Essential tools for the economical DIYer: please help!
 

I am newbie DIYer looking forward to perform some needed work (basically, all maintenance tasks in the book) on my '79 240D. Over the last few days I've done engine oil, transmission and differential fluid change... they were a breeze, really, requiring just a couple of tools: a ratchet, a 13mm socket, a 14mm hex tip socket, a pair of home-made wooden ramps.

I am looking to do routine maintenance things such as brakes, fuel filters, valve and the other required adjustments, and so forth. What are the indispensable tools I should get for these tasks? For instance, brake work is next in line: I was consulting my Haynes manual and in that section alone it mentions needle nose pliers, torque wrench, high-melting point brake grease, small punch, allen socket of unspecified size for removing hub, etc. ... I confess, I feel a bit lost just like a fish out of water... I would like to understand what is essential and what is not, one of the main reasons being that my budget is not a very large one.

I'll be going to the nearest Sears and Walmart stores this weekend (trying to get good deals on tools) and I would very much appreciate a good soul here telling me what tools I should be getting there. So far I have a ratchet, a set of metric sockets 9 to 19mm, one of metric wrenches 6 to 18mm, one hex tip socket 14mm, two 4"-high wooden ramps, various screwdrivers, a pair of regular pliers, a hammer and the jack that came with the car. Basically, very close to nothing...

I plan to get a pair of jackstands there (what type should I be getting for my 240D?) and whatever else you'll be suggesting here... These stores are about 10-15 miles away from where I live, so it would be great if I could get all the essential in just one trip. Your advice here will be very much appreciated. For those tools that are specific to just a single task, it would be great if you mentioned what task they are for... clarifications are never unappreciated at my present level of experience.

Thanks,

Rino

I remember getting a socket/wrench set from WalMart (by Stanley Tools), for around $50. Included a small assortment of wrenches, 3/8 and 1/2 socket wrenches, and about 80 different sockets. Been my best friend.

deep and shallow sockets, sizes 10mm to 19mm, extensions (short and long), swivel extensions (for glow plugs and a manifolds), open end wrenches sized 7mm to 22mm and an assortment of screwdrivers.

also a pair of needle nose vise grips are the monkey wrench of the auto mechanics toolbox.

Standard set of mechanics hand tools should do the job.

For some guides on how to do different DIY look here http://dieselgiant.com/mercedes_diesel_maintenance_tips.htm

Ask if you need help on anything. We all like to help each other out.

I have two suggestions:

1. First buy tools as you find a need for them

2. Buy tools of adequate quality.

For a DIYer you don't need Snap On or Mac tools, but I would consider Craftsman as the minimum quality level.

Start with a set of COMBINATION wrenches. This means box end on one end and open end on the other of the same size. Then a 3/8" drive and 1/2" drive socket set with ratchet, several different length extensions and a universal joint. All of this in Metric, of course with sizes from 8MM to 17MM for the wrenches and the same for your 3/8 stuff. The 1/2 drive stuff should be from about 13 to 32 or so. Add a set of 3/8 drive hex bits from about 5MM up to 10MM.

Add to that Phillips and flatblade screwdrivers, a few various pairs of pliers and maybe an adjustable wrench or two.

After that buy good quality tools as you need them and DON'T get them at Wal Mart or some such.

You will need a 3/16"punch a 7mm wrench and a 5.5mm allen for the brakes job.

As well as 17mm and 19mm sockets.

The maintenance set of tools is actually quite limited:

6, 7, 8, 10, 13, 17, 19, 22, 24 and 46mm sockets and wrenches
5.5, 10 and 14mm allen sockets

Upgrade to steel ramps unless these wooden ramps are milled from a solid chunk of wood ;)

Don't forget a metric pair of channel locks ..jk But channel locks are good to carry with at all times.

I bought a 150 piece craftsman tool set at sears and its all I have ever needed. I also buy as I go along for tools

I appreciate it...

Is a torque wrench essential? What about a power bleeder for the brakes, is it important or is this along the lines of the "traditional oil drain vs. oil extractor" argument? What of lubricants, greases and the like? Are there a couple of these that are basic and can be used for a multitude of tasks, or should one buy each time a different and highly specific product for a given tasks as, for instance, a whole container of "high melting point brake grease" of which one is going to end up applying just a tiny bit "to the contact surfaces of the back and edges of the new brake pad" (quoted from chapter 9 of the Haynes manual) at two-year intervals and is going to last 128 years... :(

You know what I mean?
I am trying to simplify... get down to the essentials and minimize waste of both money and storage space (of which I have very little) in the process...

Rino

I've seen those steel ramps (and plastic ones, like the Rhino's) and they scare the living hell out of me... they are too high and should they crash while I am underneath the beast... I am gone! With mine, I have peace of mind. They are made of two 2" layers of solid wood, stacked and nailed together, and believe me, they ain't gonna crash... I think they could comfortably hold 15K lbs. each.

I'll check out the 150-piece set at Sears in a couple of days, if I can find it. Do you have the exact name for it?

Rino

One thing I've learned about buying tools is to always go to Sears. Sometimes it costs more, but the tools are better quality, and they always have what I'm looking for.

Is the same true concerning jackstands? What capacity jackstands should I get, adequate for my car but at the same time small enough to be hidden somewhere? (I have a huge space problem, and not a private garage...)

Are a pair of jackstands actually essential for routine maintenance tasks?

Rino

Jack stands are a safety issue. Your call. Capacity, you're supporting one side, or corner, so one ton is fine. There are some stamped, they look it, pull out a key, slide up, reinsert, I would not trust them, the better ones have "teeth" that you can adjust the heighth with. They are heavy for a reason. Cheap tools are just that. High temp grease is necessary on some parts, the only problem I can think of, is if you were to use said grease on something like your sunroof, I use grease on throttle linkage, and door hinges, in cold weather will not work. I use Liquid Wrench, and PB Blaster. No need for a power bleeder, or oil extractor for that matter, as you're tight for storage. Routine maintence sockets, wrenches, rarely go over 17mm. 13mm and 10mm are used most sften. Sounds like your ramps will be just fine. Hope this helps.

There is a couple of things about the jack stand business that are not at all clear to me and that I need to have clarified... If I need to get under the car in order to do fluid changes, obviously I do not need them, as my wooden ramps are extra safe and do the job wonderfully.
I'd feel less confortable under a car without wheels and supported by jack stands than under one with wheels standing on my 4" ramps...

However, I am under the impression that I cannot do without those jack stands in order to perform, for instance, work on the brakes, where I need to take the wheels off (and in such a case I wouldn't trust working on the car sustained by just the lifting jack. What is not clear to me is: how many stands do I need? In the case of brake work, for instance, am I supposed to work on just one corner with just one wheel off at a time, two, three or all four???
If I am bleeding the brake line, for example, how many tires do I need to have off at one time? I was under the impression that placing the car on jack stands meant taking all wheels off and having the car on four of those things... And believe me, I wouldn't feel at all comfortable getting under a car sustained that way!
So can someone please explain?

I checked the Sears website... are these the type of jack stands I should be looking at? (two 2-1/4 ton/4500 lb. capacity:
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Mechanics+Tools&pid=00950182000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Lift+Equipment&BV_UseBVCookie=Ye s

I've never used a pair... Where are those U-shaped tips supposed to connect under my car? I am concerned such a small contact area could very well damage its frame... or even worse cause it to slide off!

Rino

other tools
 

as you "grow" a good set of crowsfeet are great for things like transmission cooler lines, brake lines etc - I like SK's version because the grab more corners of the nut

breaker bar for 1/2" sockets (handy for the obvious and breaking loose lug nuts)

eventually you will find out that you will need a couple of torque wrenches - you'll need a narrow / low range (transmission pan/gasket for example is only 8nm) somewhere between 8-30 and a regular range (30 - 120 nm) - I think lug nuts are 80lb or 100NM, and rarely do you need anything godzilla - but it happens (lower control arm eccentric bolt I think is 180nm, pit arm rebuild is real high as well as idle arm)

what else
varying rang of rubber mallets to kindle break things loose (rotor stuck to hub for example)

prybars - assortment - definately come in handy

set of punches - as someone mentioned - for breaks, and helping line stuff up (like the upper control arms ;) for that dang top bolt

floor jacks, zip ties, cable cutter pliers

very advanced (not cheap), but saved my rear a couple of times to clean up bolts and bolt holes - metric tap and die set

the basic metric set of 3/8" 1/2" deep and shallow sockets with ratchets and varies extensions will take you a loooong way!

I thought you were talking economy and now you are talking about luxury items such as power brake bleeders and oil evacuation gadgets.

A combaination wrench and a drain pan serve as your oil evacuator and a Metric wrench that fits the brake screw along with an assistant that is at least 10 years old substitutes for the brake bleeder.

Buy what you need and get the gadgets later.

My $0.02,

Craftsman tool set
 

.
Hello Everyone

I would suggest starting off with one of the Craftsman mechanic tool sets sold at sears.

Buy the largest set of mechanics tools you can afford.

Remember every time you do your own work your not paying a mechanic, so you can afford more tools ! and more tools, and more tools !! :D

Craftsman hand tools all have a lifetime warranty.
If you break it, take it to sears and they give you a new one.

About the brake grease.
When your at the auto parts store, ask for one of the little packets of grease they have for break jobs. Should be around $ .99 They are usually sitting on the counter somewhere.

Have Fun.
Happy Wrenching.

Thanks
RichC
:stupid:

Larry, perhaps I didn't express clearly enough what I was trying to convey... I AM 100% about economy and simplification... I am just perplexed about the complexities of brake maintenance as illustrated by ch. 9 of the Haynes manual (not just the changing of the pads, but also the stuff about the disk brake caliper, brake rotor, etc.) and was trying to get confirmation here that no, that power bleeder some say is so important is not really needed (I was comparing it - as a non-essential - to using an oil extractor to do an oil change...) Well, you have now confirmed that...

Rino

I am going to Sears tomorrow and was checking out those large sets of tools online and couldn't help noticing that a lot of the stuff included in the sets I will never use on an MB... Others in this thread have suggested a more selective approach about purchasing tools, such as, "get these sockets, get these hex keys, etc." and it really seems to boil down to just a few specific tools that will ever be needed for working on my car... So why waste resources and get a bunch of stuff that is very likely to go unused?

Buying quality stuff (Craftsman) from the start makes sense. Thank you so much for the tip about the $.99 grease packets...

What has yet to be mentioned here are the specific tools needed for a valve adjustment job, specifically...
And also, is Sears the best bet for getting good deals on the individual tools (as opposed to buying a whole set and never using most of the items in it) needed to do maintenance on my 240D, or can you suggest other places where I can fare a little better than that?

Can someone also answer my previous questions about jack stands, please?

Rino

Thanks for the clarification.

As far as bleeding go, the MB brakes are no more complex than any other. Although I have a pressure bleeder, there is absolutely no need for one as long as you always have a helper. Once both of my kids went off to college and my wifes schedule rarely coincided with mine I bought one.

The only "magic" about bleeding MB brakes is that on some models you will have to do it with the engine running so that the power assist will help make adequate pressure. I found that necessary if my daughter or wife were helping. Neither one of them were over 5' 4" and just couldn't push the pedal hard enough on my 240D to get the pressure I needed. My 6'4", Varsity Athlete son, on the other hand, had no trouble making pressure with the engine off.

SOOooo...... If you don't have a Linebacker for a neighbor and your assistant is small, run the engine when bleeding brakes, but make sure the assistant understands the importance of not touching anything except the brake pedal while the engine is running.

Good luck,

Thanks, Larry, for the input. However, your new information makes complexities grow even further... I was thinking of a retired, old man to assist me during the brake-bleeding procedure (he doesn't look like a Mr. Olympia...) Besides, if what you were referring to is the vacuum provided by the vacuum pump to the brake booster, the bad news is that the vacuum system is faulty in my car, at least partially. For instance, it does not work on doors... however, it is still capable of shutting off the engine (it is still the action from the vacuum pump that does it, isn't it?)

So, what do you suggest now, given the circumstances?

Rino

I would begin by trying a two man brake bleed. Some cars have more need for power boost than others. I KNOW that my 84 240D needed brake booster help, but I don't recall that with my 77. Try it first, then we can go from there.

OK, but what if then the bleeding cannot be done properly on account of that... can some air get into the system and the situation become worse to the point that I get stuck with a car with no working brakes after the procedure?

Rino

whoo boy,
brake grease? on the dual piston calipers the MB has, there really isn't anyplace to use it. nothing slides like on a single piston caliper. for maintenance, all you need is 10mm or 8mm wrench for the bleed screw, and a good wire brush to clean all the gunk out of the caliper where the pads go. some pad goop, is good to keep the vibration of the pads down, but it's not necessary. it can get squeeky without it, but if you get good pads, it is not a problem. I have flushed the lines on 3 of my cars, and I have not needed anybody pressing on the pedal, with the cap off the MC, gravity will do a fine job of bleeding and flushing the lines, just be sure to keep it full! I find it best to suck out the fluid from the MC and then fill it with fresh fluid. open the furthest bleed screw, and let it drain until clear fluid dribbles out, then close it, and move on to the next closer and so on.
If you need to remove the calipers, 17mm wrench will remove the two bolts, USE FRESH BLUE LOCKTITE when reassembling! you will need a flare/line wrench to remove the rubber lines, 15mm I think. To remove the rotor, you will need IMPACT 10MM Hex Allen Socket, 1/2" drive if you can find it, and a small allen wrench to loosen the locknut on the spindle. here you will need about 1/2 pint of wheel bearing grease and a wheel bearing packer makes it quick, but your palm will do in a pinch. pack the bearings, and pack a good layer on the inside of the hub.

the only problem with 2.5 ton stamped steel jackstands is they are too short to reach the frame with the tires off the ground. I like the 6 ton stands, they reach well. of course they are large and heavy. I would also get a quality floor jack. the aluminum "racing" type are pretty easy to store and move around, and they are adequate for brake work. My pep boys sold a "set" with an aluminum jack and two jackstands for 79.00 during christmas, similar sets should be available. with small jackstands, you have to place them on lower suspension components to hold up the car. I like to place them on the frame.
I also only like to raise one end of the car at a time. I do always raise the entire end though, not just one side. the antisway bars would be under high stress with only one wheel lifted, so I don't do it.

it sounds like you have the tools covered, but you will need an 8mm wrench too.
For valve adjustments, DO NOT GET CRAFTSMAN wrenches. either buy Diesel Giant's set, or make a set from 3 CHEAP 14 MM wrenches. you will need a torch and a grinder to make the wrenches fit. ebay also sells valve adjustment wrench sets. it CAN be done with un modified wrenches, but it aint simple
keep the questions coming, you're in for a lot of fun!
John

Rino,

Your concern is legitimate and thoughtful.

Have your helper push as hard as they can with both feet on the brake pedal and position a boxend wrench on the bleedscrew such that it will have travel enough when opened that you can quickly close it. Do it quickly and watch for a good strong stream of fluid. There will be some pressure, so if you do this experiment quickly you will be able to tell if there is enough pressure.

It would not be uncommon for the stream to shoot halfway across the width of the car or more, but as long as it shoots out a few inches rather than dribbling, you should be able to get the job done without getting air in the system.

Good luck,

Just remember when buying your tools that when you buy one of those big sets you get SAE and Metric tools and all you need are the metric. I was looking at the Craftsman tools online and it's a trade off on cost since you get a lot of stuff you don't need in the sets but buying individual costs a lot more per item. If you are questioning wether you need a particular tool get it cheep and if you use it a lot you can upgrade later. Get a Mity vac, the full set for testing all the vac stuff and for bleeding brakes.

I was referring to the Haynes manual, chapter 9: disk brake pads replacement section, where it instructs to use high melting-poing brake grease on the back and edges of the new pad...

Excellent! It would really be great if it worked that way on my '79 240D...

How do you feel about the Craftsman 3 ton High Lift Jack Stands?
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00950159000&cat=Mechanics+Tools&subcat=Lift+Equipmen t
They have a lift range to up to 21" (as opposed to 24" for the 6-ton models)... If you think they are sufficiently high, they would be a good compromise for someone like me with very little space for storage. Would just the two jack stands plus the car's jack be sufficient, or is the alluminum jack really important? I wouldn't be lifting the car on stands every other day... And storage space IS an issue for me.

So you advise to only put on stands just one front side of the car at a time, and always the entire end... This obviously applies also to doing tire rotation (how the heck do you do that with just two stands, really?) and bleeding the system, right?

I do have that as part of the small metric set.

Do you know where I can find an example of how to make those wrenches? Perhaps some pictures will be enough for me to get an idea...

Thanks a lot for your advice!

Rino

You see, Larry, this is the reason for my thinking about using a power bleeder in the first place... to avoid this sort of complications where there is a chance that the outcome could reveal itself more costly than the $30-40 needed to purchase the power bleeder. It's sort of buying some insurance... If I get stuck with a car I can't use, it's an even greater waste of money, and time... How do you feel about the Mity vac suggested by Phil (thanks, Phil!), that can be used for testing all the vac stuff and for bleeding the brakes (I have no idea about its cost)? I am thinking in terms on investing in the right resources... to minimize potentially costly mistakes. Sometimes spending a bit more in an area means saving a lot more money in the long run...

Rino

I wouldn't do that.

It will. it's just slow.


the aluminum jack will fit in the trunk well. and it's light enough to pull out when you need it. I really would only lift the car with a floor jack. other than for changing a tire on the side of the road.



for tire rotation, I jack up one end, pull off the tire, put on the spare, and put the car down, pick up the back, and put on the front tire, roll the back to the front, and continue...

Ebay

anytime, it's what we do here!

John

I have a Motive bleeder that works very well. I prefer to use a pressure bleeder. I think the Motive costs about $40 or $50, I don't remember. It is a good unit for the money.

Good luck,

Other places I've found for quality, less expensive tools are Northern Tools, Lowe's & Home Depot.

If you look under my name and then go to "all Posts" page 4 there are pictures of the valve wrenches with dimentions to make your own. I would post the pictures here but it just keeps saying that they have already been posted in the past. If the people running the site could tell us how to re post pictures it could help in new threads from time to time. Anyone know how to do this?

you could just link to the previous post thread # with the pics in them.
John

Cool! How do I do that?:confused: That would really help.

Regarding the Craftsman 3 ton jack stands pictured earlier, they work fine on my 300SD, so I would imagine that they would be tall enough for your 240d.

On the subject of jacks, I am tight on space as well, but I find that a short wheelbase floor jack is extremely useful, especially when having to lift the whole front or rear end to do work.
It also is fairly compact, once you break the handle down, at least.
The steel version that I bought from Sears is a bit on the heavy side to lug around, but tossing it in the trunk isn't too much of a problem.

About seven years ago, there was a frequent poster here that went by "Deezel." He was an A&P Mechanic for an airline and a very experienced and knowledgable fellow. I suppose that an A&P guy is very careful by nature, at least I sure hope so since I have to fly on their planes sometimes.

Anyway, Deezel was sort of like the self appointed Safety Officer around here. Since he has apparantly not posted in a long time, I guess I need to jump in here as he would have.

If I insult anyone because you are already aware of this, I apologize, but I would rather run the risk of insulting someone than to stand by while someone gets hurt.

One should NEVER, EVER get under a vehicle that is held up only by a jack, ANY kind of jack! Either put the car in the air on ramps, or lift it with the jack and then place jack stands properly.

I also repeat what someone else so wisely posted recently, I think in this thread, NEVER use concrete blocks to support a car while you are underneath it. They can crush with no warning at all.

Again, if you already know this, don't be insulted, rather help to spread the word so that none of our Mshop friends end up hurt or worse.

Hope this helps,

PS: How was that Deezel, wherever you are? LB

When bleeding brakes, you do not need to remove wheels. You do need to be careful about stand placement. Use jack stands after jacking up, place front stands under lower control arm. I use a floor jack under the engine crossmember, and said placement of stands. I keep the jack there too. I jack up rear under differential, and place stands under hole for jack point just in front of rear wheels. Under rear lower control arms is good too, yet you would need to jack car WAY up. 98% of the time I use two stands, should be okay for you. I have four stands, only used for removing all wheels at once. X-rotation that I don't do anymore.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/1428949-post32.html
just right click on the # on the thread next to the title on the right, and copy link location, then paste it into a reply...
John

Thank you all who have contributed your information and advice here... you have been immensely helpful!!!

I still have one concern:

I was having a private exchange of messages with someone very knowledgeable from this forum over a year ago, and I remember him (it just came to mind after reading your post) clearly warning me to be extremely careful when using jack stands under our cars (he too had a 123-chassis 240D). He mentioned that our car frames were not engineered to be sustained by jack stands, or something similar to that amount... Are you aware of this weak-frame issue concerning the 123 chassis and is your advice given in this post taking them into proper account? The last thing I want to do is damage the frame of my car by the inappropriate use of lifting devices...

I would much appreciate some reassurance in this sense.

By the way, is X-rotation of the tires not advisable, in your opinion?

Thank you so much...

Rino

Also, I would appreciate some pointers on where I'm more likely to find a good price on brake pads (should I get 8 of those right away before taking down the wheels or wait after inspection and decide then how many I need? What brand should I get, if it makes any difference...) How much brake fluid (DOT 4, right?) do I need for fluid replacement and bleeding?

Thanks!

Rino

MiteyVac....!!!
 

Although I have not completely read this thread through....you question the need for a power brake bleeder.....you also mention that parts of your vacuum system are not working.....a MiteyVac with the brake bleeding attachments may be in order.......the MiteyVac is essential in vacuum system troubleshooting, and it can also be used to bleed your brakes.....

Also, as I have stated in other threads.....check out your local Pawn or Hoc shops.....you can find good deals on tools there.....

Check out the "Gearwrench" sold at NAPA and other places.....basically a conbination wrench with a ratcheting box end.....I have found these tools to be very helpful, and almost a necessity in changing Glow Plugs.....

You should also check into a reasonably priced Volt or Multimeter....the folks at "Radio Shack" can show you several, and should be able to advise you as to which will suit your needs (also can be used on many household repairs).....

a set of Metric Allen wrenches (usually go from 1.5 thru 10mm)....and a 14mm (9/16 will work) allen wrench for removal of your Rear (Differential) End Oil Fill Plug.......I personally prefer the ones with a ball looking long end, good for removing allens in tight and offset areas.....

An impact driver set.....especially if you have no air tools.....

a couple of small wire brushes.....

Depending on what you intend to do, you would need 3 different torque wrenches to cover all of the torque values in the MB manuals.....just get them as you need them.....

That is just a few things that have not been mentioned thus far.....

SB

Why are you considering a brake job???
 

Takes just about a full Liter/Quart of brake fluid.....

Personally, I would look at my brake pads first.....unless you are having some brake issues, noises, pulling, pulsations, etc......

I use the best grade of NAPA brake shoes.....

Don't forget the parking brake shoes that are inside of the rear disk...!!!

SB