MG MGB and MGB GT Tech Talk
Dumb question...how do I remove the little dust caps inside the splined hubs of a wire wheel set up? The caps are perfectly round with a threaded stud poking through the center of the cap. Surely it can't be that hard, as you have to get those out to get the hub off to change out the disc brake rotor! Anyone know the trick?
Thanks, Curtis
Ha! this got me the first time I opened mine up. I was afraid of damaging something. The repsonse here was to put a pair of vice grips on them and pull. I threaded a nut on first to avoid damaging the threads, it worked.
Cheers
Matt
Thanks for the quick response! Like you, I figured it must be threaded for a reason, but without seeing it apart, it's hard to tell what purpose that stud is supposed to serve. I didn't want to break it off of there and then be really stuck!
Curtis
Sometimes they're kinda rusted or stuck, in which case you find a longer nut (5/16-24 IIRC) and thread a stud into it, and then onto the one on the cap. This gives you something outside of the hub to grab on to. There's one of those nuts on the engine, on newer cars, on the thermostat housing, again, IIRC!!!
Ahh...it's all about gaining leverage and then simply tug it out of there! Good advice, as always on this board. Somebody's always had to tackle whatever you may currently be stuck on! It's great!
Curtis
After a thread the other day concerning giving the wrong advice, I must make the point about cat skinning one more time. There are over 100 ways to skin a cat.
To pull the dust cap on the front of my B, (and remember, this is a demonstration, not a competition. Please, no wagering) I laid the last link of a short small chain over the stud, then added a flat washer, and nut. Then with a large heavy duty screwdriver, placing the end of the screwdriver thru the links, used the edge of the hub to lever it out.
I don't think you will find this method in Clausager, prolly not Benltley as well, but it works fine out under the shade tree.
Have fun
You can find such a nut on top of the engine! It will be either at the front helping to hold down the thermostat house or the rear where it will be holding up part of the air rail.
Jack
I brazed two nuts together then threaded it onto the cup and a slide hammer and popped it out. Worked good. Even used the slide hammer to tap it back in place.