DZUS Tools

[CaptinCrash]

what duzs tools are u guys using

 

[MajorPayne]

i have the moroso tool and the snap on tool, both are good, and i think they were both around $20

most people probably just use a screwdriver though

 

[Merkava_4]

I suppose the D is silent then huh?

 

[eschoendorff]

What the hell are you guys talking about?????

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Dzus fasteners are a type of quarter turn fastener that uses a mounted spring wire and a screw type stud with a slot and cam in it to engage on the wire. They were developed before WWII to retain cowlings and panels on aircraft. Not used on aircraft any more, replaced by several varieties of cam-loc fasteners now. DFCIS is the successor owners to the DZUS company.

http://www.dfcis.com/

http://www.dfcis.com/history.html


Look here for visual ID of quarter turn DZUS fasteners....

http://www.dfcis.com/dzqthome.html

Charles

 

[MajorPayne]

i deal with them constantly, as 90% of the racecars we build have body panels fastened on with these....as well as many of the interior panels

we also use camlocks as well

makes taking things apart at the track fast and easy

 

[Deafautotech]

Most of AMA Prostar drag race motorcycles use that.... i am one of crew mechanic for my family friend to fix what it need like replacement clutches, or do oil changes, or change tires if need. I am in Top Gas level where my friend who still doing drag racing... i am very interesting on Top Fuel because it is four cylinder engine and had supercharger but will go 250 mph and less than 6.3 or below. i dont know if you know about Larry "Spiderman" Mcbride? he is famous of AMA Prostar as he won almost all champions and did less than 6.0 seconds and went for 250 mph...

 

[tduke]

I use one that I got in the military many years ago. They called it a snoopy tool because it looks like his head.

 

[Merkava_4]

WOW - that's quite an elaborate presentation you have there Charles.

 

[eschoendorff]

Dzus fasteners are a type of quarter turn fastener that uses a mounted spring wire and a screw type stud with a slot and cam in it to engage on the wire. They were developed before WWII to retain cowlings and panels on aircraft. Not used on aircraft any more, replaced by several varieties of cam-loc fasteners now. DFCIS is the successor owners to the DZUS company.

http://www.dfcis.com/

http://www.dfcis.com/history.html


Look here for visual ID of quarter turn DZUS fasteners....

http://www.dfcis.com/dzqthome.html

Charles

Oh.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

WOW - that's quite an elaborate presentation you have there Charles.

Just borrowed a few bits and pieces off the DFCIS web site to illustrate what DZUS fastener was and did.

Charles

 

[jetlag]

I presume you're looking for DZUS installation tools. I'd try Aircraft Spruce and Speciality.

 

[Willy Victor]

The only tool you need for a Dzus fastener is a screw driver (slotted)


Willy

 

[MajorPayne]

The only tool you need for a Dzus fastener is a screw driver (slotted)


Willy

well, you would think this is true...for most people a slotted screwdriver is probably fine

but after prolonged use, a flat head will mess up the slot on the dzus

when customers have $200k in a race car, they get picky about little things like that

 

[Bolster]

This is funny! I'm searching the web to find out what this tool is, and a link from google takes me right back "home" to this GJ thread. Thanks guys, I was wondering what the heck kind of bizarro tool my dad was keeping in his toolbox...

Researching the part number on the handle, this particular one is apparently a Dzus tool that was used for a 1950s or 1960s USAAF trainer known as the T-28 "Trojan."

 

[Paladin]

Kind of DOES look like Snoopy's head!

 

[Defender Chassis]

I have both of the tools that Moroso sells. The screwdriver style is of good quality and made in the USA. I keep it in the trailer.
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=MOR-71606&N=700+115&autoview=sku

I also have the flat Moroso style that I keep in my FR pants pocket for staging lane emergencies. It is cheaper and handy because it is flat and I dont notice it in my pocket.
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=MOR-71600&N=700+115&autoview=sku

I also have the Summit version that I keep in the garage. I dont like it as much. Probably because it is made in China but the price was very low.
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=SUM-900083&N=700+115&autoview=sku

 

[afazz]

I have used the Moroso flat style and the Snap-on black handle screwdriver style. Both work well in different applications. Sometimes you don't have access in tight areas and one will work and the other will not. Sometimes you need the extra leverage of the flat style, sometimes you need the extra pushing capability of the screwdriver handle.

 

[espyking83]

The only tool you need for a Dzus fastener is a screw driver (slotted)


Willy

Yeah, until you have to constantly re-paint aircraft panels because it looks Michael J. Fox went across it with a rake.....

 

[PKile]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the most common use of Dzus fasteners on a production car... surely someone remembers that the battery access panel cover on thr MGB was secured with 5 of the little buggers. They were actually a good idea since the heads were captive in the panel so you couldn't lose them; and in a pinch you could open it with a dime if you didn't have any tools (but driving anywhere in an MGB without tools is courting disaster).

 

[Provincial]

I made dedicated Dzus tools from large screwdrivers by grinding the tips to match the fastener grooves. It takes more than one size since the fasteners come in different head/slot sizes. This gives me better control than the "snoopy" tool. I used these for years on Beech 18 and DC-3 aircraft.

 

[jerryW]

Bottle opener end of a church key.


jerry

 

[4xdog]

I drive a TR3 -- where the engine, spare tire, side curtains, and sometimes trunk were secured with square-drive Dzus fasteners from 1953-62. One doesn't go *anywhere* without ones Dzus tool. I would say the bonnet fasteners on a sidescreen Triumph are an even more well known Dzus application than a battery panel on a MG (although I'm biased).

The best is probably the original style that came with the car:

Not my car -- this is an unrestored original -- but you get the idea.

They're not that useful on today's slotted style, I'd admit...

 

[Graham08]

I have both the Snap-On tool and some of the flat style tools. The Snap-On is a go-to in the shop, but the flat tool is handy to keep in your pants pocket at the track for emergencies.

The race cars I build have all their panels held on with Dzus buttons, so I have definitely gotten my $18 worth of use out of the Snap-On tool.

 

[22george]

Dzus fasteners are still used on large commercial aircraft especially in the cockpit

 

[Zeke]

Bottle opener end of a church key.


jerry

A quarter. Even a nickle will do.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

A quarter. Even a nickle will do.

Not on our race cars. Some of our buttons are hard to remove with a quality Dzus tool.

FWIW, I keep a Snap On in the shop and I bought this ************* for my road box:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dzus-Button-Tool-Standard-/320778421091?pt=Race_Car_Parts&hash=item4aafe24363&vxp=mtr
I think I paid $9 shipped, but I still feel hosed. The handle is a like a hard rubber/plastic and the shank will rotate in it with force. Stick with a hard plasti handled model such as the Snap On or Moroso.

 

[2oolhound]

For items that go off and back on regularly you want proper fitting tools. Screw drivers have tapered sides that will engage at the top edge. A lot of these fasteners are aluminium so having a properly sized tool that fits is desirable. The small socket here is #3 - 1/4 dr and the larger ones are #5 and two #6 in 3/8 dr. The #6 is about 5/8" across.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

^Those are cool, I've never seen a Dzus socket^

 

[2oolhound]

I should list these in classified. The only thing I'll likely ever work on with dzus fasteners is my motorcycles tool boxes but they have a retractable finger loop to twist them with so no tools required.
Dzus fasteners are also pretty commonly used on racks, cabinets and shrouds on broadcast video equipment.

 

[CGarage]

For items that go off and back on regularly you want proper fitting tools. Screw drivers have tapered sides that will engage at the top edge. A lot of these fasteners are aluminium so having a properly sized tool that fits is desirable. The small socket here is #3 - 1/4 dr and the larger ones are #5 and two #6 in 3/8 dr. The #6 is about 5/8" across.

Who makes these?

Thank you!

 

[four.cycle]

VINTAGE GILLER NAS 588 - 1/2" DRIVE SOCKET CURVED DSUZ BLADE SCREWDRIVER TIP | eBay

Nice Condition as Pictured, 1" dia and Socket is 2" tall.

www.ebay.com

Pardon Our Interruption...

www.ebay.com

Pardon Our Interruption...

www.ebay.com

 

[Dave455]

Just an observation guys, but it looks to me as though some of the tools shown here are “HTS” or “Hi Torque” bits, rather than Dzus.

In the pictures below, A No.2 Dzus is shown on the left, a No.2 HTS on the right. The HTS are smaller (smaller radius) but proportionally thicker than the Dzus.

Dzus are used on many aircraft, certainly dating back to the war, and a good deal else. HTS were used on Lockheed airliners, and many U.S. military aircraft.

I think sometimes the term ”Dzus“ is used to refer to any semi circular bit, but that’s not correct. Dzus and HTS are not interchangeable.

Confusing the two is a bit like mixing up Phillips and Pozidriv - you get a bit that doesn’t fit but don’t know why…!

 

[four.cycle]

thank you, Dave.

 

[dnschmidt]

One of the uses of a Dzus tool is to remove the Needle Seat from a carburetor. Here's one from the interwebs: https://quadrajetpower.com/needle-seat-remover-and-install-tool-1-2-blade-driver/