Can't get a wheel off, any suggestions?

[Ron61]

Jim,

Now that you have tried all the scientific approaches, get in the car and take off down the road like crazy. The wheel will most likely fall off.

Ron

[GeorgiaSnake]

Hey SF - this thing you are flogging - is it the one you want to sell or is it your new house that has the stuck wheels? See the redneck thread for some advice.

Ron if it's the one I'm thinking about it has no motor - thus no drivin it down the road.

Randy

[Mike Simard]

I had the same problem and had to buy one of those wrencehes, it actually worked! Easier to get the rears off because the front wheels want to spin.
You're welcome to borrow my wrench, I'm 1/4 mile off of 316 at hwy 20.
Mike 770-822-3320

[southernfriedcj]

Mike, I just might take you up on that offer. If it works I'll buy my own.
I've beat that thing so much, hair is growing on my palms.

[Ant]

I am not looking forward to the day when an alloy lugnut locks on to the threaded hub, I have two sets of wheels from Trigo etc, and there is not a lot of room on the rear wheels to get a straight hit on the lug-nut!

I see the Aussie Supercar guys cutting nuts off their cars in the heat of racing at times!

Aluminium on aluminium galling NO....not unless your threaded hubs are alloy, as there is no way the spinner will lock onto the taper in the wheel, what happens is some alloy comes off and locks in both components "Threads" and can pick up more material as it goes round.

I used to use Coppercote anti-seize compound which was just a basic engineering supply product, but see that Loctite company make an anti-seize compound does anyone use that?

[southernfriedcj]

Ant, if I can't get the thing off with that socket tool, I'm cuttin' it off with an angle grinder. I've beat that thing like a rented mule, and it won't budge.

[541 SC]

I use the finishline tool to install and remove knock-offs. I have PS Engineering wheels. I asked Phil Schmidt what torque to install the knock-offs with. He said 300 ft-lbs. Most of us don't have a torque wrench that goes that high. I used my 250 ft-lb torque wrench and then borrowed a 600 ft-lb wrench to tighten in to 300 ft-lbs. I then noted the angle of the partial turn to get from 250 to 300 ft-lbs and that is what I use to tighten them. Though this is not exact, it is more repeatable than using a hammer. I use a breaker bar to loosen them and I always use never seize. By the way my spinners are stainless, not aluminum. This proceedure works fine for me. I know there are different theories on proper installation of knock-off, but tightening the spinners to a specific torque with a torque wrench seems like the right way to do it to me. True, the pins carry the torque loads, but the cornering loads are carried by the hub flange and spinner. Those loads can be substantial and the spinners need to be tight to provide the clamp load to prevent loosening over time. I do carry a lead hammer for emergency tire changing. It is my understanding that the original cars used steel knock-offs. I just wanted to share my proceedure to anyone who cares to try it or take something from it.

[Morris]

CJ

When we used pin drive hubs on the race cars... we used nuts that were aluminum.... and we torqued them to 250 lbs.... then when we came off the track we needed a 3/4" 6ft long torque wrench to remove the nuts.... if we were in a hurry like a pit stop.... then we used a 1" drive impact gun..... .... also heat up the spinner so it will expand.... propane torch will work just fine.

Most of the time when we took the nuts off ...it took 650 lbs to break the nut loose....

And we only tightened them to 250 lbs to begin with.....

So go get the bar and tool and take that spinner off.

Morris

[Chuck Nickloy]

SF,

We stuck on in the shop the other day. Used a long ( 6' ) piece of pipe on the spinner to break it loose. What a pain! Thought we were going to break off one of the ears befor it broke loose. It did come. We were using anti-seize and still had the problem.

Best of luck

Chuck

[Ron61]

SF,

this is turning into almost as long of a saga as when Black Jack had his cobra ordered. I can't wait to log on and read the latest episode in "The Wheel Versus Me" .

Ron

[trularin]

It will end in a few more posts when we find out that the spinner was a fake and there were five lugnuts that needed to be removed. LOL

Get the wrench!

Wacking it with a hammer may make it worst to get off as you are not putting force on the spinner evenly. If it is frozen in place and you wack it, it may just cock in place and get harder to turn.

You can shave you hands, but them blisters are there to stay! LOL

Just a thought.

[ToyCollector]

SFCJ, you ARE USING A LEAD HAMMER right?

I also have one of those socket thingies and hate it as it can slip off and BOOGER up your wheel. You are welcome to use it however.

[EarlsflyinCobra]

AS THE WHEEL TURNS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>DON'T MISS THE LATEST EPISODE RIGHT HERE ON CC.......Brought to you by
Proctoid & Gambol...

[Tony Ripepi]

HI CJ,

Over the years ...I have helped a lot of my Cobra bretheren with this problem, unfortunately you are in Georgia. I have a selection of tools that were custom made just for this problem up to and including the one from Enzo shown earlier in this thread. One of my buddies machined the end to accept a 1 1/4 inch socket with a hald inch drive and that helps it a lot...even with an air wrench.

The tool that works every time has a 10 inch solid steel wheel with three slots that go over the ears of the knock off. in the center of the wheel a solid steel shaft that inserts into the wheel hub and extends out 18 inches. At the far end of the shaft are welded arms to use a sledge hammer on to apply all the force to loosen the knock off you need....it does come loose every time and will never contact all that expensive paint in the wheel well.

I am out of town right now but, I will take a picture when I return home and post it ASAP.......$20 worth of material and a welder and you too will have the solution to this Cobra problem.

BTW the design was invented and fabricated originally by Rick427.......patent fees are due and payable.

Best Regards,

Tony R.

[Ron61]

CJ,

Who would have ever thoiught we could get 3 pages of posts just for getting a wheel off a car. Maybe with Tony's steel wheel device you can twist the whole axel end loose. If that fails then try the cutting tourch. I can't wait for the next post to see what you have accomplished.

Ron

[Allan A]

Tony here is your photo, in stock ready for delivery.

Allan

[RedBarchetta]

Good Gawd!! That thing looks like something from a Hitler torture camp!

[Tony Ripepi]

Hi guys,

Thanks Alan......Put it inside the hole where the hub cap is removed, the three slots fit over the ears of the spinner, hold it on the end, hit it with as big a hammer as you want and the spinner comes off. Be careful when you use it to put them on because you will only be able to get them off with the tool....don't know the torque rating but it puts them on tight and always gets them off.

Always use anti sieze compound on the spinner !!!!

BTW Alan A has them for sale....he and Rick427 have worked out a deal.

Beauty is in the eye of the Cobra owner with a stuck spinner !!

Tony R.

[Bob In Ct]

It helps alot if someone has their foot on the brake when the spinner is being struck. Putting the car in gear is not the same! Are we sure we're hitting this guy in the correct direction?

I think posts like this one (and they keep showing-up) make the point that these spinners do not have to be put on all that tight.

Bob

[Ant]

What happens when this problem occurs, does the threaded adapter get damaged and need replacing as well as the alloy knock off?

Also whats the most commonly used anti-seize compound? or I suppose as long as some is used, I see Loctite make a Silver Anti-seize and a Nickel Anti-seize!

I see by the design of your lug nut remover it will do the job, would it also be worth making it so a long bar can go onto it, and hitting the other side of remover, but that may not be necessary due to the center shaft?