Jump to content
Kart Review UK
  • TheDoctor
    TheDoctor

    Alto Camber/Bumper Tool

       (0 reviews)
      Brand: Alto
      Price: £25 Inc VAT
      Retailer: Spellfame
      Value: 7
      Quality: 9
      Performance: 8
      Ease of Use: 7
      Kart Review Score: 7.75

    First Impressions

    We’ve all been there, you’re just out on the rolling lap for the first heat of the day. Practice has gone well; you’re looking good for a win. Just need a nice clean day and you are in with a good chance. Down into turn one there is some pushing and shoving. Before you know it…BANG! Some clown launches you into the grass.

    The rear bumper takes receipt of almost all of the contact in karting, and so one of the most common jobs you will ever perform on your kart is to remove the rear bumper, and the bumper bolts.

    Alto gave in to popular demand and brought out a tool that answers all of our prayers.

    General Use/Observations

    The Alto tool features an ergonomic aluminium body, which fits neatly into your hand, and 'Alto' laser etched onto the surface. Two prongs are fitted on each end, one of which is for rotating the OTK camber/caster adjusters. Whilst this isn’t the most difficult job in the world, it’s useful that this in essence two tools in one. The opposite end of course fits into the collars which make up the bumper bolt assembly. Most people who don’t already have this tool will use a pair of vice grips or perhaps circlip pliers in order to rotate the collars. This operation works quite well, however it can result in either damage to the collar or to the tool you are using.

    ccs-3-0-72289200-1378231710_thumb.jpg

    The prongs fit quite solidly into the two holes on the collars however there is a tendency for them to slip out as it gets more difficult to rotate as the assembly tightens.

    Therein lies the most obvious problem with this tool, it doesn’t take away the requirement to fully rotate during the tighten/loosening process. A ratchet would have been a nice addition in this sense. It’s difficult to keep pressure on the tool whilst rotating 360 degrees; this could over time cause wear of the prongs. It also causes pain when you smash your knuckles against the nearest solid component. Having said all of the above, this tool makes installation so much easier and halves the time required to fit the bumper bolts over any other method. It’s also important to make sure the collars are tight to keep the bolts securely in the chassis, I have over the years seen bumpers come adrift with no evidence of impact.

    ccs-3-0-33478400-1378231346_thumb.jpg

    The castor/camber adjustment aspect of the tool, at first glance seems barely worth the £25, until you decide to rotate them whilst watching the adjustment on a set of alignment lasers. The tool allows you to spin the adjuster without having to move a hole at a time to measure the effects. It’s a useful addition.

    ccs-3-0-80649900-1378231378_thumb.jpg

    Summary

    The tool serves its purpose; there is no argument about that. What the customer needs to ask themselves is whether they really need it? Anything that makes a mechanic or long suffering skint father’s life easier has got to be a positive, especially when time is short and your vice grips have already worn away the finest Italian cheese of which the bumper collar is made. It also doubles up to help out when you need a fast camber adjustment! So where is the down side? The answer is: there isn't one. However it is a piece of aluminium with four prongs fitted. Manufacture of the item isn’t rocket science, someone with half a clue and a machine shop could produce a similar product. It would have been nice to see the implementation of a ratchet; I feel that would have made customers far more likely to stump up £25 for this item. That aside, most people don’t have a machine shop so cannot produce their own. For those people this tool is a solid addition to any tool box. Will it gain you the magic 0.2 seconds on track? No of course not, but it will aid what can be an annoying job if the bolts are bent or need to be replaced in a hurry. The price is fair; I feel there are far more expensive tools that are less useful on the market.

    Pros

    • Quality piece
    • Simple
    • Two tools in one


    Cons

    • Lack of ratchet, device needs to be rotated 360 like a standard spanner
    • Could be cheaply produced by the home engineer

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments



    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

    Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...