Bus tools ?

[someguy]

Is a 12 ton bottle jack OK, or should I buy larger ?

Is the Harbor Freight 12T air bottle jack OK ?
https://www.harborfreight.com/12-ton-air-hydraulic-bottle-jack-94487.html  Should I buy something better ?   Should I buy 1 or 2 of them ?   

I'll weld up some jack stands.

Is the Harbor Freight 3/4" socket set and torque wrench OK ? 
https://www.harborfreight.com/34-in-drive-click-type-torque-wrench-63883.html

What other bus specific tools will I need ?

Thanks

[chessie4905]

Their 3/4 drive sets aren't as good as Snap on or some big names, but as good as Craftsman or Kobalt, but good value for the money. And they will replace broken items. Don't know about their 3/4 drive torque wrench, but they recently offered a better brand of tools at higher price point that appear to be of better quality.Btw, if you use any sockets with an impact wrench, you should use impact rated items. They are thicker walled and are of a less brittle material, although millions of people have used regular ones with no problems. I have split regular sockets with an impact several times over the years.

[hogi6123]

I would think a 12 ton jack is big enough, you shouldn't be lifting more than 1/4 of the bus at a time.  However, it's my expectation that a larger capacity jack will have an easier time lifting the same amount of weight as the smaller jack.

One jack is enough but I think two jacks will be desirable for some jobs.  It does not have to have as high a capacity as the heavy one.

My recommendation would be to buy one 20 ton jack and one 12 ton jack.

I use a pile of 4x6 blocks of wood as jack stands.

[dtcerrato]

We carry two stubby 20T jacks, one's a little shorter than the other With a fair amount of misc. blocking.

[chessie4905]

Those air operated bottle jacks are awesome after using non air and having arm get tired moving handle under coach. You may need a couple pieces of plank to get enough clearance in some situations. The 4104 requires a shorty to use under rear axle. In that situation, the 20 ton is better as effort to raise coach is much more manageable. The only down side Ive experienced is that if tire is low or ground is depressed under tire, sometimes you run out of jack travel before tire clears.
Harbor freight has their 12 ton on sale at times. There are companies that offer air operated low boy jacks.$$$

[hogi6123]

I needed a square Budd socket for removing my dual rear wheels.

Nothing else special so far.

[Busted Knuckle]

I have used the Harbor Freight jacks for years and yes they eventually start failing, but for the price toss it in the scrap pile and buy 2 more! I have always kept 12, and 20 ton both around using either or for any job.
I really love the air operated ones also much faster and easier to use from a distance w/o having to be hands on to jack it up.

As for the 3/4 socket sets well I have busted plenty of the ratchets and breaker bars and even a few of the sockets, but for the $ I'd say go for it. Your not running a shop where you will be using them to make a living day in an day out all day long. In those cases your better off with a better quality brand, but that said I have broken Snap-on, Mac, Matco and S-K brand tools as well, but not as easily as the cheap Chinese knock offs.
  BK 

[luvrbus]

If buying China made tools Northern Tools has better quality than Harbor Fright.all depends on what you use the torque wrench for if buy a H/F torque wrench   

[Busted Knuckle]

OH I never use a generic torque wrench! I have 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" and 3/4" drive Snap-on's each in it's own protective case. (I actually have 2 - 3/8" drive one does inch lbs and the other foot lbs) And I have a couple of my dad an uncles OLD antique needle style that are still surprisingly accurate (I check them against the new ones occasionally just for fun and to see if the new ones need re-calibration)
  BK 

PS my Amish boss asked me the other week if I had one he could borrow to torque the barrel on a new gun he was building I said sure so we went by my place an when I opened the drawer he reached for one of the old antiques (he didn't know what was in the red, blue an black cases) I laughed an told him yeah you might be alright with one of those, but I bet you want one of these two and set the 1/2" an 3/4" drives on top of the box as he opened the 1/2" case he said "you mean there is a bigger one than this" I said "Yup, depends on how much torque you need". He said "well they sent this sorta socket thing and it's supposed to have 250-270 foot lbs", so I took the 1/2" drive out of the case set it to 260 ft lbs and handed it back to him and told him "there ya go, just turn it until you hear and feel a click" He looked and me and asked "Is it that easy?", I remember my dad using one like this and having to carefully watch the needle or have someone watch the needle while he turned it"
I told him yes this is the best one for what your doing.
When he gave it back he said "Wow had no idea how tight that was!"

[peterbylt]

I have the Harbor freight 3/4 socket set and have been very happy with it, has most of the sizes you need for an MCI 96A3, The only issue was when I first purchased it, the outer cardboard wrapper said SAE, when I got home, after removing the cardboard and opening the set I found it was the Metric set and had to go back to exchange.

I considered the Harbor Freight Torque wrench from the OP, until I realized it only went to 300 Ft LB, The main use for it for me would be torqueing lug nuts that require 450 FT LB.

I also have two of the Harbor Freight 20 ton Bottle Jacks, that live in the Bus permanently and have performed flawlessly no matter how much I abuse them.

Peter 

[luvrbus]

I never bought a H/F air jack,Doyle gave a set of 20T and they work ok I have had to replace the hoses on both,I don't believe they will lift 20 tons though my Blackhawk is 35 years old and does a better job with less strain 

[someguy]

Thanks for the replies.

Should I get an air gun as well ?  I plan to do all my own work on the coach.   What size air gun should I get ?   

Is a bus air compressor big enough to run an air gun ?   I have a 5 HP single stage air/ 60 gallon compressor in my home shop.  I also have a spare 60 gallon air tank.

What size are the lug nuts on an MCI E/J coach  ?

[Jim Blackwood]

I bought the 10 ton HF air/bottle jack and it works fine. Lifts the whole front of the bus, no problem at all. Haven't tried it on the rear yet.

Jim

[Busted Knuckle]

Yes for occasional use a HF 1" impact is fine.
However now days a good brand 3/4" does the same job as the old 1!"

Now that said and I don't OWN one yet, but the new Milwaukee battery powered impacts are BAD @$#! I would seriously consider one of those if I were you!   

I have a Porter Cable 1/2" battery powered 1/2" impact that I THOUGHT was bad, and I am around the guys using the DeWalts all day long M-F but just last week saw that new Milwaukee in operation and it's hands down BAD @$# compared to my Porter Cable or the crews DeWalts!
So you might skip the air powered an consider a good quality battery operated one!
  BK 

[someguy]

What's the part number or model number or name of the "good" Milwaukee impact gun ?

Model # 2864-20
Model # 2867-20
Model # 2868-20|
Model # 2869-20

Nice, but friggin expensive.  But when I look at a good quality air impact, they aren't much less.

Should I be looking at 3/4" or 1" ?  What torque rating ?