What's in your toolkit??
Moderators: GRNSHRK, ron, bfons
What's in your toolkit??
-below is a picture of mine. Its pretty much as it was when I bought my car ( built march '87), apart from a couple of wrenches that were missing; lucky really as a lot 6ers 'lose' their toolkits early on.
BMW OE toolkits for 6ers are mostly very high quality 'Heyco' tools. Even bought new from BMW the individual tools are worth the money in my view; two beautifully finished Cr-V Heyco wrenches cost just ten quid (~17bucks). E30 owners got short-changed here; they got just a few tools of obviously lower quality, as did (I think) E34 owners. E28's also came with a reduced spec IIRC.
The instructions for the use of E24 tools are a bit scanty in many versions of the owner's manual. Many owners don't know what is meant to be in there, or how to use them. I'm not sure that my kit is complete even; also, there have been a few variations between model years.
Early versions of the plug spanner (item #14) have a metal clip inside to retain the plug; this leaves enough space to stow a special 'centering pin' inside the spanner inside the toolkit. This is a metal rod with a tapered rubber sleeve. Its function is to allow the wheel to be guided onto the wheel spigot so as to align the holes in the wheel with the holes in the hub.
My '87 kit has a different plug spanner with a plastic plug retainer. With this plug spanner you can't fit the plugs if they still have their SAE ferrules fitted; (having done this once, and only once, with another spanner I can confirm it is a very boring thing indeed to remove each plug and refit it just because you forgot to remove the offending items the first time....). However this leaves no space in the toolkit for the 'centering pin' as it won't fit inside item #14 if it has the plastic plug retainer. In these kits I think you are meant to use the tommy bar (item #11) in place of the centering pin.
I usually don't bother with a centering pin at all, but I might if I were changing a wheel in the dark.
Now items #9,14 are for the sunroof in the event that the motor fails (but I've never used them in anger). In this case the big nut is a locknut, and the allen key moves the glass. Sadly the aperture in the trim doesn't always line up with the big nut, and if you had to move the glass manually you would probably damage the trim a little.
Likewise items #20, 14, 18 are meant for the electric windows if they should fail. Now the centre screw (long allen key) should be tightened, then the glass can be moved by turning the hexagon. Finally the screw is backed off two turns and now the glass will stay put. Now a quick look behind the blanking plugs will tell you if you actually need item #20 or not. Many 6ers already have suitable hexagons fitted to all the window mechanisms, and item #20 is entirely superfluous. However, you might (as on my '85 project car) need it for the rears but not the fronts. Given that item #20 is a loose fit in wrench #14, and the whole thing has to be poked into the rear side trim about five inches, I reckon your chances of successfully deploying item #20 without it falling inside the rear trim panel is about nil, unless it is secured with a little blu-tac or something.
The rest of the tool kit is fairly self-explanatory and useful (although I have yet to find an 11mm hexagon anywhere on the car). The OE jack, wheelbrace and chock are fine if your jacking points are in good condition. Needless to say a spare wheel and a locking wheelnut key are also essential items. If you have very wide rear wheels the OE wheelbrace may not work so well- best to check this.
Other items that are worth carrying (depending on terrain and inclination) include;
-a list of fuse numbers (the owner's manual may get wet in the glove box, so is best left at home).
-a tyre pressure gauge
- a few zip ties (these are also useful for poking into blocked drain holes)
-some insulating tape
-a cheap multimeter
-a short length of electrical wire
-a can of tyre sealant
- a tube of 'bar's leaks' in dry form.
-at least 2 litres of water
- a strap good enough to tow with
- 10mm shackles for above
- a small folding shovel
- a folding warning triangle
- a small socket set
-BMW first aid kit
-a spare set of 'v' belts (change yours for new, and keep the old ones as spares)
- a pin (for clearing blocked washer jets)
I routinely carry almost all the above, and with the exception of the shovel it all stows in the side panels at the back/inside the spare wheel (which can be inverted in the well to make extra space).
Anyone else got any top toolkit tips? Is my OE kit missing anything?
[edit; I am pretty sure I have both the wrong spanners and in the wrong order too (as per Sharkfan's post on page 5 of this thread pretty much); I think one of the spanners (the 8-10 open ended one I think) is the wrong type and in the wrong place. More toolkit revisions required!]
cheers
BMW OE toolkits for 6ers are mostly very high quality 'Heyco' tools. Even bought new from BMW the individual tools are worth the money in my view; two beautifully finished Cr-V Heyco wrenches cost just ten quid (~17bucks). E30 owners got short-changed here; they got just a few tools of obviously lower quality, as did (I think) E34 owners. E28's also came with a reduced spec IIRC.
The instructions for the use of E24 tools are a bit scanty in many versions of the owner's manual. Many owners don't know what is meant to be in there, or how to use them. I'm not sure that my kit is complete even; also, there have been a few variations between model years.
Early versions of the plug spanner (item #14) have a metal clip inside to retain the plug; this leaves enough space to stow a special 'centering pin' inside the spanner inside the toolkit. This is a metal rod with a tapered rubber sleeve. Its function is to allow the wheel to be guided onto the wheel spigot so as to align the holes in the wheel with the holes in the hub.
My '87 kit has a different plug spanner with a plastic plug retainer. With this plug spanner you can't fit the plugs if they still have their SAE ferrules fitted; (having done this once, and only once, with another spanner I can confirm it is a very boring thing indeed to remove each plug and refit it just because you forgot to remove the offending items the first time....). However this leaves no space in the toolkit for the 'centering pin' as it won't fit inside item #14 if it has the plastic plug retainer. In these kits I think you are meant to use the tommy bar (item #11) in place of the centering pin.
I usually don't bother with a centering pin at all, but I might if I were changing a wheel in the dark.
Now items #9,14 are for the sunroof in the event that the motor fails (but I've never used them in anger). In this case the big nut is a locknut, and the allen key moves the glass. Sadly the aperture in the trim doesn't always line up with the big nut, and if you had to move the glass manually you would probably damage the trim a little.
Likewise items #20, 14, 18 are meant for the electric windows if they should fail. Now the centre screw (long allen key) should be tightened, then the glass can be moved by turning the hexagon. Finally the screw is backed off two turns and now the glass will stay put. Now a quick look behind the blanking plugs will tell you if you actually need item #20 or not. Many 6ers already have suitable hexagons fitted to all the window mechanisms, and item #20 is entirely superfluous. However, you might (as on my '85 project car) need it for the rears but not the fronts. Given that item #20 is a loose fit in wrench #14, and the whole thing has to be poked into the rear side trim about five inches, I reckon your chances of successfully deploying item #20 without it falling inside the rear trim panel is about nil, unless it is secured with a little blu-tac or something.
The rest of the tool kit is fairly self-explanatory and useful (although I have yet to find an 11mm hexagon anywhere on the car). The OE jack, wheelbrace and chock are fine if your jacking points are in good condition. Needless to say a spare wheel and a locking wheelnut key are also essential items. If you have very wide rear wheels the OE wheelbrace may not work so well- best to check this.
Other items that are worth carrying (depending on terrain and inclination) include;
-a list of fuse numbers (the owner's manual may get wet in the glove box, so is best left at home).
-a tyre pressure gauge
- a few zip ties (these are also useful for poking into blocked drain holes)
-some insulating tape
-a cheap multimeter
-a short length of electrical wire
-a can of tyre sealant
- a tube of 'bar's leaks' in dry form.
-at least 2 litres of water
- a strap good enough to tow with
- 10mm shackles for above
- a small folding shovel
- a folding warning triangle
- a small socket set
-BMW first aid kit
-a spare set of 'v' belts (change yours for new, and keep the old ones as spares)
- a pin (for clearing blocked washer jets)
I routinely carry almost all the above, and with the exception of the shovel it all stows in the side panels at the back/inside the spare wheel (which can be inverted in the well to make extra space).
Anyone else got any top toolkit tips? Is my OE kit missing anything?
[edit; I am pretty sure I have both the wrong spanners and in the wrong order too (as per Sharkfan's post on page 5 of this thread pretty much); I think one of the spanners (the 8-10 open ended one I think) is the wrong type and in the wrong place. More toolkit revisions required!]
cheers
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- ahh, now that's what I like to see in my tool tray...
- DSCF0958v4.jpg (76.06 KiB) Viewed 23782 times
Last edited by Brucey on Fri Dec 07, 2018 11:53 pm, edited 2 times in total.
~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Very useful info there mate!
My Highline toolkit is very nearly complete, just one spanner & a screw-driver missing t'would appear!
Great article!
You're not perhaps writing a new technical articles book for the E24 are you?
Would be bloody good!!
Great article!
You're not perhaps writing a new technical articles book for the E24 are you?
Would be bloody good!!
Towing eye
Dave, I notice your toolkit has a compartment moulded specifically to hold the towing eye whereas Bimmers is like mine and just plain.
Was this something that was added late in the production run, mines a late 87
Was this something that was added late in the production run, mines a late 87
I guess I'm damn lucky with two complete toolkits, but after four sixers I'm pretty sure I've cobbled them together. My M6 has the red screwdrivers and my Bluey has the big green one and the wee grey one.
I'm pretty sure that anything with the chrome Euro bumpers should have a 'void' (and a welded on towing eye poking through the front spoiler) and anything with the later Highline/US/Big bumpers will have the moulded hole for the screw in towing eye.
I MAY have some spares for the toolkit, probably not the best condition, but I'll send them out for postage to whoever needs/wants them. Give me until the end of the week and I'll post up what I find - I'm off for a couple of days and a toolbox sort-out is pencilled in
I'm pretty sure that anything with the chrome Euro bumpers should have a 'void' (and a welded on towing eye poking through the front spoiler) and anything with the later Highline/US/Big bumpers will have the moulded hole for the screw in towing eye.
I MAY have some spares for the toolkit, probably not the best condition, but I'll send them out for postage to whoever needs/wants them. Give me until the end of the week and I'll post up what I find - I'm off for a couple of days and a toolbox sort-out is pencilled in
I would also think that any late-bumper car should have a towing eye moulding; my '87 chrome bumper car doesn't, of course.
Another thing I have noted; 'bimmer's tool tray has no place for the sunroof allen key; are there different tool trays depending on sunroof fitment or not?
cheers
Another thing I have noted; 'bimmer's tool tray has no place for the sunroof allen key; are there different tool trays depending on sunroof fitment or not?
cheers
~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The state of my toolkit.....
Think mine needs re-plating
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- The cloth got in the way of the camera, so I removed it.....
- toolkit.jpg (123.35 KiB) Viewed 23703 times
Another very valuable thing to carry in your kit is a disposable camera, I got screwed once by this women (my word against hers) so I started to carry a camera in the car and it paid off in another small fender bender when a girl tried telling the insurance that is was both our faults. I guess this is only handy if its a small accident and the police arent there to make an official verdict, still its a handy thing no matter what.
Hair-splitting time anyone?
Ah yes, you do have your pedantic head on!!
Mind you, when the boot lid is open the toolkit flap is open, surely its then almost 'external' to the car..........
Mind you, when the boot lid is open the toolkit flap is open, surely its then almost 'external' to the car..........
Maybe it's more easy to buy a mobile phone with a camera in it? They are not so expensive anymoreLymond wrote:Another very valuable thing to carry in your kit is a disposable camera, I got screwed once by this women (my word against hers) so I started to carry a camera in the car and it paid off in another small fender bender when a girl tried telling the insurance that is was both our faults. I guess this is only handy if its a small accident and the police arent there to make an official verdict, still its a handy thing no matter what.
Sharkfan wrote:
I have got a few other 6er pieces which I'm gonna make a list of and post in the next few weeks
Sharkfan
UK DaveJ wrote:I MAY have some spares for the toolkit, probably not the best condition, but I'll send them out for postage to whoever needs/wants them. Give me until the end of the week and I'll post up what I find - I'm off for a couple of days and a toolbox sort-out is pencilled in
It appears I was completely honest with you Dave - I have no spare tools remaining and Trudes dug out some photo's of the Highline when I first got it and the toolbox was almost bare so everything in the set you have was added by me.Aha, so you had 'my' missing tools then mate.....
I have got a few other 6er pieces which I'm gonna make a list of and post in the next few weeks
Sharkfan
hmm not a bad list but on brief inspection I note,
1) Only one tool tray pn listed- there are several different types
2) No listing for sunroof allen key
3) No listing for window allen key
4) No listing for window adapter tool
5) There are seven spanners listed- but I've only ever seen six slots in the tool tray.
cheers
~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Toll kit
I've got three different trays so I think it depends on the year as to what tools were supplied.
They are ALWAYS rustier than you thought!!!!!!
'85 M #228
'87 M #367
'88 High line.
'10 X5
‘84 Alfasud 1.5 ti
'85 M #228
'87 M #367
'88 High line.
'10 X5
‘84 Alfasud 1.5 ti
I think I may be able to add to this anomaly. My car is an M635CSi with I believe a full and complete toolkit for my specific model/year. It contains an extra spanner which has no storage slot in the tray and apparently was included wrapped inside the cloth for M635CSi models only. I don't know specifically what it's needed for or why it was included or why it has no storage slot but apparently it was included in both the M88 engined cars - the M635CSi and the E28 M5. If anyone has any further information on what this spanner is for or why it was included in these car's toolkits wrapped in the towel then please let us all know. The rogue spanner is an open end 10mm / 8mm by Heyco.Brucey wrote:5) There are seven spanners listed- but I've only ever seen six slots in the tool tray.
cheers
Here's some photos of my car's toolkit:
interesting... maybe it is for adjusting the throttle bodies somehow? The regular 10/8 ring spanner might not get in some places there? Just a thought....
The other thing I have discovered is that the 'window widget' was shipped with some cars that didn't need it- there is already a large hexagon on every window motor on some cars. Other cars need it on the back but not the front windows....
cheers
The other thing I have discovered is that the 'window widget' was shipped with some cars that didn't need it- there is already a large hexagon on every window motor on some cars. Other cars need it on the back but not the front windows....
cheers
~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~