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I had such a fun time getting out my spare tire carrier, that i had our build shop make me a socket for the install/removal. This is a tool the corvette supply shops should sell!!
I know they don't have EDM machines, I think they just milled the pocket out of 1 1/4" round stock, and flipped it around and did the flats. I won't pretend to be an expert of machining, as I have no machine shop experience myself.
Ok, the socket worked, it was still a nightmare to get out, as I don't think that tub has ever been off the car & was a battle of 1/16 rotation at a time, foot against the tire, straining to turn it with all my might, and I'm pretty sturdy 44-year old thats in the gym way too much. It laughed at my impact gun... I dont think it would have happened without the socket.
I talked to the shop that made it for me, and the guy that made it, I had to go meet him and shake his hand, he said it is made out of stainless steel & all milled from round stock. He did say he was going to make me a few more in his spare time, so for those of you that inquired, I will get ahold of you when I have some available. I am looking into having these done by another shop, maybe a run of 100 or so, trying to get costing to see if it makes any sense, I don't want to put out all this money for a socket that no one wants to pay $50 for, but I have no idea at what they may cost at this point.
Anyway now I can start on cleaning up my spare tire tub and getting all this candyapple red overspray & globs of undercoating off of everything. It looks like the undercoating preserved everything very well under the car, but oh is it a mess to clean up!!
Last edited by Rob_64-365; 01-26-2018 at 08:55 PM.
Will do, I am use to dealing in a full component bill of material, hundreds of components, stamped, welded coated, injection molded, assembled, all logistics, and in number of half a million or more, costed out over 5-6 year timelines, not a run of 100 parts. The scales of economy are not in favor of things like this...
I plan on sending a few out, no charge, and getting feedback, to see if there is interest, what you think of how they work. I will see if I can have them made cheap enough to be worth making, cuz I know i wouldnt pay too much for it either. Just trying to help out some fellow corvette enthusiasts, and if they are too expensive to produce, we can just mail the ones made around to each other when needed, helping each other out as i have seen happen with other specialty tools on the forum from time to time, it's all good!
Last edited by Rob_64-365; 01-26-2018 at 10:24 PM.
Rob, do take care when working on the tub. If it's original, the fiberglass becomes quite fragile. Just use care when cleaning it as it can crack easily. Pay particular attention around the edge of the tub as this area seems to crack the easiest. They can be repaired like any normal fiberglass, but it can end up with you chasing you tail as you repair one crack, another part cracks.
Performance boater... I'm pretty familiar with fiberglass. I'm going to start cleaning it up tomorrow , its in pretty good shape. It's amazing how thin it is, & held up so well for 53 years under there!
Just an update to this thread, after i had used this socket, it was then mailed to another person, now it is 3-4 members later and has traveled the country a few times. So it is out there and available once one member finishes up with it, they have mailed it to the next person.
I looked into having them made, & there was no interest in such a small job from any of the shops I talked to, they are just too busy with big jobs to do a run of 100 of these or even 500.
That is a great contribution to keeping these cars on the road. Many Thanks even if I never need it. When my new bolts go back in they will be coated in anti seize.
Originally Posted by Rob_64-365
Just an update to this thread, after i had used this socket, it was then mailed to another person, now it is 3-4 members later and has traveled the country a few times. So it is out there and available once one member finishes up with it, they have mailed it to the next person.
I looked into having them made, & there was no interest in such a small job from any of the shops I talked to, they are just too busy with big jobs to do a run of 100 of these or even 500.
Will do, I am use to dealing in a full component bill of material, hundreds of components, stamped, welded coated, injection molded, assembled, all logistics, and in number of half a million or more, costed out over 5-6 year timelines, not a run of 100 parts. The scales of economy are not in favor of things like this...
I plan on sending a few out, no charge, and getting feedback, to see if there is interest, what you think of how they work. I will see if I can have them made cheap enough to be worth making, cuz I know i wouldnt pay too much for it either. Just trying to help out some fellow corvette enthusiasts, and if they are too expensive to produce, we can just mail the ones made around to each other when needed, helping each other out as i have seen happen with other specialty tools on the forum from time to time, it's all good!
Restoring this thread brings up this point that wasn't made... please don't gauge interest on producing/selling products on the forum without first becoming a Supporting Vendor, thanks.
Great idea mailing the tool around the country. Cool stuff.
Stumbled across this socket while searching ebay. The odds are long that it would work for the spare tire carrier bolts. Don't know the size of the Harley pinion but I saw a pinion nut listed at 5/8 24 so I'm guessing across the flats this might be close to 7/8. Then again I could be totally wrong.
Stumbled across this socket while searching ebay. The odds are long that it would work for the spare tire carrier bolts. Don't know the size of the Harley pinion but I saw a pinion nut listed at 5/8 24 so I'm guessing across the flats this might be close to 7/8. Then again I could be totally wrong.
This is actually pretty close to the actual shape of the spare tire bolt head. It is rectangular with rounded ends just like the internal segment of this item. Obviously at this point I can't say if the size is correct (or close) but the shape is really close.
Stumbled across this socket while searching ebay. The odds are long that it would work for the spare tire carrier bolts. Don't know the size of the Harley pinion but I saw a pinion nut listed at 5/8 24 so I'm guessing across the flats this might be close to 7/8. Then again I could be totally wrong.
Oh wow, good find, if we can confirm these fit, this looks perfect!
Rob and others, I have reached out to the guy selling the pinion socket (the more expensive one) and have received the inner dimensions from him. I have sent them to Rob to compare to the measurements of the one he had made. With any luck we will hit the jack pot and these will be close enough to actually work. Can't wait to hear the outcome of the dimension comparisons.
01-22-2018, 10:53 PM
Boo!!