The Best of the Best

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September 2001

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en years. A decade. Two hundred of the slickest, coolest, most ingenious tools and pieces of shop equipment on the planet. It’s hard to believe, but this year’s Top 20 Tools competition represents a major milestone for us—our tenth successive year of picking the very best new offerings from the world’s tool makers and equipment manufacturers. The selection process wasn’t easy—it never is when you have to whittle hundreds of candidates down to an elite 20—but, as usual, we had a blast doing it! As in previous years, our selection criteria for this year’s competition were simple: The product had to be introduced between July 1, 2000 and June 30, 2001, and it had to make us say, “Wow! How come no one ever thought of this before?” We offer sincere thanks to all those companies that submitted candidates this year, and special congratulations to each of this year’s winners. Now, without further ado, we proudly present the best of the best for 2001.

et that accommodates any test lead with a standard 4mm banana plug. The pin is ultra-sharp for easy penetration into any size connector cavity, can be bent to shape and, best of all, is field-repairable—if it gets dull or breaks, simply remove the setscrew from the jacket, pull out the old pin, insert a new one, reinstall the setscrew and you’re ready for the next go-round. Slick, or what? The probes come five to a set and are packaged in a sturdy plastic case, which includes five extra setscrews and boots, plus a slew of replacement pins that should last a lifetime. And if they don’t? Hey, you can always raid your wife’s sewing box!

Fuel Composition Tester by Kent-Moore Have you ever spent hours trying to diagnose a driveability problem, only to find that bad fuel was the culprit? We’re sure you have. And so, obviously, have the boys at KentMoore. K-M returns to the Top 20 ranks this year with a nifty gadget that analyzes both fuel quality and contaminant

Electronics Acupuncture Probe Set by Automotive Electronics Services You’ve been a scope user for years and have a drawer full of accessories to catch those all-important waves. But have you noticed something different about today’s high-density connectors? They’re a lot smaller, with the pins closer together, which means your standard-size backpinning probes are in for a rough go trying to acquire a signal. Some techs try to force the issue by jamming a probe tip into the small cavity of the connector in an effort to make a solid connection. Result? They break off the tip and are out a ten buck (maybe more) probe, or they’ve trashed the

connector and need to solder in another. Neither scenario is very appealing. Scope guru Jorge Menchu and the boys at AES are aware of the shortcomings of traditional backpinning probes and have come up with a radical alternative. Called the Electronics Acupuncture Probe (EAP), this ingenious little gizmo uses a common straight pin encapsulated in a slim-profile insulated jack-

content. Called the J-44175 Fuel Composition Tester, it’s a hand-held tool that uses a microprocessor to quickly and accurately determine the purity of both straight gasoline and gasoline/ethanol blends. The tester was originally designed for use by GM dealers working with alternate-fuel vehicles, but we think it has far broader appeal than that. The J-44175 is used, together with your DMM, to determine the quality and alcohol percentages in any fuel sample. To analyze a sample, just add a small portion of fuel (as little as 10 milliliters) to the testing reservoir, then set the DMM to the specified scale. The frequency reading corresponds to the percentage of alcohol present in the fuel. When testing E85 (a fuel containing 85% ethanol) and nonblended fuels (normal gasoline), the tester’s red LED will light up if the fuel contains contaminants such as water or methanol. The J-44175 Fuel Composition Tester is simple and easy to use—no fuss, no more guesswork. It comes with an operator’s manual and a protective case.

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THE BEST OF THE BEST WebSpecs Specification Database by Hunter Engineering A brand-new vehicle hits a pothole and comes into your shop needing an alignment. Problem is, you don’t have the specs. What do you do? Guess? Use last year’s alignment specifications? Keep the vehicle until you make some calls and get the right information? Turn the vehicle away? Hunter Engineering offers a better choice. For those shops utilizing the company’s 611 Series aligner with WinAlign software, a new option has been introduced. Called the WebSpecs Specification Database, it’s

an integrated library of alignment specifications that can be retrieved, then stored on the aligner’s hard drive. Here’s how it works: If a vehicle needs service before your shop has the latest specs, your technician simply goes to the dedicated WebSpecs site on the Internet and downloads the information. The specifications are then automatically stored in the aligner for future reference. It takes only a minute or two to grab the update, and—best of all—your tech never has to leave the aligner to do it! But there’s more. Once at the WebSpecs Internet site, your tech can click on a camera icon and view line drawings indicating where the adjusters are for a particular vehicle and how to make the adjustments. Aligners equipped with a digital photo option can also access multiple images showing detailed views of the components for that vehicle. Hunter applies the most recent information from the car manufacturers to the WebSpecs site as soon as they receive it, and it’s available to WebSpecs users immediately. If you’ve got a Hunter 611 aligner, adding WebSpecs is a no-brainer.

MTS 4100 NVH Analyzer by Vetronix Tracing noise-vibration-harshness problems on a vehicle isn’t just difficult; it’s usually time-consuming guesswork. You can tighten fasteners, realign parts, install mastic, try to balance propshafts, replace mountings—the possibilities

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are endless no matter how carefully you road-test the car. So high-tech shops that see customers for NVH problems need something to help them find the answers. Vetronix’ new MTS 4100 NVH Analyzer can put shops that feature high-tech driveability or high-tech body/alignment into high-tech NVH diagnosis. The tool comes with two accelerometers for vibration detection and two microphones for noise pickup, a photo-tach to measure the rotational speed of any part and a timing light for pinpointing a vibration source. There’s even a procedure for using the 4100 to balance a propshaft, with precise positioning of

balance weights (which has got to beat the ol’ cut-and-try with worm-drive clamps routine). The 4100 has a frequency update rate of a half-second, and on a road test can save up to 100 problem periods (up to 30 seconds each). The analyzer also can chart different types of information alongside each other, to narrow down the cause. And there’s a diagnostic help function to indicate the most likely reasons. Because the 4100 is based on the architecture of Vetronix’ MTS 5100 engine analyzer, it’s not surprising it can receive and integrate powertrain information to help with diagnosis. We realize the 4100 isn’t for every shop. But if you’re striving to put your establishment on the cutting edge of high-tech repair, this baby is just the thing to do it!

CAM-LOK DOHC Holding Tool by Lom Industries Have you ever done a t-belt job on a twin-cam engine? If you have, you know that the high valve spring tensions on today’s DOHC setups usually cause the sprocket timing marks to go out of alignment before the belt is installed. Some guys try to hold things in check with a block of wood wedged between the sprockets. Others jury-rig the job with wrenches and a couple of bungee cords (we’re not kidding!). Still others rely on a buddy in the next bay to hold the sprockets steady while the belt is being installed. Any way you look at it, a t-belt job on a modern twin-cam has always been a major hassle—until now!

BEST OF THE BEST Let us introduce CAM-LOK, a patented holding tool that makes timing belt replacements on DOHC engines a snap. Just set the marks up accordingly, then slide the four pins of the tool inward until they engage the sprocket

teeth. You’re now ready to install the belt without ever having to worry about the marks drifting out of alignment. We should point out that CAM-LOK has other uses besides t-belt replacement. Need to replace a head gasket? Just line up the sprockets, install the tool, then yank the head. Once the new gasket is positioned, reinstall the head with confidence, knowing that the marks will be right where you left them. How about swapping in a fresh set of cam seals? No problem. CAM-LOK is made of aircraftquality aluminum, so the pins easily handle the torque from the breaker bar or ratchet needed to remove the sprocket bolts. There’s no other cam holding tool on the market that we’re aware of that can make that claim! As of now, CAM-LOK is available in a five-piece set that offers complete coverage for all 1986-99 Honda/Acura heads. And the folks at Lom Industries tell us that total Mitsubishi coverage is just a few ticks of the clock away. Personally speaking, we can’t wait!

CJ-II OBD II Scan Tool by Injectoclean There are lots of OBD II scan tools out there, and even some that have a screen large enough to do PID (data item) graphing. In most cases, though, you’ve got to download to a desktop PC to get a large enough screen. And although graphing also can be done on a laptop for portability, not every shop has one. The Injectoclean CJ-II, based on using Palm or Visor PDAs (personal data assistants), is a pocket-size alternative that many shops will find a great addition to the toolbox. First of all, it’s a true OBD II tester in that it’s able to do OBD II generic testing on all four protocols (SAE and ISO), including pulling trouble codes and live data (PIDs), freeze frame snapshots, Clear Codes and readiness status reports. And OBD II enhanced (with bidirectional capability) is an available option for Ford. The PDA display isn’t huge, but at 23⁄8x21⁄4 inches, it’s certainly bigger than the

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two- or four-line displays of some scan tools. A nice touch is that the definition of each term is right on the display, so you don’t have to go to a reference book. The CJ-II can graph two PIDs simultaneously, so if you want to take it on the road and grab, say, MAF and rpm, or TPS, it’s a simple job with a tool you can tape to the steering wheel and read easily. The PDA can be loaded with the CJ-II software from a disk included with the OBD II cable, and universal smart connector, which includes the OBD II module. Updates can be downloaded from any Internetcapable PC to the PDA using cradle or cable (setup depending on however the PDA communicates with a PC).

E-WINS Diagnostic Suite by EASE Diagnostics EASE Diagnostics returns to the winner’s circle this year with another powerful diagnostic weapon. This time it’s really an arsenal of tools rolled into a potent megasystem. E-WINS,

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THE BEST OF THE BEST which stands for EASE Wireless Integrated Network Solution, is an entire system of integrating EASE tools onto the same platform so they can communicate with each other without cumbersome wires and cables. New products in the suite include both Palm and Windows CE hand-

held devices, a wireless vehicle access point, multiuser network scan tool software and a wireless gas analyzer. The central component of the system is the Vehicle Access Point (VAP), which connects the base PC, the diagnostic tools and the vehicle, all without wires. It allows simultane-

ous scanning of multiple vehicles. The vehicles communicate with the central system via Wireless Vehicle Interfaces (WVIs), winner of last year’s Top 20 Tools Award. The hand-held devices communicate with the central system through a Wireless Access Point (WAP), giving the technician access to all base PC software and the diagnostic database. The gas analyzer has a built-in scan tool interface so that both gas and scan data can be viewed at the same time. The result is that several vehicles can be diagnosed, compared to the database and repairs affected at the same time, wirelessly, from the central system—a boon to multibay shops. Wireless communication among all shop equipment is a glimpse into the future. And the cool thing is, the boys from EASE offer it right now! Are you surprised?

Spring-Loaded Hose Clamp Pliers by Mayhew Tools

The spring-band hose clamp has virtually taken over the market, for a simple reason: If you use the right size, it seals to the neck and maintains tension even through a compression set of the hose under it. The problem comes when you try to disconnect a hose, because you have to expand the

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clamp and hold it in the expanded position to move it off the neck. That’s not hard if the clamp is wide open. But what if it’s not? Turn to the folks at Mayhew Tools. Mayhew’s new pliers has a flexible cable from the handles to the jaws, and a locking mechanism on the handles to hold the clamp in the expanded position. The cable setup requires that you only be able to get your fingers reasonably close to the springband clamp to position the special jaw assembly. You can hold the jaw assembly with one hand (even in close quarters) while you operate the handles with the other and flip the locking lever. Then, if you want, you can put down the handles and reach in with both hands, if necessary, and—voila!—off comes the clamp! A number of pliers have been introduced over the years to reach halfburied hose clamps. But none, we feel, provide the versatility, reach or universal application of this little beaut from Mayhew Tools! Need we say more?

also are the ones you really have to pinpoint, because in most cases they also turn out to be ones that no sealer could help. In addition, some past attempts at a pour-in sealer would harden and interfere with refrigerant and/or oil flow. And there was no way to get the stuff out. Now Cliplight’s

Super Seal Pro, which can be used with R-12 and R-134a systems, seems to overcome all these problems. While this product may not seal all types of refrigerant leaks, there is one very important leak for which there’s independent test evidence that it seems to work very well—the virtual-

Super Seal Pro A/C System Sealant by Cliplight Manufacturing There have been lots of attempts at developing an a/c system sealer, most of them promoted for the leaks you can’t find. Unfortunately, those leaks

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THE BEST OF THE BEST ly “intergranular” leaks (corrosion-caused inside-to-outside pinholes) that develop in many of today’s high-performance evaporators with their very thin tubing. So injecting a can of this stuff can save your customers $600 to $1000 over the cost of installing a new evaporator. And that ain’t chump change! Super Seal Pro works by apparently changing state at the leak point, interacting with the moisture in the air, which is why it doesn’t plug the a/c system. A few caveats: Although the sealer contains a swelling agent for elastomers, we feel it may not be a good choice for leaking rubber seals. So continue to change leaking O-rings, shaft seals and system gaskets. The sealer also is not suitable for cracked welds—even hairline cracks.

GR-1 Diagnostic Conductance Battery Charger by Midtronics There have been several “smart” testers that attempt to determine if a vehicle’s battery still is serviceable. But they work best when they start out with a battery that’s freshly charged. The next big step in battery testing is to find out before you spend the time trying to charge it. Midtronics has a different approach, and the Editors at MOTOR recognize it as a Top 20 Tools winner. That makes four Midtronics trips to the winner’s circle in the last eight years. This

time it’s for the GR1, a major step up in battery initial and continuous testing and charge adjustment. We haven’t quite reached the 100% level of diagnostic technology for a dead battery, just as doctors can’t predict how well a patient would recover from major surgery before it’s performed. But Midtronics’ GR1 Diagnostic Conductance Battery Charger is good progress with industry-leading technology. It’s like connecting a monitor to the patient and not

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only checking his progress, but adjusting the treatment for the fastest recovery as the patient seems to be able to respond. The GR-1 starts with measurements of open circuit voltage (OCV) and a derived number for conductance (the ability of a battery to produce current, which is proportional to its cranking amps capacity). The conductance is determined with a small AC signal to the battery terminals and a measurement of the AC current returned. The GR-1 has the improved ability to eliminate most unserviceable batteries before charging or at least within the first five minutes. After that, it continually measures conductance and adjusts the charge so the battery doesn’t gas. Most batteries come back to full charge typically in an hour or less; the new GR-1 has reduced that time to about 30 minutes.

GM Water Pump Socket by Schley Products When a specialty socket is just over 3 inches in diameter and weighs about 13⁄4 pounds, you can assume it’s got a tough job to do. But when a tool company introduces still another socket for the same application, and it weighs in at over 21⁄2 pounds, you have to wonder why. In this case, the problem is the locked-in cartridge-style

water pump on the Cadillac 4.6-liter Northstar V8, and its little brother, the 4.0 V8 that’s been used in the Olds Aurora. There isn’t a lot of room for the specialty sockets now on the market to remove this pump. And despite their heft, there’s a lot of pressure on their contact “fingers,” which bear against the water pump flange plate when you try to twist out the old pump. As a result, there have been

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THE BEST OF THE BEST reports of finger cracks, bending and, in some cases, outright breakage when a pump is really stuck. The boys at Schley Products recognized this weakness and set about to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. Called the GM Water Pump Socket (No. 61100), this CNC-machined tool features added thickness to the fingers area of the tool (it still fits in, and onto the pump cartridge), along with a reshaped finger cross-section that helps distribute the removal forces more broadly. Most of the time we want the slimmest, sleekest tool to reach into an area without trying to manipulate excess iron. Every once in a while, though, we want an “industrial strength” tool that can withstand a lifetime of abuse. And if that’s your wish, this socket is right up your alley!

Crud Thug by Snap-on Tools We know what you’re thinking: What the heck is a Crud Thug? Fair enough. Crud Thug is a slick, new pneumatic tool that removes undercoating, stone guard, seam sealer

and urethane from body panels and frames, as well as paint, rust, decals and pinstriping. Unlike conventional methods like solvents or grinding discs, the tool works quickly and cleanly and, more importantly, creates no fumes or airborne dust in the shop, while keeping heat buildup on the work piece to a minimum. Weighing in at about 2 1⁄2 pounds and spinning at a leisurely 3500 rpm, Crud Thug’s success is due in large part to two specially designed belts with either coarse or fine wire bristles. For tough jobs like removing undercoating, just install the heavy-duty belt with the chisellike Ushaped bristles and let ’er rip. Unlike a grinding disc, which tends to melt the material into a messy glob, the bristles make the undercoating come off in neat little pellets, which can be easily vacuumed up with any standard shop vac. The heavy-duty bristles, by the way, can be resharpened simply by running them in reverse on a concrete surface.

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For lighter jobs, install the fine-bristle belt and go to town. The bristle design makes quick work of paint and rust removal, yet is flexible enough to reach into crevices and other irregularly shaped areas. One of the neat attachments for Crud Thug is a unique eraser that’s ideal for removing pinstriping and decals. It actually rides on a cushion of air and works very quickly. Just spin the thing up to speed, hit the stripe or decal and watch in amazement as everything comes off cleanly, leaving behind a totally undamaged paint surface!

Getting to Know OBD II by Birnbaum & Truglia Last year was a first for us—naming a book as a Top 20 Tools selection. Well, we’ve done it again! Getting to Know OBD II, by industry veterans Ralph Birnbaum and Jerry “G” Truglia, is both a terrific reference tool and an educational tool for those wanting to learn about the intracacies of OBD II from the ground up, without being intimidated by the material. The 96-page manual uses a learn-as-you-go format with a glossary of terms in the front of the book, right where you need it. Each page of the seven chapters is well organized and sprinkled with helpful diagrams and illustrations. Important terms and words are in boldface type and the right side of the page has a recap of that page’s important items. A quick review of the material covered is given halfway through the book, just like a classroom textbook— which it really could be.

While much of Getting to Know OBD II covers generic terms and practices, several pages are devoted to the proprietary scan tools and monitoring strategies of manufacturers like GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler. One section

points out the difference between OBD and OBD II, a subject not all techs are clear on. The back-of-the-book index is clear, concise and easy to read. Two of the handiest portions the book are the “Brief History of OBD II,” which lays out the chronology of emissions controls, and a chart of generic DTCs used in emissions diagnosis and repair. Whether you’re a novice tech or a seasoned driveability veteran, Getting to Know OBD II would make a great addition to your shop’s library.

Condenser/Radiator Cleaning Wand by Thexton Manufacturing When a/c performance is weak and a pressure test points to sky-high pressures on the high side, it’s time to check condenser airflow. More often than not, the problem is a buildup of road film, bugs, etc., on the condenser. If the front of the condenser is wide open, you can usually brush it reasonably clean, although you can’t really get out the junk that accumulates between the fins. It would be a lot better if you could backflush through the radiator and condenser. But hey, on a lot of today’s cars, you’re lucky if you have access to the front of the condenser. With all the shrouding and ductwork on a lot of cars, you don’t even have that. What’s worse, if the car is an underbody breather, it

often sucks road film into the gap between the radiator and condenser. Cleaning that area out makes condenser cleaning look easy. When Thexton showed us its new Condenser/Radiator Cleaning Wand (No. 467), we realized it would do both jobs without a lot of front-end duct and cover removal. The tool has a water hose connection and a valve to adjust the flow rate. And at 2 feet long, it can reach all the places your hands can’t. That includes spraying debris out from in between the radiator and condenser by working from underneath the vehicle. For the

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THE BEST OF THE BEST routine jobs, you can reach through any front-end opening and spray the front of the condenser. As for a backflush, just loosen up the shrouding, move it back, stick the wand in, turn on the water and within minutes you’ve got a professionally done cleaning job. What a country!

Speed Pro Brake Lathe Arbor Nut System by Sun Tool Company It’s funny how some of our sturdiest shop equipment can be the most fragile. Take a common brake lathe, for example. Overtighten the hex-shaped arbor nut with a wrench just a tad on a rotor or drum with an uneven hat section and chances are real good you’ll bend the arbor. Not only will that set you back a couple of hundred clams for repairs, but the lost revenue from the down time is immeasurable. Of course, that’s assuming you’ll even notice the wobble; not very likely, since a bent arbor is basically impossible to visually detect. About the only thing you will notice are the comebacks that result from the pulsation complaints you’ll get because the arbor isn’t running true. We’re not painting a very pretty picture, are we? Fortunately, there is a solution—the patent pending Speed Pro Brake Lathe Arbor Nut System from the folks at Sun Tool. In a nutshell, Speed Pro is two tools in one—a self-aligning spacer and a round, knurled arbor nut that’s spun on by hand. Just put, say, your rotor on the lathe, install the spacer, then snug everything down with a few spins of the nut. The setup automatically aligns the arbor

unless it were something very obvious—a loose or missing gas cap, for example. The Champion LeakMaster NE240 is a stateof-the-art smoke machine with a choice of tests, all of which are designed to make finding EVAP leaks a piece of cake. The NE240’s “triple-choice operation” starts out with a basic pressure/flow rate check. If leakage exceeds the rate calibrated into the machine (.020 inch, .040 inch), that confirms that there is a leak, and its apparent size, as well. By the way, the machine can be calibrated to identify leaks smaller than .020 inch, which will be especially useful if the standards are tightened. The next step in the process is the nitrogen-delivered diagnostic smoke test, where typically you’ll see smoke emanating from the leak point. With really small leaks (or several small ones) you get a second chance to pinpoint the leak because a trace dye, which is added to the smoke, leaves a residue at the leak. You can be sure of the exact location by simply aiming your ultraviolet light there. Things don’t get much simpler, guys! Although the NE240 is designed primarily for EVAP system testing, it also can be used as a general-purpose smoke machine (water, wind, vacuum and exhaust leaks, as examples).

What Quits First? by Lenehan Research

to the work piece, provides just the right amount of torque, allows dead-on machining and reduces the risk of injury should your hand make contact with the spinning nut. Impressed? So were we!

LeakMaster EVAP System Tester by Champion Engineering When evaporative emissions leak detection became part of the diagnostic capability of OBD II, techs were finally able to determine if a fuel vapor leak existed in the system. Finding the actual leak point remained difficult, however,

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Intermittent stalls and “hiccups” still are the diagnostic challenges of this industry. The “flight recorders” that use scan data from the serial data line sometimes help, but the refresh rates still are too slow. DSOs (digital storage oscilloscopes) will pick up most of the problems, but not every shop has one. What most techs really want to know is where to look first, and that comes down to either the ignition or fuel system. It would be nice to get a precise answer, but a good starting point is what stopped first, the “fire” at the plugs or the spritz from the injectors? What Quits First? is an appropriately named diagnostic tool. It’s designed to analyze the last fraction of a second of engine operation prior to a die-out, then helps you make a quick determination of what circuit is responsible. The box itself is made of high-quality, drop-resistant plastic and has

bank of three LEDs across the top of the tester goes on if all systems are go—one for ALT(ernator)-battery/charging circuit, one for IGN(ition) and one for INJ(ectors). When the engine stops, one of a duplicate bank of LEDs down the left side will light up, telling you which circuit failed first, even though the difference in time may be minuscule. No one is claiming that this is the most sophisticated diagnostic tool on the market. But any shop that needs an accurate, easy-to-use, affordable tester for intermittents should get good use from What Quits First?.

Long Reversible Combination Ratcheting Wrenches by Matco Tools

two 4-foot wires (each branching out into two leads). One connects to both battery terminals, the other to a plug or ignition secondary wire (through a capacitive clamp) and to a mounting point adjacent to a fuel injector (inductive pickup for the pulses). Once hookup is completed, just run the engine and a

This isn’t the first time we’ve given a Top 20 award to ratcheting wrenches. And it won’t be the last, as long as somebody keeps raising the bar on these versatile nut-turners. Matco Tools did just that this year with these slick additions to their Pro-Swing wrench line. Need convincing? Check out these features: Forged beam construction and the longest length in the industry, for greater strength and improved leverage and torque application; a 72-tooth pawl with a 5° swing arc for working in confined areas; an Opti-Torque open end that provides 25% more torque to the fastener with 50% less tip

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THE BEST OF THE BEST spread; a 12° offset on the box end to clear obstructions; and a recessed, one-hand flip reverse lever for ultra-quick, effortless directional changes. Now that we’ve piqued your interest, all you have to do is get hold of your local Matco wagon jobber and decide which set— seven-piece SAE (covers 3⁄8 to 3⁄4 inch) or tenpiece metric (covers 10 to 19mm)—best suits your needs. Come to think of it, why not order up both?

HubTamer by OTC The aging front-drive car population makes front wheel bearing service a required item on your shop’s service menu. If you’re already doing the work by removing the front knuckle assembly and using bench equipment like a shop press, you know that’s too slow. The competition that’s using on-car tools can beat you on price, and make more money to boot! On-car is the way to go, because it usually takes half the time. So leave the bench press to the weightlifters. The new OTC HubTamer kit not only is faster because it’s on-the-car, but you don’t have to remove the knuckle, so you won’t have to do a wheel alignment when you’re done. That also helps with pricing. We know there are other good front wheel bearing service kits available that also work very well on the car. However, we see this OTC kit as

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an example of good coverage, and we think that you’ll react favorably, as we did, to the way the operations are performed. There’s more to this kit than just not having to remove the knuckle and doing the job with a shop press. For example, there’s no slide hammer in the kit, and the HubTamer itself (the presslike frame) fits against and around the knuckle easily, without the need to make adjustments. The forcing screw is designed to work with an impact wrench, which also helps save time in hub removal. Once the hub is out, a puller extracts the bearing race. And it’s the same tool you use at the start of the job to separate the tie rod from the knuckle. What really clinched this selection for us was the broad range of adapters in the kit, which cover most domestic front drives with their floating hubs. The HubTamer also can service a number of imports that use a trapped-rotor setup.

Inbay Technology by Rotary Lift It seems every tool and system in the shop these days is being integrated with electronics. For some things, it’s great; for others, not so. We think the new inbay technology system by Rotary is a novel and useful addition to the repair bay. In a nutshell, inbay is meant to provide a technician with most of what he needs to complete a repair job right in the bay, avoiding unnecessary trips and wasted movement. It’s called ergonomics—the minimizing of motion. The result is said to be quicker repair times, higher bay turnover and greater profit. The technology has been designed into a new line of surface and in-ground lifts designated as the Rotary “i” series. The heart of the system is a control panel containing a microchip-based module to operate the lift and afford access to service information, such as lift points and torque specs. It mounts on the vertical post of two- and four-post models. Two-posters have dual controls so the system can be operated from either side. For in-ground units, the control panel mounts on a shop wall or on a separate pedestal. The inbay console uses a soft-touch membrane control

How to Get the Top 20 For more information on these Top 20 Tools award winners, please circle the appropriate number(s) on the Product Information Card in this issue: Automotive Electronics Services Circle #61 Birnbaum & Truglia Circle #62 Champion Engineering Circle #63 Cliplight Manufacturing Circle #64 EASE Diagnostics Circle #65 Hunter Engineering Circle #66 Injectoclean Circle #67 Kent-Moore Circle #68 Lenehan Research Circle #69 Lom Industries Circle #70

Matco Tools Circle #71 Mayhew Tools Circle #72 Midtronics Circle #73 OTC Circle #74 Rotary Lift Circle #75 Schley Products Circle #76 Snap-on Tools Circle #77 Sun Tool Company Circle #78 Thexton Manufacturing Circle #79 Vetronix Circle #80

panel with an LCD screen that offers the user all the functionality of a traditional lift, plus the additional benefit of quick access to productivity and safety-related information. The control panel features a phone jack/data link connector for easy hook-up of a telephone, fax or laptop computer. This facilitates parts ordering, accessing repair information, checking order status, accessing customer records and logging onto the Internet. Included in the system is a database of vehicle pickup points for proper and safe lift usage. Inbay even has its own built-in training manual. In addition, electrical and air outlets are built into the lift for use with other tools, thereby eliminating trip hazards from hoses or cords. Touted as a training tool for new techs, the inbay screen not only displays the day and date, but also has a stopwatch-style timer to enhance productivity. The lift’s module also tracks the number of hours the lift has been in operation and notifies the operator of the need for maintenance service. All these features are something we never thought we’d see in a lift. All a lift ever used to do was pick vehicles up and put them back down. Not anymore. Visit www.motor.com to download a free copy of this article. Copies are also available by sending $3 for each copy to: Fulfillment Dept., MOTOR Magazine, 5600 Crooks Rd., Troy, MI 48098.

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