THESE

TOP 20 TOOLS WINNERS ARE

PUSHING ALL THE RIGHT BUTTONSBY THE EDITORS OF MOTOR

Each year the call goes out to the world’s auto-motive tool designers, manufacturers and sup-pliers. The message is simple: Send us yourlatest and greatest—tools that are truly newand innovative. Show us something thatmakes us say: “Wow! We’ve never seen any-

thing like this before.” Besides knockout originality,there’s only one other criterion that must be met for con-sideration: The product must have been introduced be-tween July 1, 2006 and June 30, 2007.

MOTOR’s annual Top 20 Tools competition is now in its16th year. As in years past, we were impressed by the qual-ity and ingenuity of the entries we received. We offer oursincere thanks to all companies that submitted candidatesfor consideration, and a special congratulations to each ofthis year’s winners. Without further ado, we proudly pre-sent MOTOR Editors’ selections of the best tools for 2007—tools whose praises you’ll certainly want to sing. P

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30 September 2007

31September 2007

T20The Hunter GSP9200 Computerized Wheel Balancerincludes the company’s SmartWeight balancing technol-ogy and many other new automated features. WithSmartWeight technology, service shops can performmore balances in less time and save on labor and mate-rials in the process. Tests have shown savings of 30% to40% in wheel weight usage andsignificantly reduced overall“floor-to-floor” cycle time due toSmartWeight technology’s capabil-ity of dynamically balancingwheels with only one weight 30%of the time, all while providing abetter overall balance and solvingelusive vibration problems.

Other time-saving features in-clude:

•Automatic Weight Mode De-tection, which eliminates theneed for the technician to manu-ally input balance mode, reduc-ing service time and possible

mode entry error. The GSP9200 automatically en-gages the mode of balancing (clip, tape or patch) de-pending on the weight position chosen by the techni-cian using the Dataset arm.

•BDC Weight Placement Laser, which guides the op-erator to the precise bottom-dead-center location for ad-

hesive weight placement, reducingpotential ride quality comebacksfrom inaccurate weight placement.

•CenteringCheck, which pro-vides a quick test to verify that awheel is properly center-mountedon the balancer shaft. This patent-ed feature eliminates guessworkand charts used when choosingmounting accessories and flags set-up errors on problematic wheels.

•Automatic Clamping, whichsaves time and energy by automat-ically positioning and tighteningthe wheel assembly onto the bal-ancer shaft.

T20The Mastertech VCI (VehicleCommunications Interface) isdesigned to support theemerging Modular VehicleCommunication Interface(MVCI) vehicle software de-signs utilizing the D-PDUAPI. These networks will beintroduced over the next fewmodel years in certain globalvehicle platforms. This newapproach to vehicle commu-nications utilizes multitaskingprotocols, allowing techni-cians to interface more thanone vehicle system at a time,increasing diagnostic efficien-cy and productivity.

In addition to future net-work connectivity, the Mas-tertech VCI performs conven-tional scan tool functions on a

range of domestic andAsian vehicles, sup-porting both OBD Iand OBD II protocols.The user can accessOE-level scan data,service information,shop management,parts and Internet-based knowledge data-bases in one portablepackage. The tool uti-lizes the Bosch ShopForeman Pro Win-dows-based softwareapplication, and com-municates via Ether-net, USB or wirelessconnection. Supportedplatforms include desk-top PC, laptop or anoptional tablet PC.

WHEEL BALANCERby Hunter Engineering

MASTERTECH VCIby Bosch Diagnostics

32 September 2007

T20Today’s SUV and light truck wheels can weigh morethan 100 lbs. Even lifting a 50-lb. wheel can exposeyou to forces many times the lifting limits recom-mended by the National Institute of OccupationalSafety and Health (NIOSH). The Wheelfloat wheeldolly’s unique design requires no pumping or winch-ing and uses no batteries. A gas-traction-powered de-sign stores energy the operator exerts while standingin a comfortable upright position and converts it intoan upward lifting force. When the gas spring is re-leased with a hydraulic release button, the stored en-ergy takes the strain of lifting away from the operatorwhen mounting the wheel on the hub.

Wheelfloat eliminates lifting from every step of thetire-changing process. Other tools will lift a wheel onlyhigh enough to mount on the vehicle hub. Some will liftthe wheel only onto a balancer. Wheelfloat performsboth of these functions and allows easy movementaround the shop and easy mounting of the wheel ontothe changing table. The dolly can be locked in any po-sition, allowing both hands to be free to rotate and at-tach the wheel to the hub and making it ideal for Eu-

ropean lug bolt-type wheels. Wheelfloat can accom-modate most single and dual wheels up to 130 lbs.and 35 in. in diameter, and lifts the center of thewheel over 29 in. above the ground. No adjustment isneeded for different wheel sizes.

T20When temporarilyinstalled in a vehi-cle’s engine com-partment, the in-GEN DDR-10 on-board diagnosticmonitor logs crank-ing voltage, amper-age and current datain up to 50-millisec-ond intervals whilethe vehicle is in reg-ular operation. Itperforms the neces-sary measurement work to help diagnose the problemover time without tying the tech to the vehicle, maxi-mizing his efficiency.

Battery voltage is measured through the positivebattery terminal connection, which also supplies pow-er to the unit. Up to four additional auxiliary testleads can be monitored to determine when electricalcomponents are switched on or off. By connecting to

a fuse holder or oth-er source, an auxil-iary current sourcecan also be isolatedand measured. Abuilt-in sensor ap-proximates the am-bient underhoodsystem temperature.

Data is stored oncommon secure data(SD) cards that canbe downloaded anddisplayed on any PC

using the included Diagnostic Analysis software forreal-time evaluation. The software lets the techniciancustomize configuration files for specific conditions aswell as define operation modes and trigger parame-ters. Captured data can be scaled, panned andzoomed for quick visual comparison and easy trou-bleshooting. Data can also be formatted for use inspreadsheet applications such as Microsoft Excel.

WHEELFLOAT WHEEL DOLLYby Wheelfloat

INGEN DDR-10 ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTIC MONITORby Midtronics

34 September 2007

T20Some tool ideas are soobviously right, they gointo the “why didn’tsomeone think of thisbefore?” category. That’sour reaction to the Gear-Wrench X-Beam combi-nation ratcheting boxand open-end wrenches.The shank is twisted 90°,so whichever end is onthe fastener, the palm ofthe technician’s hand atthe other end is leaningagainst the flat side ofthe shank, rather thanthe edge. That providesa much larger palm con-tact surface (over fivetimes the edge side)—amore comfortable posi-tion and, as a result, one

where greater force canbe applied. In addi-tion, the shank is 25%longer than the com-pany’s previous de-signs, which not onlyincreases the torquethat can be applied,but enables reaching afastener that’s moredeeply recessed. Theratcheting box end pro-vides fastener move-ment in just 5°, vs. 30°for a conventional boxwrench. The wrenchesare sold in sets. No.85888 (12 metrics from8 to 19mm) and No.85898 (nine SAE con-ventional sizes from 5⁄16

to 3⁄4 in.).

T20The new John BeanBFH 800 balancer pro-vides all the ease-of-useand convenience fea-tures that a busy shopwants: power wheelclamp, easy setup andjust an 8-second spintime. Using Virtual PlaneImaging, a new wheelbalance imaging technol-ogy that electronically lo-cates the tire assembly,the balancer features anoptical scanner and sonicsensor that reports to thecomputer. They auto-matically recognize thewheel, count the spokesand identify the rimflange. Following thespin, a laser dot on the

computer color screendisplay shows exactlywhere to place weightsfor both accurate balanceand best appearance (typ-ically behind the spokesfor tape weights, wherepossible).

As a diagnostic aid, thebalancer can calculatetire and rim imbalanceand provide the percent-age each contributes tototal imbalance. The bal-ancer can handle wheeldiameters up to 44 in.,and rim diameters from 8to 30 in. It can accommo-date wheels up to 154 lbs.The keyboard providessingle-keystroke access toa multilingual help menu.

GEARWRENCH X-BEAM RATCHETING WRENCHESby Danaher Tool Group

PREMIUM WHEEL BALANCE SYSTEMby Snap-on Equipment

36 September 2007

T20There have been lots of toolsmade for accessing spring wireclamps in tight quarters, butnot for the now more popularband type . . . until this pair.The tools have guide ramps onthe jaws so they engage theclamp band tabs easily as thetool is turned down, by hand ifdesired, using the knurledknob. The knob also has a 1⁄4-in.slot for a drive ratchet, to closethe jaws and expand the clampfor removal. The No. 44480hose clamp vise is 35⁄8 in. longand handles clamps up to 21⁄8in. in diameter. The No. 44500is just 3 in. long (making it eas-ier to use on some Volkswagenheater hose clamps, in particu-lar) and handles clamps up to11⁄2 in. in diameter.

T20SAE J2788, the new SAE standard for refrigerant re-covery/recycle/recharge, requires a major upgrade ina/c service equipment, and the Robinair No. 34788 isthe first machine to certify to that standard. The previ-ous SAE standard (J2210) merely requires a recoverycompressor to pull down to 4 in./Hg vacuum, and re-move moisture, oil and debris from whatever refriger-ant it recovers (nothing at all about recharging). J2788requires the machine to recover at least 95% of the re-frigerant, accurate to within 1 oz., purify it and then if itrecharges, it must be accurate to within .5 oz. It has todo this on a vehicle that presents a real challenge (aChevrolet Suburban with rear a/c) and in no more than30 minutes. Further, there has to be a way for the shopitself to be able to check the scale, so it knows the re-covery and charge amounts are accurate. The certifica-tion testing must be performed by an EPA-listed labo-ratory (in this case, Underwriters Labs).

The new level of accuracy is necessary because thenew, smaller charge vehicle systems (as low as 12 oz.)have a smaller margin for error. Performance prob-lems from incorrect charges, and short compressor life

from low charges (resulting in inadequate lubrication)are becoming increasingly common in shops trying touse older machines.

HOSE CLAMP VISESby Lisle

REFRIGERANT RECOVERY AND RECHARGING UNITby SPX/Robinair

38 September 2007

T20Unless you put them away in your tool chest and lockthe chest at the end of the day, hand tools sometimeshave a tendency to “walk away.” Every technicianwith any experience knows that, but when it’s been along, tough day and you’re in a hur-ry to get out or have to leave earlyfor some reason, you forget or justdon’t get a chance. Even if you nor-mally put away tools, there aremany days when you leave a job in-complete, with tools and parts onthe cart. If you put everything away,you have to spend time the next daygetting everything out again whenyou resume the job.

This rolling cart locker permitsyou to just enclose and lock up allthe tools, parts and fastenersyou’ve been using, so next day allyou have to do is unlock, roll thecart back to the job and you’reready to resume. The locker is 24

in. wide x 281⁄8 in. deep, and because it also can serveas added storage for the company’s modular toolchests, it’s available in three heights to align withspecific models (5011⁄16, 5213⁄16 and 573⁄16 in.).

T20

CART LOCKERby Shure Manufacturing

GENISYS PRODUCTIVITY PACKAGEby SPX/OTC

40 September 2007

The Genisys Productivity Package (Part No. 3421-90)adds three interactive technologies to the Genisys scantool—Automated System Test, OBD II Smart Cableand the latest software updates. At the push of a button,Automated System Test allows Genisys to perform acomplete diagnostic evaluation in a fraction of the timeit would take a technician to perform the same testmanually. The new OBD II Smart Cable completelyeliminates the need for technicians to stop and plug indifferent Smart System Inserts (SSIs). Also included inthe package are 2006 USA Domestic and 2006 AsianImport software updates. The 2005 European andHeavy Duty software updates are optional.

Genisys loads the Automated System Test feature asthe default selection in the tool’s diagnostic menuwhenever a new software upgrade is installed. Once in-stalled, pressing Enter initiates an automatic diagnosticprocess that checks all available vehicle controllers. Alldiagnostic trouble codes found are reported along withother pertinent scan data, which could be overlookedusing traditional manual methods.

All new Genisys software updates include the Auto-

mated System Test feature. The new USA 2006 Do-mestic Software upgrade with Pathfinder includes ex-panded system coverage and more than 200 new testsfor earlier model vehicles, as well as 2006 model years.The new Mode 6 Summary Screen sorts all failedMode 6 tests to the top for easy identification.

Also included in the productivity package is the USA2006 Asian Import Software upgrade with Pathfinder,which now boasts Honda-licensed OEM coverage andmore than 500 new bidirectional tests. Enhanced en-gine coverage is also included for Hyundai, Kia, Nissan,Mitsubishi, Mazda and Toyota vehicles.

T20Two-section ratchet extensions thatcan be lengthened or shortened, typi-cally by threading in or out, are notnew. However, until these new spring-loaded extensions, you could not easilychange the length with the ratchet andextension still connected and the sock-et in place on the nut or bolt. Just pushon the ratchet head to shorten the ex-tension (the usual technique), to com-plete unthreading when backing out anut or bolt causes the ratchet head tohit against an adjacent part. A 4-in. ex-tension (No. FXKV4) shortens to 3 in.;a 7-in. extension (No. FXKV7) short-ens to 6 in. Knurled ends also permithand-turning an extension if the ratch-et has to be removed to complete un-threading in very tight quarters. Theextensions, also available in a set of two(No. 202FXKV), are nickel/chrome-plated in 3⁄8-in. drive.

T20The MiST in-car air quality service machine offers analternative way of eliminating odor from the fungus thatcoats the a/c evaporator, plus the mold, mildew and oth-er allergens that may build up inside the HVAC case.Unlike the longer-life direct treatments to the evapora-tor and interior of its case, which require parts removalfor access, MiST is a quick treatment intended to besold as twice-a-year maintenance. And it does eliminatethe odor in about 15 minutes without labor beyond afew minutes to fill, position and turn on the machine.

After filling the machine with the disinfectant, place iton the car floor with its outlet duct aimed upward, justbelow the recirculation air intake. Close the windows,run the a/c (in RECIRC or MAX mode), then plug themachine into the dashboard’s 12-volt socket and pushthe START button. Exit the vehicle, close the doors andthe fill of solution will be misted into the air and drawninto the RECIRC duct. After about 14 minutes, the ma-chine’s indicator light will indicate completion. There’sno residual odor of any kind, claims the manufacturer,although a fragrant odor clip (available in several scents)can be insert into the a/c register as a finishing touch.

VARIABLE LENGTH EXTENSIONSby Snap-on Tools

MIST IN-CAR AIR QUALITY SERVICEby UView Ultraviolet Systems

42 September 2007

T20Picking the breaker bar that both fits in and is longenough to do a particular job often asks you tochoose between a bar that’s too long for the availablespace or too short to provide the necessary leverage.And if the clearance angle is wrong, even that won’twork unless you have a flex-head ratchet.

The new Model V15E24F breaker bar is 15 in.long, so it’s usually the right size for most jobs. But ifyou need something longer, just push a button and itextends 9 in. more, to 24 in. In addition, the tool’s 1⁄2-in. drive is a flex type, so you’re able to move thehandle to the best working angle.

T20ETHOS is an afford-able hand-held scantool that’s powerfuland upgradeable. TheETHOS Deluxe Kitfeatures software thatcommunicates withvehicles back to 1980,covering manufactur-er-specific codes anddata for many vehiclesystems—engine andtransmission, ABS, airbag and more. Allnine OBD II modesalso can be accessed.The software’s user interface makes it easy for techni-cians to read and clear manufacturer-specific troublecodes, graph live readings for multiple data parameters,print, record and save data for review and connect to aPC to save and review files.

The ETHOS user interface accommodates both

English and Spanish lan-guage users, and switch-ing between the twocan be accomplishedwith a single menu se-lection. The tool fea-tures a 4.7-in. mono-chrome display, a de-tachable faceplate, autopower with vehicle con-nection, long batterylife, OBD I and IIadapters for 1996 andnewer vehicles, USBports, a CompactFlashmemory expansion slot,

a vehicle power indicator, a printed “getting started”manual, training DVD and operating software manu-als on CD. An optional adapter kit for Asian and U.S.Domestic is available for complete coverage back to1980. ETHOS is also available as a Standard Kit—anupgradeable, OBD II-only tool.

11⁄⁄22-IN. DRIVE FLEX HANDLE EXTENDABLE BREAKER BARby Mac Tools

ETHOS SCAN TOOLby Snap-on Diagnostics

44 September 2007

T20The Mityvac MV4525 cooling sys-tem diagnostic and refill kit com-bines a wide range of diagnosticfeatures with vacuum refill in onekit, and adds a well-engineered

level of ease-of-use. The diagnos-tic key is that the kit can simulta-neously check pressure, tempera-ture and vacuum, either with theengine running through a warm-up cycle or with the engine off.

The kit comes with four com-posite plastic adapters for the ra-diator or coolant bottle fill neckson most Asian and U.S. vehicles(optional kits of adapters for al-most all other cars are available).A novel coupler quick-connects tothe fill neck adapter and providesfour self-sealing ports—one ontop, two at the sides and a fourthat the side, incorporated into ashuttle valve. One side portquick-connects to a vacuum/pres-sure gauge, the other side port toa venturi vacuum pump or a man-ual pressure pump (both in thekit). The port atop the adapter ac-cepts a temperature probe (alsoin the kit). The manually con-trolled shuttle valve opens or clos-

es the system. When the shuttlevalve is closed, the system canbuild up pressure or vacuum.When the shuttle valve is pushedto open, the system will vent pres-

sure, hot coolant or vacuumthrough the fourth port. Optionalsets of U.S., Asian and Europeanadapters are available for pres-sure-testing caps.

COOLING SYSTEM TEST AND REFILL KITby Lincoln Industrial

45September 2007

Circle #22

T20Many scan tools provide the technician with the basicParameter Identification (PID) data, but many techsdo not have the level of skill required to understandand decipher this data. This may cause the technicianto arrive at faulty conclusions, either by misunder-standing the data or byoverlooking a problemthat was represented inthe data. The EScan withSharp SHOOTER tech-nology automatically in-terprets the data and ad-vises the technician as towhat the most likely diag-nosis of the problem is.

Sharp SHOOTER auto-mated troubleshootingalerts you to problems withMAF sensors, catalyticconverter efficiency, fuelcontrol, charging systems,mechanical systems and

more. EScan connects to ISO-9141-2, KWP2000, J1850(PWM and VPM) and CAN bus types and interfaces toa PC via the serial port. The software allows the user toread and decode DTCs and pending codes, reset DTCs,read freeze frame and oxygen sensor data, read and plot

monitors and read and de-code Mode 06 data. Datacan be saved to a text filefor future retrieval or to aJPEG image for e-mailingor documentation.

EScan is Web-enabledfor remote monitoring ona local area network(LAN) or via the Internet.A MultiTool Tab allows si-multaneous viewing ofEScan data along withdata from other ATS diag-nostic tools. A Bluetoothwireless adapter is alsoavailable.

ESCAN SCAN TOOLby Automotive Test Solutions

46 September 2007

Circle #23

T20The Injectronic CJ4 combines an OBD II scan toolwith an automotive oscilloscope. The scan tool applica-tion allows the CJ4 tocommunicate with vehi-cle control units to re-trieve trouble codes,freeze frame data, livedata and more. Oncedata is retrieved, the os-cilloscope allows thetechnician to verify thefailure by viewing thewaveforms present onthe inputs and outputs ofsensors, actuators andelectronic circuits.

PC application soft-ware and module are in-cluded to facilitate apass-thru feature fromthe vehicle to the CJ4 to a laptop or desktop computer.Real-time monitoring and live parameter streaming can

be viewed on the computer. The tool also includes anexpansion port for future applications and can be flash

updated.Other key features

include a 128x128-pix-el illuminated graphicsdisplay, bilingual navi-gation menus, cover-age for 1996 and laterOBD II/CAN vehi-cles, code definitionsfor generic and mostmanufacturer-specif-ic diagnostic troublecodes, PC connectivityvia serial COM port orUSB port with includ-ed cables. The avail-able Volkswagen en-hanced module allows

the CJ4 to retrieve information from VW and Audi vehi-cles for the 1993-2005 model years.

INJECTRONIC CJ4by Injectoclean

47September 2007

Circle #24 Circle #25

T20The Mixmaster secondaryignition signal mixer canproduce a parade display ofup to 12 cylinders using asingle channel of an automo-tive oscilloscope. If you havea two-channel scope, theunit can display two enginebanks separately, with up tosix cylinders per bank. V8and V12 engines can be test-ed using a standard two-channel or four-channel au-tomotive oscilloscope.

This equipment also isideal for waste spark ignitionsystems and includes an “in-vert” switch to invert thenegative signals. Using twochannels of the oscilloscope(three, with triggering), Mix-master can split the display

by banks and show both thepower event and its corre-sponding waste event, mak-ing it the only product of itskind for use with two- orfour-channel oscilloscopes.

Mixmaster is battery-powered and convenientlyportable, with a shockproofrubber case suitable forheavy-duty workshop use.It’s supplied with a set offour secondary ignitionleads, three BNC leads toconnect to the oscilloscope,an engine block groundlead and an illustratedmanual in English, French,Italian, German and Span-ish. Extra packs of four sec-ondary ignition leads arealso available.

MIXMASTERby Pico Technology Limited

48 September 2007

Circle #26

T20You can just look at the No.77012 magnetic ground lugand realize it does doubleduty: First, it enables atechnician to find a steelsurface for an electricalground in underhood orunderdash locations wherethere’s plastic and alu-minum all around; second,when the technician finds asteel surface with a flatarea, the ground lug ad-heres, providing a protrud-ing post to which to con-nect a lead from a testlamp, meter, etc. If the onlyavailable surface is painted,corroded or plastic-coated,a sharp, self-tapping tip(depth adjustable) can digthrough to bare metal.

MAGNETIC TEST LEAD GROUND LUGby Waekon

49September 2007 Circle #27

T20The Mongoose product line is afamily of interfaces between thevehicle and a laptop or desktopcomputer. Uses include shop di-agnostics, data logging, instru-mentation, performance record-ing, fleet management, engineer-ing level data acquisition andJ2534 flash reprogramming. Mon-goose can diagnose vehicle prob-lems, read trouble codes, showPID data, tag data for playbackand support enhanced OEM-spe-cific features.

The Mongoose Ford interfacegives the technician J2534 flash ca-pabilities for Ford vehicles. Withthis Mongoose version, a techni-cian can log on to www.motorcraftservice.com and reprogrammodules. This product also has the

ability to do PATS key program-ming. Prior to this product beingavailable, the only option for atechnician or locksmith to performPATS key programming was to buya factory service tool or a fullycompliant J2534 tool. With theMongoose interface, you also canreprogram Ford vehicle ECMsand many body modules.

Mongoose Ford features a USB2.0 pass-thru interface with theelectronics inside the cable. It sup-ports 1996 and newer Ford/Lin-coln/Mercury vehicles and allOBD II CAN-equipped vehiclesfrom any automaker. It handlesFord SCP (J1850PWM) and CAN(ISO15765) protocols. An optionalFEPS version supports FMP flashreprogramming.

MONGOOSE FORDby Drew Technologies

50 September 2007

Circle #28

A TOP PRIORITY

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INFORMATION LIBRARYThis CD from MOTOR Magazine ispacked with over 7,000 ServiceSlants bulletins. Now instead ofsearching though years of backissues, you’re just a click away

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T20 How to Get the Top 20

51September 2007

For more information on these Top 20 Tools award winners, visit the websites listed hereor circle the appropriate numbers on the Product Information Card in this issue.

Automotive Test Solutionswww.automotivetestsolutions.comCircle #101

Bosch Diagnosticswww.boschdiagnostics.netCircle #102

Drew Technologieswww.drewtech.comCircle #103

Danaher Tool Groupwww.danaher.comCircle #104

Hunter Engineeringwww.hunter.comCircle #105

Injectocleanwww.injectoclean.comCircle #106

Lincoln Industrialwww.lincolnindustrial.comCircle #107

Lislewww.lislecorp.comCircle #108

Mac Toolswww.mactools.comCircle #109

Midtronicswww.midtronics.comCircle #110

Pico Technology Limited www.picotech.comCircle #111

Shure Manufacturingwww.shureusa.comCircle #112

Snap-on Diagnosticswww.snapondiag.comCircle #113

Snap-on Equipmentwww.snaponequipment.comCircle #114

Snap-on Toolswww.snapon.comCircle #115

SPX/OTCwww.otctools.comCircle #116

SPX/Robinairwww.robinair.comCircle #117

UView Ultraviolet Systemswww.uview.comCircle #118

Waekonwww.waekon.comCircle #119

Wheelfloatwww.wheelfloat.comCircle #120