ECS News

During suspension work, there are a few critical tools that make installation and removal infinitely more simple. In order to remove the retaining nut at the top of struts on European cars, a dedicated tool that fits the unique shape of the strut mount is required. Many enthusiasts will damage the strut nut using a wrench or inappropriate socket to accomplish the task, bringing their project to a halt. For professional quality work, Schwaben Specialty Tools has assembled a collection of premium Strut Nut Sockets in all the most popular sizes for your European car.

A well-known weakness in the design of the M62 engine fitted to the BMW E39 540i is the cooling system and it's affiliated components. In most cases, the M62 will function adequately for the majority of the vehicle's lifespan; auxiliary engine systems can therefore require servicing before the engine itself displays signs of failure. ECS assembled and Genuine OEM BMW Cooling System Refresh Kits give you unparalleled assurance that you wont be left on the side of the road with an over heated engine. Choose the kit that suits your particular vehicle's needs.

Having proper use of the emergency brake in your BMW is critical. Parking brake cables, over time, can develop rust under the rubber boot and corrode the cable, forcing it in place. If your emergency brake seems to stick and lock your rear brake, or if brake function is weak, the ECS assembled and Genuine BMW Parking Brake Refresh Kits contain all necessary parts and hardware to restore operation to factory. Both kits contain new parking brake cables, a parking brake spring kit, parking brake shoes, and parking brake adjustment screws, for a complete, professional installation.

Sale is now over. With tax returns and the spring season right around the corner, we wanted to thank you for all of the hard work that you have put in. We have selected handfuls of products to feature and reduced their price for this one time sale. Deals like this go quick, so act soon or risk missing out. Limited time, limited stock, huge savings. Sale Ends February 22, 2016

Sale is now over. With tax returns and the spring season right around the corner, we wanted to thank you for all of the hard work that you have put in. We have selected handfuls of products to feature and reduced their price for this one time sale. Deals like this go quick, so act soon or risk missing out. Limited time, limited stock, huge savings. Sale Ends February 22, 2016

Want to do something bold? Bodacious, even? Check out this line of 3M Scotchprint films. Add texture and style to interior and exterior surfaces by applying these durable adhesive backed films to body panels or trim. Want variety? Channel Darth Vader with gloss black or carbon fiber, or go sci-fi-starship with brushed aluminum. Buy rolls five feet wide in lengths from one to 20 feet. Hi-tech look. Low tech installation. User friendly and easy to apply using simple tools, 3M 1080 film lets anyone get professional results on the first try.

Ever tried removing a radio trim bezel with a screwdriver or metal putty knife? Ugly. Ineffective. Metal prying tools gouge, scratch, and crack expensive interior parts adding needless cost and aggravation to any repair or accessory installation requiring trim panel removal. Stop the madness. Invest in one of our affordable trim removal kits. Large kit or small, our trim removal tools are made of tough, non-marring molded plastic, brightly colored so you won't leave them behind when the job is done. Do it right. Do it faster. Schwaben.

Few styling cues distinguish the flagship M5 from the rest of the E39 fleet. The motorsport-inspired front and rear bumpers are the most poignant visual enhancements made by BMW, and now ECS offers replicas of both at an exceedingly affordable price. The ECS bumpers are manufactured to strict OEM specifications and are made of flexible urethane. The simple conversion quickly adds genuine OEM-quality fitment and hallowed BMW Motorsport styling to your '97-'03 E39 5 Series.

Between the two cylinder banks on the E39 540i is a large coolant passageway that serves as a cooling channel and mounting location for the water pump. Over time, the sealing gasket and pan for this valley can wear and allow coolant to leak, significantly reducing the cooling capacity of your engine. ECS and genuine BMW Valley Pan Service Kits are now available for your E39 BMW 540i. Two kit levels fit your particular servicing requirements - both include a new valley pan and gasket, securing hardware, valley pan heat shield, water pipe o-rings, and a water pump gasket.

Avoid finding yourself without a key trim fastener - stock up for good with the Vaico BMW Fastener Assortment Kit. Designed with the DIY enthusiast or body shop in mind, this assortment comes stocked with clips for fender liners, interior trim, and body mouldings, all in a convenient storage case. An extremely convenient kit for the discriminating BMW owner, you can now achieve a factory-perfect look instead of leaving crucial interior elements out of sorts.

We've all found ourselves using highly "creative" methods for separating old parts in the midst of an intense project. Some methods do work - usually at the expense of personal injury and a few broken or damaged parts. The new Remover Tools from Schwaben leave your knuckles and expensive parts intact. The new Exhaust Hanger Removal Tool has a slim profile for work in tight areas, easily pulling off hangers from behind. Steering and Suspension Ball Joint Separators offer a combined 12mm to 80mm jaw opening range. New rugged 3/8” drive Schwaben E-Socket Sets are also available.

A lesser known feature of the highest caliber performance cars has nothing to do with engine power output, suspension dynamics, or build materials. Almost every truly distinguished European sports car utilizes a limited-slip style differential. While an open differential effectively accomplishes the task of allowing one wheel to spin faster than the other around corners, during power delivery, this behavior is not always desirable. The full measure of power is distributed to both wheels with an LSD, for true performance-car acceleration and handling.

Browsing through our world-class parts catalog can be overwhelming - with such a deep well of heart-pounding performance additions, convenient tools and accessories, and limitless OEM replacement parts, you'll need a way to control your lustful thoughts this Valentine's Day. ECS helps you cool off with the Wish List tool - setup a vehicle make and model, and click on the "Heart" logo next to any product that catches your eye. And if you're looking to spice things up this holiday with a thoughtful gift, $10-$100 ECS gift cards will make your sweetheart's wishes come true.

Schwaben Specialty Tools has released three new products that eliminate the pains and inconveniences associated with automotive repairs and installations. Get off the ground and move around with the Six Wheel Creeper - ruggedly designed to reliably keep your body off the ground while working underneath your Euro. The Schwaben LED Under Hood Shop Light features 120 LEDs & a polycarbonate transparent lens that instantly illuminates every crevice of your engine bay. The Rolling Creeper Seat and Tray keeps your body at an ideal height while keeping your tools close at hand.

For the E39 generation 5 Series, BMW curiously chose to utilize a high-offset, 74.1mm centerbore wheel arrangement. The decision has unfortunately limited the options for E39 owners hoping to fit BMW wheels with the more popular 72.6mm centerbore to their vehicle. The simplest, safest, and most effective solution comes from ECS in the form of lightweight aluminum, black-anodized Hub Adapters and Wheel Spacers. 13mm to 20mm conventional spacers are offered to adapt your wheels to the common 72.6mm centerbore, while bolt-on hub adapters are available in 25mm and 30mm sizes.

Hawk is well known to enthusiasts looking for a high quality brake pad which will deliver superior stopping power. Hawk Performance brake pads cover all your braking needs from daily driving to extreme use. Multiple brake pad compounds are available, but the characteristics they all have in common include an aggressive bite, improved pedal feel, low noise, and minimal dust. Find a perfect match for your braking needs and find out what the hype is all about.

When it comes to the cooling system, we're led to only think of failure with overheating in the warmer months of the year. On the other hand, coolant prevents freezing within its system during the colder months, and there are still many that are unequipped to service their system properly. Don't get left in the cold. Maintain your cooling system the right way and keep it fully functional with these cooling system tools.

Automotive electrical work demands patience, knowledge, & above all, the correct tools. European car owners oftentimes find themselves using ineffective, dangerous, & cumbersome methods when repairing or replacing wiring harness connectors. Schwaben's latest release, the European Car Electrical Terminal Tool Kit, gives enthusiasts the exact tools required for bullet connectors, common ABS sensor and power connectors, trailer light plugs, and more. Extend harness life, ensure proper diagnostic equipment connectivity, and preserve wiring harness life with this superb release.

Why use wheel studs instead of wheel bolts? When removing and installing wheels that utilize the factory wheel bolts the process can be frustrating, holding the wheel up with your legs, lining up the holes, and threading the bolts all at the same time. Wheel studs also allow the use of varying length wheel spacers - a highly convenient feature for those that anticipate using different spacer size setups in the future. Both conical and ball seat lug nuts are available for a maximum of 10mm, 20mm, or 30mm wheel spacer use.

The E39 is known for superior, well-balanced handling - often times, drivers don't notice the gradual failure of critical suspension components for this very reason. Suspension parts can fail slowly and before your know it your vehicle has the dreaded front end shimmy most 5 series acquire, the common failure is control arms. The greater weight and increased power of this model E39 puts extra strain on control arms and bushings, so ECS now offers complete front and rear kits to save component search from being an issue and supplying more durable upgraded parts.

It's hard not to appreciate the powerful, aggressive appearance of a wide-stanced performance car; it's the look that forces enthusiasts to take your ride seriously. The effect is typically accomplished with flared fenders and over-sized wheels, requiring increased fender clearance. The Eastwood fender roller tool is easy to use, priced right, and increases fender clearance while maintaining a factory-fresh look. Kits are available that include a heat gun to keep your finish from stress cracking, & a finishing tool to form the inner fender lip for a professional-quality job.

The growing Schwaben Tool catalog has just expanded again with the release of the superbly engineered, exceptionally reliable Schwaben hand tools - now available from ECS tuning. The new Schwaben 1/2" breaker bar has a full 180°swing for those hard to reach bolts and nuts. A complete set of Schwaben twelve-point metric combination wrenches from 8 to 19 mm is also available. Mechanic-quality 290mm and 200mm long ratchets featuring a durable fine satin finish round off this latest premium tool release.

Critical emergency parts should be purchased from a well-known, reliable company. High quality Booster cables are now available from Schwaben Tools. The 6-gauge copper, multi-strand cables are 12 feet long, making the emergency jump start hassle-free in any situation. Rated at 400 Amps, the vinyl-coated Schwaben cables are designed to last.

One of the most critical pieces of data collected by your vehicle's ECU is the amount of air available for combustion at a given point. This data is collected as a voltage reading across a heated wire within a sensor housing. This wire is easily contaminated over time, delivering false readings to your ECU, causing an array of potentially serious issues ranging from poor idle to losses in engine power output. If you've pulled a specific MAF fault code, or are simply experiencing poor engine performance, ECS offers an assortment of replacement options to resolve the problem.

Keep your cuts clean and your connections clamped tight with these new Schwaben tools. The CV boot clamp pliers will assist in maintaining the factory look by utilizing ear-type clamps found on CV axle boots, vacuum lines, and fuel lines right from the factory. The Schwaben mini tube cutter will cut hardlines with a smooth, straight finish making it easy to flare and fit. For the enthusiasts looking to complete a job, and leave it with the appearance that it was never touched.

Coming to a finish of an under-the-hood project is a sight that any enthusiast can enjoy. The other finish we enjoy the sight of is the paint finish, unblemished and grease free. The best way to ensure you maintain this appearance while working under the hood is with a fender cover. The ECS Magnetic fender cover features Soft magnets to hold tight in place, soft non-scratch leather on the front, and goose flannelette backing. Don't risk it, stay covered.

Guesswork is expensive. It leads to costly repair errors that compromise vehicle safety. Talented pro-sumer or repair professional, you need accurate vehicle data and specifications. That's why ECS is happy to announce our entire inventory of Bentley manuals, a reliable, respected source of repair data for many European vehicles. Books are carefully edited and illustrated for accuracy. A truly worthwhile investment.

The easiest, most transformative modification for your VW is a set of new, perfectly selected wheels. Alzor wheels offers an array of 5x112 bolt pattern wheels for your VW available in various colors, finishes, and spoke designs. The entire line of Alzor alloy wheels are inspected and go through rigorous quality control and durability testing. Every wheel comes with a TÜV Rheinlan approval and is stamped with the familiar JWL and VIA stamps, giving you the confidence to drive aggressively on your new running gear.

In order to maintain peak engine performance and ensure engine longevity, regulating proper operating temperatures is imperative. Instead of waiting for cooling issues to erode your car's performance and damage expensive parts, replace your water pump preemptively, saving unnecessary time and expense. ECS offers OEM BMW and aftermarket Water Pumps. Each aftermarket option features a metal impeller, and includes an alignment dowel and sealing gasket. Commonly replaced at around 60k miles, this critical engine component is a wise investment for your 540i.

It's the new year, it's time for some new tools. Every one of these Schwaben tools are built to last and are easy to use. The Thread Chaser Set includes the most popular metric sizes so you can restore corroded, damaged or stripped threads.The Metric Bubble Flaring kit is a must have for anyone replacing steel brake lines. The Memory Saver Kit allows you to connect a separate power source (9 volt household battery, or separate 12 volt battery) up to your OBDII port under the dashboard when replacing a battery, preserving radio presets and settings, and other vehicle memory.