Trouble with knock off spinners

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by CobraDan

Widows Son has the exact tool I was looking for & even it is expensive at $260 but ask him how the tool works especially if he has first tried with a lead hammer. I have seen the ears broken off the spinners with the lead hammer blows and when all the ears are broken off you have to hack saw what’s left off, that’s really fun.

There is a badly beaten one sitting on my desk right now that makes a great paperweight and reminder. Antiseize!!!

[Widows Son]

Originally Posted by Bernica

There is a badly beaten one sitting on my desk right now that makes a great paperweight and reminder. Antiseize!!!

Well, I have had my wheels off and on more times than I would have liked in the poast 3 weeks (new shocks and Wildwood brake kits all the way around -will post full write-ups later). In regards to my knockoff tool I posted about earlier on this thread: worthless! Well, that's probably too harsh a description. The reality is I used my trusty 6lb lead hammer with no issues. I have gotten so used to taking the rims off and on, that its become fairly simple process. I will say the rear right wheel is always the toughest as someone noted earlier. I will keep the tool for a just-in-case scenario...God willing, I hope that day never comes. The other good news is I have become an expert on the wire protecting and wire spinners - easy, and fast and looks like a piece of art. So its true that practice makes perfect.

[DanEC]

I think the main shortcoming with most of these socket-type knockoff tools designed for use with a breakover bar, is achieving anywhere near enough torque on the spinner. Some of the older Chevrolet design/production guys over on the Corvette Forum who are familiar with the Corvette knock off wheels, have said that the targeted torque value on the spinner is in the area of 450 ft-lbs. Practically speaking - no one is going to reach that value with a 1/2 inch breakover bar except maybe for a gorilla - and then I'm not sure the typical 1/2 break over bar will take that much stress. It would take a long 3/4 inch or 1 inch breakover bar to get close.

[CobraDan]

427 Shelby 5 lug wheels including spinners






retained by spinner kit (sold separately) hides lugs giving bolt on wheels "the pin drive look" comes in polished stainless steel or powder coated gray

[Widows Son]

Originally Posted by DanEC

I think the main shortcoming with most of these socket-type knockoff tools designed for use with a breakover bar, is achieving anywhere near enough torque on the spinner. Some of the older Chevrolet design/production guys over on the Corvette Forum who are familiar with the Corvette knock off wheels, have said that the targeted torque value on the spinner is in the area of 450 ft-lbs. Practically speaking - no one is going to reach that value with a 1/2 inch breakover bar except maybe for a gorilla - and then I'm not sure the typical 1/2 break over bar will take that much stress. It would take a long 3/4 inch or 1 inch breakover bar to get close.

Well said...therein lies the basis of why impact drivers work so well...its not speed but torque and impact. The lead hammer is the original impact driver...not quick, but each wack provides a heck of a lot of torque.

That said, the drawback is that each of the lead impact driver's wack does not simultaneously and uniformly distributed across the spinner but only on one ear at a time for each hit. The "good" thing about the spinner tools is that it allows for uniform distribution across all ears but has no means to apply torque...unless used with just brute force on a long break bar and pipe combination to provide said torque.

A smart engineer would try to design something the combines the both at low cost: similar to I think NASCAR and F1 where they use a massive impact driver and cobalt hardened single socket to remove the one wheel nut. The problem is that most normal folks don't have access to sophisticated tools and cash. So, I will stick to the manual lead impact driver.