Kinda makes the gazillion dollar tool that people have been buying seem overpriced, lol.

 

LOL indeed. A $200 torque multiplier and a regular torque wrench is all that is needed. With the neiko, taking off and putting back on my TTs wheels is faster than the 5 lugs in my Boxster as I have to torque one nut as compared to 5 nuts on the BS.

 

anyone wanna buy a PI wrench?

 

Haha. I'll probably sell my Precision Instruments wrench soon. Will try using this method for a while first.

 

Here is my 2 cents. I use the Neiko digital gauge and their torque multiplier. Do not put the reaction bar on a 2x4. I rest it on a jack stand set up so the reaction bar is horizontal. This will direct all force straight down and NOT steer your front wheel. I also apply maximum breaker bar force with the bar horizontal. Less force trying to steer the wheel as well.
Williams has a reasonably priced 4:1 TQ multiplier that I have not tried yet. Central Tools also has a 4:1. They both look alike and prob are made by Central Tools.

 

The jack stand idea is much better than the wood block! Thanks!

I've attached a photo of the setup - version 2.0

 

^ I've used one of those stands with a 6:1 torque multiplier for a coupe of years.👍

 

Ha! That's kinda the same argument a Corvette buyer might make to a Porsche owner.
The Renntorq tool is compact, elegant and minimizes the potential for damage when changing centerlocks.
Sure,you can cobble together the cheapest equipment possible and accomplish the same job, with a little more risk and inconvenience. To each their own!

 

Fair enough, I guess. Don't get me wrong, I think they're a cool tool, for $300... But my breaker bar and Neiko combo is pretty dang easy. And the worst part of the CLs by far is the aluminum paste, which a $2,200 torque multiplier won't change.

 

Has anyone tried these other torque multipliers? Both products might be from the same manufacturer. Pictures shows "Made in the USA". They are 4:1 multipliers and have longer reaction bars than the Nieko. I'm wondering if the longer reaction bar would allow leveraging the bar against the ground, instead of needing a jackstand to prop it against. Or maybe the extended length becomes more of a hindrance and a threat to the fender if it slips? Certainly the 4:1 vs 3:1 multiplication factor would help a bit.

 

Did my first CL removal today with this setup plus the Neiko 3/4” digital torque adapter between the torque multiplier and the CL socket. I like that the digital adapter takes all the guesswork out of what torque you are actually getting from the multiplier and makes a torque wrench redundant. It also moves everything out a few inches so the breaker bar is not so close to the fender. Even with the 3:1 gearing, I was hard pressed to get enough oomph with a 1/2 breaker bar and instead used a 3/4” 36” breaker bar with a 1/2” reducer socket. I got the Harbor Freight one. At $90, by far the most expensive tool I’ve ever bought there. It is a beautiful tool though, made in Taiwan unlike the usual HF stuff. Only hiccup was that the torque multiplier slipped off the jack stand once. I was using regular jack stands that have relatively narrow bars and must have been careless with positioning. That shouldn’t happen with the stand show above.

 

I only use the digital torque adapter to calibrate the torque wrench. It makes it stick out to far from the wheel and you add another bad levering effect. Once in a while I use the digital torque adapter to recalibrate and check the torque settings but most of the time it's just the Neiko multiplier and the torque wrench. With the GT3 its tough with the front wheels not locking and rear steering to keep the wheels from turning left and right but try to keep the wheels pointing forward as much as possible to apply as much direct force as possible and make it less likely to slip. It's a PITA still. I think I'd rather have the 5 lugs.

 

Thanks for the advice. I only did a back wheel on a 997TT so the levering effect didn’t come into play, but see how that could be a problem on the fronts.

 

i assume that for all these tools should be in the 3/4 format, not 1/2... am i correct?

 

The torque multipliers have a ½” drive input and a ¾” output, so you can use these with a standard ½” torque wrench.

I have a Central Tools 4:1 torque multiplier for sale. This is similar to the Neiko tool but provides a 4-to-1 ratio and is made in the USA. Will sell for $200 shipped. Here’s a link: