Automotive Tools
Use the shortest, straightest setup that lets the socket sit fully square on the fastener. A standard extension adds straight reach; a wobble extension allows a small offset; and a universal joint or swivel socket provides more angle when rigid access is blocked. Every added adapter or joint increases movement
Floor Jacks
Choose a jack and jack stands by your vehicle’s actual weight, approved lifting and support points, clearance, and the height required for the job. The jack must lift the end or corner you’re raising, while the stands must support the vehicle after the jack is removed. Check the
Automotive Tools
To start working on your own car, buy safe lifting equipment, a correctly sized socket-and-wrench set, screwdrivers, pliers, a breaker bar, eye protection, and basic cleanup supplies. Add a torque wrench before regularly removing wheels, servicing brakes, or tightening other safety-related fasteners. Build the kit around your
Jack Stands
To use jack stands correctly, find the vehicle’s approved jacking and stand-support points in the owner’s manual or service information, raise the vehicle with a suitable floor jack, and lower it onto correctly rated stands at those points. Park on a firm, level surface, chock the wheels
Garage Safety
To access a component safely, support the vehicle independently of the jack, create enough clearance to work without bracing against the vehicle, and keep your body and tool force aligned with the vehicle’s support structure. If the vehicle rocks, a support shifts, or the tool needs a sudden pull
Garage Safety
No. Wheel chocks alone are not enough to make it safe to work beneath a vehicle. The car must also be supported by properly rated ramps, jack stands, or another primary support, and some jobs need a rated secondary restraint to limit movement or stop the vehicle leaving the ramps.
Garage Safety
Choose vehicle ramps by matching their rated capacity, usable dimensions, surface, and attachment method to the complete loading setup. Start with the vehicle’s maximum loaded weight, axle or wheel loading, carried equipment, loading height, and ground conditions; then select ramps that are long and wide enough and can be
Garage Safety
A safe vehicle-lift workspace has enough structural support, vertical clearance, operating room, visibility, and emergency access for the lift, the vehicle, and the people using it. Before choosing a position, verify the concrete, ceiling, vehicle approach, walking routes, utilities, and surrounding clearances; the lift manufacturer’s installation manual controls
Jack Stands
To lift a vehicle safely, use a firm, level surface, the manufacturer-approved jacking and support points, correctly rated equipment, and a controlled stability test before getting underneath. Chock the wheels, raise the vehicle gradually, place it on jack stands, and lower it onto them; never use a hydraulic jack
Garage Tools
For full underbody repairs, choose a properly installed two-post lift. For drive-on convenience, vehicle storage, and heavier vehicles, a four-post lift is usually the better fit; for a low-ceiling garage and routine servicing, a scissor lift is often the practical choice. The deciding factors are your
Jack Stands
To raise one end of a vehicle safely, use ramps or correctly rated jack stands on a hard, level surface, with the wheels left on the ground securely chocked. Ramps are usually simplest when both wheels at one end stay installed; a floor jack and jack stands are more flexible
Shop Safety
A safe, efficient work zone is arranged so people, vehicles, materials, and emergency responders have clear, separate movement paths, while tools, storage, and workstations sit around those paths. Map the routes before placing equipment, then secure heavy items, separate clean and dirty work, and put frequently used tools where workers