Moose-LandTran
Well-known member
For clutch pressure plate bolts i use a deep Snap-on 3/8" socket. Thin-walled, clears the housing. But i doubt you'll have a problem with any brand. Other pressure plates often need a 6mm hex driver. I don't think there are any other special clutch tools, unless you get into self-adjusting clutches, that can need resetting and pre-tensioning tools. Which are a pain and cost a fortune. I haven't needed one yet though. I'm sure there are ways around needing those tools.
If you're pulling manual gearboxes in Passats, A4s and A6s, you'll probably need a stubby 8mm hex key to remove the shift linkage reaction bar. This bolts to the right hand side of the gearbox (On some gearboxes, others have the shift linkages on the top.) There isn't much space in the transmission tunnel, hence the need for a stubby one. You may be better off getting a long 8mm hex key and cutting the short arm to the right size when/if you need it.
Trim tools, Snap-on ones won't work on most VAG trim clips, and will just damage or break them. Get the Matador VAG tool T10036. It's great, by far the best i've ever used. Not expensive either.
As i say to everyone, get a ball joint separator. Don't that hitting the hub with a hammer ********. Yes it work, but it fucks the hub and leaves marks. I've also seen someone crack an aluminium hub/knuckle doing it. OTC make the same one as i have, it's not expensive but it's great:
See if you can get a mini 1/4" bit ratchet. The Kastar ones are alright at best. I have a Gedore one, which is great. Very compact. Since buying it, i've found that i use it all the time. Money well spent.
Brakes, like you said need a 7mm hex key. I think some of the newer Audis (TTs) need an 8mm hex key. Rear brakes almost always have 13mm bolts, and need a 15mm wrench to counter-hold the slider pin. Q7s and Touaregs need an M16 triple square to remove the rear calipers to change brake discs.
For cars that have a manual handbrake, you'll need a wind-back tool for the rear calipers (As with most import cars) I think all VAG cars use the same adapter for wind-backs, and all are right-handed.
Electronic handbrake rear calipers can't be reset by hand. You need either Vag-Com diag or a special plug-in thing to reset them. (Costs about $100) Pushing them in by hand will destroy them, and those calipers are expensive. I had to replace some that another mechanic destroyed, cost a fortune.
You'll find that VAG (Volkswagen Audi Group) cars are riddled with triple square fasteners. I have the Snap-on set M6-16 (TSSKIT) as well as the long M8/10/12 drivers. M8 & M10 are used a lot on driveshafts flanges. Long ones work best for this. Snap-on also make M4/5 triple square drivers, but they're 3/8"-drive. I bought a 1/4" screwdriver bit holder and M3/4/5 triple square screwdriver bits (Wiha & Wera make them). Not that i've ever actually found M3/4/5 triple squares on a VW, yet. (Apprently they use M4 for door locks, so far i've only used a T15 Torx on them.)
Many VAG cars (1K Golfs, B/C/D-Platform cars) have bolt-in bearing/hub units. These have 4 triple square bolts that hold in the wheel bearing into the hub/knuckle with a hub flange already pressed in. Some use M14 triple square bolts, others use M16, 1K Golfs, Q7s and Touaregs use M18 bolts.
Snap-on M18 triple square driver:
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...8&group_ID=378&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
Some gearboxes use triple square drain plugs. Many are M16 tamperproof (The Snap-on M16 is tamerproof) and some others use a regular M14. Most gearbox drain plugs need a 17mm hex key/driver. Snap-on male a 3/8" low-profile driver for this, can be hand on eBay cheap. (I saw one for like $10 recently)
Long M10/12/14 are used on some headbolts. Not sure which use M10. (8v single cams, i think. They might be M12 though.) M12 is used on V5s, VR6s and the 4.2-litre V8s, i can't remember what uses M14. Long M14s are hard to come by, i know that Stahlwille makes them though, but you can get the VAG factory tool long M14.
Part numbers:
M10 Long 3410
M12 Long (Can't find it, but i'm sure the Snap-on one will work.)
M14 Long T10061
I don't imagine you'll be pulling many 4.2 heads. The earlier chain-in-head V8s aren't bad, as they have a timing belt and timing chains. The later 4.2s are insanely complex, running 4 chains at the back. (One oil pump + ancilliary chain, one crank-to-idler pulleys chain and two chains that run from the idlers to the cams. Engine-out job. Renewing the chain guides is usually a $3,000-5,000 job.)
Chains:
It's likely that most of the VWs you'll work on will have 1.8T (chain-in-head) engines. If you're pulling heads on these you'll need a Polydrive socket driver. Don't listen to anyone who tells you they use Ribe headbolts, or that the correct driver is an M10 Ribe. They are wrong. These engines (As well as the 5-valve V6s, 2.7/3.0 and some others) use M10 Polydrive headbolts. This is only application for Polydrive. If you're not pulling heads, don't worry about it.
That's an M10 Ribe on the left, and an M10 Polydrive on the right. You can see the differences in the two profile. You may need an M10 Ribe driver for aftermarket headbolts, been known to happen. Recently doing a Fiat head the old (original) headbolts were M10 Ribe, and the new (Aftermarket) ones were M10 Polydrive, bizarrely..
You can get an M10 Polydrive from a few places, but get a good one. Snap-on make one, part number is SPDL10E. VAG factory tool is T10070. Hazet Ribe is 2579-9, Listed as M9 Ribe, seemingly. (You can get them through Samstag.) I can help you get them if not, or you can have my Polydrive one when i get around to buying the VAG tool. Mine wasn't the most expensive, but it seems pretty good. Only used once so far.
You may also need an E14 female Torx for older Audi V6 engines. I haven't needed one yet though.
If your 1/2"-drive sockets are 12-point you won't need to worry about these next ones, but it wouldn't hurt to get impact ones if you're working on lot of VAG cars. Many hub nuts/bolts are 12-point. 30mm is the most common (All MK IV Golfs, plus many others) as well as 32mm on Touaregs and Q7s. 24mm is used on some later 1K-platform cars. (MK V & VI Golfs)
I don't think you guys get anything with the 12-point 36mm hub nuts, we get them on Polos, but they're not exported to North America.)
Earlier MK V Golfs use 27mm 6-point hub bolts.
Almost all crank pulley bolts are 19mm 12-point. This bolt holds the timing belt toothed pulley to the crank, the serpentine belt pulley usually bolts to this with 4 bolts. (Need a 6mm hex driver.) But you may need to remove this bolt in some cases, a 1/2" impact socket would be ideal for this. (Don't bother with the pulley holding tool, and undoing the bolt by hand.)
B/C/D-Platform cars (Passats with longitudinal engines, Phaetons, Audi A4s, A6s, A8s, Possibly Bentleys too.) Use hub bolts that need hex drivers. You'll need 14mm and 17mm for most of the Passats, A4s and A6s. I think only the Phaetons and A8s use 19mm, but some A6s may have them too.
For early VR6s that don't have individual coil packs, you need a special tool to pull the HT leads off the plugs without damaging them. VAG T10029. Similar aftermarket ones are easy to get online.
Hazet make a nice oil filter wrench, some have a housing that needs this, some have a bare steel canister filter, and some have a plastic cap with a hex. They're usually 32mm and 36mm, the 4.2 V8s have the housing on the top behind the intake manifold, and have a 24mm hex. The Hazet filter wrench will be useful for most German cars, most have a 74.4mm housing with 14 flats.
Hazet 2169 oil filter wrench:
One tool that i bought that i've found really handy is the VAG T10058. It's a 9" long 5mm ball-end hex driver. It's meant for removing sump bolts, but there are loads of uses for it. Sump bolts are generally easy to get to, except the rear ones at the bell housing. (Rotate the crank, and there's a slot in the flywheel that lines up with the bolts to allow you to access them.)
The tool next to it is the VAG T10054. Long M6 triple square. Meant for removing PD (Pumpe Duse/Unit) injectors from TDI engines. Might be useful, i haven't "needed" it yet though.
If you're pulling manual gearboxes in Passats, A4s and A6s, you'll probably need a stubby 8mm hex key to remove the shift linkage reaction bar. This bolts to the right hand side of the gearbox (On some gearboxes, others have the shift linkages on the top.) There isn't much space in the transmission tunnel, hence the need for a stubby one. You may be better off getting a long 8mm hex key and cutting the short arm to the right size when/if you need it.
Trim tools, Snap-on ones won't work on most VAG trim clips, and will just damage or break them. Get the Matador VAG tool T10036. It's great, by far the best i've ever used. Not expensive either.
As i say to everyone, get a ball joint separator. Don't that hitting the hub with a hammer ********. Yes it work, but it fucks the hub and leaves marks. I've also seen someone crack an aluminium hub/knuckle doing it. OTC make the same one as i have, it's not expensive but it's great:
See if you can get a mini 1/4" bit ratchet. The Kastar ones are alright at best. I have a Gedore one, which is great. Very compact. Since buying it, i've found that i use it all the time. Money well spent.
Brakes, like you said need a 7mm hex key. I think some of the newer Audis (TTs) need an 8mm hex key. Rear brakes almost always have 13mm bolts, and need a 15mm wrench to counter-hold the slider pin. Q7s and Touaregs need an M16 triple square to remove the rear calipers to change brake discs.
For cars that have a manual handbrake, you'll need a wind-back tool for the rear calipers (As with most import cars) I think all VAG cars use the same adapter for wind-backs, and all are right-handed.
Electronic handbrake rear calipers can't be reset by hand. You need either Vag-Com diag or a special plug-in thing to reset them. (Costs about $100) Pushing them in by hand will destroy them, and those calipers are expensive. I had to replace some that another mechanic destroyed, cost a fortune.
You'll find that VAG (Volkswagen Audi Group) cars are riddled with triple square fasteners. I have the Snap-on set M6-16 (TSSKIT) as well as the long M8/10/12 drivers. M8 & M10 are used a lot on driveshafts flanges. Long ones work best for this. Snap-on also make M4/5 triple square drivers, but they're 3/8"-drive. I bought a 1/4" screwdriver bit holder and M3/4/5 triple square screwdriver bits (Wiha & Wera make them). Not that i've ever actually found M3/4/5 triple squares on a VW, yet. (Apprently they use M4 for door locks, so far i've only used a T15 Torx on them.)
Many VAG cars (1K Golfs, B/C/D-Platform cars) have bolt-in bearing/hub units. These have 4 triple square bolts that hold in the wheel bearing into the hub/knuckle with a hub flange already pressed in. Some use M14 triple square bolts, others use M16, 1K Golfs, Q7s and Touaregs use M18 bolts.
Snap-on M18 triple square driver:
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...8&group_ID=378&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
Some gearboxes use triple square drain plugs. Many are M16 tamperproof (The Snap-on M16 is tamerproof) and some others use a regular M14. Most gearbox drain plugs need a 17mm hex key/driver. Snap-on male a 3/8" low-profile driver for this, can be hand on eBay cheap. (I saw one for like $10 recently)
Long M10/12/14 are used on some headbolts. Not sure which use M10. (8v single cams, i think. They might be M12 though.) M12 is used on V5s, VR6s and the 4.2-litre V8s, i can't remember what uses M14. Long M14s are hard to come by, i know that Stahlwille makes them though, but you can get the VAG factory tool long M14.
Part numbers:
M10 Long 3410
M12 Long (Can't find it, but i'm sure the Snap-on one will work.)
M14 Long T10061
I don't imagine you'll be pulling many 4.2 heads. The earlier chain-in-head V8s aren't bad, as they have a timing belt and timing chains. The later 4.2s are insanely complex, running 4 chains at the back. (One oil pump + ancilliary chain, one crank-to-idler pulleys chain and two chains that run from the idlers to the cams. Engine-out job. Renewing the chain guides is usually a $3,000-5,000 job.)
Chains:
It's likely that most of the VWs you'll work on will have 1.8T (chain-in-head) engines. If you're pulling heads on these you'll need a Polydrive socket driver. Don't listen to anyone who tells you they use Ribe headbolts, or that the correct driver is an M10 Ribe. They are wrong. These engines (As well as the 5-valve V6s, 2.7/3.0 and some others) use M10 Polydrive headbolts. This is only application for Polydrive. If you're not pulling heads, don't worry about it.
That's an M10 Ribe on the left, and an M10 Polydrive on the right. You can see the differences in the two profile. You may need an M10 Ribe driver for aftermarket headbolts, been known to happen. Recently doing a Fiat head the old (original) headbolts were M10 Ribe, and the new (Aftermarket) ones were M10 Polydrive, bizarrely..
You can get an M10 Polydrive from a few places, but get a good one. Snap-on make one, part number is SPDL10E. VAG factory tool is T10070. Hazet Ribe is 2579-9, Listed as M9 Ribe, seemingly. (You can get them through Samstag.) I can help you get them if not, or you can have my Polydrive one when i get around to buying the VAG tool. Mine wasn't the most expensive, but it seems pretty good. Only used once so far.
You may also need an E14 female Torx for older Audi V6 engines. I haven't needed one yet though.
If your 1/2"-drive sockets are 12-point you won't need to worry about these next ones, but it wouldn't hurt to get impact ones if you're working on lot of VAG cars. Many hub nuts/bolts are 12-point. 30mm is the most common (All MK IV Golfs, plus many others) as well as 32mm on Touaregs and Q7s. 24mm is used on some later 1K-platform cars. (MK V & VI Golfs)
I don't think you guys get anything with the 12-point 36mm hub nuts, we get them on Polos, but they're not exported to North America.)
Earlier MK V Golfs use 27mm 6-point hub bolts.
Almost all crank pulley bolts are 19mm 12-point. This bolt holds the timing belt toothed pulley to the crank, the serpentine belt pulley usually bolts to this with 4 bolts. (Need a 6mm hex driver.) But you may need to remove this bolt in some cases, a 1/2" impact socket would be ideal for this. (Don't bother with the pulley holding tool, and undoing the bolt by hand.)
B/C/D-Platform cars (Passats with longitudinal engines, Phaetons, Audi A4s, A6s, A8s, Possibly Bentleys too.) Use hub bolts that need hex drivers. You'll need 14mm and 17mm for most of the Passats, A4s and A6s. I think only the Phaetons and A8s use 19mm, but some A6s may have them too.
For early VR6s that don't have individual coil packs, you need a special tool to pull the HT leads off the plugs without damaging them. VAG T10029. Similar aftermarket ones are easy to get online.
Hazet make a nice oil filter wrench, some have a housing that needs this, some have a bare steel canister filter, and some have a plastic cap with a hex. They're usually 32mm and 36mm, the 4.2 V8s have the housing on the top behind the intake manifold, and have a 24mm hex. The Hazet filter wrench will be useful for most German cars, most have a 74.4mm housing with 14 flats.
Hazet 2169 oil filter wrench:
One tool that i bought that i've found really handy is the VAG T10058. It's a 9" long 5mm ball-end hex driver. It's meant for removing sump bolts, but there are loads of uses for it. Sump bolts are generally easy to get to, except the rear ones at the bell housing. (Rotate the crank, and there's a slot in the flywheel that lines up with the bolts to allow you to access them.)
The tool next to it is the VAG T10054. Long M6 triple square. Meant for removing PD (Pumpe Duse/Unit) injectors from TDI engines. Might be useful, i haven't "needed" it yet though.
