No matter if you’re a part-time petrolhead or you’re making your living as a mechanic, it’s important to invest in the right garage equipment to get the job done safely.
With that in mind, we’ve put together this equipment for garages online guide, looking at 11 key tools and machines that make a mechanic’s life easier. If you’re thinking about setting-up a professional automotive repairs shop, or you just want to expand your collection of garage workshop equipment at home, these are the pieces you should look to invest in.
1. Air Compressors
As automotive garage equipment goes, a high-quality air compressor is essential. Not only will it make inflating tyres quick and easy, it also comes in handy for cleaning mechanical parts or removing residue behind engine blocks.
Air compressors work by converting power into pressurised air, which can be used to power a wide range of time-saving automotive tools, including sandblasters, air saws,
sanders, and air rachets.
While many different sizes of air compressors are available, we recommend a 60 or 120 gallon capacity model for professional garage environments.
2. Jacking and Lifting Equipment
Lifting jacks are another garage equipment must-have you can easily source online. They come in a few varieties, including mechanical and hydraulic models and specialist transmission jacks. They’re also uniquely sized according to vehicle weight, so be prepared to invest in a few different styles.
Lifting jacks and other types of lifting equipment help you to raise a vehicle off the floor safely and steadily, at times when you need to change a tyre or attend to vehicle maintenance. A two tonne jack is ok for simple jobs, but you’ll need something more heavy-duty if you’re lifting larger vehicles regularly. You’ll also need to invest in a set of suitably sized axle stands to prop the car or van up securely as you work.
For more info read our guide on lifting jack types, uses and safety.
3. Fluid Transfer Equipment
Fluid transfer equipment is there to help you to safely remove vehicle fluids such as engine coolant, brake fluid, and hydraulic clutch fluid, without causing any spillages.
This type of garage equipment is easy to purchase online and you’ll find many different options to choose from – some designed for specific fluids and others capable of handling multiple fluid types.
Whether it’s for personal or professional car maintenance will determine how much fluid transfer equipment it makes sense to invest in. You’ll find everything from diesel transfer pumps and pneumatic fluid extractors to fluid change syringes and jiggle hoses within our online tool range, all available for delivery to a UK address.
4. Oil Service Equipment
Oil service equipment includes things like drain pans, drain plugs, and oil cans – in other words, everything you need to perform a vehicle oil change.
This equipment allows you to safely drain and dispose of old oil responsibly, without making a mess. As essential garage equipment goes, oil service equipment isn’t expensive, but it will make your life easier, so it’s a great value investment.
5. Battery Jumper & Charger
You won’t get very far as a mechanic without a battery charger and jump leads in your workshop. An absolute necessity when it comes to bringing flat batteries back to life, there’s a reason these electrical tools and accessories are one of the most widely used pieces of equipment for garages.
If you’re after a budget buy you only plan on using occasionally, low-cost models are available, but for professional garages we wouldn’t recommend anything less than a top of the range charger from a trusted industry name.
6. Engine Stands & Cranes
At times when you need to remove an engine from a vehicle to service it, you’re going to be grateful that you had the foresight to invest in an engine stand and crane.
This indispensable piece of garage workshop equipment comes in hydraulic, chain engine, and electric engine hoist varieties, all of which make removing and porting an engine so much easier. Many garages opt for hydraulic or electrical engine hoists purely because they’re efficient and easy to operate, but a chain engine crane will get the job done just as well.
Just be sure to check the engine weight before pulling the trigger as not all engine stands and cranes are designed to take the weight of larger engines. Given this, if you’re likely to be working on a variety of vehicle types, we highly recommend opting for the highest weight capacity crane your budget will stretch to.
7. Spring Compressor
Working on a vehicle’s suspension is another common job mechanics have to tackle day-to-day and that’s where a spring compressor (or strut compressor) really comes in handy.
Designed to shrink the size of springs, this highly durable piece of kit compresses springs in situ, making it easier and less dangerous to remove them from the vehicle’s suspension.
8. Workshop Press
Whether it’s fitting bearings into housings or bending deformed metal, a solid workshop press will make the job quick, safe, and easy.
Presses will be your saving grace at times when you need to separate rusted parts or realign bent components – something that’s all too common with older vehicles. They also come in handy for odd jobs, such as crushing oil filters before recycling them.
While many different grades of press are available, for professional use we recommend going no lower than one that offers 30 tonnes of pressure.
9. Creepers & Stools
Having a workshop stool and at least one castor-mounted creeper will make life in your garage so much easier.
Giving you the flexibility to sit, kneel, or fully recline, while allowing you to manoeuvre around and under vehicles, you’ll never regret investing in these two must-have garage staples.
10. Parts Washer
Whether it’s a greasy motorcycle chain or dissolving corrosion on electrical connectors, parts washers are another key investment you should look to make when sourcing equipment for garages.
Parts washers span everything from magnetic washer bowls and cleaning tweezers to more specialist ultrasonic cleaning tanks. You’ll also come across floor standing and portable parts washers, both of which are perfect for degreasing components.
11. Garage Tool Storage
Tool organisation is key for working smartly and efficiently, but it also helps to prevent your tools from premature corrosion and damage.
Most mechanics find it handy to have a mix of fixed and portable tool storage in their garage – for example, wall-mounted heavy-duty tool panels complemented by a cantilever tool box. Shadow foaming is another great form of tool storage that makes it easier to organise your garage equipment and keep it in top condition.
Source Your Garage Equipment from Red Box Tools
At Red Box, we offer a wide range of automotive garage equipment online, sourced from trusted garage workshop equipment suppliers. Whether it’s an engine hoist or a coil spring compressor, we can help you to find the right make and model for your budget. We’ll even deliver it to a UK address at a time and date of your choosing.
Take a look at some of our best-selling equipment for garages below or click the links in this guide to be taken directly to a specific tool range on our website.
FACOM TCS-E2
TOOL CREEPER STATION ESSENTIAL 2
FACOM BAT.TEST
BATTERY TESTER WITH PRINTER
BAHCO – BCL32G1
14.4 V CORDLESS GREASER WITH GR-400 CONTAINER CAPACITY
Ready to get organised?
Find your perfect tool storage from our professional range
From tool bags and tool chests to tool boxes with wheels, tool belts, tool cases, and trade-specific tool storage, at Red Box Tools we offer high-quality solutions you can count on.
Or why not take your tool storage to the next level with our made-to-order tool box foam drawer inserts and custom shadow foaming?
