Speeder Handles

[route246]

I've been bidding recently on speeder handles (SO, Mac, Matco, et. al.) and have won most for under $10, many for $5 or less (plus reasonable and customary shipping charges). I'm building up quite a collection of very nice 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 speeder handles and I'm getting ready to shutdown the effort.

On the other hand, I've been bidding on SO ratchets and have only managed to win three in the past year, including 1 nice F80 that nobody else bid on for $13.00 plus $7 shipping.

Are the speeder handles getting away so cheap because of low demand? I've seen ratchets go for ridiculously high prices, some nearing full retail for new.

 

[NinetyTwoFifty]

Yeah, it seems like most people don't even know what they are. I've been buying them locally for about $5.

My favorite use for them is on fan shroud screws. They're pretty handy.

 

[W650Mike]

Affordable 1/4" and 3/8" air wrenches seem to have displaced the speeder.

 

[route246]

You mean in terms of getting away for very cheap prices? Air is not always available. I use a 3/8 adaptor and cordless impact for that.

Affordable 1/4" and 3/8" air wrenches seem to have displaced the speeder.

 

[Wrenches of Death]

Are the speeder handles getting away so cheap because of low demand?

I'm about the only person left in my little circle of wrench pulling friends that still uses them on a regular basis. Everyone wants pneumatic or electric power driven stuff. I think that I have a total of about five of them.

I use a 1/2 drive one pretty frequently to remove and install the fake plastic wheel cover and hub cap lug nuts on my truck and cars. It's great for that. You can "feel" the tightening process. You don't want to strip any of them them since they cost more that the actual steel lug nut.

I occasionally using the 1/4 and 3/8 drive ones with Phillips and Robinson bits for installing or removing wood screws, deck screws, drywall screws, sheet metal screws, etc.

I used one last Summer for installing new gutters and downspouts. It beats the living hell out of using a conventional screwdriver and offers a lot more control than a screw gun.

They're really great for sheet metal screws because of the feel.

The speed handle was pretty much the standard tool for changing valve cover gaskets, oil pan gaskets (where there was clearance), transmission pan gaskets, and differential cover gaskets, back in the day of the old GM cork and early rubber gaskets. Over tightening those was really bad JuJu and would usually result in an oil leak and a comeback.

Even after I bought my first air ratchet, I continued to use the speed handles for those type applications pretty frequently until the use of GMS RTV became standard.

I can still remember a kid working next to me wringing off a couple of valve cover bolts on a Pontiac Parisienne with his air ratchet. I'd rub it in every time I used a speed handle after that by holding it and a wrench in the form of a cross and aiming it his direction. I don't think he thought that it was very funny. Hell, I didn't really care.

WoD

 

[W650Mike]

You can easily find small drive air impacts for under $100. Smaller cordless impacts are also fairly inexpensive.

I kind of like using speeders if I'm not in a hurry or just have a few fasteners, but air or cordless impacts are generally faster - thus the original comment why I feel that the demand for speeders has decreased.

I am looking for a nice 1/4" SO speeder if you have one at a reasonable $.

 

[ibedayank]

Ihave both 3/8 and 1/2 speed handles are time when i work on something there is no air available nor power to recharge cordless tools. Yes i could bring a generator with and we have 3 of them but who wants to sit and listen to one of them for a few hours.

 

[freeskier]

people give them to me, sometimes i use them to do the plugs on my cooper because of the long spark plug tubes.

 

[Lump]

I know an upscale engine builder in my area who uses a speeder constantly. He insists on "feeling" the pressure on bolts like oil pan, valve covers, etc. Plus he starts head bolts, etc, with his speeder, then goes to his torque wrench. He builds everything from industrial engines to high dollar race car mills with his speeder.

I don't use them too often, but they are cool, and I keep buying them when I find my favorite name brands at cheap prices.

 

[mrholeshot]

I built a friend of mine a shifter for his Rat Rod out of one of my old SK speeders. Just not much use for them anymore.

 

[dougal]

Great post WoD, cheers

 

[charle10]

I'd use them a lot more if it weren't for their 1 major flaw. You need way to much room/clearance to use them.

 

[woody 73]

I love those old speeder handles I have lost count over the years, but it is something about the shape that intrigues me.

 

[route246]

Thanks for the info. I go to a lot of car races, including F1, and I always see the mechanics using them to do engine and chassis work. I saw one F1 team that must have had 20 of them laying around one time.

I'm about the only person left in my little circle of wrench pulling friends that still uses them on a regular basis. Everyone wants pneumatic or electric power driven stuff. I think that I have a total of about five of them.

I use a 1/2 drive one pretty frequently to remove and install the fake plastic wheel cover and hub cap lug nuts on my truck and cars. It's great for that. You can "feel" the tightening process. You don't want to strip any of them them since they cost more that the actual steel lug nut.

I occasionally using the 1/4 and 3/8 drive ones with Phillips and Robinson bits for installing or removing wood screws, deck screws, drywall screws, sheet metal screws, etc.

I used one last Summer for installing new gutters and downspouts. It beats the living hell out of using a conventional screwdriver and offers a lot more control than a screw gun.

They're really great for sheet metal screws because of the feel.

The speed handle was pretty much the standard tool for changing valve cover gaskets, oil pan gaskets (where there was clearance), transmission pan gaskets, and differential cover gaskets, back in the day of the old GM cork and early rubber gaskets. Over tightening those was really bad JuJu and would usually result in an oil leak and a comeback.

Even after I bought my first air ratchet, I continued to use the speed handles for those type applications pretty frequently until the use of GMS RTV became standard.

I can still remember a kid working next to me wringing off a couple of valve cover bolts on a Pontiac Parisienne with his air ratchet. I'd rub it in every time I used a speed handle after that by holding it and a wrench in the form of a cross and aiming it his direction. I don't think he thought that it was very funny. Hell, I didn't really care.

WoD

 

[reptilezs]

i was watching a small engine repair vid on youtube and the guy was using a speeder on everything

 

[sberry]

I finally took whole box of them out of a roll cab, doing nothing but taking up whole large drawer of space, left one of each size in just couldn't bear to take them out even though the air ratchet and high performance battery drill with clutching has replaced them. I use battery drill for those wheel covers too. I can't remember the last time i used one of those handles, they RIP in a box in the basement now. Was considering selling them ebay but that isn't worth the effort either.

 

[kc-steve]

I've been bidding recently on speeder handles (SO, Mac, Matco, et. al.) and have won most for under $10, many for $5 or less (plus reasonable and customary shipping charges). . . .

Are the speeder handles getting away so cheap because of low demand? I've seen ratchets go for ridiculously high prices, some nearing full retail for new.

Yeah I have been looking at speeders on eBay and the typically high shipping charges turn me off. The ones I've seen are usually $10 or $12 just for shipping. But I do much better buying them at estate sales which are priced at around $5 with no shipping charges.

Steve

 

[Hoss356]

I like using speed handles or "Spinners" as my dad calls them, I'm still trying to find one of those fancy flex head numbers like this http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...4&group_ID=350&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog. $120 is hard to justify but I know that Plomb made some as well so that means there's a nice used one out there I'll run into sooner or later.

 

[fatfillup]

I sell a few speeders here and there and I think like others have said its for being able to feel the bolt. Always figured engine builders liked them for that reason.

 

[scott37300]

I've picked up a couple of snap on ones on ebay for 15 bucks or so including shipping. I have a couple of my old craftsman ones also. I don't use them much at all. I do like them in some situations but I usually just use a flex head as a speader.

 

[Packard V8]

Either one gets speeders or one doesn't.

If I were a flat rate tech, I might want a nuclear-powered impact and ratchet. Since I'm retired, I don't enjoy the whammer/clamor of air tools. The tactile sense of a speeder/ratchet/wrench is part of the gestalt.

Recently, I was rebuilding an engine. While running down the head bolts with a speeder, one was gritty. Investigation revealed I had missed running a thread-chasing tap down that one head bolt hole and there was steel shot from the blaster still in there. If I had been using an air impact or ratchet, followed by a torque wrench, everything would have seemed OK, but the head gasket would most likely have leaked.

Nothing beats educated fingertips.

jack vines

 

[bobcatdan]

I havn't used mine in 10 years. I bought them for tech school; no power tools allowed. If I did a lot of engine rebuilding, I maybe would use it running everything down before I torqued it. In my line of work, cordless impact just works better. If I ever run across a speeder breaker bar used, I bet I would buy it for the right price, just to have it.

 

[redneckprofessor]

I've also been snatching them up locally for a few bucks. I like 'em.

Check out this video of an engine building competition. Go to :50 and watch him work that speeder.

I've seen some guys take the speeder and spin the bolt down with just one hand. Takes practice, but impresses the chicks!

 

[redneckprofessor]

Ha, found a video of one spinning the speeder wrench. Go to 1:15 to see it:

 

[expatriated]

Any of you guys that don't use them anymore want to sell me an old Snap-on speeder in 3/8"?

 

[Packard V8]

Which one - 18", 24" or 36"?

I have and use all three, but they aren't for sale. Should I find an extra, I'll keep you in mind.

jack vines

 

[expatriated]

18" is fine. It's for bike work.

 

[greasemonkey44]

if i did alot of engine building maybe id go back to using them
but honestly air and electric is so much faster it would be hard to go back
before i got power tools i used them fairly frequently, like the brace i have a stanley handyman, sees no use since power tools came into play

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

I've been using the hell out of my 1/4" speeder doing work on my outboard. It saves gobs of time, and I don't risk breaking some of the fragile little parts on it with the impact.

 

[Hoss356]

I've also been snatching them up locally for a few bucks. I like 'em.

Check out this video of an engine building competition. Go to :50 and watch him work that speeder.

I've seen some guys take the speeder and spin the bolt down with just one hand. Takes practice, but impresses the chicks!

That's why my pops calls em "spinners", I'm thinkin it's an old term from yesteryear, I'll have to ask him.

 

[expatriated]

You guys made me do it--I just posted in the "Wanted" section here for one of these things. So, if anyone is no longer using their Snap-on....just saying

 

[Wrenches of Death]

You guys made me do it--I just posted in the "Wanted" section here for one of these things. So, if anyone is no longer using their Snap-on....just saying

The Snap-on speed handle is fine for use with regular nuts and bolts and sheet metal screws.

But, if you're going to use a speed handle for heavier use like driving and removing wood screws, deck screws, etc. steer clear of the Snap-on. The handle is very tiring to use when you have to apply downward pressure.

My favorite is the Craftsman V series. The head on the handle is large enough to you can cup it in your palm and apply downward force. The skinny handles, like the Snap-on design, require you to grip them tightly like a screwdriver and push downward at the same time. If you're only doing three screws, it's no big deal. If you're going to do three dozen or a hundred, it makes a big difference. Think of it along the lines of a breast drill or a brace.

Wow, there's a new tool idea! A tapered shank adapter that would allow you to use your brace with sockets! I'll be rich!

WoD

 

[scott37300]

You guys made me do it--I just posted in the "Wanted" section here for one of these things. So, if anyone is no longer using their Snap-on....just saying

I don't know how much you want to spend but the snap on 3/8" speeder brand new is only 40 bucks with free shipping. http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/tools.asp?tool=all&Group_ID=232&store=snapon-store

 

[jeffk14]

Speed handles are still absolutely essential in aviation. And like has been said before, the only design to have is like the old Cman with a comfortable "door knob" type handle on the end.

 

[expatriated]

The Snap-on speed handle is fine for use with regular nuts and bolts and sheet metal screws.

But, if you're going to use a speed handle for heavier use like driving and removing wood screws, deck screws, etc. steer clear of the Snap-on. The handle is very tiring to use when you have to apply downward pressure.

My favorite is the Craftsman V series. The head on the handle is large enough to you can cup it in your palm and apply downward force. The skinny handles, like the Snap-on design, require you to grip them tightly like a screwdriver and push downward at the same time. If you're only doing three screws, it's no big deal. If you're going to do three dozen or a hundred, it makes a big difference. Think of it along the lines of a breast drill or a brace.

Wow, there's a new tool idea! A tapered shank adapter that would allow you to use your brace with sockets! I'll be rich!

WoD

Thanks. It's for MC work, removing the plastic, which has a lot of screws so it's perfect for what I need it for.

I don't know how much you want to spend but the snap on 3/8" speeder brand new is only 40 bucks with free shipping. http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/tools.asp?tool=all&Group_ID=232&store=snapon-store

I saw that. I'll do that if I can't find one in good shape second hand but I figured I'd give it a week or two before I called the mothership.

 

[ARAMP1]

I've been bidding recently on speeder handles (SO, Mac, Matco, et. al.) and have won most for under $10, many for $5 or less (plus reasonable and customary shipping charges). I'm building up quite a collection of very nice 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 speeder handles and I'm getting ready to shutdown the effort.

On the other hand, I've been bidding on SO ratchets and have only managed to win three in the past year, including 1 nice F80 that nobody else bid on for $13.00 plus $7 shipping.

Are the speeder handles getting away so cheap because of low demand? I've seen ratchets go for ridiculously high prices, some nearing full retail for new.

Got any pics of what you've acquired so far?

 

[autobon7]

I have a Craftsman 3/8" speeder and use it when I can. As others have mentioned it gives me good feel as opposed to any power tool. To each his own.

 

[midnitemack]

Any of you guys seen the old Williams version with the big knob on the end?

I have one of those in 1/2" and I find that real nice to use !!

 

[matthew]

I like speeders, but I don't much care for the knob style ones. Maybe it's just a function of where I use them.

Sounds like we need to start customizing these with screwdriver handles, like the ratchets guys seem to be so fond of making...

And I too would like another speeder, but shipping cost seems too high for any of the ones I've seen...

 

[snapmom]