C2 TOOL KIT

[Tim B.]

Hello,

I am a newbie to Corvettes and to NCRS. I've tried to find the answer in the archives, and have not yet received my reference books from Cincy. So, here's the question:

I have a 66 coupe that came with KO wheels. In the tool "box" under the carpet behind the driver's seat, what tools should I have? I have a jack and a handle held in place by a coiled metal strap. Shouldn't I have a lead hammer? Anything else? Are these tools in a pouch/case, or just thrown in?

Thanks in advance

[Jack H.]

Re: C2 TOOL KIT

Yes, there should be a lead hammer beneath the hold-down spring surrounding the jack on factory equipped KO cars. You should also have a different positraction warning label on the bottom of the storage compartment cover depicting the KO wheels vs. standard bolt-on wheels.

The factory supplied lead hammer changed slightly over the years in terms of the construction of the handle to hammmer head and the number of holes and their placement on the handle. The lead hammer was intended as a roadside emergency tool and NOT intended for general shop/maintenance use. It has a very limited life before the lead deforms and you begin to get down to bare steel which will 'chew' into your KO spinners!

[Mike McKown]

Re: C2 TOOL KIT

Jack:

Interesting point you make.

Could you enlighten me as to what "general shop/maintenance use tool was released for dealer service? I don't recall seeing anything listed. I'm sure most would agree that if service work t required removing the KO wheels, the servicing mechanic would most definiltely not use the customer's lead hammer, Or would he?

Anybody know?

[Jack H.]

Re: C2 TOOL KIT

I'm afraid I can't tell you what GM documented to use for dealership service on KO wheels. But, lead hammers in various sizes are common shop tools available from a variety of tool suppliers....

There have been several past threads on this issue--what should I buy as a shop tool to support the KO wheels on my Corvette? Try searching the archieves on the topic of 'mother of all hammers' as a particular tools was recommended in the past! Most of the Corvette catalogs (e.g. Mid America) offer two versions of lead hammer for KO use; one is a version of the GM NOS hammer that came with the car and the other is a lower cost (about half price) generic hammer that works OK and lasts MUCH longer than the roadside emergency version Chevy packed with the car!

[Brian M.]

Re: C2 TOOL KIT

I like the use of a large plastic dead blow hammer.

[Wayne K.]

You had to be careful around wire wheels with ....

those hammers. I recall when I was in college seeing a guy with a MGB leaving a party after too many sodas only to find a flat tire. It was about 5 below zero and between shivering and being under the influence he managed to take out a fair share of spokes on two wheels by the time he finished the job. We laughed our behinds off the next day when we told him how ridiculous he looked swinging that hammer and that we would of helped him but we were fearful of being hit. We were a crude bunch in those days.