Has anyone tried this wheel tool?

[Jeffery F.]

The 1963-67 Paragon catalog has a "spinner removal tool kit" for knock off wheels, including a special wrench with a urethane insert and a lead hammer, with the goal of preventing damage when taking off the spinners. Has anyone tried this tool and, if so, can you share your experience, good or bad?

Any comments would be most appreciated.
Jeff Fawcett #67617

[Michael J.]

Re: Has anyone tried this wheel tool?

Yes, I have had one for many years, it works fine, no problems except that the insert sometimes sticks on the spinner and you have to get it off and put it back into the tool.

[Tim G.]

Re: Has anyone tried this wheel tool?

I have two cars with KO wheels and I just use the lead hammer. It has always worked well except that one time I hit the fender (ouch).

[Gary B.]

Re: Has anyone tried this wheel tool?

Jeff,

The shop that replaced the brake calipers and brake lines on my ‘66 to get it road worthy when I first bought it removed and put back on the Western Wheel knockoffs that were on my car at the time. Since the shop did not ever want to be on the losing side of a lawsuit about wheels coming off while driving, they put the knockoffs on with gusto. Not wanting to do any more damage to my spinners by hitting them with a lead hammer, I bought one of the tools you’re considering, but I simply was not able to loosen the recently tightened spinners no matter how hard I tried. I abandoned the special tool and I was eventually able to remove the knockoffs using just the lead hammer. Now my case is certainly an outlier, but I just wanted you to know that that special tool may not work for you if an 800 lb gorilla has tightened the knockoffs.

Gary

[Mark M.]

Re: Has anyone tried this wheel tool?

I bought one of them years ago when they came out. Maybe I wasn't trying hard enough to use it properly but I just got out my trusty lead hammer and the special tool is a dust collector. The original lead hammers have a steel pipe centered between the two heads. The lead mushes out getting close to the steel which could damage the spinner, so I use the after market full lead head hammer. Works great.

[James G.]

Re: Has anyone tried this wheel tool?

I don't have a car with K/O's but have worked on a few.
Only one had a lead hammer with the car, however not wanting to damage the spinners I have always taken full swings using a large DEAD BLOW hammer 3-4" dia and 5-6" long head with 18" handle. I have never had a spinner come loose even after driving hard for 100+ miles prior to delivering the car. (Knock Knock on wood)

Anyone else use a deadblow hammer?