Wheel spinner removal/fit tool

[Keith Scarfe]

Has anyone on here got one of of these:


Details here:
http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14395

What do you think of it? Do you have something better? It does seem a bit expensive at ?100.

Am I correct in thinking that the torque required is 200 pound-force foot (lbf-ft) which equates to 270 N-m.

[mac5777]

Hi keith,
Look in the "business and vendor listings" section for my knockoff/on spinner wrench. It has the story of why my version works so well for less, no moving parts. And look at this picture site of mine. http://homepage.mac.com/sarto1/PhotoAlbum7.html
Ian and Richard new tool looks like a good design and should work well. I have not tried it though. It should work with +2 10 spoke alloy wheels. Ask them to check the clearance fully torqued.
I have dealers that now handle my knockoff spinner tool. They sell for $130.00 USD shipping to the UK is about $12.50. The currrent exchange rate is so good for you guys it makes a great deal. I hope that Susan Miller may want to be a dealer for the UK. Bulk shipping saves $$
I use a torque wrench set at 200 ft/lbs with no problems. And I check them from time to time.

Regards, Sarto

Thor, yours is on it's way to try.

[fasterbyelan]

Am I correct in thinking that the torque required is 200 pound-force foot (lbf-ft) which equates to 270 N-m.

Yes you are

[Keith Scarfe]

Thanks for the replies.
Yes checked out yours too Sarto, but was a little put off seeing as I am in the UK and you are USA. I guess the shipping shouldn't be a problem but I would be a little concerned. Mind you it takes ages for something to get posted from a few miles away over here.

Thanks for the confirmation of the torque. It is as I expected meaning that I would also need a new wrench. Mine only goes up to 200 N-M. That will probably cost more than the tool. I might just stick with the hammer and a bit of wood.

[hatman]

Keith, don't stick with a hammer and a piece of wood - treat yourself to one of Sarto's tools. Stuart Booth has just imported a handful of them, one of which I bought and used for the first time yesterday - it's truly everything that Sarto claims it to be.

My own torque wrench maxes out at 150 lb/ft, apropos of which there has been some e-mail correspondence between those of us who have bought the tool, the distillation of which is, calculate the distance from the spinner centre in inches that, when your full weight in lbs is applied, equates to 200/210 lb/ft. In my case it's 15.5" (I'm a slim lad!), then all you have to do is mark that distance on the breaker bar or sturdy tubular extension sleeve if your bar's too short for your weight requirements. Then, armed with that knowledge, you merely stand at the marked distance on the breaker bar/extension to torque up the spinner to the requisite 200/210 lb/ft. Put a small tippex mark on spinner and hub so you can keep an eye on things for potential loosening - there has been no movement in my spinners. Job done!

[mac5777]

Keith, read the instruction on the Business and vendor listing and get the feel of 200 ft/lbs using just a long breaker bar or maybe an extension pipe over the end of the breaker bar. Use a 1 inch, 12 point, 1/2 inch drive socket.
If you are going to get a torque wrench, make sure that will ratchet in both directiions and is reversible. Most torque wrenches only torque in one direction, not good for the other side of the car.
Keith, my spinner came loose, lucky at a constructon site where I found and used a rock and a piece of wood to keep my new wheel on. My wife still laughs at the guy who forgot his hammer and was beating on his newly restored elan like a caveman. Glad she didn't have her camera!!
Hitting the spinner with a rock or a hammer, you never know how much torque you have beat on. The instruction gets into this in more detail.
I have attached the new instruction.

Sarto

[ianf]

Keith,

I find that the tool works really well - however I am selling them!

To help you with a torque wrench, Halfords sell a 1/2" drive one which will work both ways and has a range from 40 - 225 ib.ft They are ?59.99 according to their website. We haven't found one cheaper and they work well.

PM me if you would like further details etc.

Cheers,

Ian

[bcmc33]

Having bought Sarto?s tool via Stuart Booth, I can now confirm that my 95kg at 12? along my torque wrench relates to 210 lbf ft.
So don?t bother with an expensive torque wrench just get a long bar and step on it at the appropriate distance for your weight.
Warning - Don?t forget to place an axle stand under the socket as support.

One issue I hadn?t thought of, until I tried it ? you will need to have the brakes on to do the front wheels as the required torque will rotate without much effort long before the required torque is reached.

Sarto,
It appears that 1? A/F sockets are not readily available in the UK anymore ? we have been metric in the UK for the past 36 years. And according to my local tool store 25 & 26mm A/F sockets do not exist. It may be a good idea to supply a ? inch drive socket with each tool supplied to the UK and Europe.


Brian Clarke
(1972 Sprint)

[mac5777]

Brian,
That is a great idea. I did not think that a 1" socket would not be available over there.
I going to include a 12 point, 1/2 inch drive, 1 inch socket with my new two eared spinner tool. I just purchased 300 sockets to get the best price break. This socket can take the high torque without breaking. Some of the cheaper ones did under testing. It also has a lifetime warranty. Good sockets retails for about 7.75 to 10.50 US.
So any one who has purchased one of my tools out side of the US, I'll offer a socket for $5.25 US or 2.63 GBP plus shipping. I'll check with the USPS for the mailing cost.
The two eared tool will include a socket and cost 125.00 GBP plus shipping.
And yes you need to block the wheels. That is the only benefit of using a hammer, it does not spin the wheels.
Brian, thanks again for the info and the idea.

Sarto

[Vanden Perre]

Hello Keith,
I've got a "Spinitoff" like the one on your picture.
It works well, doesn't damage neither the wheel nor the spinners.
But I agree with you 100 GBP is a bit expensive but as we say in French "Quand on aime on ne compte pas"!!!
Olivier.

[mac5777]

Hi Olivier and Keith,
I had the same concerns about trying to keep the cost down. When a new idea appears and compared to the cost of a hammer, there is a learning curve as to the benefits of the a new tool. Olivier has it right, it is a one time purchase (investment) that will save damage to the spinner and hubs and repair cost to the body using a hammer. No matter how careful one is the old spinners usually look like the spinner in the picture.
The new Swiss knockoffs would cost me $380.00 US or more, plus shipping.
The guys who are restoring or just want to keep things looking great would be buying one.
The idea of using a breaker bar gives the owners more control compared to using a hammer.
Enough said, back to polishing my lotus and trying to figure out what happened to my brake fluid. Another lotus " where do I start"

Having fun, Sarto Rocheleau

[mac5777]

Ian, there is a tool supplier that I can get over here that offerd me a 25" 250 ft/lbs of torque, reverseable, ratched, a 1/2 inch drive and has a lifetime warranty, that I can sell for about $41.00 US 20.50 GBP. Shipping to the Uk I'll have to get the fees.
But I have to buy in bulk, like 72 at a time. Shipping cost and customs will probably make or break a deal like that. Let me know if there is a market.

If you are breaking loose a tight spinner it takes more than the 210 ft/lbs that was used to tighen it. So dial up the torque settings when removing the spinner or you can damage the torque wrench so I have been told. And make sure the torque wrench does actually torques in both directions.

Sarto

[tower of strength]

1" A/F sockets are freely available from any industrial tool stockists in the UK. If you have very deep pockets for a very fat wallet then your local Snap On dealer should have one in stock! (they are very pretty though!!)


Mark