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Anyone who works in a shop for a living knows working on heavy-duty equipment requires heavy-duty tooling.
Schneider master diesel technician Tyler Spain helped compile a list of 192 diesel technician tools you always want to have at your disposal.
Diesel technician tools list
Adapters
- ¼-inch to ⅜-inch.
- ⅜-inch to ¼-inch.
- ⅜-inch to ½-inch.
- ½-inch to ⅜-inch.
- ½-inch to ¾-inch.
Allen drivers
- Standard ³⁄₃₂-inch to ⅜-inch.
- Metric 3-millimeter to 17-millimeter.
1/4-inch drive sockets
- Standard (deep and shallow) ³⁄₁₆-inch to ⅝-inch.
- Metric (deep and shallow) 5-millimeter to 15-millimeter.
3/8-inch drive sockets
- Standard (deep, shallow and impact) ⁵⁄₁₆-inch to 1-inch.
- Metric (deep, shallow and impact) 7-millimeter to 20-millimeter.
- 12-point ½-inch.
- Universal joint.
1/2-inch drive sockets
- Standard (deep, shallow and impact) ⅜-inch to 1¼-inch.
- Metric (deep, shallow and impact) 10-millimeter to 27-millimeter.
- Universal joint.
Extensions
- 2-inch.
- 6-inch.
- 12-inch.
- 24-inch (for reaching bell housing bolts on transmissions).
Feeler gauge set
- Red handle for exhaust.
- Blue handle for intake.
Hammers
- Dead blow.
- Ball peen.
- 4- to 5-pound sledgehammer.
Impacts
- ½-inch.
- ⅜-inch.
- ¼-inch (Air- or battery-powered).
Multimeter
- Digital readout.
- Auto-ranging.
Pliers
- Needle nose.
- Adjustable.
- Standard.
- Vise grip set.
Pry bar set
- Small 12-inch.
- Medium 24-inch.
- Large 36-inch.
Ratchets
- ¼-inch standard ratchet.
- ⅜-inch standard ratchet.
- ½-inch standard ratchet.
- Breaker bar.
Screwdrivers
- Philips (short, medium and long).
- Flathead.
Torx bit drivers
- T10.
- T15.
- T20.
- T25.
- T27.
- T30.
- T40.
- T45 (medium and long shaft drivers).
E-Torx bit drivers
Wiring equipment
- Crimping tool.
- Wire brush.
- Wire stripping tool.
- Wire cutters.
- Handheld torch.
Wrenches
- Standard ⁵⁄₁₆-inch to 1¼-inch.
- Metric 8-millimeter to 22-millimeter.
Other items for a diesel technician tool set
There are other miscellaneous items diesel technicians may want in their toolbox, such as a(n):
- 15-inch aligning bar.
- Adjustable wrenches.
- Battery post-cleaner.
- Cotter key extractor.
- Flashlight.
- Gasket scraper.
- Inspection mirror.
- Hacksaw.
- Hearing protection.
- Measuring tape.
- Pick set.
- Safety glasses.
- Tire gauge.
- Work gloves.
Do diesel technicians buy their own tools?
Diesel technicians almost always provide most or all of their own tools, regardless of where they work.
Common strategies of investing in tooling include:
- Signing up for tool financing programs, such as:
- Purchasing a used toolkit online on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist.
- Working for a company that supplies select tooling.
- Schneider supplies its shops with specialty tools, such as torque wrenches and anything over a half-inch drive.
