Knock Off Spinner Tool

[DanEC]

[quote=lovehamr;1200337]I might not have to point it out but you're not going to be getting 350# out of your normal 1/2 torque wrench either.

I just looked at the web sight and noticed that they sell torque wrenches as well................................. that only go to 250#.


I was wondering about that too. They probably need a 3/4 drive breakover bar to work with that thing. I use Sears long 1/2' breakover bar to loosen lug nuts on my pickup that I put on with a torque wrench (90 ft lbs) and it takes a little effort even with that long bar to bust them loose. Trying to loosen a spinner with nearly 4 times that much installation torque - I'm going to want about 3 ft of bar - minimum.

[patrickt]

Just take the handle off your low profile floor jack and slip it over the half-inch ratchet. You get a nice three foot long wrench for mucho torque.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Just take the handle off your low profile floor jack and slip it over the half-inch ratchet. You get a nice three foot long wrench for mucho torque.

-enough to disintegrate the gears in a 1/2 ratchet and bash yourself with the car.
Don't do that.

[patrickt]

Chas, since you're awake, what kind of torque do you guesstimate our spinners but down with the whacks from the lead hammer?

[rodneym]

By spinner tool you guys mean a hammer, right?

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Chas, since you're awake, what kind of torque do you guesstimate our spinners but down with the whacks from the lead hammer?

I honestly don't know after wondering all these years. But I know it's two different types of torque.
The hammer provides a more instant type of torque-the k/o goes on by hand until it seats and movement stops. Then torque is applied by a whack or two.
I know that wrench-applied torque is more gradual and 150+lb/ft on the Jag hub castle nuts and 125 (IIRC) on an ARP balancer bolt (less with ARP lube). I did the Jag nut with a 3/4" and a pipe extension to get the wrench to click.
All this special, expensive k/o 'wrench' stuff is BS to make money for tool designers. Knock-offs were designed from day one for hammer activation.
Too many effete snobs with more cash than mechanical sensibility have given the astute a viable market to fleece.
It ain't rocket science-practice it and the feel comes and never goes away. The feel of applying torque to fasteners by wrenches is a far more sophisticated skill to learn.
If you've got one of these cars, using the hammer is the easiest requisite skill you should be able to master. Man up.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

I know that wrench-applied torque is more gradual and 150+lb/ft on the Jag hub castle nuts and 125 (IIRC) on an ARP balancer bolt (less with ARP lube). I did the Jag nut with a 3/4" and a pipe extension to get the wrench to click.

Well, I'm sure when you were younger you could have mustered that without the extension.... Maybe we should double up now on your Fosamax.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Maybe we should double up now on your Fosamax.

-and discontinue your Dulcolax.

[lovehamr]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Too many effete snobs with more cash than mechanical sensibility have given the astute a viable market to fleece.

Damn Chas, that's rough even for you! LMAO though because you're prolly right..........

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by lovehamr

Damn Chas, that's rough even for you! LMAO though because you're prolly right..........

Dude, after a long time at this you get fed-up with the myths perpetrated on the unsuspecting and unknowing.
There was a guy on here called 'Mr. Fixit' who really knew and did everything. But you LEARNED how to and why things worked. He had zero tolerance for BS-made me look like Mother Theresa.
Hope he's still around and wish he was here.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Chas, since you're awake, what kind of torque do you guesstimate our spinners but down with the whacks from the lead hammer?

I own a Corvette with knock offs and I've heard the 350 to 400 ft-lbs of torque or there-abouts from the Corvette Forum in the past also. I assume hammering on the ear until you get that solid twack is somehow regarded as consistent with that but it obviously leaves a lot of room for variation.

[MGlad]

I recently got my Cobra and will need to get the front wheels balanced. Olthoff's site has a video on the knock offs and he says you'll hear a definite change in pitch when it's tight, using a lead hammer. I wonder if a plastic dead blow hammer will give you the same clue that it's tight BTW, Dennis really bangs away when he's tightening the spinner in that video... 350 ft/lbs sounds reasonable.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by MGlad

I wonder if a plastic dead blow hammer will give you the same clue that it's tight

It will not nor will it tighten the k/o securely-don't use one.