Tools, Equipment, and Supplies
for the DIY BMW Technician

Normally a 36MM socket is 3/4" drive. This is a specialty six-point socket with a 3/8" drive - perfect for use with my 3/8" drive torque wrench that has the range of torque required to tighten the cannister cover. Not necessary if you have the correct socket and adapter, but worth it to me.

Used to remove the engine-driven fan. Used properly, you don't need to buy the special toolset with the clutch lock tool to remove the fan. However, you must be careful when re-tightening the fan. If you don't tighten it enough, it will spin loose if you lift off the throttle quickly, as the fan is reverse threaded.

While a regular deep socket would work with the breaker bar, I bought this as an impact socket because I knew I'd eventually use it with air tools. Whether or not you use this with air tools, I'd recommend wrapping the exterior of the socket with electrical tape to reduce the chance for damage to the rims.

This special socket facilitiates the removal and reinstallation of the nut that fastens the bearing plate to a strut. If you don't hold the strut rod still with an allen key and use this tool to grab the nut the rod will spin. Most people seem to resort to the use of air tools to get around this problem but I've heard this can damage the strut internally. Given that struts are almost $200 each, I figure $25 is cheap insurance against any such damage.

BMW special tool 312 110 aids the installation of front wheel bearing assemblies on any BMWs with a 46mm wheel retaining nut (E36, E46, etc.). The inner shaft of the tool screws onto the spindle to help align the bearing and the outer concentric is used to press the bearing onto the spindle by applying force only to the inner bearing race. This prevents damage to the bearing during installation.

6 and 7mm are needed for brakes, and the 10mm is used to move the belt tensioners on the front of the engine. I bought the set because I knew it would be cheaper in the long run than buying individual parts.

For E36 differential drain/fill plugs. Required because of limited clearance between the diff and the spare tire well. FACOM D10714. I bought two for good measure, but you only need one to do the job.

The electrical leads of an oxygen sensor prevent the use of a traditional 22mm socket. This is a combination 6 and 12 point 22mm socket with a slot in it through which the leads may fit. The crows foot design allows the use of a smaller 3/8" drive breaker bar or ratchet and helps reduce the overall profile of the tool in tight spaces.

There aren't many torx fasteners on BMWs from what I've noticed, but they do exist. A T50 is required to remove seatbelts and a T27 or T30 is required to remove the steering wheel airbag. As usual, I bought the set because it was cheaper to buy it rather than the sockets I needed.

A T20 torx is required to remove the door panels on the E36, so I bought this set in a pinch while I was in Home Depot one day. So far I haven't had a need for the others.

Sometimes required to free the brake rotor from the hub or chase people out of the garage. Use these hammers when you need to protect the surface you're hitting or where rebound off of a rigid surface is undesireable. These are naturally for light duty use when a little persuation is required -- not for pounding on a stubborn ball joint or whatnot.

For pushing pistons back into brake caliper during a brake change, among other things. Whatever device you choice, make sure it can open at least 6" wide and has at least a four inch "reach" (distance between the c-clamp screw and the backbone of the clamp, if that makes any sense).

This small puller can be used for a lot of things, but it's marketed as a battery terminal and wiper arm puller. The big knob adjusts the width or opening of the jaws while the center pin screws the pin down.

• Light Duty - SK 30-200 in*lbs, 1/4" drive (not pictured) - Essential to apply lighter torques. I bought this primarily to change the valve cover gasket on the E36 and it paid for itself in that single use.
• Medium Duty - SK 5-75 ft*lbs, 3/8" drive - This is the general purpose torque wrench and will cover most bolts on the vehicle. Great for spark plug changes, securing belt tensioners, etc. If you had money to buy only one torque wrench, this would be it.
• Heavy Duty - SK 25-250 ft*lbs, 1/2" drive - I bought this primarily for wheel bolts, but it will also be able to handle the heaviest torque on the car, which I understand to be the axle retaining nuts (a whopping 187 ft*lbs)

All the torque wrenches have pivoting heads. This allows them to get into awkward spaces. Note, however, that when used in this mode you have to do some simple math to adjust the torque setting for the 20 degree offset. Fortunately, the scales are marked in ft*lbs and Newton*Meters, so no on-the-fly conversions are necessary.

L: $138

M: $142

L: $163

16mm is needed for brake caliper carrier bolts
17mm is for engine oil drain bolt.

An assortment of extensions is essential for any tool set. I did a bunch of work with the 3" and stubby, but the 12" also comes in handy when doing stuff like the swaybar bushings. The idea is to get the ratchet far enough out of the works so you can actually swing it. Also comes in handy in combination with the air ratchet since it's bulky and can't reach into small spaces.

Essential for removing overtightened lug bolts if you don't have air tools. Pictured from top to bottom:

3/8" drive with 10" handle ($16)

1/2" drive with 16" handle ($30)

1/2" drive with 24" handle ($50)

I bought the 3/8" unit to handle some stuck differential drain plugs because even if I could swing the 1/2" bars under the car (which wasn't jacked up at the time), I couldn't use a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter in combination with the stubby 14mm hex socket due to clearance issues. The 1/2" bar is primarily used to loosen lug bolts. The 16" bar is used in places where the 24" bar would be too cumbersome, but if you had to buy only one bar, the 24" would be the one to get.

Needed to use my 3/8" drive torque wrench with larger bolts that for some reason have a very light torque on them (like the oil drain bolt).

SK 6-22MM Combination Wrenches

Every tool set must include some basic open-end and box wrenches. 7 and 9MM are needed for brake lines and bleeder screws, while 19-22 help with control arm / ball-joint replacement.

Note that in some cases ratcheting box wrenches come in very handy due to clearance issues and I do expect to buy a few of those for specific applications, but nothing beats the simplicity, reliability, strength, and price of a common fixed wrench for most applications. The box end of SK's wrenches are particularly nice in that they are thin-walled. This allows one to grab a bolt or nut that is in close proximity to some nearby structure. These are the equivalent of a thin-walled socket.

Essential for examining blind areas when putting on a nut, threading a bolt, etc. Inexpensive, but essential. Hmmmm...there's something familiar in that mirror. I wonder what it could be...

I bought this set of four miniature picks. The tip on one is straight (like an awl) while the other three are bent in a few different ways for maximum leverage. I use the straight pick to align my windshield washer jets (a lot of trial and error as compared to the tool built specifically for this job, but a lot cheaper), and I use the curved picks to remove o-rings like those on the shaft of the engine oil filter mount assembly.

This tool is essential to remove the interior door panels. The tool is "ramped" so you can get enough leverage to pop the plastic compression-fit fasteners without breaking them or the panel itself. There's no way you're doing this job safely with a screwdriver -- trust me -- so just buy the tool. I ordered this along with some other stuff from Crutchfield, but I'm sure you can get this at any auto parts store (and likely for less money).

I wrestled with this decision for several months, but finally decided to buy the Ingersoll Rand IR2135Ti Titanium series impact wrench. I looked at the ubiquitous IR217, but it was physically much larger, weighed significantly more, was rated for a lot less torque, and was not nearly as nicely balanced as the Ti product (the IR217 and other models similar in design were very nose heavy). For the extra $120, I got the better wrench as part of a promo kit that included a protective glove for the wrench, a pair of non-skid gloves for my hands, and a small tool bag that I now use to hold all of my air tools.

Air ratchets aren't just a convenience. Sure, they're faster than a regular ratchet, but that's not where they shine. They are effectively mandatory when working in close quarters like when removing the intake manifold or exhaust headers because there's no space to physically swing a wrench or ratchet. Once you've decided to invest money in air tools, it makes no sense not to spend a little extra for an air ratchet.

I'll admit that this is not a tool I expect to use very often, but I forsee using this for two critical jobs. One is separation of the ball joints when doing the lower control arms.. You can either buy a 10 lb sledge hammer and pound the crap out of the joint with a pickle fork and risk destabilizing the car on the jack stands, or you can use an air hammer to make quick, easy, and safe work of the task. The other job is a possible use as a chisel to aid in the removal of control arm bushings or rear wheel bearings -- it's not pretty, but it gets the job done without having to spend $600 in BMW-specific tools.

This kit was the most cost effective way to get what I really wanted: a simple flat chisel for use with my air hammer. But it's not hard to see where some of the other tips might come in handy. They are labeled, from left to right:

1. 7" Flat
2. 8" Tailpipe cutter
3. 8" Muffler cutter
4. 8" Muffer and pipe cutter
5. 8" Outside muffer pipe cutter
6. 8" Inside muffler pipe cutter

A pickle fork is sometimes necessary to free stubborn ball joints as used on the tie rods or front lower control arms. Pictured is a subset of a Lisle kit I picked up on sale. The two adapters provided allow the forks to work with an air hammer or sledge hammer. Incidentally, using a pickle fork on a ball joint is a sure way to destroy it, so this tool is used only as a last resort, or if the parts are worn out and being replaced. If you you are just dismantling the components to achieve some other end, a ball joint separator should be used.

A spring compressor is needed to replace struts. The idea is to compress the spring to relieve pressure on the upper bearing plate so it doesn't fly off into the next zip code when you remove the top nut. The perfect spring compressor is a stand alone unit, but they are very expensive and totally overkill for the DIY guy like me who might use the tool at most once every few years. I looked for two things in the spring compressor I purchased: it had to be reasonably priced, and constructed in such a way that it wouldn't kill me. This Lisle kit impressed me in that it very firmly attaches to the spring. Assembly and removal of the compressor will obviously take longer than some of the other kits with quick-release fasteners, but at least I won't need to spend any time in the hospital before I get to enjoy my new suspension components. The other cool thing about this kit is that it would be easy to dip the ends of the U bolts and the attachment flanges into some of that rubber "tool grip" goo in order to protect the springs from scratches (and thus rust).

I HATE buttsplices. They're unreliable garbage. I always bell-splice, solder and heat shrink any wires I touch. This portable model runs on standard lighter fuel (butane) and has a variable output for delicate work. The main reason I use this particular iron is not just for the convenience of going cordless, however. The exhaust air is hot enough to melt heat shrink, so it makes soldering and heat shrinking a quick and simple process.

Traditional metal ramps won't work with BMWs or other lowered vehicles because the slope of the ramp is too great and the body skirts hit the ramps before the tires do. The Rhino Ramps are at least as light as metal ramps I've used, yet better equipped to handle the load because of the honeycomb style of construction. The other perk is that these actually work nicely on gravel due to the increased surface area. Don't try that with metal ramps!

I picked these up primarily so I could do brake jobs one axle at a time and jack the rear axle without fear of the car moving forward and falling off the jack stands (clarification for the noob reader: the parking brakes are on the rear axle so the front wheels are free to turn when the rear is jacked up).

While in the neighborhood, I also picked up a smaller, pocket-sized version of these and put them in the spare tire well of the E36 to enhance safety when jacking on the side of the road.

This is an inexpensive jack, but at least it's rebuildable in the event the seals go bad. Wish that were the case with the cheaper Sears and Pep Boys jacks...which explains why I didn't buy them. As you can tell from the picture, this jack has a two pump system, which helps raise the jack more quickly.

Jackstands are absolutely critical for any serious DIY work. For most work you can get away with one axle in the air, or one pair of stands. For more advanced and critical work such as automatic transmission fluid replacement, you need the entire vehicle elevated and level, which means four jack stands. I bought 3 Ton stands over lower-capacity units simply because the 3 Ton units are more likely to keep the car off of me on a bad day. I settled on the Hein Werner units because they had a reasonable minimum height (12") and because I wanted the top of the jack arm to be as flat as possible for use with the BMW jack pads.

Brakes need to be flushed every two years per BMW's maintenance schedule, but every year is better. There are three basic ways to bleed brakes -- the manual method (pumping the pedal with a helper), vacuum, and pressure. I read a bunch about each process and concluded that pressure bleeding was the best choice for me. I could have built my own pressure bleeder out of various parts, but figured that at $65 the Motive Black Label Bleeder with machined aluminum adapter and swivel attachment was worth the money.

If you have a compressor, this is the first accessory you buy. I looked for one with a trigger handle and a flexible hose for comfort. This particular unit has a gauge built in, but they're known not to be reliable. I use a cheaper (yet more accurate) digital pressure gauge.

Helpful for blowing out the spark plug holes before you remove the plugs. Prevents dirt from getting into the cylinders.

50 Feet of 3/8 300PSI hose (1/4 ID) + fittings

When using air tools it's important to have a solid high pressure hose with leak-free fittings. Note that if you have an inline oiler for the tools it's a good idea to use one hose for the tools and another host for servicing the tires or using air to clean up an area. If you paint with the same compressor, a dedicated clean hose is not just a good idea -- it's required. I only have one hose at this time because I'm not using air tools yet. The hose itself was $35, and the two fittings were $3.

Fluorescent lamps produce a good "flood" of light, while the newer LED lights provide a lot more light, but in a narrow pattern. Tubes tend to fail if dropped, while LEDs are more reliable. If you're thinking of just using one of those 500 Watt halogen lamps you might see on a construction site or use to paint your house, don't. The quartz lamps put out a lot of harmful UV radiation and the glass lenses are not filtered. You can actually get a sunburn by working too close to them.

After a bunch of research I settled on a Sears 25 gallon professional unit (19541). I'm not a big fan of Sears equipment, but this unit is actually made by DeVilbiss, a company that has OEM'd equipment for several well-respected brands. Due in large part to its twin-cylinder design, it exceeds the CFM requirements of all my air tools, and because it's oil lubricated it runs quietly. I have it connected to a dedicated 110V 20A circuit (with a 15A receptacle), but the GE 2 HP motor can be easily converted to run on 240V power if necessary. This unit is somewhat overkill for my application, but my old compressor was on its way out and I didn't want to buy a throw-away.

Nothing destroys air tools faster than dirt and moisture, so these must be filtered out if you have any hope of using your air tools for their intended lifespan. I originally bought a filter with a polycarbonate dome so I could see what was going on in there, but as I later discovered the plastic can be attacked by certain oils and I have an oil-lube compressor. I therefore returned the plastic trap and bought the more expensive metal one. The one additional perk is that the plastic was rated to 150PSI while the metal is rated to 250PSI. I have no intension of running regulated pressures that high, but it's nice to know it has a higher tolerance to failure. For a picture, click on the one for the compressor -- it's the black and gray item connected between the onboard regulator gauges and the red air hose.

WD-40

WD-40 is helpful for lubricating and cleaning various parts and fasteners.

For prolonged use in heavy lifting (suspension and brakes, for example), only the latex-fortified cloth gloves will do the job. These are also great if you need to take your gloves off frequently.

I use these blue nitrile rubber gloves for all light duty dirty work, and always when working with oil or any other liquids that I don't want to absorb through my skin.

I bought a small can of Permatex "Silver" Anti-Seize so I could put a light coating on the wheel hubs during brake jobs so the rotors wouldn't bond to them. This is typically sold in tube form, but it's best IMHO to buy it in the bottle with the brush top to simplify application. Anti-seize mixed with copper is also available to withstand higher temperatures and is essential if you're doing work on the exhaust system. The "silver" anti-seize is rated to 1400 degrees while the copper is rated to 1600. If you have only one bottle to buy, it's probably best to buy the copper stuff so you're ready for everything. I bought the silver because it was the only type available when I needed some.

This is just a strong solvent that helps clean up brake parts prior to installation. It can also be used as a general cleaner to remove grease and grime out of hex bolts and such.

Recommended by BMW and available from them in small packets, the high temperature grease known as Plastilube can also be purchased in a more cost effective tube form from a number of US suppliers, including NAPA.

When doing brakes, it is necessary to push the pistons back into the calipers. This will cause the level in the reservoir to rise. Syringes are a handy way to cleanly and efficiently remove the excess fluid before it overflows the reservoir. These can also be used to remove power steering fluid from the reservoir during a power steering system flush. If you try to use a turkey baster as some suggest, I guarantee you'll make a big mess.

I ordered these from an online medical supply store. Doesn't matter which one, really. Just let Google do the walking and search for Kendall part number 68000.

Small Brush Applicators

These are helpful for applying grease, anti-seize, or even penetrating lubricant that you don't want to get everywhere. I bought a ton of these when I was doing work on my RC Helicopters 10 years ago and this is the last bag. :-( Easy enough to find elsewhere at Home Depot.