98TAauto

iTrader: (2)

i was looking into the JPR tool, but I see where most are just using 5/16th dowels?

so here comes my question... are ya'll just rounding the tip at the far end? If so, about how far back are you grinding it round?

would rounding off the whole thing hurt anything either?

thanks

GuitsBoy

iTrader: (4)

I dont know what you mean about rounding the dowel the whole way (Arent they already round?) but some cars need you to sand a flat into the side of a dowel the whole length.

Steve Burger

iTrader: (33)

Just gat some cheap 5/16 or 3/8 wood dowel and you are good to go.

PREDATOR-Z

Search>advanced search>5/16 dowel or lifter tool>internal engine>search

You'll hit at least 500 threads on this one.

jmm98LS1

iTrader: (28)

I actually just used 5/16" wooden dowels from home depot last night when I swapped my cam. I just cut them to 26" long and slid them right in. The driver's side was a tiny bit snug, but the passenger side slid right in. They held up the lifters for the 15 minutes the stock cam was out (got a phone call). I sure wouldn't waste your money on an expensive tool when $.97 worth of dowels will do the job perfectly.

Xtnct00WS6

iTrader: (8)

I would def. not recommend using wooden dowel rods. They could splinter when you pull them out and that would not be good! Spend a dollar more and get stainless. I just used 1/4 rods and it worked perfectly. You don't really need to round off the tips. I did, but you don't need to. Just follow the instructions on ls1howto.com and you'll be fine. Just give the cam a quick jerk and that'll throw the lifters up enough to get the dowel rods in there.

fnbrowning

I have read the splinter thing here on LS1tech before and I have to say it's the most rumor that has floated here recently.

Three weeks ago I used the 5/16 dowels. Cut them a little longer than the cam and then {get this!} ran them in a pencil sharpener to give then a cone shape (not sharp!) in front. Worked flawlessly.
Simple! Cheap! Reliable!

C_B64

iTrader: (7)

I have used the 1/4 steel dowel rods and didnt trust them because they were so loose, so I bought 2-5/16 steel dowel rods from lowes and grinded a little flat spot the length of the rods and they fit so much tighter, the reason I grinded them was because on my brothers 98 I couldnt get them all the way in. I used them on a about 10-15 cam swaps.