spinner removal

[gblue]

Aloha Alan....just mark the width and depth you want the slots to be with a marker pen, then use the grinder to cut down to the depth.....then take a cresent wrench and bend the piece back and forth and it will break at the depth you want..........you will maybe need a small socket extension to clear the wheel wells with your breaker bar.....I just use a long pipe on my socket handle and a 3/4 inch to 1/2 inch reducer if you don't have the 3/4" bar.....all spinners turn towards the front of the car to come off...good luck...Gregg

[nikbj68]

I just found a very good 'How to' on the old Kirkham Motorsports website, (cached in Google)below:
   Installing Knock-Offs/Spinners/Wingnuts
   Since our cars use only one "lug nut" instead of five, you might think this is a simpler method of holding the wheel and tire on the car. While it is simpler in that there is only one part instead of five, there is only one point of failure so we need to use some extra caution when removing and installing knock-offs.
   
   Tools needed:
   
   Knock-off hammer or mallet
   Traditionally these have been made of lead. We use a large nylon mallet in the shop. Lead works well but does not last as long as nylon.
   
   Safety wire and pliers
   Safety wire is a must when properly installing knock-offs.  Use 0.032 wire.  A set of safety wire pliers will make the job of installing the safety wire easier. You can buy safety wire and pliers in kits from racing and aircraft supply stores.
   
   Anti-seize
   This can be purchased at most automotive parts stores.  If you don't use anti-seize, you will experience the following:
   
   Best case: You will ruin the rim and the knock off with galling. It is highly unlikely you will stop at best case.
   
   Worst, and most probable case: You will seize the nut onto the hub and you will experience all sorts of new words in your vocabulary as you CUT THE WHEEL, WING NUT, AND HUB apart to disassemble the whole mess. You will be left with mess on the floor and a big hole in your wallet to fix the mess. You MUST anti-seize the threads AND the face of the knock off where it contacts the wheel face. We even anti-seize the drive pins a little.
   
   Jack
   We use a low profile racing type hydraulic jack when we are away from the shop and don't have a lift available.
   
   To remove knock-offs and wheels start with the car on the ground. We leave the car on the ground so that the force from removing the knock offs isn't transfered directly to the bearings. Remove the safety wire from the knock-off. Loosen the knock-offs by hitting them firmly with the hammer. Remember, the knock-offs on the left side (left as if you are sitting in the seats) of the car have right-hand threads; the knock-offs on the right-side of the car have left-hand threads. If you can get a good angle it helps to strike the knock-off on different wings. Once the knock-offs loosens you can then raise the car so that you can remove the wheel and tire.
   
   Installing the wheel, tire and knock-off is basically a reverse of the removal, but it also requires some finesse. Start by applying a thin layer of anti-seize to the drive pins and threads on the hub.  Place the wheel and tire on the hub by lining the wheel up with the drive pins and sliding it in place. Apply a thin coating of anti-seize to the threads on the knock-off and the area where the knock-off seats on the wheel. Start the knock-off onto the threads. Remember left-hand threads on the right, right-hand threads on the left. Tighten the knock-off until it starts to touch the wheel. Grab opposite edges of the tire and wiggle it side to side and up and down to ensure that it is seated on the hub and that the drive pins are engaged properly. Tighten the knock-off.  Repeat until the knock-off is as tight as you can get by hand.  You can give the knock-off a wack with the hammer to ensure that it is seated. Now you can lower the car to the ground and finish tightening the knock-off. To tighten the knock-off, strike the wing with the hammer. You should be able to feel the knock-off turn each time you strike it. When it is seated tightly the hammer will bounce back differently because the knock-off has stopped turning. It takes a little practice but eventually you will get a feel for this. Give it a few more wacks to ensure that it isn't moving anymore. You should not have to use "gorilla" force to tighten the knock-off.  The drive pins transfer the force from acceleration and braking to the wheel, the knock-off holds the wheel against the hub.
   
   Now it is time for the safety wire. There should be a hole in one wing of the knock-off. Run the safety wire from this hole to a spoke on your wheel.  The wire should be installed in a direction so that it is holding the knock-off tight. This wire does not hold the knock-off in place but it is used to show that the knock-off has not come loose. Please bend ALL safety wire ends over to show you care and to prevent safety wire sized holes in your hands. Besides showing that you care, it looks cool.  Never drive a car without the safety wire in place on all wheels. Checking the safety wire on each wheel should always be on your pre-flight checklist.  Remove your wheels to clean your hubs and knock-offs and re-apply anti-seize once a year to prevent corrosion (more often if you live in a damp or salty ocean climate)

[nanard289]

As variante of safety wire solution (initially, central nuts was provided for a quick change) I have selected the "Aston Martin solution" (I see it for the first time on a racing Aston Martin car). As a picture is better than ten thousand words (I multipy by ten due to my poor English language), I show my own pin hub. There is made with a 3 mm music wire and I have to confess that several tests was done before to obtain an acceptable result
   
   

[keithjecks]

I have always used copperslip to make sure the spinner doesn't seize, which has worked just fine. Although the advice on hammers etc is I am sure right (I too found the Snap-on dead blow hammer totally useless), these things do need a heavy whack to get them off, and there is real danger of hitting the body or wheel in the process. I was taught to use a 3 foot piece of steel pipe like scaffolding pipe to transfer the load. If you do that, then a heavy hammer (I found 5 lb to be enough) would do the job safely, away from body and wheel. I always thought carrying a spare tyre was a bit pointless becasue I cannot imagine how I would ever get the thing off by the side of the road!
   
   Keith

[Mark IV]

Correct,
   The "dead-blow" hammers do not give enough force to loosen the nut. Can't beat the old lead hammer for this. gives the grunt and "bounces-back" less than others.
   Rick

[Jan_AC_MKIV_1227]

Funny,
      I still have not been able to remove, they are REALLY frozen,  I did get the battery out by jacking the car, turning the wheel and carefully removing.  The spinner fiasco will continue in the spring.
   
   If anyone is ever passing through CT and wants to have a scotch and try to remove them, please, let me know !!
   
   Jan

[ak1234]

Jan where in Ct if it stops raining I may take a trip ..I have to warn you ...I bent one spinner and contacted ALAN for a replacement.  DO you have a lead hammer...
   
   Ron

[jbottini]

Jan, I'll be up your way in acouple of weeks...PM ne with phone or some way to sort out place/time. i'll bring finishline tool if you have a proper lead hammer

[Jan_AC_MKIV_1227]

Guys,
      thanks for the response, I PM'd Jim, Ron if you want to come up at meet Jim and I, we can bend the spinners together (I hope not).  I have the finish line tool and a Thor spinner hammer, I can't find a strong enough steel bar to use with the finish line tool, believe it or not, I bent a steel pry bar already !! (a 5 footer).
   
   Jan

[jbottini]

you've  some real frozen  spinners...are they all like that?

[ak1234]

My 2 fronts were frozen on pretty good when I bought the car ...as I may have said before .. you need to wack all three wings while rotating the tire and it comes loose .. my bent spinner was when I first got the car ...I had consulted with the local Ferrari guy and he gave me a few tips.  Just make sure they get put back with neversieze.
   
   Ron

[Jan_AC_MKIV_1227]

I only tried the front 2 and they are FROZEN !

[jbottini]

OK, are the original tires on the car? & how many miles?

[keithjecks]

Sorry if I am saying something you already know. When I first did this I assumed they would hold, and then suddenly let go and then be easier. I found that they were REALLY hard for the first whole turn of the spinner, and each whack only moved them a tiny amount. Are you sure they are't moving at all?

[nanard289]

May be I will look like a joker but I dislike to use a hammer or a brass mallet to install or to remove a wingnut. I use my own special tool! It is a piece of iron pipe that one end had been flattened (see picture). If you have steel forged wingnuts on your wheels, you can apply a large torque and if the car is moving (despite the hand brake), ask to your wife to push the pedal brake to jam it. When I install a wheel, I put a nut of grease on the aluminum faces that are in contact with iron (both sides) to limit electrolytique reactions that appears between two different metals, to prevent any corrosion.