Tool set sizes

[nitch]

Hello,
I'm intending to buy my self a nice set of tools for the elan. I've seen some realy nice sets, but I don't want to buy one which will be an overkill.
Which socket sizes do I need? Inches or milimetric, or both?
Hex keys? Wrenches?

Thanks,
Liad

[rgh0]

Buy the best quality set you can buy, you will regret buying cheap tools. You dont need metric if you only want to work on an Elan. Get a set with sockets and extensions , ring spanners and open ended spanners you need them all to get at some of the locations on an Elan. Buying a good quality torque wrench is needed if your are working with the critical suspension, brake, drive line and engine bolts. It is also a good idea if you have not done a lot of wrench work to use the torque wrench on all the other non critical bolts unitl you get a calibrated feel for the right torque.

You dont need to get a very big set with the largest possible range. The standard small sets cover most nuts and bolts on a Elan. If you find your missing a particular large size (eg steering wheel nut) or small size (hand brake caliper spring locating nut) buy that individually as you need it.

Rohan

[pereirac]

A cheap 1/2inch spanner which you can shorten is useful. There is never a lot of room in an Elan engine bay and having some 'cheap' tools which you don't mine cutting up to fit for particular jobs is always useful, as are long extension bars for your socked sets. The 'wobblt' type look useful as the work over a range of angles...

[steveww]

Using a 3/8 drive socket set is the best size. As has already been said there is not a lot of room around the Elan an a 1/2 drive socket can be a bit bulky.

[twincamman]

how about a nice set of British Standard Whitworth spanners ed

[M100]

how about a nice set of British Standard Whitworth spanners ed

I can't recall there been any whitworth threads on the car at all just UNC, UNF and BA.

I've found the flex head type very useful in tight to access areas



also these can be useful too



For sockets 3/8" 6 point flank drive type with wobble extensions

And a good torque wrench

Oh and one of these for when it gets real tough

[berni29]

Hi

Don't forget the angle grinder for when the hammer doesn't work. I find that 3/8 and 1/4 inch drives are the ones that I use, and the hex sockets (6 sides). That type of socket is far superior but you need to make sure that the drive has a fine ratchet.

Berni

[Matt7c]

You dont need metric if you only want to work on an Elan.

Webers are metric, although a small and cheap metric spanner set would suffice. Also, if your exhaust clamps are recent, they are likely to be metric, too, perhaps depending upon where your Elan has been in the last few years.

[rgh0]

Matt

While you are correct, you can do everything you need to do on a Weber with a screwdriver set and a small adjustable wrench.



Rohan

[nitch]

Bought myself set 12890 from Signet.
It contains both 1/4" and 3/8" drives, and both metric and inches sockets.
The largest sockets on the set applies for the oil sump screw, and that's enough for me.
Thanks everyone,
Liad

[M100]

Webers are metric

And I guess so are Dellorto's