pin drive adapter removal problem... help! - FFCars.com : Factory Five Racing Discussion Forum

bgbadaz · 08-09-2012, 03:37 PM

For those of you following it, here's the next chapter to my corrosion problem that i had on my roadster. I have been making progress... slowly. My problem now is wheel related. I have a set of pin drive vintage wheels in my car. I noticed that the bare aluminum outer rim was heavily corroded (brand new wheels), and i couldnt polish it off. I ended up dry sanding them with 400 grit paper and hand polishing then with Mothers aluminum polish, and suprisingly enough (after 2 hours per wheel), they came out good as new. Its the first good news Ive had so far. I began to take my pin drive adapters apart and noticed something that may have just saved my life. Apparently when I put them on, i had the sides reversed, I just noticed the "L" and "R" stamped on the adapters (on the wrong sides of the car). Losing a wheel due to a spinner working loose would have sucked.

Now... heres the problem. I started to take off the adapters. My first 3 hex pins broke loose with no problem. The next 2... not so much. The hex bit turned in the pin and sent 3 cracks lengthwise down the pin about 120 degrees apart. I tried to hold them together with vice grips while turning them, but had no luck. Im afraid to try to break them apart because I dont want to leave a piece stuck in the tapered part that I cant get out. Im not sure what else i can do without damaging the spinner adapters too. Has anyone else had these problems? Also, I heard Vintage Wheel closed... where can I get new hex pins from once I get these off???

Two steps forward... 1... no... 3 steps back.

Bobby

sharkx · 08-09-2012, 04:59 PM

If Vintage wheels closed, it's news to me. Their web site is still active.
:: Welcome To Vintage Wheels ::

Bruce

Rich A · 08-09-2012, 05:44 PM

I think you got the wheel companies mixed up. PSE is closed.

bgbadaz · 08-09-2012, 06:23 PM

ya know what, you're right. i was thinking about PSE. im kinda paranoid about that kinda thing, im currently battling for a mso on a west coast choppers frame i bought from them before they closed. ive had bad luck with places going out of business. so, does anyone have any ideas on how to get these damn lugnut pins off???

thanks
bobby

Cameron Autosports · 08-09-2012, 06:55 PM

Vintage is still in business!
Try welding a bolt to it then useing the head of the bolt to remove. I am sure Bob at vintage can fix you up with new lugs.

Rich A · 08-09-2012, 07:03 PM

I have a couple of ideas, but this is the easiest.

Slide a steel tubular sleeve over the outside of the pin to distribute the torque of the hex bit evenly and try removing it again.

Bullitt1 · 08-09-2012, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgbadaz

For those of you following it, here's the next chapter to my corrosion problem that i had on my roadster. I have been making progress... slowly. My problem now is wheel related. I have a set of pin drive vintage wheels in my car. I noticed that the bare aluminum outer rim was heavily corroded (brand new wheels), and i couldnt polish it off. I ended up dry sanding them with 400 grit paper and hand polishing then with Mothers aluminum polish, and suprisingly enough (after 2 hours per wheel), they came out good as new. Its the first good news Ive had so far. I began to take my pin drive adapters apart and noticed something that may have just saved my life. Apparently when I put them on, i had the sides reversed, I just noticed the "L" and "R" stamped on the adapters (on the wrong sides of the car). Losing a wheel due to a spinner working loose would have sucked.

Now... heres the problem. I started to take off the adapters. My first 3 hex pins broke loose with no problem. The next 2... not so much. The hex bit turned in the pin and sent 3 cracks lengthwise down the pin about 120 degrees apart. I tried to hold them together with vice grips while turning them, but had no luck. Im afraid to try to break them apart because I dont want to leave a piece stuck in the tapered part that I cant get out. Im not sure what else i can do without damaging the spinner adapters too. Has anyone else had these problems? Also, I heard Vintage Wheel closed... where can I get new hex pins from once I get these off???

Two steps forward... 1... no... 3 steps back.

Bobby

BE CAREFUL!!! The L goes on the right side of the car and the R goes on the left. The L and R are for the threads, not the side of the car.

I hope you haven't swapped them to the wrong side.....

bgbadaz · 08-09-2012, 08:19 PM

Cameron, great idea, one small problem though. The lug pins are aluminum, not steel, and im limited to my mig. I checked the Vintage website, I can order a complete set for $100. I can live with that, i just need to check my lug size and pitch.

Rich, awesome idea... probably going to try that tonite when I get off work. Makes perfect sense to me.

Bullitt, Glad you replied. I almost made a major mistake. I also feel a little better, i thought i had made a careless mistake on my original assembly. Thanks for stopping me before I got something screwed up!

Bobby

KC Wildcat · 08-09-2012, 08:30 PM

As for the spinner threads on pin drive set ups - Don't over think things (L & R), just use common sense and know that as the wheel rolls forward, it should tighten the spinner.

oldguy668 · 08-09-2012, 08:49 PM

The driver's side (in the USA) wing nuts are lefty-loosey, righty-tighty. The passenger side is the opposite.

Doug Meldrum · 08-09-2012, 08:58 PM

Good luck in getting them off.
I saw those pins and decided I didn't want to go through what you're currently going through. I looked around and decided to use Kirkham Motorsport's pins. They are pretty awesome and have an outside hex surface. I remember them being a little pricy but worth the money.

COMPETITIONCOBRA · 08-09-2012, 09:44 PM

The Kirkham wheel nuts are the only way to go with a hex head machined into them. I bought 21 from them... have 1 as a spare. I think they cost around $8.00 each plus shipping.
Here is a close up photo of them.

rich grsc · 08-10-2012, 12:06 AM

The pins are not aluminum, they are steel. Slide a piece of steel tubing over them and tack weld. The heat will help break them loose.

bgbadaz · 08-10-2012, 12:26 AM

For some reason, i was thinking they are aluminum. Maybe its just because they broke so damn easily. I'll definately throw the MIG at them then... it isnt getting any worse for sure.

bgbadaz · 08-10-2012, 12:35 AM

Do you Kirkham guys know what the outside diameter and taper is on those pins? I know mine are 19.4mm outside, 22mm length, and 60 degree taper on the end. I checked Kirkham's website but didnt see them on there. Thanks

rich grsc · 08-10-2012, 12:41 AM

Magnets dont stick to aluminum, mine are steel.

COMPETITIONCOBRA · 08-10-2012, 04:15 AM

The Kirkham nuts I have are 90degree, 28mm long and 18mm wide. These fit the studs on my 8.8 rear end. There is no part number on my invoice to give.

Doug Meldrum · 08-10-2012, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by COMPETITIONCOBRA

The Kirkham nuts I have are 90degree, 28mm long and 18mm wide. These fit the studs on my 8.8 rear end. There is no part number on my invoice to give.

X2, I went in and picked them up. I went through my invoices and didn't find one from Kirkham's. I don't think they are a standard order item. If you called them, I'm sure they will help you. They just had a bin of them and we counted out 20, and they were $8.00 ea. I'm using Vintage wheels and adapter plates. The taper is 60 deg, the same as COMPETITIONCOBRA and FFRs pins.

bgbadaz · 08-11-2012, 04:55 AM

guys, i just wanted to say thanks! i got both of my front knockoff adapters off the car today. i found some 3/4" inside diameter steel sleeves at lowes today. they are just a hair smaller than the outside diameter of the pins. a little heat and a big hammer made them fit just right over my broken pins. after i got them on pretty well, i put a little heat in the hex heads to help loosen them up and they came right off! once i got thee left front off, i just heted the pins on the right front and they all broke loose with no issues. i think its a safe bet that im replacing them with kirkham pins. thanks again though... i wouldnt have thought to sleeve them otherwise.

bobby

COMPETITIONCOBRA · 08-11-2012, 05:41 AM

Just make sure you get the correct tapered on the nuts... If I remember when I ordered mine the Kirkham salesman asked what taper I had. I am not sure if they had both 60 degree and 90 degree.
Again for my Trigo wheels I have the ---- 90 degree taper ----
Just hold them up to a carpenters square and see how they line up.

rich grsc · 08-11-2012, 12:47 PM

There is no such thing as a 90 degree taper, thats a right angle. The angle is measured from the side of the pin, so it would either be 60 degree's or 45 degree's. I think the Vintage wheels are 60 degree, but its easy to measure now that they are off.

COMPETITIONCOBRA · 08-11-2012, 03:19 PM

I stand corrected... it would be 45 degree.