What neat tool do you own that has saved the day for you? I have two favorites:
-Swiveling box end ratchet-wrenches (I've seen as low as $30/set at HF). These suckers get in everywhere.
-Impact driver ($6 at HF without bits, not as good as my dad's $60 Mac, but good for 10% the price). I don't know how else I could have moved some bolts like the ones that hold on the miata's headlight lids or the fuel pump bottom bracket.

 

90* drill adapter.

 

pb blaster and channellocks for removing snapped exhaust studs from greddy manifold.

 

i have this ratchet that turns slightly when you twist the handle. It's great for working in small confined spaces where you just can't quite get the socket to go onto the head of the bolt.

 

Nice Craftsman Breaker bar - was using her last night (installing the FM/AGX's)

Also used it last weekend when swapping the front rotors on the winterbeater

It makes loosening factory original nuts and bolts easy, also saves your ratchets internals from snapping - went through a few before i got the bar....

 

two by four and any nearby object.

 

"Vice-Grips"

 

Borrowed a set of shorter metric wrenches from a buddy. He just gave them to me. One of them is the only wrench short enough to reach the back passenger side bolt on my HKS manifold, i'd never be able to tighten it otherwise. Longer wrenches it the head or won't slip on the nut because the turbine housing shape.

 

$20 spring compressor have gotten their monies worth.

 

MY hands the usualy get the job done for me. did you guys know that our axles are torqued ot 160+ lb/ft i had th ecar about 6 inches of the ground before it finally gave way, and loosened.
BTW 1.6 dif is now out.

 

Short stubby wrenches,ratcheting swivel wrenches and my ability to solve problems.

Not really saving the day but it's my favorite tool,a Snap-on digital torque wrench.

 

i'm gonna vote bfh
one time my brother bent the steel wheel on his cavalier and popped the tire off the bead, but the tire was fine. and didn't have a spare to i was able to bend absolutely perfect with a sledge hammer, i was amazed my myself but it came out like nothing ever happened. then he totalled the car

 

^ I love my BFG...and my steel pipe/breaker bar to break stuff with.

 

craftsman striped bolt removing socket set.ratchet wrenches and spring compressor tool.

 

-deep 1/4" drive sockets. Excellent for the t-bolt clamps.
-Craftsman reversable ratched head wrenches
-Weller butane soldering iron

 

a 14" piece of fence post.

 

Little brake fitting plug for testing out Brake Master cylinders. Guy at the autoparts store gave me a brakeline for free cause it wouldn't scan. Took it home, cut about 2" of the tubing off near the end with the fitting on it. Soldered the end shut and it worked like a charm.

 

My craftsman flood lights. Almost all of my work is done at night after school/work, so being able to light up the whole street is awsome.

Those aren't really "tools" though, so I would say my Makita electric impact. Makes short work of just about anything (within reason).

 

ditto on the 1/4" deep sockets. 6-12mm. i use them every time i work on the miata.

 

My Frankencock.

When you need a bunch of little iluvtruenos' running around, I've got the right tool for the job.

Oh, and thick conduit tubing for breaker bar purposes.