Mussl Kar

I have several Neikos and will be checking them out against a PI torque wrench. As the target torque gets close they start beeping. Solid tone and target torque is reached. And they are bi directional.

9914s

ljahearn

To be clear - the Torque Multiplier will work with a heavier duty 1/2" drive torque wrench in this application. This is a bit more money, but I believe a more accurate and repeatable alternative.


Boltr/aVe had some interesting things to report on the Harbor Freight torque adapter; basically you are twisting the metal of a short extension, and it measures the deflection amount.


The torque multiplier will go 3x the distance, but the felt resistance will be 1/3 of what the nut on the output feels.

9914s

wmond

Nope. All parts have been collected, 3/4" breaker bar from Harbor Freight and the Neiko torque device, now just waiting on the need to use it. Have winter tires put on, probably will not need to crank this thing up until I'm ready to put the summer's back on. And, I'll add, I'm terrified. Have never changed a centerlock wheel before, and from reading all these posts, sounds like no fun. Plus, getting the thing off looks easy, getting the new wheel on and properly torquing them up again looks like a mess. will need to phone a friend, but will be sure to post again when I do.

GrantG

John Belk

itsagoose

bump for an update

tjg81296

Have you ever had a cheap tool break on you?

911TurboRules

The Neiko 03715B multiplier is only 13.75" long. I measured the distance to the center of the CL nut is a little less that 13.5" If you're going to lift the car up in the air maybe 1" you'd need a reaction lever that is at least 14.5" to touch the ground. Although one of the comments on Amazon was from a Porsche owner with an RS Centerlock and he said it worked?

Jickel180

I've used this setup a few times with a harbor freight breaker bar, and a 4' steel pipe with success. My 2 cents: It's great in a pinch (will travel nicely without the breaker bar), but combining the pressing of the bolt against the centerlock nut, using a pipe on the breaker bar, watching the torque value, and pulling up to tighten without turning the front wheels off the ground, it's too many variables to worry about. I can't help but think that the fender will take the punishment if you don't get it right. I'd recommend the traditional Precision bar unless you want to pony up for the Renntorq setup.

tango131

I’m lurking here from the 997.2 TT forum as I’m looking into getting into a GT car. I use the neiko torque multiplier (

Neiko 03715B 1/2" Torque Multiplier Power Wrench, Cr-Mo / Cr-Va Steel | 1100 Foot-Pound) to remove my CenterLocks along with my regular torque wrench. It works great and highly recommended. It’s 3 to 1 ratio, so I input 147 foot pounds and it up converts it to the required ~443 foot pounds. Easy peasy.

911TurboRules

Hi all,

So to summarize here are your options for CL wheels:
1) Take it to the dealer
2) Precision Instruments wrench with the breaker bar combo
3) Renntorq Center Lock removal tool using their torque multiplier (4.73:1 ratio) - $2200
4) Neiko 03715B Torque multiplier (3:1 ratio) - $220 plus some other tools listed below.

For reference, I have a 991.1 GT3 . I've been using the Precision Instruments wrench.

All options have their pros and cons.
Option 1 - Dealer
Pros - you don't have to do it
Cons - cost, time/inconvenience

Option 2 - PI wrench
Pros - you can do it in your garage, inexpensive, tried and true by Rennlisters
Cons - big, heavy, bulky, long wrench can be tough if you have a small garage, portable but big and bulky to transport in a small car.

Option 3 - Renntorq CL tool
Pros - compact, appears easy to use, less strain on your body!
Cons - cost $$$, I worry about the force on the wheel with the reaction arm - either scratching the wheel or weakening it

Option 4 - Neiko torque multiplier
Pros - cost - probably cheapest of these options, compact and less bulky than the PI wrench, less strain on your body (but more than the Renntorq tool since multiplier is only 3:1 instead of 4.73:1)

The tools needed for the Neiko torque multiplier:
1) Neiko 03715B Torque multiplier

2) Torque wrench that can go at least up to 150 ft-lbs. I use this eTork wrench. $90

3) Neiko 20743A Digital Torque Adapter. I didn't know this existed.

4) Center Lock nut (you should have in your car)

The Neiko Torque multiplier claims a 6% frictional gear loss. I wanted to calibrate this with my setup by using the Neiko Digital Torque Adapter on the output of the multiplier on to the CL lug. The target torque on the lug should be 443 ft-lbs. So with a 6% frictional loss I calculated 443x1.06 = 469.6 ft-lbs. Divide that by 3 since the Neiko is a 3:1 multiplier = 156.5 ft-lbs on the input to the multiplier.

I connected the Neiko Digital Torque Adapter to the CL nut then connected that to the output of the Neiko multiplier then connected the eTork wrench to the input of the multiplier set at 156 ft-lbs. When I did that I got 468 ft-lbs on the Digital torque adapter. So it looks like there is pretty much no frictional gear loss. So I set the torque wrench down to 147 ft-lbs and redid the torque (after loosening the lug 1/4 turn) and got 434 ft-lbs on the digital torque adapter.

I confirmed the torque setting again by putting the Precision Instrument wrench set at 440 ft-lbs and torqued the CL lug down. It clicked right away and I did not feel the CL lug move so I know it's at least 440 ft-lbs which confirmed the digital torque adapter. The Neiko digital torque adapter supposedly had an error of 2%. I found pretty much no error.

One more thing, the reaction bar was too short to touch the ground as I suspected. So I put a 2x4 wood block on the floor for the bar to lean against. It dug a dent in the 2x4 but at least these are easily replaceable.

So total cost for this setup was $389.
1) Neiko torque multiplier - $220
2) Neiko Digital torque adapter - $79
3) Torque wrench - $90. You guys probably already have this. My wrench only went up to 150 ft-lbs and I wanted more range on the torque wrench and the eTork wrench has a range from 25-250 ft-lbs.

Cost is the same as the PI wrench for me but probably cheaper for you? If you trust my numbers then you probably won't need to get the digital torque adapter? I think you would only have to calibrate this once in a while? You may want to calibrate your torque multiplier and torque wrench anyways since the wrench and multiplier that I got may not be exactly what you get?

I think I'm going to go with option 4) - the Neiko multiplier setup.

I've attached some photos below of the setup.

Hope this helps you all.

The setup with everything attached. I plan on not using the Neiko digital torque adapter (the red thing) except once in a while to calibrate which should make it less bulky and stick out less.

itsagoose

Great summary. Thanks for the write up.

I feel like your experience demonstrates the Neiko digital adapter is an accurate method to torque the wheels. A breaker bar + digital adapter would provide a more accurate/convenient/cost effective way when compared to the PI wrench (2% vs 4% accuracy)

tango131

AWESOME!!!! Thank you for doing this. I’ve always assumed that the neiko 03715B torque multiplier 3:1 ratio was “net” (and inclusive) of frictional losses, hence why I inputted 147 foot pounds to get the desired 443 ft/lb (600 newton meters). But you have just confirmed it with testing and using the longer precision instruments torque wrench AND a digital reader to triple confirm. Bravo. Bravo. Bravo.

This is super helpful to the CL community as there have been many threads of folks either not knowing about the neiko multiplier or raising doubts of its accuracy and expressing concern for track work. This comment should be stickied!
THANKS!!!

edit: you should consider posting this comment on the 991TT, 997.2TT, and 997 GT3 forums heavy with center lock groaning and moaning as a public service announcement.

edit#2: I cross posted this to the 997 Turbo forum. If you mind, PM me and I’ll take post down. Thx