Knock Off Help!

[Tom S.]

I have a brake fluid leak at the right rear knock off wheel off my 65. I am trying to get the wheel off and no luck. I am soaking it as much as possible with penetrating oil hoping it will seep into the threads. Any ideas how to get this wheel off? I have suceeded in screwing up some of the chrome on the spinner and don't really want to do any more damage. Thanks Tom

[Tom S.]

Re: Knock Off Help!

Would a little heat on the wheel help to expand it enough to loosen it up?

[Jack H.]

Re: Knock Off Help!

I presume you first checked to see if you're working on a reproduction KO vs. a real McCoy KH wheel...

The difference is the reproduction wheels have slightly different KO spinners/adaptors that are drilled to accept 'safety' pins to thwart unintentional loosening. If it's the later style wheel you have, you need to first pop the center cover on the spinner and remove the safety pin before you can get the spinner to turn.

[Tom H.]

Re: Knock Off Help!

Stupid question, but what are you trying to remove the spinner with ??? If you are using a stock hammer or anything else but a 6lb or so lead hammer, that may be your problem.

[Tom S.]

Re: Knock Off Help!

I was using the lead hammer that came with the car. I did not know about removing the cap and pulling a pin. They are re-pop wheels. Thanks for the help. Tom

[Tom H.]

Re: Knock Off Help!

Take the center cap out of the spinner. You might have to pry it out with a little screwdriver. You will probably see a little roll type pin that secures into an access area of the adapter and spinner. That may very well be your problem. If that's the case. Pull it out with needle nosed pliers and your day will be instantly brighter.

Do a big search on knock off installation before you re install the wheel.

Also do a search on mother thumper hammers or American Lead Hammers. A big lead hammer is your friend.

Do your homework when playing with knock offs. Done correctly they are great. Done wrong and you got big trubs !!!


Check this link out.

http://www.licorvette.com/pdfcatalogfiles/KOwheel.PDF

[Jack H.]

Re: Knock Off Help!

There's a couple of problem issues here:

(1) The lead hammer the factory provided should be considered a road EMERGENCY tool only! You'll find the lead deforms VERY quickly and you'll get down to the steel surround that houses the lead. Once there, expect to take CHUNKS out of your spinners with continued use! So, go purchase a conventional lead hammer (not very expensive) to use as your standard shop tool.

(2) On the repro KO wheels, the 'safety' pins the mfgr originally supplies are rather ductile. If you BANG on the spinners with the safety pin installed OR fail to properly install and final torque the wheel before installing the pin, the wheel CAN move and 'squish' the safety pin. If that happens (deformed safety pin) you're in a world of HURT...some simply will not extract once they're 'mushed up'... So, it becomes a matter of returning the spinner to its original position and drilling out the deformed safety pin!

(3) Last, most repro wheels come WITHOUT installation instructions. Few bother to read the factory shop manual and simply do what's 'intuitive'. That winds up with the KO wheel being laid on, initially torqued, and then the safety pins installed. BAD!!!

(4) Because these were alloy vs. steel wheels, they're prone to strain deformation. The shop manual tells you to install the wheel, hit the spinner with EIGHT HEAVY blows and then go drive the car. Repeat the spinner torque process after roughly 25-50 miles (EIGHT HEAVY blows). Now, go drive the car again and log roughly 100 miles on it. Then, do a final torque on the spinner (again, EIGHT HEAVY blows).

Due to the lack of owner knowledge (and MANY mechanics) on point 4, both original and reproduction KO wheels wind up being improperly installed. Legend is RICH with horror stories about guys who lost a KO with the car in motion on the road (NOT a pretty sight!). Plus, you'll hear about those cases where the safety pins were installed (but NOT after final spinner torque) where the pins deformed and became an SOB item to remove!

I suspect the reproduction wheel mfgrs adopted the use of safety pins to limit their product liability exposure. Factory original KH KO's did NOT have provision for safety pins. They relied on owners and mechanics installing and removing wheels according to factory specified procedures...but that seems to be a lost art these days!

[William L.]

Re: Knock Off Help!

Unfortunately I know from experience if you hit it hard enough with the safety pins in you will eventually shear off the small bolts that connect the spinner adapter to the wheel. If that happens you will open another bucket of snakes, so insure the pin is out!

Bill Lutter
Nassau Blue 6T5

[Tom S.]

Re: Knock Off Help!

What is the trick to getting the pin out? I have soaked it and tried my big vise grips, no luck. Thanks in advance. Tom

[Tom H.]

Re: Knock Off Help!

Tom:

You may have the pin pinched from trying to hammer the spinner. You may have to tap the spinner back towards tight to align it and unbind it.

[Tom S.]

Re: Knock Off Help!

Tom
I did tap it back a little but still no luck. I am just going to have to tinker with it till I get it!I am going to try and get some penetrating oil in the hole around the pin. Thanks for all the help. These knock off's are new to me. Tom

[Tom H.]

Re: Knock Off Help!

You are getting an education in knock offs today. The best way to learn. Hands on !! Keep us posted when you get it off.

[Tom S.]

Re: Knock Off Help!

I will thanks!

[Tom S.]

Re: Knock Off Help!

I got the wheel off. No problem after the help I got from you guy's. Now all the wheels I have are left's. On the back side of the wheel it say's Western Wheel Corp. K-H, then 15X6 and I think that is it. The spinner say's L H, USA, AU4. So I am geussing this is a Kelsy Hayes re-pop! Any way thank for all the help. I feel like I almost graduated from KNOCK OFF 101. Thanks again guys. Tom Stanton #41491

[Chris E.]

Re: Knock Off Help!

Now all the wheels I have are left's.

Ruh row.....