Looking for suggestions on removing some large 6" wheel spacers ony F550 (used to get sale track width front to back when removing dual rear wheels). They haven't been off for at least 2 years. Steel wheel spacer and steel hub. I've tried a 5lb slide hammer and a small propane torch, but no luck yet.
Removing wheel spacers
- Thread starter Srpat
- Start date
Buddha.
Finally in expo white.
Maybe something like this.
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Every time we talk wheel spacers it seems like 1/2 the forum believes that they fly off all by themselves!
If you are 100% sure they are steel… maybe try a magnet on them… then a bigger torch and for longer will help, as will soaking for several days in penetrating oil.
Another method, absolutely tried at your own risk, could be to loosen the retaining nuts/bolts by 1/2 of a turn or so and then remount the wheels. A few hard turns or even a donut under load should pop them free…
I would lean toward penetrating oil soak for a few days, heat one side to try and get differential growth, and slam them sideways with at least a 2+ lb hammer, dead blow if available. Hammer until you win.
If they are outboard of the rotors, hammering back toward the axle center on the flat rotor surface can also lever them off. Drums? I don’t know…
If you are 100% sure they are steel… maybe try a magnet on them… then a bigger torch and for longer will help, as will soaking for several days in penetrating oil.
Another method, absolutely tried at your own risk, could be to loosen the retaining nuts/bolts by 1/2 of a turn or so and then remount the wheels. A few hard turns or even a donut under load should pop them free…
I would lean toward penetrating oil soak for a few days, heat one side to try and get differential growth, and slam them sideways with at least a 2+ lb hammer, dead blow if available. Hammer until you win.
If they are outboard of the rotors, hammering back toward the axle center on the flat rotor surface can also lever them off. Drums? I don’t know…
While you are heating, keep in mind that it is not the amount of heat that solves the problem. It is the delta betwenn the two parts. Heat the outer and cool the inner. Heat expands, cold shrinks. the action can free close tolerance parts as well as rusted parts by breaking the bond. Keep a few rags soaked in ice water ready to shrink the spacers after you have heated the rim. I am not seeing pics of your particular project, so I may have it backward, but the process is the same, heat the outer cool the inner. Good luck and post your solution for us to gain insight when it happens to us.