A skilled auto mechanic will likely want to open up a shop of their own at some point. This allows them to make more extensive repairs and create a business of their own. Before they can do this, they must obtain all the necessary equipment that a car repair shop must-have. This might seem like an easy task at first, but there’s a lot of ground to cover. If you’re an entrepreneur repair expert, you need to become familiar with absolutely everything your shop would need. To start, you’ll need the essentials. Below is a list of the equipment you’ll need to get before moving on to other parts of the business.
Table of Contents
An air compressor
One of the most essential pieces of equipment found in any auto repair shop is the air compressor. It’s used for a variety of different tasks, but its primary function is to inflate tires. This is something you’ll be doing a lot of in the repair shop, as tires problems are frequent. As you patch them up and replace them, they will have to be inflated.
Not every air compressor is made equal. For a busy repair shop, you’ll have to have a high-capacity air compressor that is quick and efficient. At the bare minimum, you need a 60-gallon air compressor. However, if you expect to see a lot of vehicles coming in quick succession, going above this number might be necessary. There are some very powerful 120-gallon compressors that can be utilized by auto repair shops. Consider your expected workload before choosing one.
An oil and drain caddy
Oil changes are going to be a frequent part of car maintenance. Much of the oil that is drained from a vehicle will be wastes unless you have a drain caddy. Storing leftover oil is a very effective way to save money and recycle this essential substance.
Car oil can be reused again and again if stored properly. It’s not used for cars afterwards, but rather to heat other oil, asphalt, and many other functions. Having an oil and drain caddy will help your shop make a more positive impact on the environment while also increasing your profit margins.
Pallet jacks
A car repair shop will use a lot of heavy equipment and materials on a daily basis. Getting these materials from storage can be difficult by hand, and often requires the assistance of several employees. In these scenarios, the transport would be slow and inefficient, while also occupying workers that could be doing something else.
Much like in warehouses, car repair shops use pallet jacks to move things around the workplace. Boxes full of large numbers of essential equipment can be moved pretty quickly with the help of a powerful pallet jack. Properly maneuvering these machines around the place is very important, as you’ll have to avoid bumping into delicate equipment. This is why the pallet jacks used in car repair shops are often very easy to maneuver and provide stable steering. These machines will reduce the chances of injury occurring in your repair shop while also drastically increasing efficiency.
Reliable pole jacks
Vehicles aren’t particularly easy to move. Even the smallest car you encounter will be impossible to service without some lifting equipment. This is where pole jacks come in. Every car mechanic should be familiar with them, as even laymen use them for making minor repairs. However, laymen aren’t exposed to the dangerous weight of a vehicle above them every single day, while mechanics most certainly are.
This means you’ll need some very strong pole jacks that you can put your trust in. A single failure with this piece of equipment could cause massive injuries, which is why you don’t want to skimp out on them. Pole jacks are also particularly useful for supporting axles and other components while the vehicle has been lifted. It’s something you can’t do without for most repairs, so make sure you have enough of them throughout your shop.
A battery charger
A car battery is normally built to last you quite a long time. However, mistakes happen and the battery can end up drained when you need it. After you’ve used jumper cables to get your car in motion, you’ll have to take it to a car repair shop. The shop will have to have a battery charger to fill up the customer’s battery.
To handle charging problems for many customers in a short time span, a high-capacity battery charger and some jumper cables are necessary. Make sure you get a model that is easy to transport around the shop, as various cars might need help with charging in a similar timeframe.
An engine hoist
Working on a car’s engine is particularly complex. It needs to be removed from the car’s frame in order to be expected and properly repaired. Doing so by hand would be dangerous work, and it might not allow you to make quick repairs. This is why car mechanics use engine hoists.
This equipment allows you to directly remove the engine from a vehicle and suspend it in the air. Whether you need to set it on a repair surface or make small adjustments while it’s on the hoist, it’s going to come in handy either way. Make sure you get a very strong hoist that is capable of safely lifting any engine you might encounter. Otherwise, you risk having it drop and cause injury to mechanics and equipment.
Conclusion
Running a car repair shop requires a lot of know-how and equipment. While you might require tons of experience for the former, the latter requires extensive financing. Many small auto repair shops often lack essential equipment that would otherwise make the work safer and more efficient.
Incorporating this equipment might be expensive at first, but it’s a sound investment for any auto shop business. With the right tools, work can be done efficiently and without delays. The above examples are absolute essentials that any car repair shop should have, so make sure you find these pieces before you open shop.
