Must have tools for MB diesels
 

Hi everyone. What do you think are must have tools for working on your MB's?

So far all I can think of is

a shop manual

a MityVac

a set of metric open end wrenches

All I have right now is a lousy Haynes and a small set of wrenches (that came with my 170 pc. socket set whose ratchet never fits anywhere I need it to)

Dends on what you plan to do and how often. There are basic things like a jack and jack stands, and more specialized things like valve adjustment wrenches (bought or fabricated). You might not like the Haynes manual but the procedure descriptions will give you an indication of what tools you'll need for a given task.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

I agree with sixto in asking the question, what do you want to do? How deep are you willing to go.

If you're willing to do engine rebuild work, for instance, there's no reason to buy all those tools 'til you need them.

If you want to adjust your own valves you need to bend up a few 14MM cheap wrenches. If you want to set Injection timing you need to buy or make a drip tube.

A set of open end wrenches won't be of much value if you're going to do much at all. It sounds as if you don't yet have a basic set of hand tools. If not, your first set of wrenches should be combinations. 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19 and 21. You really also need a few socket sets, hammers, adjustable wrenches, allens 5, 6 and 10. You also need a 14MM allen, a short one for trans and rear axle drain and fill plugs.

I am leaving out basic handtools such as hammers, pliers, adjustable wrenches, on and on and on. I'm about 40 years ahead of you in collecting tools, so there's not much I don't have. My approach over that 40 years has been to buy tools when I need them. Many, many times I have paid more for tools to do a repair than if I had hired someone to do the repair. My thinking has been, "now I have the tool, so I won't have to hire it done next time.

I am at a point now where it is very rare, or maybe never, when I don't have a necessary handtool. I still buy various pieces of test equipment or other equipment. Example, I just put in a two post lift, and I just ordered a REALLY GOOD electronic refrigerant detector.

Don't buy the cheapest tools you can find, although the cheap tools are MUCH better than they used to be. Consider Craftsman tools to be a MINIMUM quality level. If you buy quality tools and don't lose them, they will absolutely last you the rest of your life.

BTW, the Haynes manuals vary in effectiveness from car to car. The 123 version is not too bad. Consider that a minimum and move up to a CD when you can get a few bucks saved.

Good luck,

MB Tech Manuals from MBUSA cost $19.99 plus S&H
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/general-information/142445-mb-tech-manuals-mbusa.html
The CD is a PITA to use. It'd be a worth while investment to find a printed FSM.

PRINTED FACTORY SHOP MANUALS RULE !!!!:D

Now if I could only find one for my car.:o

If you find one on Ebay and post the highest bid they will ship one to you .....:D

Ah yes! The old eBay post the high bid trick.:D

got a 1/2 way good clitons book, fair size set of s&k tools, sockets, allen sockets, wrenches, 1 1/2' -3' extends . but depending on the task, if special tools are required, I usually farm it out, tranny work, brake work, who has a rotor lave? not me.

chip

Like LarryB, I started collecting 40 or so years ago. The most useful tools I ever bought were my first and only Snap-On sockets--metric swivels and metric allen sockets. At that time (1973) Craftsman did not make swivel or allen sockets. Still in excellent shape and have never broken one.

Craftsman is the minimum quality level. The best part being, of course, the lifetime warranty. I recently took 20 year old 1/4" and 1/2" drive socket wrenches to Sears to replace--no questions asked, no receipt required, instant replacement. Just last week, my C'man 10" combination wrench spread a tiny amount (just enough to round the bolt heads) on the open end while taking the fan clutch off--took it to Sears and again instant exchange. Visually, the wrench looked perfect but no questions asked by the sales clerk.

My newest tool is an infrared/laser non-contact thermometer. I love it.

"My newest tool is an infrared/laser non-contact thermometer. I love it."

When you come to our next Get Together be SURE to bring that with you ..... I want to play too....

I'll try to remember. Currently it is in the house because our AC is not functioning correctly and I like to point it at the vents so I can complain about how hot it is. I am strongly considerting getting some training and a license in home AC repair :D :D

My approach, and I think it has been a good one, is to buy a decent socker and combination wrench set (Crafstman, Husky, and a few others offer plenty of quality for a shadetree mechanic, in my opinion) and work from there. I haven't bought that many more tools beyond that, partly because I've been able to borrow things that I only rarely need. I spent $70 on a high-quality tie rod tool several years back and haven't regretted it. Some non-standard tools are worth the extra cost to own, it just depends on what you're doing. Oh, and I've gotten by just find with Haynes on our vehicles; I wasn't too impressed with the Chilton manual we got for the Volvo we had several years back. A FSM is no doubt a great asset though.

Rockinwagen....
I have a great manual ....like would be used for a community college course in AC....
If you want to run over here and pick it up you can borrow it....
Let me know before hand and maybe RLeo and his wagon can be here too....

I'll be doing mostly maintenance type stuff (which includes things like suspension bearings- which I have to do, water pump replacement- which I've done, stuff along those lines) at first, but basically as I learn I'll be doing whatever I can, and then going to a shop when I get over my head. :p
Larry Bible, when you say combination wrenches, those are open end on one side and box end on the other, right?
My socket set is pretty much the only tools I need for my Honda, but just from what I've been learning, there's little that simple on the Benz.
I was kind of thinking along the lines of the MityVac, or valve adjustment wrenches - the kind of thing I'll only need because I have a Benz :) .

As for the manual, I wish I could find a print one. I think that was my first post here, where to get one. I'm morally opposed to the CD manual. I mean, come on, now my car needs a computer?? [shakes head] technology for technology's sake [/shakes head]