Building a toolkit (& replacement seat belts)

[NawidDaoud]

Hi,

I'm looking to invest in my first socket set to let me start tinkering with my zed. Does anyone have any recommendations? I'm willing to spend a bit of money to get something good quality that will last, but don't want it to break the bank. Also, are there any other tools that will be needed?

Some of the jobs I'm looking to do are:
Remove seats
Replace bushings
Fix broken seat belt guide clip
Repair or replace 1 very noisy seat adjustment motor
Replace driver's side seat belt
Remove/replace steering wheel.

If anybody can let me know the kind of tools I'll need to do things like the above,it would be much appreciated. I've read on some threads about Torx screwdrivers? Is it worth getting a set of these too?

On a side note, does anybody have experience with replacing seat belts on a Z3? My seat belts have seen better days and I'm thinking a new pair would make a big difference. I tried to search on the forum and online in general but all that comes up is stuff on replacing the seat belt guides.

Thanks,
Nav

 

[137699]

I don't recommend them for much, but Halfords Professional tools are both sensibly priced and come with a no-quibble lifetime warranty. If/when you break a bit you simply take it into store and they swap it there & then. Very handy when your car is in bits and you break something and cannot wait for the internet...

You can get seatbelts re-webbed. I have used FDTS in Surrey a few times - £27 a reel and you can have them done in whichever colour you wish.

 

[DrWong]

Agree re: Halfords for the price, quality and lifetime guarantee. I'd suggest the 1/2 inch Halfords modular set which can then be added to as needed, e.g. torx bits, breaker bar for bigger jobs etc. A set of trim removal tools might also be useful for some of the jobs you describe and are good to have around (and cheap!).

My main sockets is a 3/8 inch Halfords modular set. The 3/8 size is sufficient for the vast majority of jobs on the Z3 and the smaller ratchet is easier to use in tight spaces (of which the car has many). For stubborn nuts and bolts (e.g. suspension), I have 1/2 inch impact sockets, breaker bar and impact gun on standby.

 

[NawidDaoud]

Interesting, I'll look into the Halfords sets.

Will I need to get an imperial socket set then rather than metric for work on the Z3? Is this because it was manufactured in the US?

Yes was thinking about trim removal tools too, good shout. Thanks both

 

[DrWong]

Metric. German car built in the US

 

[NawidDaoud]

You talked about 3/8 inch sockets though? Is that not an imperial socket set?

 

[Stevo7682]

Hi ratchets tend to come in 1/4 inch drive
3/8 inch drive and 1/2 inch drive but the sockets that fit them can be either imperial or metric.
Halfords stuff like said all their advanced products have a lifetime warranty.

 

[Delk]

I have stacks of tools from working and repairing ship engines for years but it turned into a bit of this and that. Bought a Halfords set and am very happy with it. Carry one case out to the car and it does 99 percent of the jobs.

I still have my big and specialist tools but they see less and less work every day.

 

[colb]

Many years ago I had a small set of Halfords 50piece AF and Metric socket set as a present from the kids, only thing to have bust is the plastic lid, rest of the kit is as good as new with constant use. Biggest metric socket in it is 17mm so you would need to add some of the inbetween sizes like 16mm which crop up on our cars. Got a drawer full of larger sockets and half inch drives for anything else that crops up most collected over the years at tool stores at car shows. Most useful bit of kit is a magnetic parts tray for keeping dismantled nuts and bolts safe when you take them off and a telescopic pickup tool with a light in the end of it for retrieving dropped nuts and bolts.

 

[Althulas]

I have a macallister socket set which I bought from b&q when they were selling stuff off which came with 1/2, 3/8 & 1/4 drive and some spanner’s not bad quality for the price and has been fine for work on the car. I also bought Halfords professional ratchet and ring spanner’s when on offer. I have us pro/ burgan impact sockets pliers sets reasonably priced on Amazon and a Makita impact gun pricey but a great tool. All bought over the last three years so slowly built up. I originally wanted one of those big socket sets from Halfords which has the three sized ratchets which do come under offer at times and would be a very good start and will do majority of jobs.