800-336-8812 North America
865-577-8470 World Wide

It’s July and it’s mid year update time

This year we added two new accessories to our product line:

The Slim Wedge Shield (item #2003)

It’s designed to help you easily and quickly extract any under the window tool. No more fighting the weather stripping to get your tool out. If you haven’t gotten yours yet, trust me you will want to, its Great!

The Long Reach Extension (item # EX4)

This extension was designed to help with control on those long reach openings. It was a way to improve the tool and still fit it in your kit. It’s a small thing that makes a big difference, you will like it.

mid-year update on vehicles introduced since the publication of the Z-Tool system Manual 2005

• Honda Ridgeline 05-06 refer to p.32B, easy
  (You will thank me for the Slim Wedge Shield on this one)

• Chevy Cobalt 2 dr. 05-06 refer to p.27B, easy
  (Use Flex-a-Wedge at top corner of door to aid insertion of Mercedes Strip.)

• Dodge Charger 05-06 refer to p.12B, easy

our pledge to you is to continue to do so.

Each year around February, Z-tool system users will automatically receive an update notice detailing what is required to keep your Grand Master Z-Tool® System up-to-par. If you have missed any previous annual update releases, you should make customer service aware, as you could be missing important equipment you’ll wish you had the first time it is needed. Remember, this is a system where all of the versatile tools are assigned to open many models. The more years that pass, the more models assigned to the tool you may be missing. 

There are so many new models introduced each year that it is very easy to fall far behind. When your manual falls behind you begin to do what we call "dig for it”, or working in the blind openings which causes pulled wires, broken windows and a host of other troubles, not to mention a great deal more time involved at the job site, which also means loss of payment and a piece of your hard earned reputation. Keep your kit up-to-date.

Autos are much more difficult to open than in years past, as manufacturers simply build lock systems with more anti-jimmy components, and a whole lot less access to the lock system components. The exposures to manipulation have become so small within the door cavity, you will discover locating a good target (if there is one available) is difficult to find without using a current manual and the assigned tool.

The loss of only a few lockouts each year, or taking far too much time on one model, is equal to the cost of an average Annual Update Set. Most years (except 1995) average under $60, and include the newest updated and revised system manual. We do not add tools just to have something else to sell you. We realized many years ago the future would require additional specialty tooling. We choose the less profitable route to add new tooling only when we must to maintain the integrity of the system, based on using as few versatile tools as possible. If you think about it, adding only two tools per year adds up to 20 cumbersome tools in 10 years. There are only fourteen tools needed as of year 2005. New employees must work with a manageable number of tools to quickly gain confidence in the field through clear knowledge of each tool. Other after market companies are bloated with between 30 and 50+ tools. Those kits look as though they have value, but in the field they often prove to be a disaster. So keep it simple, as this is the way to go for any one who hires employees.

Mid-year update list will generally release and post mid-July to August 15th each year.

Call the technical service line if you face an unlisted model. 865-577-8470