How much force is needed for spinners?

[d_ford]

Can anyone tell me how much force is used with a lead hammer to tighten the spinners on knock-off wheels? I don't want to break a spinner but I don't want a wheel coming loose either. Thanks.

[JWheaton]

If you are using a lead hammer you should not worry about the force. The hammer will absorb the impact before you break the spinner.

[Tongue Pirate]

I was told that you should snug it down by hand then give it a couple good whacks while the car is sitting on the ground. Then drive it around the block or down the street & repeat with a couple good whacks. Don't forget the antisieze on the threads & mating surface or you'll have to surgically remove them.

[55312]

I tighten mine until there is no more "give" when I hit it with the lead hammer. It's pretty obvious. Don't forget the antiseize and do use safety wire!

Tim

[Bob In Ct]

I hope that next fall you are not one of the guys writing in about how to get my (frozen) spinners off. Remember, the pins take the torque load from the engine. Snug them up really well and then wire them on. Leave a little slack in the wire. Check the wire prior to each ride. If the slack goes away the spinner is coming undone (but they won't).

Bob

[DonC]

Conventional wisdom seems to be to snug them down firmly and then give it a couple of shots with the hammer.
You might want to keep in mind that you want to have the car on the ground before applying the hammer to the spinners to help save the wheel bearings.
I have to respectfully disagree with Bob about leaving slack in the wire. My advice is to keep the wire tight. It will help prevent the spinner from starting to back off if it is going to and if the wire breaks you know you've got issues. I come from an aviation background where safety wire is a way of life and it's never left slack.
As always, don't forget the anti-seize. I've got stainless spinners and still use it even if I don't have to worry about like metal galling.
DonC

[d_ford]

I haven't had the car very long so have never had the wheels off, however I see no evidence of anti-seize on the threads. If it IS galled on, what's the trick to getting them loose?

[Bob In Ct]

Doug:
Be sure to strike the spinner in the correct direction. I rotate the wheel 120 degrees after each strike. Use a lead hammer.

Don:
No offense taken. Keep in mind that much of the safety wire used on our cars is very thin and may not hold like the aircraft stuff does. Regardless of whether you leave it slack or tight it should be checks very often.

Bob

[ack fia]

It's funny that this thread came up now. I spent one whole day getting my wheels off so that I could install the SSBC calipers that I bought over the winter. All of the wheels came off HARD to the point that I damaged all of the tri wing nuts.
As the enclosed picture shows, the right front had to be sugically removed.
- Yes I had slobbered plenty of anti sieze on them!
- Yes I was going the right way!
I guess that I tightened them too tight.
When the new stainless tri wing arrive (Thank you George at Accurate Machine Products) I plan to tighten them lightly and apply the safety wire tight.

[milo22]

I not experienced as you guys so this is probably going to sound stupid but do the spinners go on clock wise and remove counter clock wise? I was trying to check the lugs and couldn't get one tire off. I was using a rubber mallet also -I guess by reading all the other post a lead hammer is the way to go?

[Bob In Ct]

Usually the ones on the right are tightened by going counter-clockwise and the ones on the left by going clockwise. Another way to look at it is tops to the rear to tighten.

Bob

[mylesdw]

Originally Posted by Bob In Ct

Usually the ones on the right are tightened by going counter-clockwise and the ones on the left by going clockwise. Another way to look at it is tops to the rear to tighten.

Bob

I thought it was the other way around!

[Jeff Frigo]

Originally Posted by milo22

I not experienced as you guys so this is probably going to sound stupid but do the spinners go on clock wise and remove counter clock wise? I was trying to check the lugs and couldn't get one tire off. I was using a rubber mallet also -I guess by reading all the other post a lead hammer is the way to go?

Tight a$$ is the way to remember. You tighten both sides towards the back (a$$) of the car.

[scootter]

Like the prior post said, they get tightened in the reverse direction the tire usually turns. So always to the back. Another thing I do ( and is recommended in the service manuel) take them off with a lead hammer, and put them on with a rubber dead blow hammer. You can over tighten them easy with a lead hammer .
Scott

[Brent Mills]

Not sure what is the best method, but what I do is use the tool from cobraaccessories.com to tighten/loosen and use safety wire. I find it easy enough to take the wheels off and haven't ever found loose spinners.

[CoupedUp]

Here is everything you ever needed to know...
http://performanceunlimited.com/cobr...tructions.html

Doug