KNOCK OFF JAGUAR SPINNER TOOL

  By Sarto Rocheleau

 

Tired of damaging spinners, bent spokes, and hitting the car body?

I know I was, and thought, there had to be a better way than beating the spinner with a hammer from the 19th century!  Here is my latest re-designed, two eared tool, 52mm size spinner for a Jaguar.

 

Short History:  For some time now, I’ve not been able to make my original two eared tools.  My machinist lost his home and shop and all of our equipment during the 2017 CA. fires.  Everything was destroyed and it would have been too costly to rebuild and continue making any more of my tools. 

I tried several other versions, but fell short, until now.

 

My Final version:  After having many starts and re-starts to replace my original two eared tools, the final tool is now in production.  There will be no need to beat your spinners to death with a hammer anymore.  I used a solid block of aluminum using CNC technology to create a one-piece tool with no moving parts.  The tool’s design has a leather lined bridge.  You simply hang the tool on the spinner’s ear that faces upward, push the tool flat on the other ear and turn.  Attach my, included, socket to the hex shaft of the tool, then use your breaker bar or a torque wrench and apply force to tighten or loosen the spinner.  Yes, it’s that easy and simple!

 

The Kit contains:  a leather lined tool, protecting all metal to metal contact, a plastic colored insert to protect the face of the spinner, a 1 1/4 inch socket with a 1/2 inch drive, to be able to attach a breaker bar or a torque wrench on to the tool, a wheel chock to block the tire from spinning on the floor, and a tough embossed black storage bag to keep the Tool Kit organized in the car.  UNDO arrows are engraved into the back of the tool.

The two ear angles shapes are different for the left and right sided spinners.  My tool has both ear angles milled into the side walls of the tool, making the tool work for both R&L spinners.  This tool snugly fits and will not twist off under torque.

Photos using a wheel chock, tool on a Jaguar wire wheel, and using a torque wrench.

While using a breaker bar or a torque wrench, always push down to control the force.

Torque Settings: In my Lotus Elan’s printed manuals, it posts a torque setting of 200 to 220 lb/ft.  It is the only, and I mean the only printed torque settings I’ve been able to find.  Some say it should be higher, others say, any higher would make it harder to remove.  Over tightening could also damage the threads.

 

A local shop owner has always tightened his spinners with three good whacks with a lead hammer.  We tested his “3 good whacks method”, and he hit within 3 to 4 pounds of 210 each time. 

When he used my tool, he said that the added extension bar’s leverage, caused the wheel to spin on the floor.  He suggested I would need a block of wood to keep the wheel from spinning.  That’s why I’ve added a wheel chock to all my knock off tool kits.

 

Chocking your wheels:   In order to prevent damage to the threads it’s recommended to jack up the wheel just until it starts to turn and then place the wheel chock under the tire.  And then turn the spinner using the tool to either undo or tighten the wheel.   It’s that simple!  

 

UNDO Directions:

FIRST, follow the UNDO direction on the spinners                       

UNDO right, turn clockwise towards the front of the car

UNDO left, turn counter clockwise towards the front of the car

To TIGHTEN, turn towards the rear of the car on both sides

 

Sizing your spinners;

This is a question I get about what size spinner tool to order.

52mm Jaguars measure about 4” across the base diameter, not the ears.

42mm MG and other British car spinners measures about 3 1/2 “. 


Storage for a Knock Off Spinner Tool Kits:

Included in all Tool Kits is a black embossed storage bag.  An option is an Aluminum tool case.

Keep your spinners looking new!                    Not like this!

Not all Jaguar spinners are made the same, depending on who manufactured them.  Some have thicker side walls, higher domes, and the ear angles are slightly different.  My tool’s design will fit all of the different shapes perfectly.

  

For additional information visit my website at www.knockoffspinnertool.com

Or contact Sarto Rocheleau at 707 481 6700 or sarto477@yahoo.com