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I was reading about how to set up a Trans-Am Scalextric Camaro by David Reincke. A good article
but I'm wondering how he got the front wheels off and then sanded them and put them back on ?Every time I have taken a wheel off a car. something usually gets broken. I would really like to know the trick for this.?
Charlie

Charlie - glad you liked the write-up!

I do it two ways: I have a spare axle from a T/A front that I added bushings to that can run in my tire truer. The other method is to do that by carefully pulling off one wheel, putting bushings on and then putting it back together. I usually drill the center of the wheel out to allow CA glue to escape when I glue the wheel off.

99% of the time though, I leave the axle on the car, file the flashing off the wheel and use my dummy axle in the truer for the tires.

I came up with one additional way, it's a bit cumbersome and only works on solid axle cars.
I "tie down" my Dremel (I use nylon tie straps and a piece of old paneling), install the drum sander without a sanding drum on it. Remove tires from wheels, turn on Dremel at a reasonable speed and place one wheel against the drum while applying sandpaper to the opposite wheel. Not ideal but if you don't have a tire truer and you're on a tight budget, it works!

If you really want to get the plastic wheel of the axle there is always a risk of fracturing the hub.
However I have had success by putting the axle assembly in hot water, as the plastic expands at a faster rate than the steel and should loosen up some, making it easier to remove the wheel.
A gentle twisting and gentle pulling rather than a strong pull alone seems best.
Otherwise Docs route is ideal. If you have a fractured hub, I use a small sleeve of brass tube over the plastic hub and some crazy glue to repair and strengthen it.
Good luck
Bob

Yep, yep, yep. This is a task we all have dealt with, sometimes together in community on HRW, and sometimes, on one of those wonderful 2am brainstorming sessions that produce perfect results you can't remember the method for in the morning, much less explain it to your wife that it was worth doing...

Yeah, okay. From the simplest to the most complex, right? A lot of what follows not only has been posted a lot before, but actually owes inspiration to the above folks a lot of the time.

Method 1- The tires stretch just fine. Put the front tires on the back wheels and sand them just a little. They don't need much, and the burrs on the front wheels are easy to sand off with an emery board. You don't really have to turn them down. Of course, then the back wheels get spun down on the sandpaper, followed by the tires for the back. We all used this method for years and years. Then we got more toys and loved using them.

Method 2- If you want to pull plastic wheels off axles, identify whether your axle is knurled. Many manufacturers use smooth axles and a fine, square fit for the wheels, so that's easy and sure. Scalextric, true to their Tri-Ang and Hornby roots, uses knurled axles and the wheels are seriously pressed on. To remove them, you are taking a chance, but as mentioned above, sleeving the hub with a piece of brass tubing can solve that problem when things go wrong. In general, the technique is to gently turn the wheels while pulling, and let the knurling give way by itself. It sounds tougher than it is. After so many years, I can pull Scaley wheels at will. *and when the hub breaks, I can pop a brass tube on with Superglue so fast no one will ever know*

Method 3- When you remove the wheels from a knurled axle, consider a home made smooth axle from drill blank, precision ground steel wire, etc. This gives you a chance to put on a really fine crown or spur gear (Slot.it, NSR, etc.). The technique for a superglue attachment of plastic wheels is pretty much trial and error, and butt simple. Try it. You'll be great at it. Go for it.

How do you get to Carnegie Hall ?! PRACTICE MAN PRACTICE !
Ýes all the above. The hot water really helps.
Good luck

Well said.

The corollary of the wheel in hot water is the axle temperature being lowered in combination. Find a piece of steel with some mass that will fit in the space available between wheels, chassis, etc. I have some old tool steel billets, but have used 1/2' diameter twist drills, too. Throw it in you freezer for a while, longer equaling better up to a point mostly dependent upon the mass of the object.

Before (preferred) or at the same time the wheel is being immersed in hot water, apply the frozen steel mass to the axle. Cold contracts. Heat expands.

Mc

Thanks all, I never tried the hot water way and then adding the hot water frozen steel sounds like it should work. We used to use heat and cold water to release frozen trunnion bearings on big trucks. Hadn't thought about using it for slot cars. What size of brass tubing do you find works best for wheel repair?
Thanks Charlie

Charlie each wheel is different Scaley , Carrera etc, so it is trail and error.
Some have triangular bridges on them others just the plain hub.
Although the interior may be the same the brass used on the outside may be different inside dia.
I have a box of old cutoffs and simply work away until I find the right one.
Bob

Thanks Bob ,I don't have much brass yet....yet but I going that way more and more.
Charlie

Once you start with brass , ever throw the little leftovers anywhere other than a bits box.
You can never tell when you might need a bit.
When you start, take a wheel with you and see what fits best, tighter is better than looser.
Also dont count out aluminum tube it can also be crazy glued into place.
Even if you have to file a bit of the triangle supports ( not all) , a small piece of tube will work fine.
Good Luck Charlie.
Bob