5/16 dowel rods
yes thats correct, I actually bought some from home depot. It was a little pain in the butt, but it was worth the savings to just use them than that tool. I used vice grips to remove them and didn't have much issue. I would recommend them even though I really didnt need them because as I spun the cam around they all stayed up, just extra precaution. Good luck
Two-footers will give you a nice "handle" to yank them out with. Notice the RH side tool in the pic has a flat? The wooden dowel will go in (with force), but will fit much nicer if you take the time to sand a flat on it. Or as others here have done, use 5/16" brake tubing and hammer one side flat...
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So just a 5/16 dowel rod? Does it matter what length, as in can it be too long and damage anything?? Sorry to sound like a ****** tard, im just new with this..
Does the flat edge on the JPR tool's dowel provide easier installation as opposed to the wooden dowels? Id assume 5/16 brake hosing would not get hung up and work better as the guys above agree, im just thrown off with that flat edge on the JPR tool pictured. Im getting ready to dig into my first cam swap, so im still a novice with OHV cars.
Does the flat edge on the JPR tool's dowel provide easier installation as opposed to the wooden dowels? Id assume 5/16 brake hosing would not get hung up and work better as the guys above agree, im just thrown off with that flat edge on the JPR tool pictured. Im getting ready to dig into my first cam swap, so im still a novice with OHV cars.
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No need to flatten a side or anything like that, the regular old 5/16" wooden dowel will do. Cut them to about 26" or so (block is about 20", so the extra 6" will make it easy to pull them out when you're finished).
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Why would you take a 5/16 rod and flatten one side? The tools that are pictured are 3/8 alum. rod that have a flat milled into them that brings them to about 5/15. I had a set and sold them and now I just use 5/16 aluminium rods that is 26" long, and I would hate to have wooden splinters in my engine if something hung up!
I have used wooden dowels a few times now, but if I had to do it again I'd use a brake line or some kind of metal rod. Breaking a wood one off would not be a fun experience.
I can't imagine breaking one off in the engine. I've always lubed them lightly with whatever motor oil I had handy, and they slide right in. If they are really burred, then I hit them with a little sand paper just to smooth them out, but that's it. You'd have to really try to mess them up, break them off, etc in the engine.
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I can't imagine breaking one off in the engine. I've always lubed them lightly with whatever motor oil I had handy, and they slide right in. If they are really burred, then I hit them with a little sand paper just to smooth them out, but that's it. You'd have to really try to mess them up, break them off, etc in the engine.
99.9% chance the wood will be fine. 
No problem with the wood dowels, just that the passenger side goes in a bit tight. I'm thinking that 5/16" brake tubing flattened on one side would slide in easier. That said, the wood dowels are cheap and present no problems...
Last edited by S10xGN; Apr 23, 2010 at 09:48 PM. Reason: Wrong side noted!
These are the ones I made 23" each. Below is the video I made. I cut them to lenght and bent some handles. Also flattened the Passenger side.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PcEiwAYe2k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PcEiwAYe2k
