Can anyone advise where I can get a repro KO wheel spinner wrench for my 66 repro Western Wheels?
Regards,
Dave K.
Regards,
Dave K.
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Re: C2 Knockoff Wheel Spinner Wrench
Dave-----
If you're talking about a repro of the original spinner wrench, you're going to have a hard time finding one because there never was an original to copy (although there might be some repros out there of the "original" wrench, anyway). The original "wrench" was a lead faced, steel hammer. I believe that all the Corvette suppliers have these.
If you're talking about an aftermarket wrench designed for use on repro (or, original) spinners, I believe the guy that sells them is Dennis Portka, horn restorer extraordinaire, of Hamburg, NY. Dennis advertises in the Driveline.In Appreciation of John Hinckley -
Re: C2 Knockoff Wheel Spinner Wrench
Joe,
I have the lead hammer. I've seen reference to a spanner type wrench that fits over the spinner and has an extended handle where you can exert torque on the spinner to tighten or loosen it.
Dave K.Comment
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Re: C2 Knockoff Wheel Spinner Wrench
Dave-----
That's the one that Dennis Portka sells; GM NEVER did, though. They are not inexpensive, but I think they'd be a VERY good thing to have and use.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: C2 Knockoff Wheel Spinner Wrench
Dave, Long Island Corvette sells these. A customer of mine purchased one from him last month. Phone number is 1-800-466-6367, order from catalog#25,
section#46, part#27. They cost $250.00. JohnComment
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Re: C2 Knockoff Wheel Spinner Wrench
i bought one of the spinner wrenches when they first came out in the early 90's. didn't care for it. sold it at carlisle couple years ago. i have a 5# leather cupped hammer i prefer --heavier than the lead faced GM hammer and less likely to scar the spinner. mikeComment
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Re: C2 Knockoff Wheel Spinner Wrench
Same here. Didn't like that tool/wrench & quickly sold it. I use a 7# lead-antimony hammer like those used in machine shops for clamp & fixture tightening.Comment
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Re: C2 Knockoff Wheel Spinner Wrench
My experience is that you cannot get the KO nearly as tight with the wrench as with the lead hammer. You may even have trouble using the wrench to loosen a KO installed correctly with the hammer. I found that you would either spin the tire or move the car with the wrench without loosening the KO spinner. That being said, if you buy one of the wrenches referred to above and you are dissatisfied, you may be able to sell it on ebay for more than a new one would cost. I had one that came with my car and hoped to get $50 out of it and was suprised at the uninformed bidding that exceeded the cost of a new one.
Steve PhillipsComment
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My experience is what Steve suggests
When my knock-offs were installed securely with the GM hammer, I was subsequently unable to remove them with the special tool. They just wouldn't budge. I had to go back to the hammer on the spinner technique to get them off. I think if the tool works to remove the hammer then some people are not going to be satisfied with how tight the knock-offs were to begin with. I would up selling the special tool, at a loss.
In the future, if I ever go back to knock-offs, they will be the direct bolt-on style.
GaryComment
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Re: My experience is what Steve suggests
Gary, et al-----
That's good information---nothing like actual user experience. I've never used one of these things. They just looked like they'd be a good way to install and remove the spinners. You'd think that the torque that could be applied with the long lever arm would be very substantial. However, it just goes to show that things aren't always as they seem.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Whaling on the spinnners with a hammer
Joe,
The only thing I can add is that I saw a beefy 20-something year old person at Herlinger's Corvette Repair in Mountain View, CA whaling on my knock-offs to tighten then when I arrived a little early to pick up my car some years ago. He and his boss had seen the results of a knock-off coming off at highways speeds and they both decided that this was never going to happen on a Corvette they serviced. So, my knock-offs were tightened probably as tight as is possible, which made me feel very confident driving the car. The downside came when I went to remove them. I was totally unable to loosen them with the special tool and I was whaling on the two foot long bar using a standard knock-off hammper. The plastic insert that surrounded the spinner just had to much elasticity to it and the impact force was damped too much. So, I removed the special tool and whaled on the spinner and then I saw it budge a tiny amount with each blow. But not while I used the special tool.
GaryComment
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How about wailing rather than whaling... *NM*
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