Overdue to pull my studs out of the old tire and build a new one. Went to grab my box of studs and tools, and discovered I only had one decent 4800 installation bit left, out of about 5, the others were all chowdered out... on a Sunday of course. Namely the bit “tangs” that insert to the stud keyways were beat down narrow and short...
Not sure if this is due to my preference to use the installation tool for removal, or loaning out the bits to buddies, and or we just plain wear em out. I never really liked the universal removal tool that grip stud sold as it doesn’t have the center pilot hole and it seems the tangs always slip off of used dirty beat up studs.
So, macgruber style, I decided to see if I could grind and file an old tool down to provide a bit more service life.
1st attempt was on the bench grinder, this proved too aggressive and I ate away too much of the tang width. Second attempt was with a tool steel file by hand, bit secured in the vise. This worked well but upon test insertion, the stud point bottomed out and the stud wobbled in the bit. So I drilled the pilot hole down a bit deeper, careful not to expand it and larger diameter, and upon the subsequent test fit the stud held much more securely. A bit of work with a smaller file to get the tang to stud taper a bit better aligned, and back to stud removal.
Way better than the worn out bits, and allowed me to remove the remainder from the old tire.
Would I use this refurbished tool for installation? Perhaps, in a pinch. Although I see the new installation tool looks more like the universal removal tool with far less of a pilot to keep the stud centered in the tool, so we will see.
Worn bit on left, refurbished on right.
Penny Tech - refurbished grip stud installation tool
- malcolmzilla
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- dirtyboy
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Re: Penny Tech - refurbished grip stud installation tool
I like the removal tool for removal. You can even use it for install in a pinch.
There is a hole in mine to accept the point of the stud.
There is a hole in mine to accept the point of the stud.