What Tools To Buy??

Im new to VWs and Im intending to do a fair bit of work on my recently acquired bug. Can somebody give me any guidance on the correct set of tools to buy to use on the bug and if I would need any imperial sized tools etc or am I better off buying a standard set you find readily in tool shops i.e. spanners, sockets etc.

Any help is much appreciated or anyone who knows where I can get a discount in the Melbourne or Bendigo area.


Cheers

Pat

Hmmmm... a basic VW tool set

socket wrenck - 3/8th will do but 1/2" better or both. I have the cheap set and does me.
5mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 11mm, 13mm 15mm and 17mm sockets
spark plug socket
3", and 10" extensions
8mm, 10mm and 13mm open / ring spanners
Pliers
a GOOD set of screw drivers - both phillip and flat blade
feeler gauge
4.5mm, 5mm and 6mm allen keys
cheap multimeter

That will do for starters

Oh...... and a BFH

also have a read here

http://www.vw-resource.com/tools.html





🤓

and 5 of each 13mm socket and ring/open spanners 🙂
as most vw stuff is 13
also 10 mm 15 and 17
some brake lines are 11?]
grind down the outer of a 15 for gear box mount
17 mm hex for irs arms
36mm for bug rear axel nets and glad and rear fan
30mm for some thing
and 27mm for gearbox thing
lots of lube 😉
and an understanding wife !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hahahahahaha

Great info guys, thanks heaps.

I'll put some of the more expensive items on my Christmas wish list.....

A good trolley jack and axle stands, 19 mm open/ring spanner and socket.

Super Cheap does some very nice 'DIY' quality tools - not quite 'Pro' quality but close. they;re called SWG - Super Works Gold

Hi.
its easier to say what you don't need...

IMPERIAL spanners or sockets... 🙅🙅🙅🙅

You will need:

3/8 drive metric sockets for the small things like distributor nut and sump plate nuts...
and 1/2 inch drive metric socket set with a few extensions..
You can buy extensions, etc later on...

You can get away with a set of Metric open end/ring spanners.. 8-10-13-14-15-16-17-18-19
these are the same size both ends...
or
ring spanners or Open end spanners
same sizes as above but they have two sizes per spanner..

You will find that You will need more than one of the same size spanner...
as some are short, some are long, same are bent etc...
spark plug socket with rubber insert..
Never seize for the spark plugs...

best to buy a good brand - set of 1/2 inch sockets
and spanners and they will last you forever..

just don't lend them...😂😂😂

I bought a set of metric ring open/end spanners last year
, good quality and not cheap....
One of My Sons had a few mates working on His car
[non VW] in My carport....
and the spanners [in a roll] disappeared...

cheers

Lee

http://community.webshots.com/user/vw68autobug

Repeat after me. Very loudly. Three times.


NEVER BUY CHEAP TOOLS.

NEVER BUY CHEAP TOOLS.

NEVER BUY CHEAP TOOLS.

Otherwise all of the above suggestions are good advice, but remember; NEVER BUY CHEAP TOOLS.

and a 11mm brake line spanner!!!!

Why the lube and an understanding wife!?

Yes buy the best quality you can afford.

Thanks again guys.

Guess what I'll be doing this weekend??

Girlfriend will not be impressed but she loves the bug too so I might get away with it!!

"best to buy a good brand - set of 1/2 inch sockets
and spanners and they will last you forever.."

Unless - like my son, who was given a good set for his 18th - you leave them on the grass beside the car at the gokart track the first time you use them and some lowlife helps himself to them.

Then again - I've still got some good German tools that another lowlife left in my brothers car that was stolen and used in a bank robbery. The crook forgot to take his tools out of the car when he dumped it.

dangerous wrote:Why the lube and an understanding wife!?

Yes buy the best quality you can afford.

im not going to talk about that 😉
yeah just buy the best you can afford
and year swg are to bad i got the 15mm and ground down the outer for gear box and 13 and 11 hey and go this weekend and they are 25 % off !!

13bwagon wrote:

dangerous wrote:Why the lube and an understanding wife!?

Yes buy the best quality you can afford.

im not going to talk about that 😉
yeah just buy the best you can afford
and year swg are to bad i got the 15mm and ground down the outer for gear box and 13 and 11 hey and go this weekend and they are 25 % off !!

Are the SWG 25% off at Super Cheap Auto?

and don't forget the valeum and copes amounts of grog someone to stop you from doing harm to yourself and others and did mention drog something to help you sleep did i mention grog one large hanky to cry into an very understanding wife if you don't have one hire one and did i mention grog
there you are now go forth and did i mention grog

JEG Bug 65 wrote:

13bwagon wrote:

dangerous wrote:Why the lube and an understanding wife!?

Yes buy the best quality you can afford.

im not going to talk about that 😉
yeah just buy the best you can afford
and year swg are to bad i got the 15mm and ground down the outer for gear box and 13 and 11 hey and go this weekend and they are 25 % off !!

Are the SWG 25% off at Super Cheap Auto?

yeah they where on the week end

13bwagon wrote:

JEG Bug 65 wrote:

13bwagon wrote:

dangerous wrote:Why the lube and an understanding wife!?

Yes buy the best quality you can afford.

im not going to talk about that 😉
yeah just buy the best you can afford
and year swg are to bad i got the 15mm and ground down the outer for gear box and 13 and 11 hey and go this weekend and they are 25 % off !!

Are the SWG 25% off at Super Cheap Auto?

yeah they where on the week end

Went down there yesterday and got a SWG socket set for starters. Seems like good quality.

there are usually lots of tools for sale at swap meets....

Old spanners were usually coated with Chrome Vanidium
which isn't nice and shiney...

only tools made in the past 15 years or so have been polished chrome...
Snap On tools are reputed the best...
and are VERY Expensive....

Kincrome - Sidchrome etc are excellent tools..

Lee

I agree with Lee that you shouldn't need imperial sockets/spanners. However, many of the nuts and bolts on my kombi have been replaced with imperial stuff. 😬 Fortunately I bought a Sidchrome metric/imperial 1/2" socket/spanner set which has done me proud for over 20 years. I have recently added a 1/4" Kincrome metric/imperial socket set which is handy for smaller sizes and tight spots where the 1/2" won't fit.

Other handy tools:

- feeler gauges
- torque wrench
- vice grips Only got them recently and don't know how I did without them 🤪
- a breaker bar or two!

FYI

Just a bit on Chrome Vanadium.

This is the alloy steel which the tool is forged from, not the surface finish. Tools have been supplied in either matt or bright chrome for many years. OEM tools are in many cases supplied in a black finish for vehicles as well as machinery. The steel is still the same alloy in these black finish tools as the chrome finish tools. Look for identification on the tools relating to this material.

Hope this helps and isn't too far off topic.

DH