The Rust Belt and the Salt Belt may sound similar, and you might even hear them used interchangeably, but they are distinct names that any automotive professional or enthusiast should know. Take a few seconds to get the real story on these terms.
If you’re a regular Shop Press reader, you’ve met Chris before. (He’s hilariously identified some dash lights and also is better at identifying auto parts by feel than anyone else I know.) I’ve worked here for a while, but his tenure bests mine. The other day we were chatting and he introduced me to a Dorman tool that I didn’t even know we made. And I think it’s a home run for any shop that does an appreciable amount of tire work: a valve core driver, our 974-500.
I’m sure you’re unimpressed because every tire shop on the planet has a pile of valve core tools. However, the 974-500 has a neat party trick: it’s got a preset torque limiter built in. At 3.9 pounds, it clicks just like your torque wrench. I tested it. It’s right on the money.
This is a no-brainer to me. Toss one or two on the tire machine. They only cost a few bucks each, and if you break one, buy another. If it saves literally just one TPMS valve stem from premature (read: shop-funded!) replacement, it paid for itself.
I also intend to kiss one of these with an endmill and see if I can’t make a nice low-torque flathead screwdriver for myself. In any event, it’s a helpful little tool and even though I have worked here for a few years, I didn’t know we offered it. My bet is that you didn’t either.
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