Joe, Dan et al Tool opportunity.

[Shvegel]

Hi all,
I am up in Minnesota today and I fixed a couple of problem cars for a friend who offered to pay me but in lieu of that I asked hum if I could dig through his stash of early Mercedes tools. He has two garbage cans full of tools that I picked through 2 years ago and scored the valve spring compressor and crows foot for adjusting the valves. There are some tools you probably never need like the precision tool to measure the play in the kingpin which looks like a $2,000 tool today.

My question is what tools should I be on the lookout for? I am thinking of just offering to buy them all but if all he wants to do is let me pick through what should I be looking for? And what does it look like?

[Jonny B]

If these are mechanics (shop) tools, I will let Joe and Dan speak to. For the types of tools that would show up in the car, the wood handle screwdriver is always sought after. For the earlier cars (190 SL and such) the black tools should find a willing audience. The single open end wrench, 12mm is difficult to find. The U-shape tire mounting tool for the early cars is also desirable. For the 113 cars, the tools themselves are relatively easy to assemble for a tool kit. The fuse pliers (plastic) are tough.

[ja17]

Hello sounds like a nice stash of special MB tools. You already picked two good ones. In the BBB it shows most special tools and the part number for them. You will see a part number stamped on them.

Lots of good special tools. Some useful for the M130 engine or the W113 chassis could be  ....................drive shaft wrenches, special two handled wrench for axle bearing slotted nut, and special sockets for slotted diff, trans nuts, any valve adj. tools. special cone mandrel for installing rear suspension thrust arm at the front, nifty compression testor with read outs, any drain pug toosl, much more check your BBB.

[hauser]

Joe, I remember either reading or hearing about how back in the day Mercedes techs had to make their own tools for certain jobs.  I recently had to make such a tool when working on my soft top release cable.  I purchased a cheap wrench and had to grind it down next to nothing just to secure a bolt from turning as I tightened a nut.  I don't know if I'll ever need it again but it's in my tool chest for future projects.

[Benz Dr.]

I think just about everyone has a self made tool or two in thier stash of old tools. I made most of mine or modified them from exsisting wrenches. Pin sockets are always good.

I picked up a number of pieces some years back and still use them a bit. The drain wrench from my ' 56 190SL is probably the single most usefull MB tool I own. I have a rear axel tuble wrench for checking how straight the two holes are where the hinges sit. I've found more than a few to be bent. It's almost impossible to tell without this special tool.
I also have a really old tool for taking off the axel nuts that hold the rear wheel bearings in place. It works perfectly.

 What's a really neat old tool is a special cradle for lifting engine up while you drop the sub frame out from  under the car. It looks like a piece of I - beam with a wooden block on each end. The centre has a long screw with a handle on the top. I imagine there aren't too many of these things around any more.

[Shvegel]

Hi,
I ended up with 6 5gallon(18 Litre) buckets full of tools. Lots of stuff I am sure will never use but at least they won't go for scrap. I am pretty sure the axle tube wrenches, pullers etc are there and lots of other stuff. I am having them shipped to my house this Summer so I will dig through them then.

[ja17]

Sounds like a great find !

[Jonny B]

How about a few pictures of the treasure trove?

[Shvegel]

I didn't have my camera with me. They are in Minnesota and I am back in Ohio. When I get them down here I will lay them out and take some pictures.

[ja17]

Sounds like fun, can't wait !  Mercedes did publish a BBB on their special tools. I see one from time to time on ebay. Most of the spedial tools do have MB part numbers on them.

[al_lieffring]

There have been several posts lately about rebushing and reaming king pins and spindles, the reamers would be cool if you could find them in there.

[Shvegel]

I looked when I packed them up. No reamers.