Tools, Lets see em.

[1955Davidr]

I think members should quit posting pictures of Politicians, our tools are useful and enable our cars to flourish, this cannot be said of the w@nk€rs portrayed. My favourite tool is the good old water pump pliers, such a wide range of uses, they are great for pushing back brake callipers.

I
I have got to say I like the look of the Lock Jaw mole type grips and have a pair on order. The magnet on a stick is also a great item as I’m forever dropping fixings under the bonnet.

 

[Stevo7682]

Thought I'd bring some of the big guns out to play these are stuff we use in work these are my personal sets.

Steering tie rod removal/ fitting kit.

Slide hammer set.

Bush removal/fitting kit

Bearing removal/fitting kit

Bearing race removal kit

Bmw spline and tamper proof spline locking wheel nut key master set.



Stephen.

 

[Lee]

I wouldn't know what to take a photo of first. Can I just take a photo of the whole shed

 

[andyglym]

It's normally this time of year when all the F1 teams start calling me to be their Chief Mechanic due to my legendary spannering skills, I once changed my front disks in a day!!!

I'm passed all that stuff now (all the gear and no idea) and just stick to cleaning my car and bike, these are my favourite 'tools' ....

 

[Pingu]

Thought I'd bring some of the big guns out to play these are stuff we use in work these are my personal sets.

View attachment 356179
Steering tie rod removal/ fitting kit.

View attachment 356181
Slide hammer set.

View attachment 356183
Bush removal/fitting kit

View attachment 356185
Bearing removal/fitting kit

View attachment 356187
Bearing race removal kit

View attachment 356189

Bmw spline and tamper proof spline locking wheel nut key master set.



Stephen.

The forum's server isn't big enough to host photos of all my tools.

One shed full of boxes like that, and a garage that's like a small machine shop.

Does anybody still use Whitworth tap and die sets?

My latest acquisitions were a dividing head and a gear cutter to make a gear wheel in a clock. They cost about £300 in total. The gear wheel was unobtainable, and the clock can be bought on eBay for about £300

 

[Toby]

I think members should quit posting pictures of Politicians, our tools are useful and enable our cars to flourish, this cannot be said of the w@nk€rs portrayed.

If its created by a tool maker - surely its still a tool ?

 

[Lee]

My new fav is the newest toy I’ve bought for the shed.

The depth we now have with this Topdon, we coded a new reverse cam to a BMW at the weekend and coded a new key.

Showing ECU’s on my coupe

 

[Pingu]

My new fav is the newest toy I’ve bought for the shed.

The depth we now have with this Topdon, we coded a new reverse cam to a BMW at the weekend and coded a new key.
View attachment 356223
Showing ECU’s on my coupe
View attachment 356225

Is it able to do anything on 20-pin BMWs? I have INPA, but that's on a 20 year old laptop with a dodgy battery running XP.

I'm looking for something that will do all my cars, and I've not found anything.

I want to see values, not just read faults and clear them.

I have iCarSoft for the Range Rover. I bought it for changing the transmission fluid, and it's paid for itself many times over. I know iCarSoft will also do the Smart Car, but it's not really worth getting just for one car that has nothing wrong with it.

 

[Lee]

Is it able to do anything on 20-pin BMWs? I have INPA, but that's on a 20 year old laptop with a dodgy battery running XP.

I'm looking for something that will do all my cars, and I've not found anything.

I want to see values, not just read faults and clear them.

I have iCarSoft for the Range Rover. I bought it for changing the transmission fluid, and it's paid for itself many times over. I know iCarSoft will also do the Smart Car, but it's not really worth getting just for one car that has nothing wrong with it.

Not tried on the 20pin BM's yet. Will report back.

This does cover all brands, just like our old topdon has been really useful. You can call up values for everything engine related weather it's lambda values or fuel trims all very easy with this.

 

[ExMX5owner]

It's normally this time of year when all the F1 teams start calling me to be their Chief Mechanic due to my legendary spannering skills, I once changed my front disks in a day!!!

I'm passed all that stuff now (all the gear and no idea) and just stick to cleaning my car and bike, these are my favourite 'tools' ....
View attachment 356211

I think @andyglym is trying to pull one over us, I dont see any elbow grease anywhere in that picture.

 

[andyglym]

I think @andyglym is trying to pull one over us, I dont see any elbow grease anywhere in that picture.

 

[Duncodin]

View attachment 356231

The picture on that tin reminds me of the picture on the box that "Charles Atlas Bullworker" came in. What a rip off that was. In the days before online reviews I had to write a stinking letter.

"Dear Mr Atlas. I got the bullworker please send me my muscles"

 

[David62]

The only thing I've had to buy specifically for Z3 work so far was the T50 bit required when replacing seat bushes.

 

[AleNod]

BMW Has Patented A Way To Make DIY Car Repairs Much Harder - Jalopnik

BMW patented a new screw or bolt design in 2025. The design makes it impossible to fasten or unfasten without a proprietary tool.

www.jalopnik.com

On a theme and only slightly off topic (American article though)

 

[Duncodin]

BMW Has Patented A Way To Make DIY Car Repairs Much Harder - Jalopnik

BMW patented a new screw or bolt design in 2025. The design makes it impossible to fasten or unfasten without a proprietary tool.

www.jalopnik.com

On a theme and only slightly off topic (American article though)

It's a bit like Torx and E-Torx. Original supposed to be dealer only but didn't take long for them to be available everywhere.

The EU and the some US states also have laws in place to protect the independent workshops. BMW would have to prove this new design was a safety feature and therefore necessary. If they can't prove it's a safety feature they could maybe argue it's a cosmetic design but that argument wouldn't stand up if the nuts and bolts can't be seen. The anti competition law in those states would require BMW to make the tools available to at least the independent trade when it would be available to everyone pretty quick.

Does make it harder for the guy who's only tools is a cheap socket set from halfords. But maybe that's not a bad thing.

 

[Pingu]

It won't take long to make them.

I made this in a morning. It's for replacing the constant pressure valve that keeps the oil in the top of an M engine.