Removing/refiitting wheels

ok guys, as this is one of the most commonly-required changes when doing conversions, i thought i wee thread dedicated to the changing of wheels on our conversion projects would be a good idea, rather than asking the same thing several times on different posts.....can we add to this as we go along, basically stating Make/Brand/Marque, and scale........hope this is helpful to us all in future.... i'm also going to add a few that i would like ansewered, and i'll edit as the info pours in (lol)!!
ok, i'll start.....

SUNSTAR 1:18 ASCONA.................ok a bit awkward this one...each wheel has a small plastic centre, this needs to be removed, i used a dremel, and will be destroyed in the process...behind the centre, is a small starhead/philips screw; once the screw is fully loosened, it will not come out of the wheel unit, you then have to prise the wheel hub off the axle stub, using small flat screwdriver; very carefull as the caliper will slightly foul it...its trial and error here, and if you're lucky you might only bend, not break the caliper lol!!
if refitting these originals, a small dab of milliput into the centre, flattened and painted to suit....
edit....if you plan to fit the 5-spoke rims off revell manta to the ascona, you will lose the calipers anyway, unless you dismantle each rim and insert caliper into it...if you're not fussed about this, then dont worry about damaging the caliper on wheel removal... 

SUNSTAR 1:18 Escort Mk2.............easy, simply pry/pull the wheels off the hubs, keeping direction of pull straight and avoidiing damaging the calipers....

Autoart 1:18 Subaru WRC........... (thanks to Omer)......ok, here comes my recipe gents....just need to remind you that this is a tricky operation which may end up broken wheels or axles. so suggesting to be very gentle.
what I first do is to dis-assemble the whole car and also the axles from the floor panel.
after that I dissemble the brake calipers from the axles.
then I am using 2 flat screw drivers which actually one of them is more like a flat V (U) neck. I gently push the regular flat screw driver in between the wheel Hub and the axle. after half way, opposite to the flat one, I gently push the V neck one. if you push too hard then it may end up braking the axle connections easily since they are tiny and not so strong.
so, now we have two screw drivers located in both sides between the hub and the axle. and gently push down the screw drivers and try to pull the wheel of the axles.
don't pull too hard as may end up braking the wheels.

Solido 1:18 Subaru Impreza WRC plain version......these multi-spokes just pull off the hub, with a wee bit of force to get past the stub...the disc and caliper are contained within the whole wheel asembly, so dont panic when the lot comes off in your hand; overall, very handy, pull off, push on...

Autoart 1:18 Focus WRC................

UT 1:18 Escort WRC.....................

1:18 Sunstar Subaru WRC OZ gravel wheels....these have a large black disc in the centre of the wheel; behind this disc is a tiny starhead screw which holds the wheel to the hub.....pry off the disc, screw off the wheels.....  
the centre-disc is very tight, so if you dont want to risk damaging the gold rim, you can bore out the plastic black centre disc to get at the screw.... milliput can then be used if necessary to refill the blank left by the disc

Schuco 1:43 Opel Manta 400.........

Vitesse 1:43 Opel Manta 400........i found holding one wheel firmly while turning the other on usually brings them off the wee axle ok

Revell 1:18 Opel Manta 400
again, simply pull off, push on, while taking care to work inline with axles to avoid damage to hub/stub

here you go mate

Autoart....

http://rallymodelforum.forumotion.co.uk/t2663-auto-art-subaru-wheels

one at a time lads...one at a time lol!!!

1:18 Sunstar Subaru WRC OZ gravel wheels....
procedure copied to list in first ...

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All wheels should be screwed on.... I've broke too many!!

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aye good call m8!!!! these sunstar ones are good having a wee screw, but its impossible to get at the screw without removing the very tight-fitting black centre-disc! its a real pita!!!!

not tried to dismantle a 1:18 for ages, no doubt I will bust whatever my next 1:18 challenge is!

Gaz, you can always buy one of those slammed Mantas with the oversized wheels to practice on!

Ooops! Sorry, I've probably sent you off on another rant!

Back to the main topic, I've found that all of my 1/43 scale models work with the hold one, twist the other technique. Just need to make sure you don't bend the axle or break the wheels whilst doing this.

Would be interesting to know if there are any 1/43 models which use any other form of wheel-to-axle fixing!

Cheers, Steve

good stuff steve, thanks m8

Hampton Caught wrote:Gaz, you can always buy one of those slammed Mantas with the oversized wheels to practice on!

Ooops! Sorry, I've probably sent you off on another rant!

Back to the main topic, I've found that all of my 1/43 scale models work with the hold one, twist the other technique. Just need to make sure you don't bend the axle or break the wheels whilst doing this.

Would be interesting to know if there are any 1/43 models which use any other form of wheel-to-axle fixing!

Cheers, Steve

would be an expensive lesson that Steve

gaz_bass wrote:would be an expensive lesson that Steve

I agree with you, Gaz. Best speak to your bank manager first. Steve

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I thought I'd update this thread with how I removed the brake discs from a set of Autoart Impreza wheels,
The discs are glued on to the wheels and won't pull apart as the spokes will bend or snap!!




First I used a set of pliers to squeeze the back of the disc hub until I heard the glue crack,
If you think of it as a clock face start at 12 o'clock and squeeze, then move round to 3,6&9 squeezing until you hear the glue crack,





Then using a fine screwdriver slide it through the hole in the back of the hub so it's touching the back of the wheel,
I used the Ixo screwdriver as the end is not too sharp and won't poke through the wheel + it's thin enough to let the disc slide down,
Turn the wheel & screwdriver over so the bottom of the screwdriver is sitting on a hard surface,







Next stage is to use a thin flat head screwdriver going in between the spokes of the wheel and placing it as close to the center hub as you can,
These Autoart wheels have a painted center hub so if you stay on the red or blue paint you will not damage the metal disc!!!
Twist the screwdriver slightly starting at the 12 o'clock position working round at 3,6,9 to loosen the hub & break the last bits of glue,

You can also hold the thin flat head screwdriver on the center hub and give the top of the screwdriver a tap a few times to help the disc move,
I used the pliers and gave it a fairly good tap a few times,
Just make sure you are on the coloured part of the hub and not the metal disc!!!!!









By this stage you should see the disc & hub moving down the shaft of the screwdriver at the back of the wheel,
You may be able to twist the hub while holding the wheel to twist it off the last wee bit,
If not then keep tapping the center hub with the other screwdriver to force it down more,








The metal disc may come off the plastic backing but you will be able to glue it back on so don't worry if it comes off,



Well that was tricky!!
Best of luck and if you need more info just shout
Cheers

















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cheers for the tutorial Colin. this is a great one tho

I do very similar way... but squeezing the hubs sometimes ends up changing the shape of it. and when you replace the wheels, they are not so evenly fit and ends up the stance is not so right as before....

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Yeah I have noticed the hubs change shape,
If you keep the screwdriver in the center hole it helps stop the hub from being damaged too much,
I would also set a bit of fine sandpaper on a flat surface and slide the hub along it to square off/flatten the surface again,
These manufacturers don't make it easy for us lol

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haha
yeah you are right
maybe we should ask AA to sell us these hubs

col.................simply superb instructions m8 cheers

just added the 1:18 Solido Impreza WRC Plain version to the first list lads...... 

This is wheely good!

ohh dear........................Britain's Got Talent.................... NOT!!  

I'll stick to bass playing mate

good call................ you could do worse m8!  

bmd wrote:good call................ you could do worse m8!  

 

just added the Revell 1:18 Manta to the edit....

Any chance on step-by-step instructions for a SunStar Ascona 400?

yes ted, funny you should say that , will be doing just that over the next day or two...watch this space m8!