Just got them last night. Not sure why I waited so long to get this tool. It’s fantastic. You could probably hear a mosquito walk across the microphone.
I have been stalled on two issues because I just cannot isolate where the noise is coming from. In the past I’ve tried many things like riding in the back seat, trunk, walking along side, up on stands with the drivetrain running. It’s rarely definitive. Sounds are deceptive where they originate.
The one I have been battling recently I can only hear with the windows rolled up and drivetrain loaded going above 30 mph. Hooked up the ears in about 10 minutes and had an answer. They’ve paid for themselves already. Don’t usually get too excited about new tools but these things are awesome…
They have multiple transmitters and a single receiver box.
The transmitters have a plug in battery type clip with a microphone embedded in them.
The transmitter has a magnet, clip and various velcro or tie wrap methods to attach it. Then clip onto the area in question.
Think you have a bad front bearing? Put a transmitter at either wheel. Drive around and switch between transmitters while comparing the relative noise from each. The receiver has built in speaker or earphones along with a very sensitive LED bar graph.
It was obvious where the noise was coming from when I did my road test. You could hear the bearing grinding away…
Oh man! When I was a broke college student studying broadcast journalism I used to swipe the wireless mics from the campus TV station and use them chase down noises in my old heap. I’m sure I looked ridiculous with a giant TV camera in the passenger seat connected to an earpiece so I could hear it.
I’d have to position a mic, drive for awhile, then get out and re-position it over and over again until I found the noise. I wish I’d had this thing!
I actually took a chance on the budget version. It looks exactly like the Snap-On version but is offered by Steelman. $195. Seems to work just fine. Even came with all the batteries…
But I was never particularly motivated to attempt a repair, or even buy a new control panel, because I just fell back on the tried and true wired chassis ears
Seems like the bargain of the century for anyone diagnosing suspension and brake noises. I sure like the wireless part as it would seem to make setup very easy. At work we used to use a device that was about $20,000 for similar things. I love progress!
I had never heard of them before being a non-mechanic. There is a new start-up (can’t remember the name now-two garages down or something like that) where people can rent their tools out to other neighbors. I’m not sure why you wouldn’t just go to a rental agency but I’ll throw my unused probe in for rental if you throw your ears in. Tools you need once every ten years or so but well worth having.
Ray and Tommy actually used to mention them on the radio show, from time to time
And it was always the same scenario . . . somebody calls in, saying they’re having a difficult time figuring out a noise. And the brothers would tell them to go to the mechanic and ask him to use his chassis ears to figure it out
Never been a mechanic. Dishwasher, fry cook, assembler, green house worker, salesman, but mostly 30 plus years as manager/administrator. Drove a lot though and general DIYer.
Yep, hamburgers, fries, hot dogs, chicken, etc. Thousands of hamburgers in high school for 85 cents an hour. Thing is most of my friends worked there too and I learned a lot about business from the owner. To bring it to cars, he asked me if I could drive to deliver chicken for catering and I said yes and took off. A few weeks later he asked again if I could drive and I said yes, then he asked if I had a license and I said no. I’ve always been honest but you have to ask the right questions. What the hey, I was only 15.
