5 replies to this topic

[jmetal88]

Is there a trick to removing the center caps from the wheel hubs? I've been trying to hammer a screwdriver into the little groove where it looks like the cap fits to the hub, but I've been making no progress.

I'm trying to replace my wheel studs. I've already tried the trick with removing the brake shoes and hammering out the studs with the hub still attached, but the studs are too long to be removed without removing the hub.

[n00b]

if you use the power of thermodynamics you SHOULD be able to over come the 'stuck' caps. use a heat gun to expand the materials and take cation not to set anything on fire eg rubber suspension components!

Allow to cool, perheps apply an oil to help free it off using the method you described before. If it still fails to budge, repeat the process.

It will come off! its just stubborn mini behavour

[jmetal88]

if you use the power of thermodynamics you SHOULD be able to over come the 'stuck' caps. use a heat gun to expand the materials and take cation not to set anything on fire eg rubber suspension components!

Allow to cool, perheps apply an oil to help free it off using the method you described before. If it still fails to budge, repeat the process.

It will come off! its just stubborn mini behavour

Too bad I don't have a heat gun.

I have a hair dryer and a desoldering iron that I've hacked into a hot air pencil though, would one of those work?

I'd think the hair dryer would be too weak and the hot air pencil would have too narrow a range though.

Edited by jmetal88, 02 December 2009 - 08:40 PM.

[n00b]

a hair dryer should be able to atleast raise the temperature a tad, especially above room temp. give em both a go.

as long as you are heating and cooling, expanding and constricing, it will eventually budge. perhaps a heat gun is a gbood investment and will help you when it comes to removing suspension components such as rubber cones!

[cambiker71]

Do you mean the hub nut covers? If so then a short blunt chisel and a few sharp taps will remove them, work one side of each cap then turn the hub and tap the other to save ruining them, once you have the caps off and the split pins removed, don't forget the left side hub nut thread is a left hand thread so needs turning clockwise to remove it.

[jmetal88]

Do you mean the hub nut covers? If so then a short blunt chisel and a few sharp taps will remove them, work one side of each cap then turn the hub and tap the other to save ruining them, once you have the caps off and the split pins removed, don't forget the left side hub nut thread is a left hand thread so needs turning clockwise to remove it.

Thanks for the tip. I kind of tried it already, but my chisel is chipped at the tip so that's probably why it didn't work. I really should get a new chisel sometime.