Greg86andahalf

"His production quantities are small. Do you really expect him to give his time and effort for next to nothing ?"

Plus, it's sold through vendors. they deserve something for the effort as well.

Erik - Denmark

Jim,
That's a handy tool for DIY people and you get it for very good price.
Enjoy it!

Mike LaBranche

Excellent tool. Excellent price. Made by one of our own. Sold thru our favorite vendors. What's not to like?

Gretch

Well the sentiment is running pretty much (prox 100%) in favor of the tool. I bought one, have used it and keep it in a special place in the tool box. I think it was a good deal. In comparison, the single piece suspension height adjustment tool is prox 20 bucks or more.

related tip, if you have an ATV of a snow machine, the suspension tool you have in the tool kit may work for 928 height adjustment.

DG84S

Jim,
If I saw the Jay Kempf belt tension gauge hanging on a peg hook at the local auto supply, I'd agree that at $59 it was overpriced. However, knowing about its heritage and source, I feel that it is a good value. I bought one last fall and have used it and am satisfied. I doubt that Jay lives next door to Bill Gates. Now if you want to talk about stuff that's overpriced.....

tresamore

It's definitely worth the $$. Having rented the dial gauge once to do the t-belt job on my 85, a second for the re tension check because I couldn't get the recheck miles on in time and a third for an unexpected later t-belt warning light. Each time I figured, "OK,that's the last rental!". Well if I had bought Jay's tool originally, I'd be ahead of the game! Now that my 87 is here, you know I'm going to buy one. Thanks in advance Jay, wherever you are. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

John..

Or you can just hang em' out there and use your hands to set the tension...it has always worked for me.

PeteS

I hope all these comments don't lead to a price increase. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> I bought mine as soon as they came out, and have been plenty happy about my purchase. I can see where some might see the tool as being kind if highly priced, but so far nobody's come forward offering a cheaper version that they're producing. It might be a way for someone else to take over the aftermarket 928 timing belt tension tool market, but I'm not exactly counting on that to happen.

Jim bailey - 928 International

John (owner of the bastard) ..."Or you can just hang em' out there and use your hands to set the tension...it has always worked for me." .... John where is the Smiley Face ? " I have always wondered how people set the tension "By feel" . Does one feel the old belt before removal and try to get the new one just as loose or tight ? also assumes who ever did the belt before set it right . Seems a bit like assembling an engine with out a torque wrench putting on lug nuts with out a torque wrench ..... . Maybe it is just my "ability" to over tighten and break things which makes me use a torque wrench or when compensating leave it too loose . Maybe I am just not a good guesser.

Steve J.

Don't worry - it's all been approved. Chilton manual, page 71 - "Tighten the belt tensioner bolt until the belt can be twisted only 90 degrees between the tension roller and the right camshaft sprocket."
<img border="0" alt="[icon107]" title="" src="graemlins/icon107.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" />

Jim bailey - 928 International

Chilton twist the belt . That sounds really accurate when you consider that my wrist is larger than most peoples ankles ! Wally and I would have a very much different tension setting , anyone have that photo from the last Frenzy ? I mean the one of Wally and I STANDING next to each other ....

JE928Sx4.

Hmmmmm...I've seen that picture, I'm sure I have a copy of it somewhere.

As for the tool:

1) Many hours and several prototypes were developed before the tool was even ready and given to several knowledgeable 928ers to test before it was even offered to the public.

2) That isn't cheap sheet metal that is used. It's a good thick quality piece of stainless steel that will allow you to abuse the tool for years and still keep within spec. As I recall, Jay has said publicly many times he will check the calibration for free if you send it to him with return postage paid.

3) He uses a professional sheetmetal worker to fabricate the sheet metal parts in small batches (I don't know about now, but the average Sheetmetal worker was pulling in $65K a year back in the mid 1980's. Just another reason I hate Unions, but that is another story and why I know that).

4) He assembles them all by hand and checks the calibration on each one individually.
5) Obviously the vendors who stock and supply the tool need to make some $$ as well, as is only fair. For a hand made tool and knowing what goes into the manufacturing process, it's cheap.

That said, nobody is getting rich off of the TB Tool. How do I know? Jay is a good friend. I've traveled to a number of 928 events with him here and overseas and I talked to him extensively about the development of the tool. He offered to just give me one free. Knowing the development story, I declined. I though it only right to buy it....and I did it through one of the vendors like everyone else. I'm thankfull that he took the time to develop it for all of us. I'm also thankfull that Mark Anderson of 928 International had and was willing to lend one of the original Porsche tools to Jay throughout development (crucial to the development phase). Also, that Both 928 International and 928 Specialists are willing to back such an independant effort (and others for that matter if you look at what they stock) for our benefit. It makes dealing with the timing belt stupid simple if you follow the instructions. Now if only I had time to tension all 5 cars as often as I should.

Jimbo

Has anyone had to replace the spring or is it good for the life of the tool?

Ed Ruiz

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Jim Bowers:
<strong>Has anyone had to replace the spring or is it good for the life of the tool?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">If you don't store the tool in a corrosive medium, it should last a good long time. It may even outlast your 928. ;^) YMMV.

Jim bailey - 928 International

I believe the spring has a lifetime warranty ...... Jay Kemp's lifetime . This is a design very similar to the original Porsche tension tool it too used a simple spring . It was the tool to use for many years . The dial indicator $400 tool is perhaps more accurate IF USED CORRECTLY . Value is a difficult thing to determine after all the cost of the paint on the Mona Lisa is maybe a couple dollars . The value of Jay's tension tool was demonstrated at the last Frenzy when a 1985 (getting a quick tension check)was found to have a belt incorrectly routed . With out such a simple readily available easy to use tool many people relied on others to check the belt with mixed results . I have no doubt that at least one belt "failure" and subsequent $4,000 - 7,000 repair bill was averted because Jay designed , developed , tested and manufactured the tool . Yes I do sell them ; in fact our agreement to buy a quantity of them made it possible for Jay to justify putting them in production .