When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I am not much of DIY person but planning to be doing something like Radiator Grille, Mud flap upgrade etc. Can someone suggest a Automatic Torque wrench and set of sockets that will work for most of the C8 nuts/under panels and maybe tires? Looking for something economical here. Thanks.
Why do you need a torque wrench for mud flaps and vent screens? Just use hand tools. Get a $150 1/2" torque wrench for 150 foot pounds in it's mid range and an extended wheel socket with a protective sleeve.
Last edited by DrivesWithTwoFeet; Feb 12, 2026 at 12:50 PM.
If you're going to invest in battery operated power tools it is best to consider what battery ecosystem you want to go with so you don't wind up with multiple incompatible batteries (the most expensive part of the investment). I went with Ridgid because I like the lifetime service agreement.
I have a 1/2" impact wrench, a 1/4" hex impact driver, and a 1/2" impact drill (among many other tools). But for your use a brand of choice power drill with a clutch would probably be best. You can use it to quickly remove fasteners and set it to install fasteners without over torquing. You can then finish by hand or with a torque wrench.
The proper wheel lug nut torque is 140 #ft. While you can get to that # with a good 3/8" torque wrench, I would suggest going with a 1/2" drive. As far as the bolts/screws that you need to remove to get to install radiator screens, a decent 1/4" drive socket set with a good ratchet and extensions will work. A small 1/4" electric gun would make your life easier but not necessary. As was said, be sure the gun has a torque limiter switch on it.
You don't need a torque wrench for those items you mentioned, I would suggest investing in a basic hand tool set....a 1/4" ratchet & 1/4" sockets in sae 5/32" to 9/16" & metric 4mm to 15mm along with a 3/8" ratchet with sae 1/4" to 7/8" & 8mm to 19mm metric sockets. Also, but some assorted flat head, phillips, torx & allen head screw drivers
Battery powered is neat for heavy use or in the rare case where you don't have room to swing the ratchet, from what the o.p. stated he won't use the tools enough to justify the cost weight and hassle of messing with batteries and he is not doing anything in super tight spaces. Anything from Craftsman or Snap on etc. should be fine. I would stay away from some of the super cheap soft metal tools you find at Walmart, they tend to give you rounded bolts and bloody knuckles.
I believe in using torque wrenches and not guessing if something is about right. On the top end you need one to 150ft/lb for the wheel lugs and on the low end 53 in/lb for the DCT filter cap. Also, 18ft/lb for the engine drain plug is a common value. One torque wrench won't have the range to do everything, plus the lower 20-25% of a wrench is inaccurate and not calibrated. I have two clickers, one to 150ft/lb and another to 250in/lb.
Take good care of them and get them checked for calibration now and then. If you keep them in a clean padded tool box drawer and don't use them as a pry bar (I've seen that) they last and are accurate for many years.
I am not much of DIY person but planning to be doing something like Radiator Grille, Mud flap upgrade etc. Can someone suggest a Automatic Torque wrench and set of sockets that will work for most of the C8 nuts/under panels and maybe tires? Looking for something economical here. Thanks.
Some may cringe, but honestly, for economy and adequate quality, I think you might want to take a walk through your local Harbor Freight Store. Most of my tools are not from there - but were acquired over a long time - a combination of original USA craftsman tools, DeWalt power tools/wrenches, CDI and snap-on torque wrenched, Gear-wrench, Olsa. But I now have a few items from Harbor Freight and they seem to be fine.
What is an "automatic torque wrench"?
There are various types of torque wrenches. I can think of at least 4 types: Dial, beam, digital, and click. I have dial type and click type. And in various torque ranges. I have snap-on, CDI, and a few others. One is a 100-600 lb-ft for the wheel nuts on my 37 ford. One dial type is very low lb-in for adjusting the power steering on my pontiac. Any reputable brand will be fine I think.
As for power wrenches/drivers - I use battery DeWalt tools simply because years ago that was the what I bought - and as noted by @RKCRLR I wanted to stick with the same battery and charger system. That did not work out perfectly because at the time DeWalt was using 18v batteries but now are primarily 20 volt - so I have been upgrading as needed. I would still recommend DeWalt, but that's really because I have them and like them. They make some very nice compact drill style tools, including impact tools, drill driver tools. I like the compact ones because they can be used in tighter spaces. I also have an assortment of right angle adapters to use when necessary. They also make a battery powered ratchet tool that is also useful in certain tight spaces.
I tend to buy the over time, as needed - for the job at hand - not all at once.
For manual tools - wrenches and sockets, I'm no expert there. I research and buy as needed. I purchased most of my hand tools years ago, Craftsman Tools when they were made in the USA. And when necessary, I purchase NOS replacements on ebay. I have various socket variations - 6 point and 12 point. I like gear-wrench ratcheting combination wrenches. I have also purchased a few tools from tractor supply and Harbor Freight. And I have a few Olsa tool - I think I bought a set of metric and SAE thin wrenches from them. Many thin wrenches are stamped and weak. The Olsa version seemed pretty good.
I don't think I ever went out and bought a "complete" set of tools. Rather over a long time, I reviewed the task at hand, and if needed, I acquired the necessary tools.
Almost (never say none, all, never, always) all my tools are Craftsman. 25 years ago my tool box was stolen out of my garage (had to be two to lift the damn thing) and I had a great assortment of tools and special tools and jigs I had collected over many years. My home owners paid way more than they were worth so I bought a much larger chest, chained it to the wall and bought the sets from Sears and started getting the specialty stuff all over again.
Power tools. I have no power tools, I have a nice cordless drill with adjustable break collet I sometimes use as one and I do have some pneumatic tools but I believe in hand tools. Old school.
Some may cringe, but honestly, for economy and adequate quality, I think you might want to take a walk through your local Harbor Freight Store. Most of my tools are not from there - but were acquired over a long time - a combination of original USA craftsman tools, DeWalt power tools/wrenches, CDI and snap-on torque wrenched, Gear-wrench, Olsa. But I now have a few items from Harbor Freight and they seem to be fine.
What is an "automatic torque wrench"?
There are various types of torque wrenches. I can think of at least 4 types: Dial, beam, digital, and click. I have dial type and click type. And in various torque ranges. I have snap-on, CDI, and a few others. One is a 100-600 lb-ft for the wheel nuts on my 37 ford. One dial type is very low lb-in for adjusting the power steering on my pontiac. Any reputable brand will be fine I think.
As for power wrenches/drivers - I use battery DeWalt tools simply because years ago that was the what I bought - and as noted by @RKCRLR I wanted to stick with the same battery and charger system. That did not work out perfectly because at the time DeWalt was using 18v batteries but now are primarily 20 volt - so I have been upgrading as needed. I would still recommend DeWalt, but that's really because I have them and like them. They make some very nice compact drill style tools, including impact tools, drill driver tools. I like the compact ones because they can be used in tighter spaces. I also have an assortment of right angle adapters to use when necessary. They also make a battery powered ratchet tool that is also useful in certain tight spaces.
I tend to buy the over time, as needed - for the job at hand - not all at once.
For manual tools - wrenches and sockets, I'm no expert there. I research and buy as needed. I purchased most of my hand tools years ago, Craftsman Tools when they were made in the USA. And when necessary, I purchase NOS replacements on ebay. I have various socket variations - 6 point and 12 point. I like gear-wrench ratcheting combination wrenches. I have also purchased a few tools from tractor supply and Harbor Freight. And I have a few Olsa tool - I think I bought a set of metric and SAE thin wrenches from them. Many thin wrenches are stamped and weak. The Olsa version seemed pretty good.
I don't think I ever went out and bought a "complete" set of tools. Rather over a long time, I reviewed the task at hand, and if needed, I acquired the necessary tools.
Funny, I was going to suggest a trip to Harbor Freight.
Their stuff is inexpensive but reasonable in terms of fit and function. In my experience.
I've not had any failures with their tools.
Thanks for suggestion. I think based of the feedback and that I am not really a heavy duty user of the tool, a manual set might be good. How does this one look ? Its 9 bucks at Home Depot? Seems to have 7mm, 8mm etc sockets.
That's crazy cheap. For the purposes you've mentioned, that should work fine (except for the wheel lugs, of course).
I will say that while Harbor Freight stuff was junk back in the day, their products today are actually quite good. Their basic Pittsburgh wrenches are nice, if a little thick. And the Icon wrenches are basically Snap-On copies at 1/4 the price.
I try to avoid buying the cheap stuff, as I expect my tools to last. I'm still using a Craftsman 3/8ths socket set I bought over 45 years ago.
Those cheap Home Depot sockets will not fit well. At least not for long. I would also suggest Icon from Harbor Freight. Good quality, fairly inexpensive.
I am not much of a DIY person but planning to be doing something like Radiator Grille, Mud flap upgrade etc. Can someone suggest an Automatic Torque wrench and set of sockets that will work for most of the C8 nuts/under panels and maybe tires? Looking for something economical here. You can also learn more about what range and sizes you will need. Thanks.
For an economical setup that will work on C8 grille bolts, mud flaps, under panels and even tires, go with a 10–150 ft‑lb 1/2″ drive click torque wrench plus a 1/2″ metric socket set covering roughly 10 mm through 19 mm. That combination will cover most of the nut and bolt sizes you’ll encounter on those jobs.
If you go out and buy a bunch of stuff you think you might need, you'll end up with tools that you may never use. Anymore, I just buy tools as I need them. I do like to stroll around in Harbor Freight, but my wife makes me leave the credit card at home.
In the past I was/is a tool hoarder. I have had to stock tools for work, tools for the road and tools at home. It was easy for me to justify buying sets of tools instead of just the tool I needed at the time. I remember when Fluke came out with the 77 - multimeter (yes, I'm old) I bought three of them. I have 3ea. wheel pullers I have never used.
Since I retired, I have eight toolboxes, three full sets of automotive and insolated electrical tools and limited space to put them.
Craftsman was the DIY standard for many years. Then they way went down in quality, now making a comeback? Price is reasonable.
Snap On was the world standard for Pro mechanics. Very expensive but worth it if you are using those tools 8 hours every day. Way overkill for the DIY car owner.
Harbor Freight sockets and wrenches are a good bargain. I bought HF sockets and wrenches for my second garage / second tool box. They work fine.
Cobalt from Lowes are good.
Husky tools from Home D are good.
Quote: RKCRLR: If you're going to invest in battery operated power tools it is best to consider what battery ecosystem you want to go with so you don't wind up with multiple incompatible batteries (the most expensive part of the investment). I went with Ridgid because I like the lifetime service agreement.
Good advice so you don't end up with a collection this. I'm sure it could be worse.
Last edited by C5racecar; Feb 16, 2026 at 06:25 AM.
I did basic work on my previous car, oil change, brake pads, o-rings here and there, got good at taking off the front end to service and retrofit the HID headlights, having owned the car for 24 years. I expect to do less myself on this one, especially in warranty years,, but I do have a task in mind. I'm thinking about putting in an engine bay lighting kit, need to remove a rear wheel to route for power. Harbor Freight has a sale...
• I picked up a 3-ton Daytona for $129.99 ($70 off), wasn't going to trust my old cheap floor jack
• A budget torque wrench, Quinn 50-250 lb-ft for $59.99, I see good reviews, haven't owned one before
• They have a deep socket set with sleeves for $50, but since I don't need this today and only need 7/8-inch [edit: I see 22 mm is the exact fit], I'll order the single socket from Amazon
• And I'll order lift pucks from Amazon
• I have jack stands but need to get something better suited to the Corvette, was thinking about a Jack Rod
Sound about right so far?
Also thinking about getting that big tire off safely by myself. I've seen wheel stud extenders that you screw on as guides to pull the wheel off. Also the idea of using wheel dolly of one type or another. Do I need both?Kind of adding up to a bit of expense to install that lighting kit, but may be useful to have the tools, hope to keep this car a few years.
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.
Automatic Torque Wrench and Socket set?
