I'm getting ready to pick up a rotisserie before the tariffs kick in. I just saw one with a Camero mounted on it and I was impressed with how easy the crank made it to twist it. I have used some of the others that spin by hand and they were definitely not as nice as the hand crank. There was no name on it but I suspect it was a Greg Smith Auto Spin. Obviously not as heavy duty as the Roto 2000 or Autotwirler but I won't live long enough to do much more than a couple more old Fords. Anybody have any bad experiences with these? Any others with a hand crank system made in USA? I would be willing to pay more for USA made. I can pick up a Greg Smith for just over 1100 if I go pick it up. Are the Autotwirler and Roto2000 really worth another 500 to 800 more? Thanks for any advice offered.
Anyone have pictures? I’m considering the same purchase Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I have one fro. Accessible systems. I've been very happy with. And they were local-ish to me. www.accessiblesystems.com Sent from my SM-G950U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
You need to know the tube thickness they make it out of. See the mounting bar clamp bolt on the cross arm ? If the cross arm is 1/8" material and the mounting bar tube is 1/8" material you'll have troubles. It's probably 3x3 cross arm and 3-1/2 X 3-1/2 mounting tube. If it's 1/8" material the slop between the tubes is incredible and no matter how tight you make it the cross arm dents and moves away from the bolt. You can never get it tight. You absolutely want 3/16" material at minimum. I bought this one from summit. It was set up like that. It's made by auto twirler but economic version for "private label" distribution. It's a good unit but I returned it and got the auto twirler pro. Well worth the additional cost. The mounting bars are a clamp style that far superior to the other and light years better wheels, much wider and heavier.
Nah. Just a 68 VW bug. It is a wierd vw automatic though. Sent from my SM-G950U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I may have spelled Camaro wrong but I got rotisserie correct. My Grandpa would never let me talk about those GM cars, so its natural I couldn't spell their models very well. I'd still like to know if anyone has had any bad experience with a Greg Smith Autospin as the one I saw looked good and turned easily. If I had a commercial shop I would definitely go for a heavier duty USA model but all I have is two old Fords and then I'll be hanging it up.
Here's what I can tell you. With the first one I had(eerily similar to the Greg smith unit) sans the crank. It was ok, just a little bit More than barely enough. But one person could not move the rotisserie across the floor. The lower cross bar was narrow wheel to wheel heading away from being more stable and the guage was light. At elevations enough to rotate the vehicle the verticals pulled in, the mount arms always drooped down towards ground under the weight no matter what position. Because of all that, the unit could easily be used in any shop where there are a few extra guys around, at the price every guy could have one. But because of that I would be Leery of having it in a place where I was the only one around working on a car. I'd sleep under my auto twirler, strap myself in the drivers seat and have them spin it. Not the first one. If the car is balanced it's a little finger effort to spin it. As parts get cut off and back on the balance changes. Because of the design it can be re balanced in any position. With the locking wheels, one person can roll the car end for end, slide it across the floor. It's very stable over uneven ground too. Since I know the difference, the better model is worth the money. If I didn't know, the first one would have made me happy. Does that make any sense at all?
Just torqueing yer nuts Mine is a home built special but I have had 5 cars on it and it works fine. The crank is nice but properly mounted the cars spin easily and I can lock them at any point with a screw driver as shown One thing I like about the home built special is that I can modify it to fit whatever car im playing with. Here, for example) I left the front sheetmetal on the "camero" as this was a very clean barn find and there was no reason to take more apart than necessary, but the rotisserie makes floor surgery easy on my back.
First unit I had. Not the auto twirler Here you can see how the tube dents Here's the first one I had. Use the background images to see the amount of give in the unit. The vertical lines should line up with units verticals and the horizontals the same. Those door jambs and pallet racks are dead nuts level.
I use a home built. Spins fine by hand with little effort if the car has been put on correctly. by this I mean centered. if its a bit out then getting it fully up on its side can be a bit of straining. Tractor is used to lift it up.
31Vicky has convinced me. I've been to his shop and he's a man I admire and trust, so I pulled the trigger on an Autotwirler Pro. I do wish they would offer the hand crank option as I was really impressed with that but the quality of a USA piece of equipment was weighed heavily through the decision making process. Even though I'm well past my "best used by date" and I may never get the Model A off the rotisserie it will be a better investment for my loving wife to sell and help pay funeral expenses. Thanks to all who replied.
It's got a caliper and rotor and a ratchet lock handle too. Uses repurposed wheel hub bearings too roll and the rotor to lock it down.
Was when I was working out offsets and rim sizes etc. so had like one nut on them. The set up has wheel hubs either side with disk brake on one side to act as a "Hand brake". On the other the rotor is drilled and has a spring loaded lock pin. think it has like 12 holes/positions. Dont use the brake much/at all really. But when the car is not balanced real good it can spin fast on certain angles. Brake can help slow and control this.
Bought mine from Summit and really don't like it it was made in Tenn I think but have a hard time balancing it had 71 Monte Carlo in it also the 40 conv no a 35 Chev sedan
Finding the center width wise is easy enough but getting the center of gravity height wise can be trickier. I have found that its often just below the door locks when you look at the car side on. normally somewhere between mid door and the door handles. If its going to be up there for a bit and its not spinning how you want then take the time and take it off and readjust.
On mine you loosen the clamp and turn the adjustment screw. Easy as can be Doesn't matter what position it's in either. Can be up side down and re balance it. As parts go on and off the balance changes. Cut floor pans balance different. Cut a quarter balance different. Every part on or off changes balance. Study that screw rod and duplicate the set up.
http://redwingsteelworks.com/free-plans/auto-rotisserie-plans/ I think this option is going to work best for me. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I could have easily built this. It's Square tube and 90* joints. Just Few hours of cutting and welding. Sourcing the 6 heavy duty casters, their mounting plates, the Rams, the acme rod, nuts, thrust bearings, out source machine the heavy wall Dom tube, out sourcing the bending ( I tried it both ways, individual plates, and 8' long profile that I'd cut) and drilling all the holes and the bolts,,,, it was faster and easier and cheaper FOR ME to order it. TIME IS MONEY for me.
real men build their own from steel scrounged from various places with no plans. they build it in their heads to be sure it will work as planned, then start cutting and welding. mine cost $60.00 because I had to buy some tubing that fit tight inside of each other for the swivel part. even the wheels were free from somewhere. I sold it about 2 years ago for $200.00 and the guy was happier than a shit eating dog to get it.
The Jalopy Journal
