5 Ryobi Tools You'll Want For Working On Your Project Car
Sometimes, it's cheaper to work on your car at home, or maybe you just want to start restoring an older vehicle. To get started, you'll need to pick up a set of tools. Ryobi is a Home Depot-exclusive brand, but don't let you think it's not a quality name. While it's not something mechanics would typically gravitate toward, the brand is still plenty enough for tackling a project car. Snap-On, for example, is a brand known to be a favorite of mechanics, but that comes with a much greater price tag than Ryobi.
Every tool and item on this list can be found at a Home Depot store, either in person or online, so it's all easy to track down, even if you don't have a storefront near you. Everything is also backed up by high user scores that'll ensure you're getting a quality product. A more in-depth methodology on why these tools were chosen can be found at the end of the list.
ONE+ 18V Cordless LED Light
Having a consistent light source is very important when working on any sort of project, let alone a car. Ryobi offers a cordless LED light that'll let you ditch your phone in exchange for a brighter, more consistent light source. You can pick this up from Home Depot for $29.97, but that's omitting the 18V battery you'll need for it to work. However, this light is part of the Ryobi ONE+ ecosystem, which means you can use the same 18V batteries you have with other Ryobi products with this light. It's a nice touch that rewards you for buying into the brand, and that means you can eventually save money by skipping battery purchases down the road.
The light has a 4.8 out of five rating on Home Depot's website based on over 600 reviews. It's covered by a three-year manufacturer's warranty, so you'll be covered in the event something goes wrong with the Ryobi light in the future. With 22 hours of runtime, you won't have to charge the battery all that often, either.
ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless 4-Mode 1/2-inch High Torque Impact Wrench
An impact wrench is a staple of any home mechanic, and there's no reason not to have one if you're tackling a car project. Rusty or super tight lug nuts no longer have to be an issue with Ryobi's impact wrench, and you can pick one up from Home Depot for $219. Keep in mind the price doesn't include the battery or charger, but this is part of the aforementioned ONE+ line, which means your 18V Ryobi batteries will work with this tool. This impact wrench boasts 1,170 feet/pounds of breakaway torque, so there's little it can't handle. The on-board LED light also makes it so you should have no issues seeing your work area.
The Ryobi impact wrench has an impressive 4.9 out of five rating on Home Depot's website with over 600 reviews, proving it can hold its own with some of the more expensive brands. A three-year manufacturer's warranty covers it, so there's no need to worry about it breaking right away and having to dump $200 down the drain.
1/2-inch Metric Deep Impact Socket Set (11-Piece)
A set of sockets is nice to have around, and that's especially so when you're dealing with cars. Sockets can be quite expensive depending on the brand, but Ryobi keeps the price relatively low at $39.97 for an 11-piece set. These would fit in quite well with an impact driver, also offered by Ryobi, and they'll make things like removing tires a simple task. You can choose between Metric or SAE measurements, but the price remains the same for both. If you're in a hurry, each of these sockets is marked with their size, so there will be little downtime when picking one out.
User reviews are solid for the set as it holds a 4.9 out of five rating on Home Depot's website. There aren't any glaring downsides to point out, so this will be a nice option for anybody needing a socket set. This socket set is backed by a limited lifetime warranty in the event anything goes wrong.
Screwdriver Set (7-Piece) with Cushion Grip Handles
Having a dependable set of screwdrivers is important to have around the house and for a car. You don't need to go overboard and buy a huge set, but having a few Phillips and flat heads is all necessary. The Ryobi Seven-Piece Set comes with two Phillips, three flat heads, a T10, and a T15. You can pick up this set for $15.97 from Home Depot, and if you just need the Phillips and flat heads, you can bump it down to $9.97 and pick up a four-piece set that comes with two of each.
With over 150 reviews, the Ryobi screwdriver set has a 4.8 out of five rating. This is a cheap way to get a decent set that won't give you any issues while working on a car or other projects around the house. These screwdrivers come equipped with magnetic tips, so you should easily be able to guide screws into place without much issue. They are backed by a limited lifetime warranty.
14-in-1 Compact Multi-Tool
If you need something handy to pull a fuse out in a car, the Ryobi 14-in-1 multi-tool is up to the task. The included features are needle nose pliers, pipe grips, scissors, nail cleaner, 2-sided file, awl, can opener, wire cutters, saw, knife, Philips screwdriver, slotted screwdriver, and bottle opener. On top of all that, you're getting a stainless steel build that promises to be durable in the long run. The downside is a tool that wears this many hats doesn't tend to have the greatest quality for every individual accessory, but for $14.27 from Home Depot, this is more than worth it.
The multi-tool has a four out of five rating on Home Depot's website, which does make it the lowest on the list, but that's not something to be alarmed about. Reviewers note it's nice to have around in tight spots, which is exactly what you'll be dealing with when working on a car. This can just be kept in your pocket and used around the house, too, if you'd like.
Why were these tools selected?
Ryobi doesn't have a huge range of tools to work on cars, and you'll notice the brand is missing some handy items like a jack. However, the brand does carry a decent amount that'll help you out on a car project. Each tool here will not only come in handy fixing up a car, but you should also be able to get plenty of mileage out of them for other DIY work around the house. If you're trying to keep the costs down on your tool collection, this is a great brand to gravitate toward.
Since this is Ryobi we're talking about, you also benefit from being part of the ONE+ line with the power tools. This line allows you to save a decent amount of money the more you buy into the ecosystem. The user reviews should give you good peace of mind that you're getting a quality product, and if something does go wrong, you're typically covered by a lengthy warranty.