{"id":1402,"date":"2015-07-29T12:00:56","date_gmt":"2015-07-29T17:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/blog\/?p=1402"},"modified":"2024-02-20T15:52:01","modified_gmt":"2024-02-20T21:52:01","slug":"diy-auto-repair-beginners-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/blog\/diy-auto-repair-beginners-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"DIY Auto Repair: Beginner’s Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

The DIY movement is huge, and for a good reason. DIY’ers save themselves a lot of money by using their time, smarts, and their own two hands to do what needs to be done. DIY auto repair can be especially rewarding. Often, the problems with your vehicle can be fixed quite easily with the right parts, tools, and a bit of research. Blain’s Farm & Fleet has the tools and expert help you need to get started today.<\/p>\n

Know your car or truck<\/h2>\n

You don’t have to know everything about cars to make your own DIY auto repair. You just have to know a few things about your car. Start with the basics. What’s the year? Make? Model? What size is the engine? Is it front-wheel drive? Rear-wheel drive? All Wheel Drive? Does it have anti-lock brakes? Does it have tire pressure monitoring? Does it have anti-theft systems? What kind of oil does it take? What kind of transmission does it have? These are all important things to know, especially if you are going to be buying your own parts from an auto parts store. You should be able to learn all of these basics from reading your owner’s manual. DIY auto repair starts with a little research.<\/p>\n

Another great resource for learning more than just the basics of your car is from a repair manual. These manuals include a detailed rundown\u00a0of the inner workings of your car or truck, with photos of a complete tear-down and rebuild. Think of it as a cookbook full of recipes for working on your car.<\/p>\n

Don’t forget to check out the rest of The Blain’s Farm & Fleet Automotive Blog<\/a> for how-to articles, buyer’s guides, maintenance tips, and other useful information.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can also ask the friendly experts at your local Farm & Fleet if you have any questions about working on vehicles or if you need help finding a special tool.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tools for DIY\u00a0auto repair<\/h2>\n

DIY auto repair\u00a0under the hood? First, you need wrenches<\/a>. So many things on your car or truck are held together by bolts of different sizes that you will need a full set of wrenches on hand to be sure that you will be able to tackle any job that comes up. A ratchet and socket set<\/a> will save you time and let you turn bolts much faster.<\/p>\n

A good pair of pliers<\/a> will also come in handy. You will come across a lot of things working on your car that will require a tight grip, whether it’s holding onto the nut to tighten down a bolt or clamping down on a hose after you unhook it.<\/p>\n

Working on cars and trucks can be a dirty job. Shop towels<\/a> and hand cleaner <\/a>will help you stay clean.<\/p>\n

Want to do DIY maintenance on your tires? You’ll need a tire pressure gauge<\/a> and a tread depth gauge<\/a> to make sure your tires are in good shape.<\/p>\n

If you need to do some electrical work, you’ll get a lot of use out of a starter wiring kit<\/a> and a multimeter.<\/a><\/p>\n

Working underneath your car or truck? Get a garage floor jack<\/a>, some wheel chocks<\/a>, jack stands<\/a>, and a creeper<\/a>. \u00a0They will make your life easier and more comfortable. A pair of auto ramps<\/a> might come in handy, too.<\/p>\n

A work light <\/a>will also help you get the job done by helping you see what you need to see in low light under the hood or under your car or truck.<\/p>\n

Parts and supplies to start your own\u00a0DIY auto repair<\/span><\/h2>\n

Not only will you need tools to get the job done, but you’ll have to buy your own parts. Farm & Fleet has a wide selection of parts. From wiper blades and spark plugs to mufflers and brake rotors, you’ll find everything you need at your local Blain’s Farm & Fleet<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Need a battery<\/a>? Battery cables<\/a>? Spark plugs<\/a>? Spark plug wires<\/a>? Oil and air filter<\/a>? Head light bulbs<\/a>? Brake pads<\/a>? Fuses<\/a>? Shocks<\/a>? Struts<\/a>? Exhaust parts<\/a>? It’s all here.<\/p>\n

With knowledge, tools, and parts, you’ve got a great start on becoming a DIY auto repair mechanic. For more tips on car maintenance, visit our Automotive<\/a>\u00a0blog.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Save money and get your hands dirty by doing a DIY auto repair. Blain’s Farm & Fleet has what you need and this guide will get you started.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":1576,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1464,1468],"content_type":[1373],"class_list":["post-1402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-automotive","tag-maintenance-repair","tag-all-automotive","content_type-article"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDIY Auto Repair: Beginner's Guide | Blain's Farm & Fleet<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Save money and get your hands dirty by doing a DIY auto repair. 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