WEB SCRIPT

Sector: Automotive / Land Transport

Qualification: Automotive Servicing NC I

Unit of Competency: Utilize Automotive Tools

Module Title: Utilizing Automotive Tools

1. Prepare Automotive Tools
Learning Outcomes: 2. Use Automotive Tools
3. Maintain Automotive Tools
Developer/s: John Paul M. Tagaca

TITLE PREPARE AUTOMOTIVE TOOLS

After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to:
OBJECTIVES
1. Differentiate hand tools and power tools
Automotive service work requires a great variety of tools. The proper tools
properly used enable you to do a job with safety, speed, and efficiency. You
INTRODUCTION
need two main types of tools in the shop. These are hand tools and power
tools.

TOPIC 1:

Hand Tools and Power

Tools

Hand tools are exactly what they sound like – tools that require manual labor to
use. Manual tools have fewer moving parts, and their designs are simple in
nature.

Power tools have a power source that allows them to operate automatically and
without human intervention. That power source may be a battery, air
compressor or electricity. Power tools also have motors and other mechanisms
that allow them to run more efficiently and more powerfully than their manual
counterparts.

In short, power tools use a source of power like battery, electricity, etc. to run,
while hand tools rely on human power to operate.
 A. Hand Tools

Advantages:

TOPIC 2: One of the primary benefits to owning hand tools is that there’s no need to
worry about mechanical or computerized parts breaking. Hand tools have few
Advantage and moving parts, so they tend to last longer than their powered counterparts.
Disadvantages of Hand
Tools and Power Tools Hand tools also give users more control over the tool’s movement, which is
ideal for wood carving and tasks that require finely detailed work.

Because hand tools require human power to run, they are always available for
use. There is no need to worry about recharging batteries and power outages.
These tools can be used any time.

With most manual tools being lighter in weight and more compact in size, they
are also travel-friendly.

Disadvantages:

The most obvious drawback to using manual tools is that they aren’t as
powerful as their powered counterparts. It also takes more time to complete
tasks because of this lack of power. It can take two or three hits with a hammer
to drive a nail into a piece of wood, but it takes just one squeeze of the trigger to
drive a nail with a nail gun.

Hand tools are also less accurate than power tools because they require human
power and don’t move at the same high speeds power tools move.
B. Power Tools

Advantages:

The main benefit to using power tools is their power. Equipped with motors,
these tools use a power source, like a battery or electricity, to run. They are far
more powerful than manual tools, which contributes in many of the other
benefits these tools offer.

Greater power also means greater accuracy and time saved on projects. Power
tools are usually more precise because they move quickly, and some have
guides to make cutting more precise. More power also means that jobs get
done far more quickly than they would with a manual tool.

Some power tools also handle tasks that are nearly impossible with manual
tools. The jackhammer is a great example of this. Try driving nails or screws
into concrete with a simple hammer. The powerful jackhammer can take care of
this task with ease, which allows contractors to secure concrete anchors into
walls to secure them to concrete floors.

In many cases, power tools (while dangerous themselves) are safer than
manual tools. Cutting down a large tree with a manual saw takes longer and is
far more dangerous than using a chainsaw.

Disadvantages:

There aren’t many drawbacks to power tools, but the two main ones are:
reliance on power and failing parts.

Power tools require a power source, which means they cannot be used if the
power is out or batteries are depleted. These tools also have more mechanical
parts, which means they are more prone to failure.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to use a power or hand tool will depend on
the job and level of accuracy and power required.
TITLE Use Automotive Tools
After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to:
OBJECTIVES
1. Describe the four types of basic hand tools used in the automotive shop
INTRODUCTION
A. Striking Tools
a. Hammer
A hammer is a hand tool used for striking. The ball-peen hammer is
the one used most in the shop.

B. Turning Tools

TOPIC 1:

Use of Hand Tools

a. Screwdriver
Use the proper screwdriver to drive or turn screw. Screwdrivers are
made in a variety of sizes, shapes, and special-purpose designs.
The most common type has single flat blade for driving screws with
slotted heads. There are also Torx-head and Phillips-head screw
drivers. Always select a screwdriver of the proper type and aid for
the job. When using a single-blade screwdriver, the blade should
completely fill the screw slot. This helps prevent damage to the
screw, head.
b. Wrench
A wrench is a long-handled tool with fixed or adjustable jaws. You
use a wrench to turn bolts, nuts, and screw. To work on both USC
and metric fasteners, you need both USC and metric wrenches. A
3/8- to 1-inch USC set and a 6- to 19-mm metric set will handle most
jobs. You need these sizes in sets of open-end, box, and
combination wrenches.
i. Open-end wrench

It usually has the jaw opening at a 15 degree angle to the

handle. Turn the bolt or nut as far as the space permits. Then
flip the wrench over for further turning of the fastener.

ii. Box end wrench

Its opening surrounds or “boxes in” the nut or bolt head. An

advantage is that the box will seldom slip off. However, you
must lift the box wrench completely off and then place it back
on for each swing. The wrench head is thin for use in tight
places. The head usually sets at a 15-degree angle to the
body. This provides hand clearance for swinging the wrench.

iii. Combination wrench

This wrench has a box on one end and an open end on the
other. The two ends are usually the same size. The box end
is more convenient for breaking loose or final-tightening a nut
or bolt. But you must lift the box completely free after each
swing. The open end is more likely to slip off. However, once
the fastener is loose, the open end can turn it faster
iv. Flare nut wrench

It is a special type of combination or box-end wrench and is

used to attach or loosen a flare nut or tubing nut.

v. Adjustable wrench

An adjustable wrench has a movable jaw that you adjust to fit

nuts and bolt heads of various sizes. Tighten the jaws
against the flats of the nut or bolt before applying a turning
force.

vi. Socket wrenches

They are the most widely used tool in the shop. They are like
box wrenches except that the head or socket is detachable
form the handle.
 vii. Torque wrench

It is basically a special handle for a socket. An indicator on

the torque wrench measure the torque or twisting force. This
is the amount of force applied to a nut or bolt while tightening
it.

C. Gripping Tools

a. Pliers

These are hand tools with a pair of adjustable jaws for gripping.
There are many styles and sizes of pliers. Combination, slip-joint
pliers may have cutting edges at the back of the jaws for wire
cutting. Tongue-and-groove or groove-and-land pliers such as
Chennellock pliers have the tongues or lands on one jaw.

b. Puller

Pullers remove parts assembled with an interference fit. This

includes removing gears and hubs from shafts, and bearings from
blind holes. Pullers also remove seals from axle and cylinder liners
from engine blocks.
D. Cutting Tools
Cutting tools remove metal. They include chisels, saws, files, punches. Drill,
taps and dies are also cutting tools. Power cutting tools include grinders,
hones and boring machines.

a. Chisel

The chisel is a cutting tool with a single cutting edge. There are
various sizes and shapes of chisels. Striking the chisel with a
hammer makes the chisel cut.

b. Hacksaw

A hacksaw is basically an adjustable metal frame that holds a steel

saw blade. The blade is replaceable and has from 14 to 32 teeth per
inch. Cutting occurs on the forward stroke as you push the blade
across the metal. The teeth act like tiny chisels and cut off fine
shavings or chips. Use a long steady forward stroke. Apply enough
downward force so the teeth cut rather than slide.

c. File

Files are used for cutting and shaping metals, they have many
cutting edges or teeth. There are many types of files with various
“cuts”. When these cuts are far apart, there are only a few per inch.
d. Punch

Punches are used to knock out rivets and pins. They also align parts
for assembly. To remove a rivet, grind off the rivet head or cut it off
with a chisel then use the starting punch and pin punch.

e. Twist drill

Drill bits or twist drills are tools for making holes. The material being
drilled determines the preferred shape of the cutting edges that form
the point. The grooves along the body carry the chips out of the hole.
A hand-held air or electric drill motor, or a drill press drives the drill
bit.

f. Taps and dies

Most shops have tap-and-die sets for cutting USC and metric
threads. Taps cut inside threads. To tap a hole, determine the thread
size needed. Refer to a tap drill chart and select the size of drill bit
required.
TITLE Maintain Automotive Tools
After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to:
OBJECTIVES
1. Identify procedures in maintaining automotive tools.
INTRODUCTION

Make it a habit to clean tools after each use before you return them to storage.
Wipe them down with a rag or old towel and be sure they are free of dust,
grease and debris before you put them into their proper places. This is also an
opportunity to look for any damage or defects. Check your tools' handles for
splinters, breaks and cracks. Also, make sure that metal parts show no signs of
corrosion or rust. Repair or replace any tools that show signs of damage.

Cold chisels, log-splitting wedges and other striking tools can be very
dangerous if they are not maintained properly. Because these types of tools are
used for repeated striking, the surface of the metal head eventually mushrooms
out and spreads to form a lip or ridge around the edge. With continued use,
there is more spreading and the metal lip may continue to thin, split or curl until
it finally breaks. If the metal head separates from the handle while in use, this
could result in a dangerous projectile. To prevent this hazard, just grind off the
metal edges with a powered grinder on a regular basis.

TOPIC 1: Maintain
Automotive Tools

After cleaning, use an all-purpose oil, such as WD-40 to lubricate tools with
adjustable parts. Lightly spray other metal tool parts as well (avoid getting oil on
handles), such as screwdrivers and bladed lawn and garden tools. Wipe away
any excess with a rag before storing. This will help fight corrosion and rust.
If your tools already show signs of rust, there are a number of rust removers
available at stores. You can also try spraying tools with WD-40 and then
scrubbing them with steel wool or a stiff wire brush. Afterwards, wash them with
warm, soapy water and scrub them again with a cloth or rag until all signs of
rust are gone. Then dry them thoroughly with a clean, dry rag. Apply a light coat
of WD-40 and wipe away excess oil before storing.

Smooth weathered, rough wooden handles with a medium-grit emery cloth.

Handles should be smooth enough to slide your hand along. If the wood is very
rough, first sand across the grain in a shoe-shine fashion. Finish by sanding
with the grain. Wipe a dry handle down with a heavy coat of linseed oil to
rejuvenate and protect the wood.
 Bladed tools, such as shovels, pruners and other lawn and garden tools should
be sharpened once per season. Use files to sharpen digging tools and to
sharpen nicked or dull cutting tools. For digging tools, file the working edge to a
45-degree bevel with a coarse file. Hone and maintain the sharp edge of all
cutting tools with a medium-grit sharpening stone. For faster cutting, wet the
stone with water or lubricate it with honing oil depending on the type of stone
you have.

A proper storage system is a must for hand tools. A toolbox, storage container,
shelving unit, or a combination of all of these can be used to keep your tools
TOPIC 2: Store protected and in peak condition. Ideally, your storage units should be kept
Automotive Tools somewhere with minimal exposure to moisture and temperature changes.
Remember to keep tools in their respective places or hung on designated
hangers when a job has been completed.

Use a small tool bag for the tools you use most often such as tools for simple
jobs in your car. The rest of your tool arsenal can remain in your main toolbox.

You should have a space where you can inspect your tools and perform
necessary maintenance tasks, such as a worktable. Cover it with newspaper or
plastic sheeting to protect the table and make it easier to clean up after you're
done with the job.