This subject has come up a few times before with the favorite removal tool being a claw hammer with a piece of cloth behind it.
Well here is a fact I had not heard before from the depths of Essex
Did you know there is a standard hubcap removal tool on the Moggie that is not actually part of the original toolkit
So after removing the splinters from much head scratching I gave up
The answer is the spare wheel clamp is there anyone else who new this or has even tried it.
I even asked our branch commitee and no-one had heard of it before either.
Cheers
Kevin
Lovejoy 1968 Smoke Grey Traveller (gone to a new home after13 years)
no wonder there's some badly scratched wheels around - can't see it working myself
I might tryi it though, if nobody else does.
Ray. MMOC#47368. Forum moderator.
Jan 06: The Minor SII Africa adventure: http://www.minor-detour.com
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What about the proper tool?? The one that isn't the starting handle with the wheel nut socket on the end. It has a flat bit that I assumed was for removing hub caps??
i thought the spare wheel clamp was the removal tool. there was a lever tool with wheel brace on the end but i thought it was only supplied with earlyer cars. i only seem to have 1 of those, but loads of clamps. the wider end fits so well. good point about the chips though Ray, its almost impossible without chips anyway. i have always thought that that was the tool for hob cap for the 1098
What I assumed to be the correct tool is in the back of my Traveller, came together with starting handle/wheelbrace and jack in the same "wallet". It's just a length of purpose made flat bar bent at a right angle meant to "twist" off the hubcap, not lever it off.
Normally I remove them by hand, but for the very stubborn ones the claw hammer gets them off without touching the paint at all (levers from the tyre to under the cap)
To remove by hand, - note where the 3 lugs are. Push very hard opposite one lug and use the other hand to prise it over the lug. Most hubcaps will move about a quarter of an inch when you push the side so it doesn't take much to get them over the lug - if theyre a bit stubborn then push with both hands to get it distorted, then keep the pressure on whilst popping it off.
It was my article that you're all talking about. I guess it proves what I wrote that not all owners know everything about their cars. This purpose designed tool fits perfectly, and doesn't chip the paint. A picture is worth a thousand words, so here's how one uses the tool:-
Just spoken to our branch chairman who says that on checking up 57`s diagram is correct, but to be fair the Essex version looks more efficient, so we have 2 manufactured version`s plus the claw hammer back-up, and in an emergency RAY`s hands, so thats 4 tried and tested methods.
Cheers
Kevin
Lovejoy 1968 Smoke Grey Traveller (gone to a new home after13 years)
Must say I like that sparewheel clamp idea, it's there in the car already and fixed to the body. Definitely be giving it a go next time a hubcap is removed. I have found the purpose built tool shown in my scan a bit flimsy, some hubcaps seem to be a tighter fit than others.
The spare wheel clamp, hmmm bit big isnt it?
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