Getting tooled up

I often read in the technical section of ‘a good selection of extension bars’ or a ‘good selection of spanners/sockets’.

So what exactly is a ‘good selection’ for working on Defender or other Land Rovers (not Series vehicles)?

Obviously the more competent and confident the home mechanic the more tasks that can be undertaken and arguably the bigger range of tools, but if you could assist that would be really useful.

Martin Hicks

Trevor Cuthbert replies: Over my years of working on Land Rovers as an enthusiast and then in a professional capacity I have built up quite a collection of tools. Some of the purchases were probably not a great idea, but that is hindsight for you!

Surprisingly, I have only a small scattering of the tools from the likes of Snap-on or Mac Tools – and these odds and ends would have been purchased secondhand. My point being that even for everyday professional use, one does not need to spend major money on tools. I generally purchase good quality tools from brands such as Draper Expert, Sealey, Stanley and other British independent tool makers like Franklin and Britool. I also use an excellent socket set from Halfords, with a lifetime guarantee; more on that later.

In terms of tool sizes, the majority of nuts and bolts on a Defender are metric – or can be worked on with metric tools. For example, the bolts holding the Panhard rod /PAS bracket to the chassis are ½” UNF but 19 mm wrenches and socket wrenches work perfectly on them. However, the 3/8” UNF propeller shaft bolts require 9/16” wrenches and ideally the special 9/16” socket tool for the job.

Most bolts on a Defender are M6, M8 and M10 which traditionally need 10 mm, 13 mm and 17 mm wrenches and sockets