Outfitting Your Garage

So, you’re ready to take on that DIY garage project. Why not start with outfitting your garage with the right tools? Our Audra Fordin has the rundown on MotorWeek’s “Your Drive.”

AUDRA FORDIN: You don’t need to spend a fortune or own a Garage Majal to make a safe and functional automotive workspace in your home garage. Basic tools and equipment, along with some organization aids and a little common sense, will have you spinning wrenches at home in no time.

A sturdy work bench will save your back when assembling things or cleaning parts, and a bench vise is that third hand you need for countless jobs around the car. Traditionally, the real “DIY master” in every neighborhood was the one who had a lift in their garage. Well, that’s a dream for most of us, but realistically, there’s not many jobs you can’t do with a floor jack and 4 sturdy jack stands. Disclaimer here… Never work under a car that’s supported by only a floor jack.

Ramps like these are great at making space under the car for a quick oil change or inspection, but you should always use a wheel chock behind the down tire to keep the car from rolling down the ramp at the wrong time. An air compressor is useful, and not just for airing up tires. Running air tools like sanders, impact wrenches, grinders and sand blasters require a large volume of compressed air. These days, though, battery powered tools offer you a great alternative for most home users.

Invest in a hose reel like this for electrical cords. It can save you from coiling a cord every time, keep your hoses off the floor, out of the grease and it also removes a common tripping hazard. Task lighting is important if you want a well-lit room to work in, but also specialty lights like these make it easy to see inside those dark engine bays and undercar areas and magnetic lights are a definitely plus too.

It’s important to keep all automotive chemicals out of reach of children and pets, so wall cabinets or high shelves there are a must. And here’s another organization tip for you that I love: if you’re working on a restoration project or something involving a lot of small parts, nuts and screws… Bag and label everything. And take “before” pictures before you disassemble a component, so you can know where everything goes when it’s time to re-assemble.

Dare to DIY! For most any job you want to do on your car, search online and chances are you will find user videos and owner forum discussions describing the exact task you want to accomplish.

Have any questions or comments? Reach out to us right here at MotorWeek.