whilst plumbing our house. Has been in my motor tool box ever since.
