What tools do i need to work on a air cooled bug or bus

[Sterling VW]

trying to gathers tools up and need to know what i do and dont need to work on a bus or bug. give me the breakdown of what i should carry on a mobile repair truck...
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Happy motoring from Sterling's Mobile VW Repair

[KTPhil]

Check out the Muir "...Alive" book; it has tools by phase of difficulty, spare parts, too.

[Sterling VW]

i saw those but was wondering is there is anything else other mobile mechanics keep in stock for tools, parts, etc
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Happy motoring from Sterling's Mobile VW Repair

[drscope]

Your question is difficult to answer. I know guys who can do wonders with a bent screw driver and pair of rusty pliers. Heck I even had a buddy get my Chevy going again once with a rubber band and a piece of a whopper hamburger box when the distributor broke.

But it really depends on what repairs you have the knowledge to do. And if you have the knowledge to do those repairs, you already know what tools you should have along.

Bottom line, if you are asking the question, you really don't have the knowledge you should have in order to do the repairs.
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Mother Nature is a Mean Evil Bitch!

[Sterling VW]

i wont deny that. well i guess that answers it then.
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Happy motoring from Sterling's Mobile VW Repair

[KTPhil]

The answer is "it depends."

That is, it depends on your skills, your budget, the condition of the car, your alternatives if the car dies on you, your facilities for repairing at home, etc.

That is why I recommend Muir... he describes tools and materials, and what sorts of procedures such a set will equip you to perform. That way, YOU can decide what YOU need to carry for YOUR particular situation. The Muir book breaks it down into three phases of repairs, from simple tune-ups through engine rebuilding.

[Desertbusman]

[pyrOman]

I learned to drive in a '67 Deluxe bus. From nothing much, like a milk crate under the motor without a floor jack, to now having a fairly stocked Garaj Mahal, I still buy another tool or 2 just about every other week! Just when you think you have all it takes, in comes a job that will either be easyer with yet another tool you don't have or it may require a special tool to do it.

My motto is: "A man can NEVER have enough tools!"
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Some people are so busy being clever they don't have time enough to be wise.

[drscope]

NOT trying to be a hard ass.

I fully agree with the idea of never having too many tools. But in this case he is trying to outfit a mobile truck to come and rescue you when you break down.

Personally I think I know what kind of stuff I would be comfortable trying to do on the side of the road. And I have a fairly good idea of what I should carry with me in the car to do roadside repairs.

But for the most part I'm not going to try to do a cross country trip or get far enough away from my own support team that I would need to do something major on the side of the road on any of my 40, 50 or 60 year old vehicles.

If i can't handle it myself, I'm calling for the roll back.

With the small number of aircooled on the roads these days, its difficult to find anyone in the service business that knows how to deal with them. So trusting the skills and knowledge of the guy with a service truck that doesn't already know what tools he should be carrying....well it just doesn't inspire confidence.

I think it would be best for his future and his business reputation that he not try to tackle things he isn’t familiar with on the side of the road. Those things are best done in the shop where the customer doesn’t see that he is paying you to learn and make mistakes on their stuff.

Roadside recovery and getting the car to someone who knows what they are doing just sounds like a much better business plan then trying to fix something on the side of the highway when you don’t even know what tools you should be carrying.
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Mother Nature is a Mean Evil Bitch!

[pyrOman]

[58Blue]

Lots and lots of 10mm and 13mm wrenches and sockets. Half the bolts on the car are those sizes. And for some reason, whenever I tidy up after a job, those are the only tools I can't find. The car seems to repel them or absorb them or something.

Seriously, though, one way to approach this might be to compile a list of the main reasons ACVWs break down enough to need a rescue, and then decide what tools (and parts) you would need to fix those problems. For a lot of things, it might be easier to carry cheap replacement parts (like distributors or fuel pumps) that it would be to try to fix a broken one in the dark on the side of the expressway.

You could probably eliminate stuff that would only be needed for repairs that would be too involved for a roadside repair. For example, are you going to drop the motor or try to crank off the rear axle nut on the shoulder of a freeway? Lots of guys here would, I know that, but they'd already have the tools and parts with them and wouldn't be calling for a rescue truck.

I'm no expert, but maybe some others could chime in with some experiences to put together a list of what the most common things are that leave a bug or bus stranded but fixable. You could then compile your tool list from there.

Failing that, you could read through the list of breakdown stories here to get at least some kind of an idea.

[offshores]

Here are a few links for you and also a list that I cut and pasted in case the link dies off one day. I come across those on here from time to time. Good luck to you...


http://www.socalautoparts.com/article_info.php/tools-you-need-work-your-volkswagen-a-10
http://www.vw-resource.com/tools.html
http://www.jbugs.com/category/vw-specialty-puller-remover-tools.html

Maintenance and minor repair tool kit

A) Metric combination wrench set (6mm to 19mm)
B) 8-inch adjustable “Crescent” wrench
C) Spark plug wrench or socket (13/16-inch) with rubber insert
D) Spark plug gap adjusting tool
E) Feeler gauge set
F) Brake bleeder wrench (6mm, 7mm)
G) Standard screwdriver (5/16-inch x 6-inch)
H) Phillips screwdriver (No. 2 x 6-inch)
I) Combination pliers (6-inch)
J) Hacksaw and an assortment of blades
K) Tire pressure gauge
L) Grease gun
M) Oil can
N) Fine emery cloth
O) Wire brush
P) Battery post and cable cleaning tool
Q) Funnel
R) Jack stands (2)
S) Floor jack
T) Fender cover
U) Oil drain pan
V) Safety goggles
W) Gloves
X) 36mm Hammer Tool
Y) Metric Hex Key Assortment
Z) Electrical Test Light


Volkswagen Specific Tools

In addition to the general list of tools, the following additional tools are specific to the care, maintenance or
overhaul of your Volkswagen.
A) Offset box wrenches: 10 mm and 13 mm
B) Combination wrenches: 7 mm, 8 mm, 10 mm, 13 mm (2), 17 mm, 19 mm, 21 mm
C) 3/8-inch drive sockets: 10 mm, 13 mm, 15 mm, 17 mm, 19 mm, 21mm
D) 3/8-inch drive extensions: 2 1/2-inch and 6-inch
E) 3/8-inch drive universal joint
F) Sliding T-handle (8-inches long maximum)
G) 3/8-inch drive ratchet
H) 3/8-inch torque wrench (0 to 150 foot-pounds)
I) Magnetic tip phillips screwdrivers: Nos. 1, 2 and 3
J) Standard screw drivers: 1/8-inch, 5/16-inch and 3/8-inch
K) Offset screwdriver (flat blade style)
L) Wire-type thickness gauge with bending lever: 0.020, 0.024, 0.028
M) Flat feeler gauge: .006, .0016-inch
N) 17 mm hex head wrench
O) Hex wrench set: 4 mm to 10 mm
P) Pliers: lineman’s (Channel-lock), needle-nose, vise-grip, snap-ring (internal and external), hog ring
Q) Combination instrument or dwell meter, tachometer, and stroboscopic timing light
R) Universal flywheel holder
S) Clutch pilot tool
T) Oil pump puller
U) Engine stand
V) Distributor drive puller
W) 1/2-inch drive, 36 mm socket
X) 1/2-inch drive breaker bar
Y) Crankshaft gear puller
Z) Crankshaft pulley puller aa) Valve guide drill bit
bb) Oil filler removal tool
cc) Tie rod puller
dd) Oil piston puller
ee) CV joint tool (6 point and 12 point)
ff) Spark plug hole tap
gg) Starter bushing tool
hh) End play tool
ii) Deck height tool
jj) Lifter retaining clips
kk) Flywheel seal installing tool
ll) Condenser installation tool
mm) Flywheel dowel pin fixture
nn) Carburetor synchronizer
oo) Valve guide installer
pp) Pinion nut socket
qq) Clutch adjusting wrench
rr) Universal valve adjust tool
ss) 1/4-inch drift
tt) Roll pin punches
uu) Center punch
vv) 1/2-inch cold chisel
ww) Scribe
xx) Gasket scraper
yy) Steel rule/straight-edge (12-inch)
zz) Assorted files
aaa) Electric drill motor and a set of good quality
drill bits
bbb) Fuel line clamp
ccc) Rubber or phenolic dead-blow mallet
ddd) Tow bar



Special Tools

The tools in this list include those which are not used on a regular basis, relatively expensive to buy, or are to be used to perform specific mechanical operations in accordance to the manufacturer’s instructions. Unless you are a frequent VW engine or transaxle rebuilder, you may wish to consider renting rather than purchasing some of the tools listed below. Many of these tools are available and obtainable by the home rebuilder.
A) Valve spring compressor
B) Valve spring removal tool
C) Piston ring groove cleaning tool
D) Piston ring compressor
E) Piston ring installation tool
F) Cylinder compression gauge
G) Cylinder ridge reamer
H) Cylinder surfacing hone
I) Cylinder bore gauge
J) Micrometers and/or dial calipers
K) Ball joint separator L) Universal-type puller
M) Impact screwdriver
N) Dial indicator set
O) Hand-operated vacuum/pressure pump
P) Universal electric multi-meter
Q) Brake spring removal and adjustment tools
R) Transmission jig
S) Gear cluster puller
T) Backlash adjusting tool
U) Stud removal kit
V) Case-saver installer
W) Metric tap and die set

[Letterman7]

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Probably the best answer would be "all of them"....

[tizzfishin]

Good welder.
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1971 westy


"An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea"

[my59]

Penetrating oil
Plumbers torch
Patience
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my59: Well son, my grandfather died before I got to drive it, so does that answer your question?
our79: sunroof bus w/camper interior and 2.0 FI
Other:'12 Jetta, '77 Benz 300D, and a 74 MG Midget.

[Desertbusman]

Charts, Manuals, tech data.
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71 Superbug
71 Westy

[ClipperBuggy]

Jumping in here.

Building up my tools as well for my '66 kit buggy.

I am trying to find a Torque Wrench that is 0-150lbs but having trouble as most don't go as low as 0 that I have seen.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Budget level I'm working with is around $135 or $150

and 3/8 drive is best I hear? (If I only only plan to get one)

[KTPhil]

Any torque wrench that can go as high as 150# will be grossly inaccurate near zero anyway; you should use an inch-pound wrench near zero. Or just learn the feel and never grip the end of the ratchet or wrench.