Isn't this everything that we were told not to do with our knockoffs ?

http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/extras...spinner-tools/

Ray (where's my hammer ?)

 

I believe Dennis Portka (spelling?) out of Hamburg NY makes a nice tool for 65-66 c2's knock offs

 

That would be a very dangerous way to "tighten" knock off wheels. There is no substitute for a lead hammer, whether it's the "***** Thumpa" or an original.

 

 

Hammer time !!!!!

 

Takes a lot of *** to put 350 ft. Lbs. on a spinner. He surely didn't do it in that clip.

I will use my hammer.

 

Dennis made a special insert and I modified his tool for use on my 2 bar knockoff spinners. The spinners came from from McDorman's stash of stuff, and Dennis had restored them. Besides, he said if I beat them up to what they looked like before, he was gonna kick my a**! Ha! Ha! It is made so you can use a long extension if you want to really put some serious torque on it. I just can't bring myself to beat on something with a hammer that I paid more for than I did the wheels.

 

I'll agree, he may not have done it in that clip. But it really doesn't take a lot of weight, just a longer handle. The proper extension on the socket end of the torque wrench, or using a higher rated torque wrench with a longer handle will do the trick.

Coming from an engineering background, I'd have to think that the proper measured torque in tightening would be preferable to smacking it and hoping you hit it as hard as the guy at the factory who was also smacking it. That said, nothing wrong with smacking it with a lead hammer, been used successfully for many years. Provided it's been smacked hard enough . . . .

My thoughts, your mileage may vary . . . . .

 

Me too......it nicks the spinner, but 1/2 the people dont think there real anyway

 

The guy at the factory had a BIG Ingersoll-Rand 1" square drive air impact gun, suspended on a balancer, with a 1" feed line, with a special spinner socket that put 450 ft-lbs. of torque on the spinner.

 

Good info that I've read before and forgotten, forgetting is getting to be more of a habit as I get older each year!! I really didn't think anyone could stand there all day just smacking wheels, he'd have to be hell for stout!!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyEE0qpfeig

 

I agree. Though I will say I have zero experience with knock-offs, I can't understand how dealing with the unknowns of a hammer can be better than using a wrench that allows a person to apply a known torque value. Maybe someone can give me some good learnin'.

 

Doesn't appear that he makes one for the Corvette (yet):

http://knockoffspinnertool.com/

 

I agree, there is no problem with a torque wrench, but most people dont have one that even approaches 400 ft. Lbs. And, most larger torque wrenches are about 2 feet. Thats still a good pull even with a little help. A good lead hammer works just fine. About 80,000 care free miles on my last set of KOs.

 

I guarantee that I can put more on it with a hammer than you can with a common torque wrench. The impact is the key. As for what torque value is achieved is of no concern. You are going to hit it as hard as you can anyway.

 

Can you tell me what the distance from the end of the knock-off spinner to the center of the wheel is?

 

That's interesting. I wonder what the average, mid-60s Chevrolet dealer mechanic used to install them when a new Corvette was brought in for service? Were lead hammers or special tools distributed to them? I'm somewhat expecting to hear a 5-lb steel hammer was all too common.

 

The smaller shops probably did resort to a hammer, and some of the mechanics I've seen would have used whatever was handy!

But the larger well equipped shops who service not only cars, but also the larger Chevy trucks of the era usually had a torque multiplier or similar tool. This one is brand new and is relatively cheap, gives the user a 3.3 to 1 multiplier. So, your typical 150 ft. lb. torque wrench could easily put 450 plus ft. lbs. on the spinner.

http://www.google.com/products/catal...ed=0CGIQ8wIwAA

There are others out there as well, some more and some less expensive depending on your needs.

Another method to multiply the torque that is even cheaper yet is to use a length extension at the square drive of the torque wrench, effectively lengthening the overall moment arm of the tool. Several folks in the mechanic business used to make these on their own, doesn't take a lot of time or material. If you add an extension the same length as the torque wrench, you've effectively doubled the amount of torque applied to the fastener as is shown on the setting of the torque wrench. So, at 150 ft. lb. setting, you'd have 300 ft. lb. of torque at the fastener. Here's a site with a handy calculator that you can use to determine what length of extension you might need . . .

http://www.norbar.com/calculators/to...alculator.aspx

All heavy equipment shops use some sort of torque multiplier when torquing larger threaded fasteners, they'll get MUCH more on a fastener than you'll ever get beating it with a hammer. Not to mention accuracy . . . .

 

From the adaptor threads to the end of the spinner is about four inches, I think.