Semi What Is It?: Kent Moore Brake Wrench

[darkzero]

I didn't think to ask here since this is not an automotive related forum but I'm sure some of you have or do work in the trade. But I am using it for machining related. Never had any luck identifying what it was used for. Just want to kill my curiosity.

Years ago I found this wrench on ebay. Kent Moore 1-1/16" Brake Wrench p/n J2964. The round handle & offset was perfect for a tool post wrench so I cut it down and is what I have been using it for.

I tried searching at the time & could find no info on it, not even other pics of it. Just the usual that KM used to make GM specialty service tools, now owned by SPX/Bosch, yadda yadda. Anyone familiar with it & know what it was originally used for? That's a big "brake wrench" being 21" long. Maybe used for heavy trucks I'm guessing?




Oh and just in case it's a rare tool or something, which I doubt, & I might get scolded for cutting down a perfectly good wrench, I have another one that I found shortly after the first one. After that I've never came across another one.


Thanks

 

[benmychree]

I would have left it full length for a tool post, I use a single ended box wrench with a 3 ft long pipe cheater, yes, I have had it slip under heavy cuts, using a lesser wrench.

 

[westerner]

I assume you Googled the J2964 number. "J" tools are the slang for 'special' tools in the GM shop.
GM got out of the 'heavy' line a few years back, but in the 50's to the 80's, they had a strong presence.
Anybody ever heard of 'TopKick'?

 

[darkzero]

I would have left it full length for a tool post, I use a single ended box wrench with a 3 ft long pipe cheater, yes, I have had it slip under heavy cuts, using a lesser wrench.

Haha, that would be interesting to see & use full length, John! I have had the tool post spin on me before but my tool post has the pin feature that I can utilize if it ever happens again. Plus I only have a small hobby grade lathe so that rarely happens to me.

 

[darkzero]

I assume you Googled the J2964 number. "J" tools are the slang for 'special' tools in the GM shop.
GM got out of the 'heavy' line a few years back, but in the 50's to the 80's, they had a strong presence.
Anybody ever heard of 'TopKick'?

Yes I have tried Googling the number before. Have ask a few times elsewhere, never got any answers specifically about tbis tool. Had no idea about the J, I never heard of KM until I came across this wrench. I'm not familiar with TopKick either.

 

[westerner]

TopKick was the GM medium duty truck that would have brakes or other equipment onboard that might require such a big and special wrench.
That said, GM was as notorious as any other factory for prescribing a special tool to do a job, when Snap-On or some other tool truck would have a tool that would suffice.

I have 'repurposed' tools with more specificity than this before. Enjoy, and do not fret the loss of originality...

 

[darkzero]

Thanks westerner, that bit of info is more than I ever got every time I have asked about this.

 

[westerner]

 

[darkzero]

I would have left it full length for a tool post, I use a single ended box wrench with a 3 ft long pipe cheater, yes, I have had it slip under heavy cuts, using a lesser wrench.

Here ya go John.

 

[Nogoingback]

I think it's great that you've repurposed that wrench for lathe duty: tools are meant to be used.

And, as a bonus you've got two. That's a good start on getting the entire set...